# Yagher's Frankenstein Aurora Tribute Kit



## bqeman (Apr 14, 2009)

FYI:
Buck Wheat's website has photos of this upcoming kit in the new models section. Yagher has hit it on the nail again.


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## MonsterModelMan (Dec 20, 2000)

WOW!!! Glad I have one pre-ordered!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Here is the link for those not familiar with Buc Wheat's site...

http://www.bucwheat.com/2k12/frkauroraMIM.jpg

MMM


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

Wow is right! I assume this is a resin kit, oui?

Btw, notice how the arms are not fully extended as in the original Aurora sculpt. As mentioned in another post on a releated topic, I much prefer the arms only semi-raised, as we see in the link photos.


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

Ohhh .. has someone got a link to Buckwheat's site proper?

thanks


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## dklange (Apr 25, 2009)

I just pre-ordered one!! This looks very cool!!:thumbsup::thumbsup: - Denis


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## MonsterModelMan (Dec 20, 2000)

Frankie Boy said:


> Ohhh .. has someone got a link to Buckwheat's site proper?
> 
> thanks


 Ummm...did you try http://www.bucwheat.com/ ?

MMM


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

That is a great sculpt and will be a fairly large kit as are the other MIM Aurora/Yagher box art kits. Looking at it while Yagher got the head straps done per the box art I am thinking maybe I will grind them down and put on a more typical band type strap at the hair line, the ones I see on the sculpt look more like he is trying to grow horns our of his forehead and that they are coming out in a downward direction. I'm not sure of the scale but they are big and I display the two I have done so far on top of my shelves as they won't fit, height wise, on a shelf. It looks like this one will have to go on top as well. Now I wish MIM would rerelease the box art Bride of Frankenstein. I've been happy with the 3 box arts and the Wild, Wild West resin kits I have gotten from MIM previously and have had no problems with dealing with them. I'm not saying they are perfect but my dealings have gone well and I have spoken with them personally concerning one of my orders.


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## dklange (Apr 25, 2009)

rkoenn said:


> Now I wish MIM would rerelease the box art Bride of Frankenstein. I've been happy with the 3 box arts and the Wild, Wild West resin kits I have gotten from MIM previously and have had no problems with dealing with them. I'm not saying they are perfect but my dealings have gone well and I have spoken with them personally concerning one of my orders.


Hey Bob it's available! Here's the link...

http://www.monstersinmotion.com/cart/frankenstein-item-list-a-z-c-8_208_214/bride-aurora-box-art-tribute-resin-model-kit-p-8813

I've looked at this kit many times and thought it would be cool to build.

- Denis


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

MonsterModelMan said:


> Ummm...did you try http://www.bucwheat.com/ ?
> 
> MMM


Oops .. I was spelling it with a "k", which is why, I suppose, it didn't come up for me. 

Thanks!


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## Fraley1701 (Sep 3, 2003)

rkoenn said:


> Looking at it while Yagher got the head straps done per the box art I am thinking maybe I will grind them down and put on a more typical band type strap at the hair line, the ones I see on the sculpt look more like he is trying to grow horns our of his forehead and that they are coming out in a downward direction.


I understand that Yagher's sculpt is based on Bama's painting, which in turn is based on the Glenn Strange monster; but I have never seen a photo of the Glenn Strange Frankenstein monster with those horns busting through his forehead! I always wondered where Bama came up with that interpretation?


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

Fraley1701 said:


> I understand that Yagher's sculpt is based on Bama's painting, which in turn is based on the Glenn Strange monster; but I have never seen a photo of the Glenn Strange Frankenstein monster with those horns busting through his forehead! I always wondered where Bama came up with that interpretation?


I'd sure like to know that, he didn't mention the rationale in his interview on Witches Dungeon's Aurora Models DVD. Those just look awful and I am definitely going to remove them and put some molded metal straps at the hair line. The straps make sense to hold the top of the monsters skull onto the lower part so the good doctor could put the brain inside and seal it up after.


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## Matthew Green (Nov 12, 2000)

I would like to see pics of the other tribute resins of Aurora done. Anyone have them?


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## bqeman (Apr 14, 2009)

MIM still sells most of them so if you go to their website and search Aurora Tribute Art Kits, you can see most of them

So far, I think Dracula, Phantom & Bride are the best

However, while this one is spot on when compared to the Bama artwork, but I get the feeling that most of us feel it doesn't really look enough like The Monster we know and love as portrayed by Karloff, Strange, Chaney or Lugosi. 

Does anyone know if the scale will be comparable so that, if desired, one could substitute Yagher's Stange Encounter head or what appears to be his upcoming Son of Frankenstein head?


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

Fraley1701 said:


> I understand that Yagher's sculpt is based on Bama's painting, which in turn is based on the Glenn Strange monster; but I have never seen a photo of the Glenn Strange Frankenstein monster with those horns busting through his forehead! I always wondered where Bama came up with that interpretation?


You're right, Strange never had those horns; nor did Karloff, officially. Bama evidently used various Universal monster publicity photos to come up with the boxart, which is more or less a composite. The horns are from early test makeup that Karloff was photo'd wearing, but these were discarded in favor of the well-known clamps at the ridge of the forehead.

Personally I think it's 99% perfect. The ONLY change I'll make on mine is that the shoulders could use a bit of beefing up with Aves. If you look at the shoulder line on the boxart, it's about even with the neck bolts. Massive shoulders. Not quite as massive on the kit, you'll note; they're wide enough but a bit lower. But this is a very easy fix and, as I said, very minor and in no way a criticism of Mr. Yeager's talent. He definitely nailed the underlit perspective on the face, which had to be a challenge to figure out. 

I hope I can scrape the pennies together for one before they sell out.


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## longbox (Nov 4, 2007)

I love the way it portrays the box art exactly (well that's the point of it :dude 
I'm sure i've seen a pre-production shot of Karloff in an early make up test that has the 'brow bumps', I'll try and dig it out.

This sculpt is excellent, no matter what.

LB


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## Buc (Jan 20, 1999)

actually got the photo's from MIM's website. Jeff knocked another one
outta the park!

The only other place I've seen the Franky horns is on the Giant Franky's
box art...


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

bqeman said:


> I get the feeling that most of us feel it doesn't really look enough like The Monster we know and love as portrayed by Karloff, Strange, Chaney or Lugosi.


Exactly right, but speaking only for myself, the composite/pastiche Monster on the box (a blend of Strange and Chaney, mostly, with Karloff's test horns) actually makes the boxart much more appealing and inspiring to the imagination than if Bama had nailed the look to one of Universal's actual actors, which no doubt he could have done. Personally, I prefer the look of the Monster this way, and have always believed Aurora would have had just as big a smash hit on their hands had the kit always matched the boxart instead of more or less looking like Karloff in BoF.


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

Matthew Green said:


> I would like to see pics of the other tribute resins of Aurora done. Anyone have them?


OK Matthew, here are two I've done so far and I also have the Dr. Jekyll kit from MIM. As I said earlier, I've been happy with MIM and with the kits themselves. And I know I'll be happy with the Frankenstein as well, horns or not!



















And here is Ian Wilkinson's MIM Yagher box art of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Ian did an amazing job on it and I hope he doesn't mind my posting it.










I also have another Yagher sculpt he did for them of James West from the Wild, Wild West, one of my favorite TV shows when I was growing up. It is in the same scale as the Aurora Monsters.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Fraley1701 said:


> I understand that Yagher's sculpt is based on Bama's painting, which in turn is based on the Glenn Strange monster; but I have never seen a photo of the Glenn Strange Frankenstein monster with those horns busting through his forehead! I always wondered where Bama came up with that interpretation?


The box top is based on more than one image, including this one...

http://snarkerati.com/movie-news/files/2008/09/karloff__boris__frankenstein.jpg

It's a prototype of the make up used for some screen test shots with Karloff. The odd makeup was used in a couple original Frankenstein movie posters as well.


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

So what paint schemes are you guys already computing?

I'm going straight squarebox as that's what I grew up with. Pretty simple scheme but hopefully dramatic. Not sure it'll work but I may try bluish highlights, like moonlight, on the figure and parts of the base, with the face yellowed as if the torch of a startled villager is being shoved toward his kisser (that's how I always imagined the reason for the upward lighting of the face). The base will be dark and subdued, keeping the focus on the figure.


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

I love all the paintjobs I've seen on this one but I know most will disagree strongly on this: If I had this kit, I would just HAVE to go lurid red to mimic the squarebox (ruined, I know) artwork. Don't think I've ever seen anyone go squarebox with any of these, but I sure would, even if I stripped them down afterwards.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I think the kits are quite well done and for thieir size, detail and casting quality, they are really fairly priced. I buy some 54mm figures that run two for $35... and thats just for little 3 inch guys. These tribute kits are HUGE. Some of the big parts are somehow hollow cast too so the kits are not as heavy as you might think.


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

The Frankenstein tribute kit is killer. Beautifully done!


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## Fraley1701 (Sep 3, 2003)

djnick66 said:


> The box top is based on more than one image, including this one...
> 
> http://snarkerati.com/movie-news/files/2008/09/karloff__boris__frankenstein.jpg
> 
> It's a prototype of the make up used for some screen test shots with Karloff. The odd makeup was used in a couple original Frankenstein movie posters as well.


Thank you for sharing that link. I don't believe I have ever seen that picture before. :thumbsup:


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

to give an idea of the tribute kit size.. here is the original Aurora Mummy next to the tribute kit... they are well worth there price!....


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

This is a total must have 

























Another Hit by Jeff
Mcdee


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

About how tall should it be?


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

The figures themselves are a good foot tall or so. They are larger than the original Aurora kits by a good bit.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Yeah I think this series is made in a 1/6 scale...
...and the Frankenstein Monster is taller than your average monster, what?...around 7' or so...So he might be 13 inches tall and on that base the whole thing might be 15 inches + ...
Cool no matter how you look at it 
Denis


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## Facto2 (Nov 16, 2010)

Not 1/6th scale. More like 1/7th based on the others in the series.

There's only one thing wrong with this sculpt... That I'm not the one producing it.


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## phantom11 (Jul 12, 2007)

The pure awesomeness of this kit cannot be denied. Man, Yagher KILLED this one...


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## Moonman27 (Aug 26, 2008)

Wow! That is a fancy bit of sculpting! Really cool!:thumbsup:


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

That guy can sculpt like nobodys buisiness!:thumbsup: Whish I could afford all his wonderful models. As far as I'm concerned he is the best in the buisness.


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

Matthew Green said:


> I would like to see pics of the other tribute resins of Aurora done. Anyone have them?


I'm re-building my website so I can't send you to it BUT if you are on Facebook, you can go to my facebook page and see all 8 of my buildups from this series.
https://www.facebook.com/houseofdracula


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

*My Mummy!*


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

*My Prisoner!*


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

*My Bride!*


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

*My Kong!*


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

*My Dracula!*


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Most awesome paint jobs


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

*My Jekyll as Hyde!*


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

*My Wolf Man!*


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

*My Phantom!*


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

djnick66 said:


> Most awesome paint jobs


Thank you, Sir.


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## Mitchellmania (Feb 14, 2002)

Mike, Please do step by step tutorial on Frank when you get him!!


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Mitchellmania said:


> Mike, Please do step by step tutorial on Frank when you get him!!


I'd really like to see that too Mike!















Mcdee


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

Thanks guys. I'll TRY to do a step by step on Frankie, if I can.


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## bqeman (Apr 14, 2009)

Mike:
I love your work. Your website is on my favorites. Which Tribute kit is your favorite and why?


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

bqeman said:


> Mike:
> I love your work. Your website is on my favorites. Which Tribute kit is your favorite and why?


Hello,

First off, Thank you for the kind words. 
Right now I don't have a website up and running, only my facebook *(House of Dracula)* page. However, I will be re-building the site in the near future.

My Favorite of the Tribute kits would have to be, *Dracula*.

Bela Lugosi's Dracula was always my favorite Monster, Movie, Model kit and Box Art.

Plus, I think that I did my best work on him with the shadow colors on his face and all.

The Phantom is a close second.

The Phantom was the first of this series and I was *SO* excited when it came out that I carried the Phantom's head around with me for a week before I started painting it.

I mean, I even brought him to work with me.
I just couldn't stop looking at it.

A Pocket Phantom, LOL


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

...Just ordered this kit from MIM, hope the release date of March 31 holds true,
Just noticed the nod to Bama on the tombstone...
very cool















Mcdee


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

The tribute kits are truly stunning.

TRENDON: What can I say? .... Fabulous, man!


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## Rebel Rocker (Jan 26, 2000)

Where's his piano?? Great looking kit!!

Wayne


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

Frankie Boy said:


> The tribute kits are truly stunning.
> 
> TRENDON: What can I say? .... Fabulous, man!


Thanks Frankie.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Hey Mike...quick question...
To paint this up to look like the Box Art, shadows and all, What color of yellow/green would you use to give it that lighted from below appearance???
....or would you actually use light to achieve those hues?
I'd really like to see a step by step on this baby by you:thumbsup:








Mcdee


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

I think the paint colour scheme on this is an easy one.. just follow the box artwork as the head Yagher has sculpted has every line and groove to match the box front.. if you have photoshop.. use the dropper tool and it will show you what the exact colour and hue is..


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

mcdougall said:


> Hey Mike...quick question...
> To paint this up to look like the Box Art, shadows and all, What color of yellow/green would you use to give it that lighted from below appearance???
> ....or would you actually use light to achieve those hues?
> I'd really like to see a step by step on this baby by you:thumbsup:
> ...


I honestly won't know the answer to this until I sit down to build & paint this kit as I may have to mix paint colors myself.
As with all of my kits from this series, I always paint the light effects, never use real lighting.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

WOW!! 
I like these tribute kits but I have to admit I thought the Frankie kit would've been a very simple piece. I was wrong!! Extremely close to the box art!!
Beautifully sculpted but what else would you expect from Yagher???

Chris.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Yeah, don't you just love the way Jeff used the Tombstone and distant haunted castle ruins in a dynamic forced perspective...too cool:thumbsup:















Denis


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

You're not wrong Denis!
The forced perspective really helps this piece stand out. The Bama tribute in the castle walls is a nice touch too.

Chris.


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## Tim Casey (Dec 4, 2004)

Drybrush the bright yellow/green from the bottom of the face upwards (instead of from the top downwards) and you'll get a pretty good appearance of the light coming from below.


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## BatToys (Feb 4, 2002)

TRENDON said:


> *My Bride!*


Doesn't this Bride of Frankenstein resemble Cindy Crawford under make-up?

BTW all are beautifully painted.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

MIM has posted the parts breakdown picture...










Can't wait for this one 
Mcdee


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

I'll be doing the official buildup for Monsters In Motion, he showed up at my door yesterday morning.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

TRENDON said:


> I'll be doing the official buildup for Monsters In Motion, he showed up at my door yesterday morning.


Congrats Mike:thumbsup:
Keep us posted on your paint up please!!!
That looks like a pretty crisp casting:thumbsup:
Mcdee


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

Man, did Jeff *NAIL* it or what! Between the Mummy and maybe the Bride, this might just be his most dead-on sculpt of all the boxart kits.


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

I pre-ordered mine a couple of days ago. I have the MIM/Yagher Wild, Wild West James West kit as well on the bench now also. It is in the same scale as the box art kits. Personally I would prefer these kits in a smaller scale, closer to Aurora size as they take up a lot of space, particularly in height. But they are fantastic and that big or not they look great.


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## mrmurph (Nov 21, 2007)

Mike: I'm going to add my voice to the chorus of fans hoping you do a step -by - step tutorial on this kit. I don't know if I'll buy one or not, but I love seeing your work. The paint jobs you've done on previous kits make them look like... well... paintings. True works of art. 
Greatly appreciate the huge pics and terrific lighting you used in photographing these kits.
Thanks for sharing with us.


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

mrmurph said:


> Mike: I'm going to add my voice to the chorus of fans hoping you do a step -by - step tutorial on this kit. I don't know if I'll buy one or not, but I love seeing your work. The paint jobs you've done on previous kits make them look like... well... paintings. True works of art.
> Greatly appreciate the huge pics and terrific lighting you used in photographing these kits.
> Thanks for sharing with us.


Thanks for liking my pics. 
There really isn't any special lighting on these.
All I did was put them on a black background and snap the photos.

However, if you've seen the DVD , "*The AURORA Monsters*", you will see these same kits with some cool lighting.
The guys who put that DVD together came to my house with all kinds of equipment for lighting and filming.
They made me pick up the kits myself because they didn't want to drop them (LOL) but aside from that, they did the rest of the work.
AND it was a lot of work, they were at my house for like 8 hours.


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

rkoenn said:


> I pre-ordered mine a couple of days ago. I have the MIM/Yagher Wild, Wild West James West kit as well on the bench now also. It is in the same scale as the box art kits. Personally I would prefer these kits in a smaller scale, closer to Aurora size as they take up a lot of space, particularly in height. But they are fantastic and that big or not they look great.


I have to agree.
I LOVE the kits.
I LOVE the size of the kits.
But, I am running out of room.


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

Mike as a lot of people have sugested.. can we have a WIP with a few painting tips for those that are getting this kit!.. even though im not going to purchase one.. i would love to see how you are painting up this one!


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

For years people have been asking me to do a "Step by step" guide with one of the box art (tribute) kits. I'm currently working on both the Phantom and the Prisoner for a client and decided that this would be as good of a time as any.
Just follow the link.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.774406802579384.1073741827.134472853239452&type=3


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## Disco58 (Apr 10, 2011)

This link http://www.bucwheat.com/2k12/frkauroraMIM.jpg comes up 'page not available', and I looked on Bucwheat's website, but can't find it.


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