EndoT800
Freaked Out
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2011
- Messages
- 140
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Happy Holidays!
Here is my latest Neca 1/4th Predator makeover. This closed mouth version has been sitting in my closet ever since I bought the helmeted version. Being quite busy, I never had a chance to work on this figure until recently. The one thing about this Predator is that it has one of the best sculpts out there. The factory paint with its limitations clearly hides a lot of the really nice subtle features; but that’s what makeovers are for.
For this Predator, I wanted to give it an original dynamic pose. I went with a wrist computer interaction pose which was a bit different from what I’ve seen in the past.
The first thing was test out the pose to see what the limitation were. Once that was done, it was just a matter making the necessary mods to get the pose I was after. Next up was to strip the entire figure along with that awful netting and to primer it up along with the amour and trophies.
Once primed, you can see all the fine hidden details. In order to take advantage of them and bring them out further, I go through a multi-layer paint process which in the end gives you a really nice complex layer of deep skin tones. The stock amour base color looks good, but giving it the full weathering treatment really brings out the details of the amour. Once the main paint process was complete. It was on to the finishing details which can be a bit time consuming but well worth it.
The Predators trophies were all refinished as well. The spine comes in three pieces so I ended up fusing it as one complete spine. Along with the chest skulls & neck bones, the original string was replaced with real leather rope. With that complete, it came time to start reassembling the Predator. I reseated the amour on the arms, thighs and knees to give them a better snug look fit.
Next up was to mod that wrist computer. Having made an ultimate Predator with a lighted wrist computer panel, I wanted this one to have a wrist computer panel that would open & close along with an inside lighted display. After testing a few things & making a few mods that was completed. I then made the inside surface of the computer from scratch along with the lighted display which gives it a bit more dramatic effect. I then moved on to re-netting the entire figure and replaced the arm and leg fabric ties with real leather ties. Then came time for the quills, they can be a bit maddening but they really give it a nice finishing touch. I applied them to the head, arm & chest areas.
Onward to the base; I used real wood trunks that were a bit to dry looking so I repainted to make them look more moist weathered. I then added some artificial plants and real moss effects. I then created a pooling water effect which includes a partly sunken skull with moss along with an algae muddy bottom look.
To make the base a little more interesting, I went with a snake crawling along the wood trunk for a bit more dramatic effect. The snake was repainted along with the trophy skulls to give it a nice jungle finish. Of course there were many more steps in between, but just too many to list. As with any of my makeovers, I’ll probably make some more minor tweaks here and there.
Hope you guys enjoy it as this may be my last Predator makeover. Maybe
Here is my latest Neca 1/4th Predator makeover. This closed mouth version has been sitting in my closet ever since I bought the helmeted version. Being quite busy, I never had a chance to work on this figure until recently. The one thing about this Predator is that it has one of the best sculpts out there. The factory paint with its limitations clearly hides a lot of the really nice subtle features; but that’s what makeovers are for.
For this Predator, I wanted to give it an original dynamic pose. I went with a wrist computer interaction pose which was a bit different from what I’ve seen in the past.
The first thing was test out the pose to see what the limitation were. Once that was done, it was just a matter making the necessary mods to get the pose I was after. Next up was to strip the entire figure along with that awful netting and to primer it up along with the amour and trophies.
Once primed, you can see all the fine hidden details. In order to take advantage of them and bring them out further, I go through a multi-layer paint process which in the end gives you a really nice complex layer of deep skin tones. The stock amour base color looks good, but giving it the full weathering treatment really brings out the details of the amour. Once the main paint process was complete. It was on to the finishing details which can be a bit time consuming but well worth it.
The Predators trophies were all refinished as well. The spine comes in three pieces so I ended up fusing it as one complete spine. Along with the chest skulls & neck bones, the original string was replaced with real leather rope. With that complete, it came time to start reassembling the Predator. I reseated the amour on the arms, thighs and knees to give them a better snug look fit.
Next up was to mod that wrist computer. Having made an ultimate Predator with a lighted wrist computer panel, I wanted this one to have a wrist computer panel that would open & close along with an inside lighted display. After testing a few things & making a few mods that was completed. I then made the inside surface of the computer from scratch along with the lighted display which gives it a bit more dramatic effect. I then moved on to re-netting the entire figure and replaced the arm and leg fabric ties with real leather ties. Then came time for the quills, they can be a bit maddening but they really give it a nice finishing touch. I applied them to the head, arm & chest areas.
Onward to the base; I used real wood trunks that were a bit to dry looking so I repainted to make them look more moist weathered. I then added some artificial plants and real moss effects. I then created a pooling water effect which includes a partly sunken skull with moss along with an algae muddy bottom look.
To make the base a little more interesting, I went with a snake crawling along the wood trunk for a bit more dramatic effect. The snake was repainted along with the trophy skulls to give it a nice jungle finish. Of course there were many more steps in between, but just too many to list. As with any of my makeovers, I’ll probably make some more minor tweaks here and there.
Hope you guys enjoy it as this may be my last Predator makeover. Maybe
Beautiful, simply beautiful! Mine has been in pieces forever. Haven't made time for it. It wouldn't look half as good as your work.
