Building the Box: Two

Welcome to Part Two of my how-to guide to building the Dagobah Box! Part One is here if you want to get caught up, otherwise, let’s get going!

Before properly fixing the tree into place, I needed to decide upon a background. I’d originally wanted to paint my own background, and did a quick mock up with pastels, but wasn’t really happy with the effect. I also tried a print out of a dark, Dagobah swamp-esque image, but the colours and scale didn’t really match. After trial and error with these images, I eventually settled on the image from the film (and the OTC box-art), showing Luke’s partially sunken X-Wing in the distance. 

Pen & Pastel Backdrop

Generic Swamp Backdrop

I dry-brushed the floor of the box with dark green acrylic paint to to help achieve the swamp effect, and then added more branches to the tree, twisting some regular garden twine around the branches to form vines, and covered it in moulding plaster to add texture and hold it all together. When this was complete I spray painted it brown again, dry brushed it dark green, and fixed it properly into place.

It's come a long way from being a toilet roll tube...

Whilst the spray paint is absolutely the best tool to work with for diorama building (I’m converted!), the gloss left quite a singular, damp look to the floor. To add texture I bought some modelling flock (autumn leaves, if I remember correctly), and used PVA glue to apply it to certain areas of the floor and tree.

Pre-flock...

Almost finished. I cut some holes in the top of the box and poked through some vines from my garden on the opposite side of the tree, and used more modelling clay to add texture. I once again used a base layer of dark brown acrylic paint, dry brushed with dark green, and it was done!

...And finished!

And so, I’ve had it for some time – what do I think of the Box as a set for photography, or as a display piece now? What would I do differently? Well, thank you for asking… :D

As a set, the box has worked well for pictures, but also pretty much served its purpose. As it’s such a small scene, and I can only really photograph in one direction, there isn’t too much more I can do with it. The sides and roof of the box are essential in creating the mood of Dagobah, but unfortunately they limit the lighting options – all I can really do is flood the front with light, whilst trying to avoid too much reflection from the background image.

As a display piece, the box is a bit of a mess. Whilst the scene is suitable, the cardboard box warped as soon as I applied the papier mache, and the shape has become further distorted through applications of paint and wet plaster. I’ve had it sat out on my display shelf before, and as happy as I am with the scene, the presentation looks amateurish. I will absolutely use wood or polystyrene for future displays.

Aside from the materials, I was disappointed with myself for not putting the effort in to paint a custom backdrop. The location of the X-Wing in the background messes up the screen accuracy of the scene, and if you follow the lake from the background it should actually flow right into the box itself! Those two points aside though, I don't think it works that badly.

The most important thing I’ve learned from building the Dagobah Box is that a scene or diorama needs to have a specific purpose from the beginning – be it for screen accuracy, display, play or whatever. I made a lot of choices on the fly whilst making this, and the overall look has suffered. I’ve since made a generic display piece, and having made it for a definite purpose, the final effect is much better. If, and when, I embark on a Dagobah scene again, I fully intend to make it scene specific, use appropriate materials, and hopefully end up with a more satisfactory end result.

TFA Snarl!

I finally watched the Transformers Animated episode 'Blast from the Past' today, which introduces the Dinobots to that series. Yeah. Let's just say I prefer Wheeljack finding fossils and going from there...

Robot! Dinosaur! Poor Design? Yes!

Snarl was Slag, but his name got changed due to the connotations of the word over here in the UK (a slag being an abusive term implying a person's promiscuity). I'm sure he was originally named after waste metal though, which would've been appropriate, because this Transformer is pretty rubbish. Still, gotta keep the family together!

Building the Box: One

The Dagobah Box is the most ambitious set-piece I’ve made so far; and whilst I’ve thought of many ways to make it better (or to improve version two…) since finishing it, it still works great as a display piece for my Dagobah-themed figures. Here, long overdue for both the Box and this blog, I present a making-off guide, with plenty of WIP shots!

Calvin & Hobbes: Essential reading for everyone.

First of all I found an ordinary shoebox, as inspired by Calvin’s diorama school project. The first challenge for me was to decide which part of Dagobah I wanted to show. The box wasn’t big enough for my POTF2 X-Wing, so I ruled out doing the crash site. I considered making Yoda’s hut, but the box dimensions would have made it really squashed, so that was scratched also. I knew I would primarily be using the set to display the OTC Dagobah wave figures, and so, following a lot of research (by which I mean the hardship of watching Empire Strikes Back :D), I decided on the clearing where Luke has the vision of Cloud City.

I made the tree by selecting several suitable branches from my garden, and chopping them down to the right size. I used a toilet tissue roll as the main trunk of the tree, and then positioned the branches as the roots, holding them in place with masking tape.

Using off-cuts of card and branches to add texture to the ground, I then covered the floor of the box and the tree with papier mache, to unify all the different elements and create a base texture. After letting the glue dry, I checked the scale against the box’s soon-to-be residents…

I used a glossy brown spray paint to completely coat the inside of the box and the tree. Using spray paint was far superior to anything I would’ve done with acrylics and a brush, as the coating was so much more complete and even, as well as quicker to do. I felt at this point however that the box was too sparse, and needed more texture. To achieve this I took several smaller branches from my garden and put them around the floor, as logs and other swamp detritus. I also toyed with the idea of putting a second tree in on the other side of the box, but decided that I might still need the space.

I covered the floor and the tree in moulding plaster, marking it with my fingers as it dried, and used it to good effect on the tree to pull all the different elements together. I also added more twigs and branches to the tree at this point, to create a denser look. With one more coat of spray paint, the scene was beginning to take shape…

 

Click through here for Part Two, where I complete the set and look at what went right, went wrong, and how I’d do it differently next time!

Ultimate Aliens!

Deep Danger & Steam

Toys that inspire the imagination, that has to be the main aim that most toy makers aspire to, right? And yes, I know the collector market is huge, but it's well made kids toys that creates collectors in the first place. So, toys that inspire the imagination, and that also exist as part of a successful franchise? Double win for the manufacturer. That those toys can be cool looking robot-esque aliens? Well, I guess that would be the icing on the cake! And here I present the Ben 10: Ultimate Alien "Alien Creation Figure Set".

This two pack contains figures of Water Hazard and Ultimate Swampfire, members of the Orishan and Methanosian species respectively (apparently; I'm learning all this as I go!); and also a small green key with the Ben 10 hourglass logo on it.

Water Hazard

Water Hazard is the red and black guy, with a solid protective shell and the ability to project pressurised blasts of water. Ultimate Swampfire is an evolved version of Swampfire (Regular Swampfire?), with a body made of petrified wood and the ability to shoot blue flames when he puts his hands together. It was the mixture of the two of them that made me pick this set up over one of the many others; I liked Water Hazard's look and the bulk of Swampfire, with the small scale sealing the deal. Without knowing anything about the characters prior to picking them up, I've gotta say that the designs are very cool. If I were a kid today, I would most certainly be a Ben 10 fan, and that's before we get to the best bit...

Ultimate Swampfire

That small green key with the hourglass logo that I mentioned? Well, that plugs into the back of the figures and causes the limbs and head to pop off, leaving five pieces of each action figure that can be jumbled up and re-assembled in whatever way you like. As a kid this would most likely have caused my tiny mind to explode; and this capability to create new combinations of characters with their own unique powersets is one I can really appreciate. And then there's the value. I picked up this set from Home Bargains in Northampton, where there's a good selection for the bargain price of £1.99. A cursory glance shows TRU are retailing theirs at £6.99, so it's a ridiculously good deal if you can find them. 

Anyway, let the re-assembly commence!

Steam

Steam is the dual-processing (read: two-headed) bio-bot with the ability to transform his body into pourous steam, or an indestructible rock solid mass. What he lacks in offensive capabilities he makes up for in intelligence and leadership, making strategy calls based on a mixture of experienced intuition and hard computer logic.

Deep Danger

Deep Danger is a machine first and foremost, but augemented with additional biologics to provide him with awesome strength. A warrior on the battlefield, Deep Danger trusts Steam implicitly, and will follow orders to the letter. This lack of independent thinking would be a weakness to some, but Deep Danger's ability to project incredibly powerful force blasts ensures he always gets the job done.

But sometimes, all the tactical nous and brute force in the imaginative world isn't enough to save you from a giant hand wielding a green key...

These figures are stylish and provide hours of fun. Even if you're not a Ben 10 afficionado (like myself), there's something worthwhile here, and for £1.99 you really can't go wrong.

Just Where Do You Think You're Going?

"You're fortunate he doesn't blast you into a million pieces right here" - Really, 3PO?

Quick post here. I didn't think too much about the practicality of this little Tatooine backdrop when I made it, because if I had, I would definitely have made it bigger. Of course, had I made it bigger, then I'd no longer have any excuses for not owning a TVC Landspeeder. ..

He's Seen Us!

My parents visited at the start of the week and my Mum bought along this pretty cool Anubis-type beast toy, that I've since discovered is Benwolf, from the Ben 10 line by Bandai. She said I might be able to use it in movies; I don't know about that, but it's certainly good for stills... I've seen some really cool monster toy shots online and wanted to try to emulate that look a little bit. I've also got to say that the slightly larger scale opens up a whole load more possibilities from my same old garden steps!

I originally put a different edit of this shot up on Flickr, but it was tough to choose which version to use; subsequently, this one's now up on here.

I am loving my new camera :D

Imperial Navy Commander Review

In my quest to get the best modern iterations of the 'Vintage 12' Star Wars figures, there are two that I wasn't as keen on purchasing - the Tusken Raider, and this guy, the Death Squad Commander Star Destroyer Commander Death Star Trooper Imperial Navy Commander. Both are army builders, sure, but they're not as important characters as, say, Darth Vader, or the elusive VOTC Leia, right? However, I found the figure on Ebay going far cheaper than I'd seen previously, and took the opportunity to get 7/12ths there. Did he match my expectations? Read on for the verdict, true believer...

The Package

I don't normally care too much for the packaging (these things are meant to be opened, right?), but in the case of the Vintage Collection I have to make an exception. The updated retro look is much loved by the fans, and I'll personally be sorry to see it go for however long it's on hiatus.

As per all European releases we get the sticker over the back of the box, telling us to celebrate the saga in several languages, rather than showing us the rest of the line that won't be available in a toy shop near you. I always liked cardbacks because they gave you information on the character, and in some cases acted as a checklist for the other figures in the line. I know the latter isn't necessary in these internet days, but still, where's the fun in a multi-lingual sticker? Anyway, I digress. Let's see what the Imperial Navy Commander looks like freed from his plastic cell...

The Figure

He's here in full black Imperial garb, looking for all intents and purposes like an Imperial Officer with a different hat on. He has a ball-jointed neck, shoulders, elbows, knees and feet, with swivel wrists, waist and legs. He comes with a removable hat and gun, with working holster, and I'm sure you'll agree that the overall look is pretty slick.

The Positives

This guy's sculpt is nearly flawless - the proportions are spot on, which is a bonus for a character with a removable helmet, the creases in the uniform combine with the material of the plastic to give the suit a real sheen, and the holster works really well. The poseability from the waist up is superb, and the INC can make all the poses required to re-create their appearances in the film. The sculpt of the head under the helmet is really well done as well, and kudos to Hasbro for even making the helmet removable in the first place. I'm not a customiser myself, but I'm sure this guy will go down a treat with those who are. The torso and collar also looks good for a Jedi Luke, if anyone really wanted to cannibalise it!

The Not-so-Positives

The lack of ball-jointed hips and the narrow stance really kill this figure. He can't stand up! Well, not without much cajoling and enough forward weight to balance him. It's a real annoyance considering that this could've been a great figure. I understand that ball jointed hips are expensive - but if you can't use them, at least make sure the alternative works. Other than that (pretty major) gripe, the only other flaw I can find is that both his hands are in trigger-finger (or pointing) positions. I don't remember these guys being armed to the teeth or making many accusations, so maybe one relaxed hand would've been better, but it doesn't affect my overall enjoyment or use of this figure.

Overall

This is an excellent effort for a background, army-builder figure let down by only one key flaw. Still, the Detention Block playset (where this guy will mainly be residing) has foot pegs, and if you display with stands then you'll find no issues whatsoever. So, in a word? Solid.

***

The Amazing... The Spectacular... The Poseable Spider-Man!

As promised, I went out and got some new and improved shots with the poseable Spider-Man figure. This guy's a lot of fun, I can see him becoming a mainstay...

Go web go! Oh wait - that was the other guy...

With great poseability comes... Not much else

Your Friendly Toy-Shelf Spider-Man!

Here's another first for the Mos Espa Collection - a proper* action figure review! I know I kind of reviewed the Blu-Ray ANH pack, but that was less... formal. This one's actually called a review; I guess that makes the difference!

There will be better pictures to come, but here's my latest acquisition - the ultra-poseable Amazing Spider-Man from the new movie line. Given the pretty poor standard of figures from the movie line, which are disappointing for lack of articulation and high price point, this is the only one I planned to buy. After proving near impossible to find in most stores around here, I got lucky on one trip to TRU and found what I'm reasonably confident was the last one in stock - it's like it was meant to be!

The Positives:

Firstly, when they say this figure is ultra-posable, they mean it. It does positions other 1/18th figures daren't even dream of doing! I went through one volume on Ultimate Spider-Man and matched the pose against however Mark Bagley had drawn him, and found there were very few limitations to what could be achieved; for that fact alone it makes this one of the better Spidey figures out there.

The sculpt is solid, capturing the lithe feel of the character. The costume has a really nice texture to it, and the multiple joints don't really look that obvious (for a toy). One of my favourite bits, however, is the face in profile - it really captures the iconic Bagley look.

Speaking of look, the costume: I was one of the reactive masses who thought the new costume design looked messy in the original promo shots (still do, but much less so). However, in 3D on this figure it looks pretty good. There are wispy lines on his arms and legs that don't need to be there, but on this guy they're barely noticeable, and certainly don't harm the overall aesthetic. And when the mask, with the shape and size of the eyes, works as well as this; well, for me that's half the battle. The fact it bears a passing resemblance to the Ben Reilly costume may also have helped sway my opinion...

The Negatives:

There's not a great deal wrong with this figure, save it feels a bit lightweight. By that I don't mean it feels like it's cheap plastic or will break (it doesn't), moreso that it's one stand alone figure, with great poseability but no accessories. I think you could feel disappointed that it's all you get for your money, but unfortunately that's the problem with buying first-hand action figures in general nowadays.

Overall

In summation, this is a top quality figure; and if money is no object or you can get it cheaper than retail then absolutely pick it up. If it had any kind of pack-in, like some webbing, or even a stand, then it would make the price easier to take, but all you get here is a fantastically sculpted and playable Spider-Man figure, no frills. With the swing back towards 6" figures Hasbro seems to be taking it might be your last opportunity to get a decent movie-Spidey in this scale for a while.

****

* By proper, I am in no way claiming to be an expert on toys or have anything to give other than my opinion. But, y'know. I know what I like! :D

Death Star

Another quick shot, messing around with lighting. This uses the Death Star hallway set I made, although as you can probably tell, it comes up a little tight for the figures. It gives nice shadows though, and generally works more than well enough for what I use it for (shots like these and general display).

You may have seen the above on my Flickr. This shot uses the same set, and pretty much the same angle as the one above. Versatile set design, see? :D

Been looking into finishing off my modern day equivalent vintage 12 back collection (that's a mouthful of a focus title!), as soon as I can justify the funds. Until then, these guys will do nicely!

To the End of the War...

As long time readers are probably aware, I don't focus too much on the Clone Wars, or even the Prequels in general (brief thoughts on that here). Every now and then though, I feel compelled to dust of the animated guys and bust a few shots out. I'm lacking in Seperatist forces however; so even if I did use them more, they'd probably still end up getting bored...

Him Grimlock No Bozo...

Him Grimlock King!

Just a quickie. As proud as I am of my custom Luke, the pictures aren't that great. Hopefully this redresses the balance somewhat...

Vintage Pick-Me-Up

In a first for this blog (and indeed, my life), I present a Mos Espa custom... The repainted vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot figure!

I picked him up cheap in a pretty worn condition with the intention of doing a repaint, after seeing some pretty good repaints online, but as always with these things took a while to get around to it...

This is the original. The colours are nice, but the paint job was badly chipped, and I wanted to dirty it up a bit and improve the accuracy. For one I really wasn't sure if Kenner had given him a black helmet visor or black hair. Confusing either way... Anyway, it's not perfect, but I'm happy with it for a first go.

Things I like:

- Getting a more accurate colour scheme, like the brown belt and the buttons on the control box
- Going for blonde hair!
- Attaching the lightsaber hilt from my RotS Anakin - literally his father's lightsaber
- I now have my own Dagobah landing Luke, without having to pay in excess of £30!

What I learned:

- I went too heavy on the drybrushing
- The flightsuit looks more red than orange. It's not as bad in person, but the shade isn't right

All in all, it was a fun little project, and something that I will probably attempt again, should the right figure come along...

The Waiting Game

Yoda. Always in motion is the future, hmm? Then why did you risk it all by hiding in exile to wait on the fate of two babies rather than try and take down the Emperor in single combat when you had the chance?

Seriously, my friends and I spent hours talking about the prequels before 1999, predominantly based on what had to happen given the established backstory. By 2005, that speculation seemed like a lot of wasted brain effort...

Smoulder vs Breacher!

Those of you familiar with my Flickr photostream may have already seen these... Anyway, Transformers. It's been a while :D

Smoulder and Breacher are two of my most modern Transformers, and it's high time they had a scrap. I've got a pretty solid idea who would win this one, but what do you think?

Setting the Trap

The Rebel Commandos captured, C-3PO does something quite rash for a protocol droid, and draws the Imperial's attention. Within a moment, the Stormtroopers have the driods captured...

Today marks the 29th Anniversary of the UK release of Return of the Jedi; still my second favourite Star Wars film featuring Tatooine!

The Northern Lights

Lyra Silvertongue and Pantalaimon, how do you fare? I'm considering a new niche in toy photography, the oft underlooked and under-priced Golden Compass line. I think I'm hitting a literary mood for the summer anyway, this looks like a nice crossover of interests...

This was taken in February, when we had the snow. As unpredictable as the UK climate is, snow in May would be a bit too much...

EDIT: Sorry for the terribly small lo-res image, hopefully the picture looks a little better now. Basically, I tried to upload it directly from my phone using the Blogger app. I've had countless issues with that app, including a post I can't delete which is showing on my phone as 'publishing', and now it's compressing images badly. The upshot is: uninstalled!

Friends Reunited

TVC Yavin Ceremony Han Solo arrived last week, and what a figure it is! Most likely my favourite of the new style figures I've been acquiring, and I'm sure that's due to more than just novelty - it's a sturdy figure, a good sculpt with crisp detailing, and it's several hundred miles better than the POTF2 version I had been using. Plus, put him together with Chewie and you have an instant smuggler display!

An updated Leia and C-3PO to go before I have definitive versions of all the main characters; a Stormtrooper, Tusken Raider, Jawa and Death Star Commander to go until the original 12 update is complete... I'll probably cool my boots for a little while and enjoy what I've got, but it's nice to have focus!

Tatooine Days

And right on cue, we're getting our late-May heatwave here in the UK. In between bouts of sweating and drinking lots of water I've been working on a couple of films, and by chance, for two nights only have the opportunity to use a Canon 600D with a couple of lenses. I couldn't let the chance pass without getting some toy shots...

I also couldn't resist the opportunity to retake one of my favourite shots (top, and you can see the original here), and as always it was fun to photograph Kenobi. Of course, I also recreated the very scene I built this set-piece for... Well, if you apply a little imagination!

"Well of course I know him - he's me!"