# My (Alex's) Invisible Man build



## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

I posted some earlier shots in the 'Invisible Man Build' thread, but decided to start a new one so people going there wouldn't be disappointed upon finding my shabby attempts instead of ductapeforevers fine work.

So this is the kit nearly done. Still some paint work that needs to happen on the wrappings, and in fact I think I want to re-do the whole head. It just seems kind of tepid to me. And the hat on the ground isn't finished.

I'm very keen to hear your opinions. The feedback that I've gotten from friends, (including a certain Tim Gore who I should credit with lots of great tips and much-needed help and overall invaluable advice) is that I need to dirty it up some. But from the start I wanted something detailed, but very specific and clean. I'm afraid to push my luck and maybe ruin what little I've accomplished so far. But tell me what you think...


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)

IMOP you did a Fantastic job all around on the Invisibleman:thumbsup:


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## Ductapeforever (Mar 6, 2008)

Alex,
I think you're out of your tree, it's fabulous! I'm having a lot of trouble with the books in the bookcase. I think I'm going to build individual ones and make mini-book jackets on my printer to wrap them with. Again, wonderful work. Oh, and thanks for the kind words.
Herb


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Incredible :thumbsup: I love how you gave texture to the jacket...how was this accomplished?
Mcdee


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Shabby? You must be joking!?! It's great!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: There's heaps of cool things with your kit! The coat and tie look spot-on, the rug's fantastic, and the floor looks like real knotty wood!! Keep it up. You're on a winner!!

Chris.


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## falcon49xxxx (Aug 4, 2008)

Go Away!!You cant build models!! No not really...............your work is fantastic,as good as it gets.the other alex


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

Alex, that is GREAT! I love the tweed effect on his topcoat!


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

I love everything about it. Great job!


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## miniature sun (May 1, 2005)

It looks terrific Alex, particularly the flecked paint on the overcoat....don't forget to paint the buttons as a contrast...otherwise great job.


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

Simply outstanding!


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

mcdougall said:


> Incredible :thumbsup: I love how you gave texture to the jacket...how was this accomplished?
> Mcdee


Thanks. I used Faux Fabric paint. First the 'Velvet Gray' and then 'Black' and then 'Velvet Gray' again. It was kind of tricky getting it even. What's on there is the second attempt actually, the first try was too spatter-y.

Alex


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

Thank you to everyone for the kind words and compliments! It means a lot coming from you guys. Very much appreciated...

Alex


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## xsavoie (Jun 29, 1999)

Fantastic.Best paint job I've seen so far.An extra picture with more light in it would help a lot in seeing more painting detail,although these pictures already shown are the best for creating a spooky atmosphere.:thumbsup:


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

beautiful buildup! i love how you went the extra mile on the fabrics, praticularly the tie and of course the coat. it really puts it into that era. 
the photos of yours finally showed me what was stopping me from buying this kit. there was something wrong with the sculpt, and i couldnt put my finger what it was. i finally see what it is now. (its the right hand. i know its a small thing, and easily fixed, but it was putting me off.)


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

xsavoie said:


> ....An extra picture with more light in it would help a lot in seeing more painting detail,although these pictures already shown are the best for creating a spooky atmosphere.:thumbsup:


You're right.... I think I did that subconsciously, hoping to obscure any flaws. But if I'm going to show it, I may as well do it properly. I've replaced one of the above pics with a brighter one.

Thanks as always for the great feedback.


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## Rebel Rocker (Jan 26, 2000)

SHABBY!?!?! Are you insane!??! Love the coat! What is the brand of that paint and where is it available? I would definitely like to try that stuff!!

Wayne


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

Rebel Rocker said:


> SHABBY!?!?! Are you insane!??! Love the coat! What is the brand of that paint and where is it available? I would definitely like to try that stuff!!
> 
> Wayne


Thank you very much. The paint comes from here: http://store.scalemotorsport.com/me...Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SM&Category_Code=PAINT

But I'm sure you could find it at a well-stocked hobby store. I borrowed it from my friend Tim, and I'm not sure where he got it.... Too bad it's only in Red, Gray and Black. Other colors would come in handy....


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Thanks for that paint tip...I've got to see if they ship it North 
Mcdee


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## Prince of Styrene II (Feb 28, 2000)

Your bottles & things on the table are brilliant! Nice job all around!


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## Just Plain Al (Sep 7, 1999)

Taint nothin' shabby as far as I can see.


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

Thanks again, everybody. You know how difficult it is to be objective about your own work, so it's great to hear such nice things from guys with a _bit_ more experience than me. I appreciate it very much.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

YES to all above! What a great job! :thumbsup: 
This subject the Ghost and Iron Man are the most interesting kits in styrene since the PL Headless Hoeseman and the Phantom....to name only a few.

*NICE WORK!! :woohoo:*


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

I can only echo what has already been stated. Aside from finishing the hat (as you've already mentioned) I wouldn't change a thing. Strong work! :thumbsup:


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## mrmurph (Nov 21, 2007)

Gorgeous!
Let me add my voice to the chorus complementing you on the clothing.
Added vote: best use of a mouse pad.


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

Great work!


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

I can't see why you would want to change anything, it looks GREAT the way it is! Realy can't see what you could "weather" anyway. Mind if I ask how you got that great tweed look in the overcoat? Because that realy makes your work stand out. The colors you chose couldn't be better for the period as well.


"May God have mercy apon my enemies, because I won't" - Gen. G.S. Patton


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## MonsterModelMan (Dec 20, 2000)

Alex,

I think it turned out GREAT! Keep up the great attention to detail! That is what makes a kit really _*POP*_!

MMM


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

hal9001 said:


> Mind if I ask how you got that great tweed look in the overcoat? Because that realy makes your work stand out. The colors you chose couldn't be better for the period as well.


Thanks very much. I used Faux Fabric paint. Normally used for model cars, I guess. I hit the jacket first with 'Velvet Gray', then 'Black' Trying to just dust it evenly with the second color. Then I masked off everything but the lapels and hit that with more black. It's hard to tell in the pix, but what's cool about the paint is the texture it gives you, just slightly bumpy. You can get it here: http://store.scalemotorsport.com/mer...ory_Code=PAINT


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## Rebel Rocker (Jan 26, 2000)

Could you possibly give me a rundown on how you did your bottles? They look GREAT!! 
Wayne


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

Rebel Rocker said:


> Could you possibly give me a rundown on how you did your bottles?
> Wayne


Boy, it was some real trial and error. I don't think I did anything special as far as gluing. My friend Tim turned me onto using MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) as a glue. I tried so hard to use it sparingly, but it's water-thin, and I did cloud some of the plastic. You can really see it on the neck of the big beaker on top of the 'burner'. If I'd known about ductapeforevers idea of watch crystal cement, I would have done that.

I knew early on I wanted to fill the bottles with colored liquid, and at first I would glue them together, then drill a tiny whole in the top (for venting air) and a larger whole in the bottom. Then it made more sense, and was easier, to use a drill and tiny bit to groove a whole in the top of one half, groove a larger hole in the bottom, _then_ glue together. Also, with the two holes, I could dip the glued-together bottle in "Future" and it would fill the inside and then drain out. I should say that the bottles in the finished kit are all positioned for maximum appeal. The seams are _far_ from invisible.

So once together and 'Futured', I mixed up some 20-minute epoxy and tinted it with a tiny bit of oil paint and injected that up through the bottom hole. Once I had the level I wanted, I removed the syringe and plugged the hole with some modeling clay. What was really lucky was that whatever epoxy drooled out onto the outer bottom, I could later chip off. That was good, 'cause I was pretty messy. And any bubbles in the 'liquid' were purely unintentional. They just happened.

I wish I'd thought of this earlier, but the for the last two bottles I filled I added some iridescent powder to the oil paint/epoxy mix, and it really looked cool. Very science fiction-y. I wished I could go back and do most if not all of them like that..

The blue, green and amber bottles were just painted inside and out with Tamiya 'clear' paints. Again, if you were to see those in person, you'd see how mottled they are, but it worked pretty well.

Hope that helps, and thanks for the kind words.


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## AJ-1701 (May 10, 2008)

Flamin Heck!!!

That is one truely insperational build mate :woohoo:

Love the coat... :thumbsup:

Love the rug :thumbsup:

Love the Bottles n books too :thumbsup:

Great work 

Cheers, :wave:

Alec.


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

Alex, what a beautiful build up. i really like the detail work, and small elements like the bottle on the floor, labels and papers make it come alive.
Here's a small tip for others - I had asked Dave about the thickness of the head pieces - a thinner piece would have been more realistic, more "bandagey". The problem is with the curve in the pieces. Had they been cast thinner, problems with extracting the pieces from the mold would have been multiplied. So for more of a bandage appearance, you might want to try lightly dremeling out the inside of the head cavity, at least around the eye, nose and mouth holes. It would eliminate the thick inner edge. 
Has anybody tried painting the interior of the head cavity to suggest bandages?


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

ChrisW said:


> Has anybody tried painting the interior of the head cavity to suggest bandages?


I did. But in a very perfunctory way, just to suggest _something_. Thanks for the idea of dremeling down the thickness. The head on mine isn't actually glued in place yet, so I think I'll do that. A neat idea. Another thing I'm tossing around is making the eyes less stylized. They're neat in a way, but the rest of the kit is so naturalistic that I'd almost prefer just triangle shaped openings then the current 'sculpted' look. Any thoughts on that, anyone....?


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## Duck Fink (May 2, 2005)

First time seeing this post...NICE JOB! LOVE IT! Since you mention the removing bandage around the eye idea.....curiosity always gets the best of me. If it were mine I would probably hot knife that triangle of bandages out (_his_ right side) just in case I did not like the way it looked.....I could always glue it back in. I think I would keep the eye on _his_ left. The only unknown is this.....how is that rear inside-of-the-head bandage going to look with a larger hole in the front of the head? Right now it is fairly well concealed. It would probably mean painting the inside of the head with a little bit of bandage detail. I like the idea. I want to see what it looks like without the eye (_his_ right eye) as you suggested. Waddaya think?


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## Yasutoshi (Dec 5, 2007)

It is the splendid finish. 
I like customized goggles.


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

DuckFink - one of the early ideas tossed around was to texture the inside of the head with bandage detail as well, but with all of the other details it was deemed overkill.
Alex, the eye holes were designed to give some character to the bandaged face - like a tortured scarecrow - but larger expressionless sockets may be a chilling effect. Why not try it in Photoshop and see how you like it before you commit knife to plastic?


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

ChrisW said:


> DuckFink - one of the early ideas tossed around was to texture the inside of the head with bandage detail as well, but with all of the other details it was deemed overkill.
> Alex, the eye holes were designed to give some character to the bandaged face - like a tortured scarecrow - but larger expressionless sockets may be a chilling effect. Why not try it in Photoshop and see how you like it before you commit knife to plastic?


Ah... Ooooops. If I'd known the designer would be looking in on this, I wouldn't have said a damn thing. I feel like an idiot, but let me say in my defense that I absolutely love everything about the kit. Once I got the overcoat (just for one example) glued together and seamed and primered, I just stared at it. So clean and precise, but still very real. The floor, the bottles, the books in the bookcase, those shoes!...... This is the first kit I've bought and assembled since 1979, and not to sound corny, but I was inspired by it. 

_That_ said, I absolutely get what you were after with the head and the eyes. Everything else is very 'real world', and the head (and the body pose) is where you can express drama and emotion. Beautiful, yet my memory of the original Claude Rains look is no doubt influencing me. Anyway, I haven't decided on anything yet. Doing a test run in Photoshop is a great idea, and as you said, sterile voids could be really creepy... or.. not. I've been lucky so far, and I won't rush into anything if I think it'll mess it up. I sure didn't mean for this to be a knock on the kit itself..... It's so cool...


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## Duck Fink (May 2, 2005)

Nothing wrong with hacking up a kit a little bit sometimes. I think the kit is awesome as-is and you have done an excellent job of building and painting it. If I had the kit built and painted up to the stage that you do I would be hesitant to go cutting into it. I just have that cusious gene though. What _would_ it look like?


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

After a little "quick and dirty" Photoshopping, here's how Alex's Invisible Man (left) _might_ look with the styrene thinned (center) or the "character" removed from the eye holes (right).


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

Zombie_61 said:


> After a little "quick and dirty" Photoshopping, here's how the Invisible Man _might_ look with the styrene thinned (left) or the "character" removed from the eye holes (right).


Nifty! I like it. I'm still fooling around with it myself. Started with triangle shaped 'eyes', but that ain't looking so good. I'm gonna try something more like what you've got. It's kind of a quagmire. The head's so carefully done that it doesn't lend itself to just cutting holes in it. But, no harm in digitally trying it out.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Alex DeLarge said:


> The head's so carefully done that it doesn't lend itself to just cutting holes in it. But, no harm in digitally trying it out.


I thought about that as well. To make it believable you'd have to re-sculpt the area around the eyes so that the eyeholes appear to be gaps in the bandages, or do a lesser bit of re-sculpting to make it appear as though Dr. Griffin cut holes in the bandages over his eyes.

When I finally get around to building mine, I'm planning to thin the styrene a little around the edges of the openings and leave it at that. I absolutely love Chris White's artwork and, IMO, the sculptor did an excellent job of translating it into three dimensions, so I really don't want to alter the kit's appearance so drastically.


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## ChrisW (Jan 1, 1970)

Alex, please, any and all comments and criticisms are welcome! And we absolutely love seeing the different ways people build and customize the kit.
Zombie, thanks for posting the altered images. It gives a good idea of the possibilities - those large sockets are kind of eerie...


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## mrmurph (Nov 21, 2007)

Personally, I like the expression as sculpted. This figure and painting really capture the character - anguished and defiant. 
And I am interested in seeing how the talented members of this board tweak their kits.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

ChrisW said:


> Zombie, thanks for posting the altered images. It gives a good idea of the possibilities - those large sockets are kind of eerie...


Eerie...maybe. But I think it drastically lessens the impact of the, as mrmurph put it, anguished and defiant expression of the original sculpt, which IMO is far more striking.


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## Alex DeLarge (Nov 15, 2008)

I don't have any pix, but the other day I dremeled down the thickness of the styrene around the eyes, nose, and mouth. Not easy with the head glued together. But I think it's pretty effective. It makes those areas somewhat larger, and the eyes especially are a bit less stylized, while still having that cool raggedy look. I think that's it. I don't want to change to shape any more. Plus, I went looking for online pix from the film, which led to me watching a clip of when the I.M. first removes his wrappings, and guess what? The eye-holes in that scene look almost precisely like the ones in the kit. Sort of torn and asymmetrical. So much for my memory.. Also, I then _had_ to look at the clip from 'Amazon Women On The Moon' featuring "Son Of The Invisible Man". If you haven't seen it, very funny. His experiments have driven him mad, but sadly for him, NOT invisible. 




I've said it before, but thanks yet again for everybody's great comments and feedback. 

alex.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Alex DeLarge said:


> I went looking for online pix from the film, which led to me watching a clip of when the I.M. first removes his wrappings, and guess what? The eye-holes in that scene look almost precisely like the ones in the kit. Sort of torn and asymmetrical. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evx_Ps85yu8
> .


I just watched it also for the first time in over 30 years and I agree Chris captured the eyes, stance, oh hell he captured the whole character of the Invisible Man in this kit :thumbsup: Very cool indeed....
Mcdee


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