My 100th homemade model!

[Isidro]

Dear collectors,
As most of you know, I discovered a new world when I acquired my first sculpting paste, then being able to do species I like that are not represented in any brand.

Slowly I was approaching the number 100 of my homemade models. I'm a bit silly with numbers but, as I wanted that my 100th figure would be something very special: my first homemade, I also wanted that my 100th homemade is something special: a more elaborated and difficult and more splendid model. So after thinking it what could be, I've chosen the Great Argus Pheasant (Argusianus argus). Mainly because of a friend in another forum that always like my photos of figures, and that is nicknamed like the bird. But also because a displaying argus pheasant is something that I really want in my collection.

As it's something more special, this time I took photos of the making, step by step. Maybe they can be useful if somebody decides to try too.

The start is easy, like all starting things. Just a mass of paste, and a wire bended for the legs.


Then I added the belly and "pants". As my golden pheasant resulted a bit short-legged, I don't want this happen to me again. I have to adjust later the wires to a slightly shorter lenght.


Then I added neck and toes. Toes are very important, as you know I want to avoid bases, so the figure must be in perfect equilibrium for standing over small toes. I had to remade posterior toe sometimes, initially I did it small and elevated as in the real bird, but soon I had to enlarge and lower it because of stability.


The head is something special. I wanted to make it screaming like in some photos I liked and faved in the past in internet. I wanted to do the head sculpt accurately for a screaming argus pheasant, where certain muscles are very visible while not apparent with a relaxed head.


I added a bit of "paste frass" finely fringed for the loose hairy feathers of behind the neck.


Then I start to do the tail, a more funny thing. I would have prefaired to do an undulating border in the two long tail feathers, but giving how quick dries this material it was impossible, just making the texture spents all available time for modifying shapes.


Now the tail is finished!

[Isidro]

I wanted to show you the texture of the tail undercoverts, as it would be much more difficult to appreciate once painted. Uppercoverts are similar too.


Time to start the most spectacular feature of this bird, the one all you was waiting impatiently: the wings. This one have already the shape and only remain doing the texture.


Sculpt finished! Well, once I saw images in the internet and compared with my result, I found it quite unpleasant. It don't have the correct shape or position of wings. Only taxidermized argus pheasants can be like that. A real displaying argus should have more rounded, higher wings that overlaps in the top. I passed some time deciding what to do. So much work done for coming back. I planned to break the wings and put it higher, but it's a very risky operation. Finally I decided to keep it this way. It's not so shocking after all and one can be used to this. Anyway this pheasant is not making a courtship display, because then it would have the head hidden instead screaming. So I finally left as a "crazy argus pheasant in a position that will not impress any female" (CAPPWNIAF for making it shorter )


From behind...


And now the most funny part: Painting!!! I started with the easiest colours, those that are simple with no patterns nor gradients.


Here with all the basic background colours done. Only remain the intrincate pattern detail!


And... here is it! The result, finished!

[Isidro]

Walkaround:





The detail of the head is maybe what I get best. I sculpted the muscles, the wrinkles around eyes and the ears, and remarked them in a lighter blue. This is the "good side" as the other side is more hidden by the wing due to the position of head.


And of course, for finish, my classic comparison shot, with my bunch of Bornean/Sumatran pals!

[Isidro]

And this is the list of species of homemade models that I did, in chronological order:

1. Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli)
2. African pygmy goose (Nettapus auritus)
3. Rajah Brooke's birdwing (Trogonoptera brookiana)
4. Fea's viper (Azemiops feae)
5. Ornate butterflyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus)
6. Giant freshwater stingray (Himantura polylepis)
7. Pacarana (Dinomys branickii)
8. Blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis)
9. Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria)
10. Bay cat (Catopuma badia)
11. James's flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi)
12. Jentink's duiker (Cephalophus jentinki)
13. Olm (Proteus anguinus)
14. Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi)
15. Wilson's bird of paradise (Cicinnurus respublica)
16. European hamster (Cricetus cricetus)
17. Red goliath beetle (Goliathus goliathus)
18. Helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil)
19. Giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus)
20. Grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
21. Ashy-faced owl (Tyto glaucops)
22. Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)
23. Prevost's squirrel (Callosciurus prevostii)
24. Blue-cheeked butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)
25. Meyer's butterflyfish (Chaetodon meyeri)
26. Eyed torpedo ray (Torpedo torpedo)
27. Vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum)
28. Marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna)
29. Four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis)
30. White-necked rockfowl (Picathartes gymnocephalus)
31. Green spoon worm (Bonellia viridis)
32. Silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus)
33. Baler volute (Melo melo)
34. Pink-headed duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea)
35. Mandarin ratsnake (Elaphe mandarina)
36. Pacific blue starfish (Linckia laevigata)
37. Great bustard (Otis tarda)
38. Red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus)
39. Mosaic stafish (Plectaster decanus)
40. Pyramid butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis)
41. Red-necked avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae)
42. Zebra duiker (Cephalophus zebra)
43. Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius)
44. Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis)
45. Arabian butterflyfish (Chaetodon melapterus)
46. Grandala (Grandala coelicolor)
47. Bulwer's pheasant (Lophura bulweri)
48. Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus)
49. Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo)
50. Yapok (Chironectes minimus)
51. Superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus)
52. Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)
53. Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus)
54. Bowfin (Amia calva)
55. Red-necked goose (Branta ruficollis)
56. Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus)
57. Marbled cone (Conus marmoreus)
58. Splendid toadfish (Sanopus splendidus)
59. Flame bowerbird (Sericulus ardens)
60. Flagtail characin (Semaprochilodus insignis)
61. Eurasian goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
62. Standard-winged nightjar (Macrodipteryx longipennis)
63. Slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis)
64. Asian green mussel (Perna viridis)
65. Red-headed partridge (Haematortyx sanguiniceps)
66. Russell's viper (Daboia russelli)
67. Clown knifefish (Chitala chitala)
68. Marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata)
69. Congo peafowl (Afropavo congensis)
70. Agami heron (Agamia agami)
71. Saddle butterflyfish (Chaetodon ephippium)
72. Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber)
73. Eastern fiddler ray (Trygonorrhina fasciata)
74. Common death's hawk moth (Acherontia atropos)
75. Epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)
76. Eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius)
77. Owston's palm civet (Chrotogale owstoni)
78. Horned guan (Oreophasis derbianus)
79. Snow pigeon (Columba leuconota)
80. Twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
81. Marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops)
82. Common hoopoe (Upupa epops)
83. Northern screamer (Chauna chavaria)
84. Atlas moth (Attacus atlas)
85. Winghead shark (Eusphyra blochii)
86. Spanish moon moth (Actias isabellae)
87. Pink giant African silkmoth (Eudaemonia argus)
88. Dingiso (Dendrolagus mbaiso)
89. Kokako (Callaeas cinerea)
90. Regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)
91. Black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus)
92. Torrent duck (Merganetta armata)
93. Rhetenor blue morpho (Morpho rhetenor)
94. Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa)
95. Sulawesi flying dragon (Draco spilonotus)
96. Whooping crane (Grus americana)
97. Golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)
98. Ribbon moray (Rhinomuraena quaesita)
99. Manghsan pitviper (Protobothrops manghsanensis)
100. Great Argus pheasant (Argusianus argus)

[Advicot]

OH...... MY....... GOD!!!!!!!!!

It is stupendous! The sculpting of the feathers, the painting of the entire bird, I am honestly lost for words on how fantastic it is, and what an amazing species for the 100th homemade figure!!! 

[Isidro]

It have some failures but I tried my best :-) What is stupendous is your enthusiasm and kindness! You're awesome, thanks for giving feedback in my thread :-)

[Lanthanotus]

Magnificient sculpt you`ve done there, Isidro, the detailing is really great, especially considering the size of the figure. Great paint job aswell.
May I ask what kind of sculpting masse you use? It seems to be a very good choice for those fine feathers.

[bmathison1972]

that is a very nice pheasant indeed.

[Isidro]

Thanks to both! Blaine is also an honour that you comment on my figure as I admire you a lot Lanthanotus also thanks for your benevolent eyesight that let pass the failures of the figure but I really put my best efforts here and I'm proud of the result even if it's not perfect.

The paste I used is WePAM (for the body, with a darker white) and FimoAir (for the head, tail and wings, pure white). I've talked of both air-drying pastes before, each one is very different and have advantages and disadvantages. For textures I prefair FimoAir, tough the baking paste (SuperSculpey) is even better regarding that.

[Gwangi]

Fantastic work! I love argus pheasants so I was very pleased to see that as your pick for #100, and it is very well done.

[valmont]

Me parece una pasada!

Al ver tu trabajo he comprado la pasta WePam y customizado mis primeras figuras.  Aún tengo mucho que aprender pero así ya tengo mis primeras aves del paraíso. Espero ir mejorando poco a poco.
Cualquier recomendación será bienvenida

[Isidro]

Gracas Valmont por tus amables palabras. Todo es cuestión de la dedicación que quieras invertir en cada figura. La experiencia también ayuda a mejorar. WePam es muy pegajosa y no siempre es fácil de trabajar, para texturas nítidas prefiero FimoAir, pero WePam tiene la ventaja de la buena resistencia de las partes finas, que quedan levemente flexibles una vez curadas y así no se rompen. Ya hice un ave del paraíso, la de Wilson, una de mis primeras figuras, aunque se le torció un poco una pluma de la cola al hornearse (ya que ésa la hice con SuperSculpey).
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Thanks Valmont for your kind words. It's just a matter of the dedication that you want to invesnt on each figure. Experience also helps to improve. WePam is very sticky and not always easy to work, for sharp textures I favour FimoAir, but WePam have the advantage of a good resistence of thin parts, that remains a bit flexible once curated and then don't break. I already did a bird of paradise, Wilson's, one of my first figures, tough one of the tail feathers went a bit deformed during baking (as I did it with SuperSculpey).

For allow other members of the forum to read and participate easily in the threads, is better than we talk in English despite both being Spanish :-) In private messages (or email or whatsapp if you want) then we can talk in Spanish with no problem :-)

[Advicot]

I understand Spanish perfectly well