Jupiter 2 Figure Sets from Crow's nest models

[John P]

Not pickin' on ya, Drew, but have you seen Andrea Miniatures 1/35 scale figures of famous people and movie characters? Bang-on likenesses of whoever they're modeling. I have no idea how they do it. But I absolutely understand that you're doing your best for us, and you're doing damn good for your first efforts, and that's honestly good enough for me.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AES4F11
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AES4F06
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AES7F34
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF123
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF129
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF132
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF137
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF143
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF144
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF27
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF31
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF50
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF70
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGF96
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGS11
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AESGS16

[drewid142]

I've seen them and they are fantastic. I guess I should take it as a compliment that we are discussing the finest likenesses at 1/35 scale. I'll do my best, folks! I think they are turning out pretty darned cool and the response I have gotten from the Chariot and FS figures has pumped me up to really do these J2 Figs right. I could point out that those Andrea figs run around 30plus dollars for a single figure, but I don't think that is really the point. I'm a guy with a day job trying to have some fun making a cool product... one that would satisfy me... sadly, I end up so busy making these figure products I never ever have time to build the kits that I myself would have wanted the figures for in the first place. I think many of us know that story well enough... but I'm getting it done.

Thanks for the "encouragement". I'll keep on it and do my best.

Cheers

Drew

[kdaracal]

Amazing work! Thanks for making it possible for us to get a hold of such great aftermarket figures. I'm new to this rebirth of products. I'm still blown away that these kits are getting to production AND folks such as yourself are producing great and much needed details kits. I can still remember the day I rode my bicycle up to a store called Woolco, (subsidiary to Woolworth's??) in the Midwest, and finding the Aurora Flying Sub and Spindrift on the shelf at the same time and not having the extra $7.00 to buy both. Then, racing home, sack flopping on the handlebars, and feverishly ripping my prize open to get started on my build....
Thanks goes out to JAI and CN!
Loyal Customer

[Steve H]

Throwing my two cents in, and echoing something I said in another thread:

I think trying to capture exact likenesses would be a mistake on scales this small. Most builders won't have the skill to take advantage of that and frankly, I don't think it LOOKS that good in execution. Now, granted, my discontent is fueled mostly by examples of actors captured by laser scanning (the new thing to be done) because they end up looking odd, lifeless, and just bad. Maybe faces sculpted by hand would look reasonable, but it's not NECESSARY. Not at these scales (1/24, 1/35). And as I said, it takes a good deal of skill to paint a figure and take advantage of that kind of facial detail. during my 'armor' years I got pretty good at painting Tamiya 1/35 scale figures but I never put in the skill and time with them as I did the tanks and such. Figure painters lived in their own world.

With armor kits figures generally were used to give some scale to a diorama, or a sense of moment. They weren't the focus. If I may, that's the way I think of Drew's figures. There's another thread where a gentleman had just finished his Chariot kit, using a set of Drew's figures for same, and it just LIVES because the figures give the kit scale and life and just complete it. (and man, does the Chariot get full with the addition of Dr. Smith and the Robot instead of just the 'original crew'!)

Same thing with the Flying Sub builds. That thing just looks naked without figures in the seats, because that's how we always saw it on TV. I'm sorry that for the various stated reasons Moebius doesn't include figures, but that's why Drew has stepped up.

And there IS the potential issue of running into legal trouble if he DID make photo-realistic likenesses. In this day and age you never know.

And I have an idea that he may end up doing further sets of figures for the Jupiter 2, just because there's so much potential.

[Gilusions]

Originally Posted by Steve H

Throwing my two cents in, and echoing something I said in another thread:

I think trying to capture exact likenesses would be a mistake on scales this small. Most builders won't have the skill to take advantage of that and frankly, I don't think it LOOKS that good in execution. Now, granted, my discontent is fueled mostly by examples of actors captured by laser scanning (the new thing to be done) because they end up looking odd, lifeless, and just bad. Maybe faces sculpted by hand would look reasonable, but it's not NECESSARY. Not at these scales (1/24, 1/35). And as I said, it takes a good deal of skill to paint a figure and take advantage of that kind of facial detail. during my 'armor' years I got pretty good at painting Tamiya 1/35 scale figures but I never put in the skill and time with them as I did the tanks and such. Figure painters lived in their own world.

With armor kits figures generally were used to give some scale to a diorama, or a sense of moment. They weren't the focus. If I may, that's the way I think of Drew's figures. There's another thread where a gentleman had just finished his Chariot kit, using a set of Drew's figures for same, and it just LIVES because the figures give the kit scale and life and just complete it. (and man, does the Chariot get full with the addition of Dr. Smith and the Robot instead of just the 'original crew'!)

Same thing with the Flying Sub builds. That thing just looks naked without figures in the seats, because that's how we always saw it on TV. I'm sorry that for the various stated reasons Moebius doesn't include figures, but that's why Drew has stepped up.

And there IS the potential issue of running into legal trouble if he DID make photo-realistic likenesses. In this day and age you never know.

And I have an idea that he may end up doing further sets of figures for the Jupiter 2, just because there's so much potential.

I agree with Steve H,
Having figures on a model kit that looks like the exact can cause trouble. By having this set as an option for for us is a benefit for us who wants to add to the model. And with the J-2 coming out I can only imagine when you look at the front view port with your choice of placement of the figures the enhancement you get. Me I am going to look for more information on figure painting so when I have a set that don't do the eyes cross eyed!

With that said I hope that the one's that have the talent on painting figures will share some of their technical wisdom on the figure impaired as my self.

[aric]

I can see some licensing issues with exact faces.

I've also spent so much time over the years carving-off details and changing uniforms of various figures because the scale/pose was right, the naked figure idea as a template is actually pretty cool.

[dgtrekker]

Very cool I look forward to getting them!

[drewid142]

I sold some stocks to pay casters and such, and I HAVE TAKEN THE NEXT WEEK OFF OF WORK to get these J2 Figures and a few other projects completed! I'm thinking of it as vacation, but I will be working my butt off the rest of the week!

Freezer tube figures turned out cool and have already been molded... the rest of the figures will be in casting by the end of the week... along with some repairs to the Proteus masters and some other "problems"

I'm also buying a new camera tomorrow... will post pics of the Freezer tube figures soon.

Cheers

Drew
Crow's Nest Models

[jbond]

Proteus!

[liskorea317]

The Chariot figures are great! I was lucky enough to get a set. Did you ever release the Jet Pack figures? I would get that in a heart beat.
Any plans for a John & Don set for the Space pod?
Mike

[drewid142]

Yes... Jetpack had a problem with the Penny figure and it fell onto back burner... the fixed part will be in the caster's hands this week and the jetpack will finally go into production.

Large quantities of the Chariot figures will be available over the next few months, and I will have a few 1/24 Pods figures done for Wonderfest.

Right now my hands are full getting the Proteus kit, Ultimate Spindrift Stand, and Jupiter 2 figures into Production. I had hoped to re-launch the site about now with everything in stock... but that moment is coming soon... everyting always takes way more time that I thought... but everything is moving forward. I took the last week off from the day job to get all these loose ends fixed and I am getting a lot of stuff done!

Thanks for asking!

Drew

[liskorea317]

Great! At least everything is in the works! I don't mind the wait as your stuff is that good and worth the extra time. I'll just keep an eye on your site!
Thanks
Mike

[John P]

My wallet stands ready!

[beatlepaul]

Looking Forward To The J2 Figures Sir!

[Fernando Mureb]

Originally Posted by beatlepaul

Looking Forward To The J2 Figures Sir!

Me too. Thanks.