Statue Legolas Maquette

[Seaward]

To me, the sculpt is spot on, and the unpainted shots from Trevor seem to only confirm how amazing the sculpt is, but one thing that stills jars me with any painted up representation of Legolas is that Orlando Bloom has dark hair and dark eyes, and the blue eyes that get painted on to a statue don't (read: can't) reflect the quality of dark eyes under blue contacts. The eyes on the statues are always too blue, and lack that weird artificial blue with the underlying dark tones for me. It is one of those weird intangibles that I notice in some collectibles. I am really looking forward to this one, though! I would hope that we don't have to wait 6 months for the next offering!

 

[DinoDB1975]

My only nitpick (and really, I'm grasping at straws here because I think both Aragorn and Legolas look phenomenal) is that while this is clearly "Helms Deep" Legolas, the base doesn't scream Helms Deep to me.

I understand this could be from when the Uruk Hai have breached the wall and the Rohirrim / Galadhrim forces are falling back to the keep proper, but I would have preferred a section of the wall of Helms Deep as the base.

I've said it before; the bases on these maquettes are fantastic in detail. I can picture Aragorn in the plains before Amon Sul, Gandalf leading the Fellowship and Gimli fighting in Moria / Balin's tomb.

Can't wait to pre-order Legolas, and receive Aragorn. I'd like to see the art design of the display boxes.

 

[blue_rogue]

Hi
who would you like afer gimli i would love boromir or saruman

Hobbitses!

 

[woodsy]

To me, the sculpt is spot on, and the unpainted shots from Trevor seem to only confirm how amazing the sculpt is, but one thing that stills jars me with any painted up representation of Legolas is that Orlando Bloom has dark hair and dark eyes, and the blue eyes that get painted on to a statue don't (read: can't) reflect the quality of dark eyes under blue contacts. The eyes on the statues are always too blue, and lack that weird artificial blue with the underlying dark tones for me. It is one of those weird intangibles that I notice in some collectibles. I am really looking forward to this one, though! I would hope that we don't have to wait 6 months for the next offering!

I think Legolas is really hard to capture where the eyes and hair are concerned because there is so much variation between one screencap and the next. You're right though, for some reason Legolas almost always has his eyes painted bright blue which isn't even remotely accurate. His eyes actually range from dark brown to a greyish-blue, heavy on the grey and light on the blue. The eyes of the LSB actually look pretty good, with the greyish colour of his eyes highlighted quite nicely.

 

[woodsy]

I admit the thought crossed my mind but I will be good and just get one.

And I will be bad and get two.... I've actually ordered both an excl. and reg. edition of Aragorn and GTG as well, only because I like the variation between the excl's and reg. editions. Though I will draw the line where Gimli is concerned....I don't need to display a Gimli without an armoured orc skeleton on the base when I can display him with one.

My only nitpick (and really, I'm grasping at straws here because I think both Aragorn and Legolas look phenomenal) is that while this is clearly "Helms Deep" Legolas, the base doesn't scream Helms Deep to me.

I understand this could be from when the Uruk Hai have breached the wall and the Rohirrim / Galadhrim forces are falling back to the keep proper, but I would have preferred a section of the wall of Helms Deep as the base.

I've said it before; the bases on these maquettes are fantastic in detail. I can picture Aragorn in the plains before Amon Sul, Gandalf leading the Fellowship and Gimli fighting in Moria / Balin's tomb.

Can't wait to pre-order Legolas, and receive Aragorn. I'd like to see the art design of the display boxes.

It looks like you and I are in the same boat. It certainly is a very minor point, but I really expected Legolas to be positioned on a section of the breached wall as well. But as you said, he did end up fighting in The Deep after the Deeping Wall was breached and as such the rock/boulder Legolas finds himself on definitely makes for a reasonable base selection.

 

[The Josh]

Well, we at least balance ourselves out then. I thought about it with Aragorn but I'm more likely to order two of say a 1:6th figure than a statue.

 

[nucleoblast]

Those close-up screenshots of Legolas emphasizes how great the likenesses on both the maquette & PF are.
Personally I still choose the PF as the best likeness.

 

[bill59]

How do you not see Orlando Bloom?

Works for me, just the blueness of the eyes could use some work.

Other than that...great job by Trev .


Bill

 

[FrodoEyes]

Agreed. These maquettes possess a classic, timeless quality unlike anything I've ever seen before in any LOTR line, and I couldn't be happier with the results so far.

I think they meant that statues in general suit LOTR better, and i agree. Between Sideshow and Sideshow/Weta we have been very spoilt.
I love the look of this Legolas maquette and am very tempted to order, being as it is much better than the original Weta one or the bust, but we need to see it in person to decide if it's the best likeness ever, and not just trust on the photos. The Legolas on the Legimarod SSW statue is very good also.
Everyone seems in agreement that Trevor is one of the best and i agree, he always seems to produce the goods. I still remember how insanely detailed and good a likeness he managed to get on such a tiny Frodo sculpt in the first diorama.
I have Strider on order, Legolas is sneaking towards an order, so why not get Gimli too to complete the 3 hunters! I'm still disappointed with the GTG - apart from the likeness - so doubt i'll be ordering him, unless the rest of the Fellowship look just as fantastic as Strider and Legolas.
Arwen looks nice too.


Damn you Sideshow!!

 

[FrodoEyes]

As far as concerning the good guys, this line is miles ahead of what WETA has ever done. WETA's bad guys are phenomenal, but the good guys are just silly imo.

None of them have a good likeness.

The new maquette line has great likenesses, very nice poses, great bases and as far as we can see nice detail ...

I wouldn't say *all* of them. Theoden is good, Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas on Arod, and if we're talking about human characters rather than good guys..... Saruman, Grima.... and alot of busts had good likeness' too, like Theoden, GTW and GTG, Saruman, Grima, Bilbo......

 

[woodsy]

I think they meant that statues in general suit LOTR better, and i agree. Between Sideshow and Sideshow/Weta we have been very spoilt.
I love the look of this Legolas maquette and am very tempted to order, being as it is much better than the original Weta one or the bust, but we need to see it in person to decide if it's the best likeness ever, and not just trust on the photos. The Legolas on the Legimarod SSW statue is very good also.
Everyone seems in agreement that Trevor is one of the best and i agree, he always seems to produce the goods. I still remember how insanely detailed and good a likeness he managed to get on such a tiny Frodo sculpt in the first diorama.
I have Strider on order, Legolas is sneaking towards an order, so why not get Gimli too to complete the 3 hunters! I'm still disappointed with the GTG - apart from the likeness - so doubt i'll be ordering him, unless the rest of the Fellowship look just as fantastic as Strider and Legolas.
Arwen looks nice too.


Damn you Sideshow!!

Unfortunately, a sculpt is only as good as the paint-up, and sculptors are always worried as to whether the paint app's on a sculpt will do justice to the sculpt itself. Trevor was very happy with what he saw of Legolas and if the factory paint app's hold up we will be in very good shape I think.

 

[nucleoblast]

.... and alot of busts had good likeness' too, like Theoden, GTW and GTG, Saruman, Grima, Bilbo......

Theoden and the two Gandalf busts are beyond good.These are simply perfect imho.

 

[nucleoblast]

Unfortunately, a sculpt is only as good as the paint-up, and sculptors are always worried as to whether the paint app's on a sculpt will do justice to the sculpt itself.

Exactly.Although still very good I feel Legolas' likeness looses some of its awesomeness after the paint app's .The unpainted piece is perfect.

 

[bill59]

Exactly.Although still very good I feel Legolas' likeness looses some of its awesomeness after the paint app's .The unpainted piece is perfect.

I think in the case of the Legolas Maquette, the paint job is fine (other than the blueness of the eyes) .
Hope SS will take that on board and we get the best Legolas likeness to-date .

Bil

 

[woodsy]

Exactly.Although still very good I feel Legolas' likeness looses some of its awesomeness after the paint app's .The unpainted piece is perfect.

I would worry more about SS's traditionally lousy preview pic's, and less about Leggy's likeness. In that group shot Legolas looks pretty well perfect, and like I mentioned before, Trevor himself was very pleased when he saw the completed statue....and I can't imagine anyone being more critical/concerned about the paint app's than him.

 

[bill59]

I would worry more about SS's traditionally lousy preview pic's, and less about Leggy's likeness. In that group shot Legolas looks pretty well perfect, and like I mentioned before, Trevor himself was very pleased when he saw the completed statue....and I can't imagine anyone being more critical/concerned about the paint app's than him.

From what we can see from the pic, I don't think Trev would have much to be critical about IMHO.
However, it may be difficult for him to be too critical of other artist's work .
Hope he made some comment on the blueness of the eyes though.

Bill

 

[woodsy]

From what we can see from the pic, I don't think Trev would have much to be critical about IMHO.
However, it may be difficult for him to be too critical of other artist's work .
Hope he made some comment on the blueness of the eyes though.

Bill

It is true that most artist's don't like to be too critical of other artist's work....at least publically. But when one artist's work impacts the work of another....it's a whole new ballgame.

 

[bill59]

It is true that most artist's don't like to be too critical of other artist's work....at least publically. But when one artist's work impacts the work of another....it's a whole new ballgame.

I not too sure woodsy. I would say yes, if it was something that he really felt very strongly about.
But I would think he may not be too critical otherwise. He won't dis another artist to the boss I'm sure.
Lucky enough there is nothing worth being too critical about with this one .

Bill

 

[woodsy]

I not too sure woodsy. I would say yes, if it was something that he really felt very strongly about.
But I would think he may not be too critical otherwise. He won't dis another artist to the boss I'm sure.
Lucky enough there is nothing worth being too critical about with this one .

Bill

You've got that right! Tuesday cannot come soon enough for me.

 

[The Josh]

Legolas looks amazing. Watched The Two Towers EE last night and I'm stoked even more to get this order in for Legolas. I can see some gripe with the GTG reg pose but the Ex looks like a powerful wizard climbing a ledge.