# MPC Alien Base WIP



## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Greetings! Been working on a base for the recently re-poped Alien kit from MPC. Still got some clean up work to do still but here it is at present. Questions and comments welcomed.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Looks like it shoulda come with the figure in the first place! Put me down for one, Rick.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

I'm liking it so far - much needed base!
Steve


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## Kitzillastein58 (Jan 27, 2009)

That's a great looking base Rick! I can't wait to see how it looks all finished up. Is that a little Face Hugger tail on there? :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: 

Mike :wave:


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Thanks Mark, Steve and Mike! That is indeed a facehugger lurking on the base. A little clean up and sanding and it should be ready to roll.


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

The base is molded, cast and currently available from CultTVman.

http://www.culttvmanshop.com/Alien-Creature-Base-from-NightOwl_p_2732.html

I'm working on a build up which should be done shortly.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Just ordered mine!


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## RobP. (Jun 21, 2013)

Neat! I am always fond of seeing the stuff that others just "Create"!

Rob


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Thanks for your support Mark, looking forward to seeing your build up! Thanks Rob!


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

You're welcome, Rick. I'll get to the Alien after I clear a couple other projects off the workbench - right now most of it is taken up by the Moebius Frankenstein. Anyway, Steve isn't shipping until after he gets back from the iHobby show this weekend.


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

I know what having a crowded workbench is like. I'm guessing it's the Moebius Frankenstein with the C.O.P. Gogos replacement head.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

You are correct, Xenomorph-breath!


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Ladies and gentlemen; the one, the only; *Carnac The Magnificent*! :thumbsup:


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

You are correct, Xeno - oh, we did that already... :tongue:


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## Buc (Jan 20, 1999)

"may you drink downstream from a 1000 pissing camels"


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

"May an unclean holy man..." whoa, let's not get started, there must be a million of those Carnac quotes out there. We wouldn't want to highjack Rick's thread, now would we?

So back to topic: my Alien base came yesterday - quick work on Steve's part, I must say. Nice chunk of resin, cleanly cast; to paraphrase John Apgar, it's the "base MPC shoulda made". It fits squarely on an old model contest trophy plaque, too! Now I just have to build the model and paint the whole thing.

So many _many_ models, so little time...


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Thanks for the kind words Mark! Here's a WIP shot of my build up. Trying to decide what to do with the clear plastic dome. As is it looks a bit off and it covers some nice detail on the creature's head.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Night-Owl said:


> Thanks for the kind words Mark!


You earned every one of them, Rick.

As for the Alien's clear dome, I looked at the model in my stash when I pulled it out to put the base in the box. IIRC, the thick edge of the clear plastic part was quite noticeable when glued in position. I think the very best way around that issue would be to paint the cranium detail under the clear part with a lot of contrast, so that area will be easily visible. The clear cover (of my 1999 reissue) is slightly frosted, which will tone down the painted details some.

Then I'll take a page from our brother aircraft modelers' book and glue the clear part in place, probably with 2 part epoxy that won't frost the plastic. The seam between the clear cover and the Alien's head was pretty bad, so some Aves Apoxie Sculpt would be needed for a smooth join to the head. A soft edged mask like rolled Silly Putty would protect the clear part from the primer and black base coat applications.

I'd remove the mask for the final clear coat, maybe a semi gloss (I'll have to pull many screen caps from the DVD before I commit the model to paint). I would think that if the clear cranium was still too transparent for an acceptable likeness to the movie critter, it could be darkened with thinned black paint or Tamiya Smoke shot with an airbrush. Then of course I'll need to come up with a complimentary color scheme for the Alien's base.


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Thanks for the suggestions. I may try some staining on the inside of the piece. Another possibility is to leave the dome off altogether.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Rick,

Your thread got me started looking up photos of the Alien suit myself. I found the ones you emailed me (many thanks for that) and several others on Google under "Alien 1979 Suit". I saved only those photos that were clearly labeled as the suit or photos of it from the movie. Long story short, your paint job looks to be pretty accurate.

The clear dome is definitely part of the Alien's look. If you want to forgo the transparent effect, you could just paint it to match the photos. BTW, nice paint job on the base.


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Thanks Mark! I'll come up with something for the dome eventaully.


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

Excellent paint-slinging there, bruddah! Congrats!


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## Kitzillastein58 (Jan 27, 2009)

Terrific job on the Alien, but your base is a definite Home run all the way around. Excellent! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## MadCap Romanian (Oct 29, 2005)

Looks like the real thing! I should know as one is living in my space craft right now!


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Thanks James, Mike and MCR! Finally got some working lights for my table tent so when I finish him I can post some decent pics.


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## aurora fan (Jan 18, 1999)

I really like this base! Mine stands on pieces of angle iron I thought looked like space wreckage. Excellent job!


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

I am going to get one of those bases for sure - gives it the Aurora look!
Steve


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Thanks aurora fan and Steve!


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