Game of Thrones Pedestal - Commission, sculptural build

[Le Chuck]

Game of Thrones Pedestal officially complete on 13 June 2014.  A few pics...









Original Post:

No - I'm not going to start watching the series or reading the books...which I really should do btw.  I've got another commission piece to tackle. 

Just got done doing an art piece for a friend in Cali and shipped that off on monday, just finished a furniture piece for the wife's friend (well need to do the shelves but that's tomorrow) and all I have on my plate right now are a handful of half built micros, my son's build that isn't even started, and Idle Fingers Starfighter...so yeah, it's a perfect time to start another project  lol.  It's all part of the master plan and May is Game of Thrones build. 

Client wants a 4 player pedestal.  Yes we had the conversation about how much play 3P and 4P see, so he knows what he's buying into.  Pretty much it's a straight forward build.  Here's what we're looking at:

All 8-way joys
P1&P2 6 buttons
P3&P4 3 buttons - that fourth button for the few games that need it will be a 1&2 combo or a 2&3 combo - either or. 
Two admin buttons. 
Four player/coin buttons.  Anybody had any issue doubling these up on 4p panels?  Seems the easiest way to limit button count and encoder whatnots, I'm trying to limit clutter, make idiot proof, and hit the 40 input sweet spot. If there's a good reason why making double use of the player button won't work I'll adjust.

Size - neighborhood of 48"x 18" and 36" tall.

Theme:  Game of Thrones. 
Trickyness:  Base is sculptural, as is CP.  Looking to incorporate series imagery that is more evocative than just plastering pictures on it.  Current design is a weirwood tree supporting either a stone slab with runic carvings or wooden slab with inlay. 
Houses to be represented:  That one with the dragons, that one with the stag, that one with the lion who seem to all be into sleeping with eachother, and that one made by the client to represent his family, a griffin (He gets to be P1 of couse  )

So, yeah, this weekend I'll do the rough construction, start laying wire and foam on the base, maybe do some fibreglassing, may or may not set the garage on fire.  Should be fun!

[Vigo]

This is gonna be pure awesome.....   

[ChanceKJ]

[Nephasth]

"I understand that if any more words come pouring out your ---Bad words, bad words, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when saint censors you?--- mouth, I'm gonna have to eat every ---smurfing--- chicken in this room."

[jbenesh]

Ditto

[emphatic]

Cool. As the book series is called Song Of Fire And Ice, you could go with dragons and white walkers (ice zombies featured in the books) as the sideart if you can find good enough pictures.

http://movieswallpapers.net/wp-content/uploads/game-of-thrones-white-walkers-wallpaper-4.jpg

http://www.rowsdowr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/A-Dance-with-Dragons-by-Yama-Orce-Game-of-Thrones-Art.jpg

[DaOld Man]

(DaOld Man dings his walker against the storm door frame while coming out on the front porch to see this project.)

[Generic Eric]

I'll need a spoiler tag if there are any spoilers.  I bought the kindle version during the holidays and I haven't finished reading.

[yotsuya]

I'll need a spoiler tag if there are any spoilers.  I bought the kindle version during the holidays and I haven't finished reading.

Snape kills Dumbledore.

[Generic Eric]

I'll need a spoiler tag if there are any spoilers.  I bought the kindle version during the holidays and I haven't finished reading.

Snape kills Dumbledore.

Why did I read that? Now Empire Strikes Back is ruined.

[DaOld Man]

I'll need a spoiler tag if there are any spoilers.  I bought the kindle version during the holidays and I haven't finished reading.

Snape kills Dumbledore.

Why did I read that? Now Empire Strikes Back is ruined.

Luke is the illegitimate son of Darth Vader. Darth realizes he has to pay 20 years of back child support. Darth gets mad and cuts Lukes hand off, not realizing he has to also pay all medical bills that Luke has or will incur until he is 21. In desperation and a selfish fit, Darth tries one final time to kill Luke, but Luke winds up killing Darth by removing his CPAP helmet.

[Generic Eric]

I'll need a spoiler tag if there are any spoilers.  I bought the kindle version during the holidays and I haven't finished reading.

Snape kills Dumbledore.

Why did I read that? Now Empire Strikes Back is ruined.

Luke is the illegitimate son of Darth Vader. Darth realizes he has to pay 20 years of back child support. Darth gets mad and cuts Lukes hand off, not realizing he has to also pay all medical bills that Luke has or will incur until he is 21. In desperation and a selfish fit, Darth tries one final time to kill Luke, but Luke winds up killing Darth by removing his CPAP helmet.

Totally explains why he built the Deathstar to destroy Alderaan.  Child support for a princess is too much even for the empire.  I'd read a Star Wars novel where he used the dark side to install her in a kingdom where she could rule in peace, but the Emperor Palpatine wanted to take over the planet.  The only way to save them was to use the force to communicate to 0b1 and do a force-sucide pact to have Luke trained as a jedi to take him(Vader) and the Emperor out

[emphatic]

I'll need a spoiler tag if there are any spoilers.  I bought the kindle version during the holidays and I haven't finished reading.

Am I doing it right?

[yotsuya]

Driverman is NOT Kaneda.

[Le Chuck]

Just dropped the order with GGG.  No pics yet - but to misquote the series... WEEKEND IS COMING

Is this like the running gag of the thread now?

[Vigo]

Just dropped the order with GGG.  No pics yet - but to misquote the series... WEEKEND IS COMING

Is this like the running gag of the thread now?

Well, we better get some awesome first pics by Monday then.  Don't forget, A Le Chuck always pays his debts.

[Generic Eric]

I won't be a jerk in this thread anymore.

[emphatic]

Is this like the running gag of the thread now?

You know nothing, Le Chuck

[Yvan256]

Is this like the running gag of the thread now?

Why would you say something like that?

[MK3FAN]

The Titanic sinks at the end of the movie...OOPS!

[yotsuya]

The Titanic sinks at the end of the movie...OOPS!

Spoilers, ---Bad words, bad words, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when saint censors you?---!

[ChanceKJ]

                                          
                                          
                                           
                                          
                                           
                                          
                                           
                                          
                                           
                                          
                                           
                                 ...PSYCH!

[wp34]

Theme:  Game of Thrones. 
Trickyness:  Base is sculptural, as is CP.  Looking to incorporate series imagery that is more evocative than just plastering pictures on it.  Current design is a weirwood tree supporting either a stone slab with runic carvings or wooden slab with inlay. 
Houses to be represented:  That one with the dragons, that one with the stag, that one with the lion who seem to all be into sleeping with eachother, and that one made by the client to represent his family, a griffin (He gets to be P1 of couse  )

So, yeah, this weekend I'll do the rough construction, start laying wire and foam on the base, maybe do some fibreglassing, may or may not set the garage on fire.  Should be fun!

I kept seeing this on my RSS feed but ignored it because I've not read the books or seen the series yet.  I assumed you were watching the show.   Your design sounds really cool.  I'm anxious to see how this turns out. 

[Monkeyvoodoo]

I love theme based cabinets and not just with graphics. Total cabinet themes. Just your opening description got my mind going on ideas. I will be following this one.

[wol-nz]

  scrolled all the way here and no pics! subscribed (only to see greatness)

[talkgeek]

scrolled all the way here and no pics! subscribed (only to see greatness)

+1 .. if for no other reason than it's a "Le Chuck" project, but a Game of Thrones theme makes it doubly more interesting...  however we need  pics !!

[Le Chuck]

Step 1. Make a box.


Step 2. Make a 4p cp.


Step 3. Foam!

[PL1]

Umm . . . Why are P4 joystick and button positions swapped? (stick on right, buttons on left)




Scott

[ChanceKJ]

Man, pedestals are really in this year.  They might need to create their own category for the 2014 BYOAC Awards.

 

[ChanceKJ]

Umm . . . Why are P4 joystick and button positions swapped? (stick on right, buttons on left)

You got a problem with Southpaw folk Scott? What's next, hate on the Gingers?

[Le Chuck]

Umm . . . Why are P4 joystick and button positions swapped? (stick on right, buttons on left)




Scott

Don't knock it till you've tried it 

Several reasons.

1) it's more comfortable for the 4p position which is the most awkward on a 4p panel. For go right and fight brawlers you adjust instantly.

2) it looks better. Subjective answer is subjective.

3) it'll help me out on the CP design. These pictures are armature.

[Vigo]

Are you using all pocket holes for fastening?

[Le Chuck]

Are you using all pocket holes for fastening?

CP is bolted to pedestal. CP top will be hinged. Bottom is reinforced. Other than that yes. CP box and pedestal are pocket holed and glued. Rock solid.

[rablack97]

 

I'm left handed, and I dont play with the button on the left side, that's just weird man....

Layout are like mouse and keyboard, who uses a mouse with the left hand?

That dude is gonna get his ass kicked every single time.

Oh yeah, got distracted.  This looks great man, love the idea, and great craftmanship as always....

[PL1]

Don't knock it till you've tried it 

Wasn't knocking it, just asked why.   

Thanks for illuminating the subject.


Scott

[Le Chuck]

Don't knock it till you've tried it 

Wasn't knocking it, just asked why.   

Thanks for illuminating the subject.


Scott

It's all good brother man! 

@rablack - thanks for the kuddos    I'm sure it's all preference but on brawlers I really can tell no difference between lefty and righty setups.  They're all quarter munchers.  At least I didn't angle it 

---

I am using Glidden Gripper to laminate the foam board into blocks.  It's on the drying cycle right now.  Gorilla glue (expansion low foam) is way faster and about the same grip but waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to expensive so hopefully this glidden primer will do the trick.  I really can't wait to start carving.  It's been years since I've done any and I definitely have the itch.  Getting my creative juices flowing on all kinds of stuff. 

[rablack97]

The aesthetics of the CP look great, i'd like to be a fly on the wall the first time a player goes to that side and tries to place his hands the standard way and give that WTH look.

Will be watching intently, popcorn ordered remote thrown on the couch..

[ChanceKJ]

You know thinking about it, that "backward" setup for P4 could be pretty cool as a handicap spot for the ubiquitous hard core gamer in the group. It would bring 'that guy' down a level.

That or Chuck screwed up and this is his elaborate ploy to cover his butt.

[Le Chuck]

Step 3.5


Put foam on the box thing

Step 4.


Cut away anything that doesn't look like a weir tree.

Next up, "fun with bondo"!

[Superfrog]

 

You are a real artist Le Chuck 

ps: How is your R2-D2 comming allong ?

Greetings

[rablack97]

WOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW............

 

[njgsx96]

Are you kidding me?  I saw that picture of foam stacked and then the picture of it carved....  OH...  MY...  GOD...  THAT IS AWESOME!!!   

[talkgeek]

Are you kidding me?  I saw that picture of foam stacked and then the picture of it carved....  OH...  MY...  GOD...  THAT IS AWESOME!!!   

+1 - dam the bar has been lifted yet again

[Brian74]

Im not going to start any new build threads, whats the point! Amazing work LC 

[wirenut]

Just wow. 

[AlienInferno]

Holy Crap!!!  That is amazing.  You have some skills man!  I wish I did.  I've always wanted to get into carving/sculpting but my body doesn't like working with my brain.  I can picture all kind of cool stuff in my head but can never get it done in any kind of media.

[Le Chuck]

Thanks guys!  It's a lot of fun and very forgiving, I recommend that everyone try it - you'll really be amazed what you can crank out.  All of that was done with the following tools:

Wood saw
2" paint scraper heated with blowtorch
Sureform rasp (an absolute must have when working with foam)
Dremel with drum sanding head and 1/8" spiral cut bit. 
120 grit sandpaper

I put some of the primer/glue on a bit thick for a few panels and it was still wet when I started carving.  Some started to de-laminate a bit but a squirt of Great Stuff^TM and a few toothpicks locked everything back down. 

Also, as a note if anyone is looking to start working with foam, bondo disolves polystyrene.  You have to seal the piece before you coat it (and that's only necessary if you have a lot of laminate sheets like I do, or want to change the surface texture).  I used the same Glidden Gripper^TM to seal the piece as I did to glue it all together.  I used a foam roller and then went in with gloved hands and used my fingers to really work the paint into the cracks so that way when I go to bondo over the whole mess it doesn't shrivel up and disolve away.

If you wanted to make the whole thing hollow you could bondo it all then drill a few holes and pipe in acetone and wash the whole mess out.  Also, if you want the styrofoam to be super hard I recommend using half bond and half urethane resin mixed together with bits of fibreglass sheet cut up and mixed into the compound.  The bondo activator will work on the resin also - it's called "bondo-glass" and is pretty much the hardiest stuff around, but is total overkill for this application. 

Anyway below is a pic of the stand sealed and drying.  Tonight I'll be able to apply the bond and start doing some of the bark effects on the build.  I'll also start foaming the CP and may start on getting it shapped as well.  You can see R2 in the back, the drink tower is back to chrome now (I keep changing things on it trying to get the look just right) and I still need to make the updated drink tray - so busy right now), but he serves beer and should also serve as my jukebox here shortly...or whenever I find time to mess with him lol. 

[AlienInferno]

So that's just glue and paint to seal?  Looks pretty good IMO.  Maybe it's just the picture but it seems like it covered the lines were two sheets meet pretty well.  I'm a bit surprised.  I figured it would take at least a thin coat of bondo to hide all the imperfections.  But being a tree I guess that with bark you can have a few imperfections.  Real trees aren't perfect.

[Le Chuck]

So that's just glue and paint to seal?  Looks pretty good IMO.  Maybe it's just the picture but it seems like it covered the lines were two sheets meet pretty well.  I'm a bit surprised.  I figured it would take at least a thin coat of bondo to hide all the imperfections.  But being a tree I guess that with bark you can have a few imperfections.  Real trees aren't perfect.

The paint is the glue, but yeah, that's all it is.  Still going to get a top coat, there are a number of cracks that don't look at all natural and then I'll need to go in with the chisel and dremel and add natural looking ones back in after I coat it all lol.  The bondo will serve a second purpose beside cosmetics, which is to harden the whole thing so it can stand up to some knocks and kicks.  If you're doing just a display piece you can just do about three layers of the sealer and then sand it back smooth and it'll look like plastic. 

[yotsuya]

Looks good, bro. 

[Vigo]

  Who wudda thunk there was a tree hiding in that pile of foam? Sneaky tree.....

[rablack97]

don't care what you think.....your getting one of these for this work.

Trousers messed   

 

[yotsuya]

don't care what you think.....your getting one of these for this work.

Trousers messed   

 

Your wood gave Rodney wood, LC!

[markc74]

Wha.... How...

That's how you do a custom cab. Got ideas for the cp overlay yet? Guess you could do leaves to finish the tree vibe?

[rablack97]

I graced Maximus's first build with the line, drove LC nuts 

This is one of those Ond builds, when you check the thread your like how the hell???  Then your mouth just drops.

Massive props, keep it going and dont lose interest like you did on the other projects!!!

[DaOld Man]

Wow! Very impressive!

[Generic Eric]

We're not out of the woods yet.  Just getting started!

[ChanceKJ]

We're not out of the woods yet.  Just getting started!

Boooooo.

Not very punny.




Working with poly is brutal. I had to make a 3 foot tall apple for a show we did in college and sometimes it's just a pain in the butt. And messy.  I commend you for putting up with it.

[ark_ader]

So is that supposed to be a portrait of Diana Rigg with her mouth open?

[Le Chuck]

@rablack -  my god you guys have long memories.  Totally forgot about that.  Well, glad to hear it, now clean yourself up, it's getting funky in here.     Also, I'm not likely to lose interest on this, I haven't dropped a comission yet (knock on salt thrown over crossed wooden fingers).  Besides, really it's just one project I straight up dropped, I'll still get around to those minis - I was just tinkering with them the other day 

@yot - it's honestly one of the perils of being me.  Let's just say that gym showers get very awkward very fast. 

@Generic Eric - true; but hopefully we can start to see the forrest through the trees perhaps   

@Chance - it has its pros and cons for sure.  For this build I think it makes sense - I do wish I had access to much thicker block stock, laminating all those sheets was not ideal and I still have more to do.  How did you finish the apple prop?  Paper mache?

@ark - She's a peach...but in so much as one is a face in a sea of cloth and the other is a face in a sea of wood cut on a similar bias they look nothing alike.  If you would like a sculture of Dame Rigg I can do a bust for you in the medium of your choosing.  I recommend chocolate. 

[harveybirdman]

That feisty little one in the back looks ready for a tour of duty on the master's sail barge.

[ChanceKJ]

After I spend a month taking a rasp and power sander to it, yeah we used strips of the Red Deer Advocate and what seemed like a 55 gallon drum worth of Weldbond/water half-n-half.

...just went and found the pictures. It was like a 2 foot apple and a small hill with a tree for scene 2. Wish I had better pictures to show you.... Meh. These were taken in low light on a Palm Zire71 a decade ago.  If I remember correctly they were so sturdy you could stand on them with quite a bit of weight.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Subscribed!  I need to show this to my other half once it's completed, she's a huge fan of Game of Thrones.  Arcades... not so much.  This is definitely one in the win column for me.  LOL!  Don't let me down!   

Excellent work as usual LeChuck!

DeLuSioNaL29

[Le Chuck]

Step 5: lather rinse repeat on the CP but make it like a big rock.


 I'm in the middle of Step 6 which is to join the two but I ran out of bondo tonight. That's why it all kinda looks kerfuddled right now but I'll get that sorted this week. Next weekend should be detailing, texturing, weathering, leafing, and painting. Oh and pesky assemble of the arcade controls.

I might need one more weekend after all 

@chance - that's awesome man, I'd love to be able to do scenery building at set dressing all the time. Such a fun gig, those look great from what I can see

[AlienInferno]

Looks awesome man!   

How are you mounting the controls?  Does the CP open?

[Le Chuck]

Looks awesome man!   

How are you mounting the controls?  Does the CP open?

Out the back.  It's not the most super user friendly setup but you can still swap everything out if necessary.  That allows me to have the seamless look from the business end. 

[Vigo]

Where's the cupholders?

[wp34]

It looks a bit like a bird bath at this stage but I see where you are going.  This is one cool build.  Nice work Le Chuck.

[emphatic]

I can't stop thinking a huge Iron Throne poster as a wallpaper behind it would look cool.

[Le Chuck]

@Vigo - oh they were discussed.  Big tankards permantly affixed that you put the bottle in, all kinds of cup holders.  The design went a different direction. 

@empahatic - Or just swords on display on either side of the TV would be cool

@wp34 - lol, yeah it's pretty rough right now, most of the hard work is done tho.  It's all in the finishing. 

[rockyrocket]

Dude I am completely draw dropping amazed at this, and I don`t remember the last time that happened.
Very original, well done  .

[ChanceKJ]

Where's the cupholders?

I second that, wtf?  The omission is almost a deal breaker.

It looks a bit like a bird bath at this stage but I see where you are going.  This is one cool build.  Nice work Le Chuck.

Haha, agreed. Up until I read that I kept hearing the Ghostbusters theme in my head when I looked at it.

I'm not going to be ultra impressed until I see your drybrushing technique on the finish. 

[Le Chuck]

We're a week out from the one month mark.  Still a lot to do but hopefully we are looking less bird-bathy.  This next week I need to dye the plastics, hook up all the controls and paint the sigils and runes on the CP.  Minor touch up needed here and there as always but the client is happy and so am I. 

Too many steps at this point...Pics!









Looks like there is a red mark on the forehead, I didn't notice it in the garage but it is sticking out a bunch in the pics, probably a finger print from when I was using the cut up visine eye dropper to do the red paint and it got all over my hands.  I'll have to go fix that. 

[DeLuSioNal29]

 

Great work!  Not sure if I missed it, but is there a pic you are referring to when designing the tree?  Did you post the original?

The only one that I found in a Google search was this:


D

[Le Chuck]

Great work!  Not sure if I missed it, but is there a pic you are referring to when designing the tree? 

Thanks. Nope, I just did some sketches on a scrap of paper while chatting with the client and went from that.

[darthpaul]

Amazing work Le Chuck, how do you work so fast and still create such high quality work?

[Le Chuck]

Amazing work Le Chuck, how do you work so fast and still create such high quality work?

Thanks bud (but tell that to my other projects that are languishing in project purgatory ), I'm pretty comfortable with certain build materials so the stuff tends to go pretty quick, plus when you're not trying to replicate something but just making stuff up instead it's a lot easier because there are no "mistakes", just happy little accidents [/bob ross mode]

One happy accident I need to render down a bit is the moss, I like the pattern but it's too high, throws the scale off of the build.  I need miniature moss.  I'll give it a haircut - I'll also add more, that's not complete, just complete for that bag I bought.  I'll be adding in more on the braches and lichen up parts of the bolder as well but won't do that till the very end. 

[thatpurplestuff]

This is just incredible.  Can't wait to see the final product!

[rtkiii]

This cannot be a month build...I would just like to see it finished!

[wp34]

We're a week out from the one month mark.  Still a lot to do but hopefully we are looking less bird-bathy. 

Yep.  Looks great Le Chuck.  I think you have just created a whole new genre of builds.

[Le Chuck]

Thanks guys!  I'm pretty excited to see it finished too. 

@Wp34 - I think you're kinda right.  These sculptural builds really appeal to me.  DK standing on a platform throwing a barrel that roll-tops to a CP and screen anyone 

[PL1]

Barrel of Kong II - a sculptural Cabernet . . . uh, cabaret build.   

Bonus points if Pauline can hold your beer while you're playing.


Scott

[Le Chuck]

I need some recommendations.  I have a lot of ideas about the controls swirling in my brain and want to see what others think, here's what I'm thinking.  Feel free to add your own idea to the mix - my ideas aren't necessarily or ever the best ideas.   

Idea 1:  The easy way out.  Dye the buttons and balltops solid colors and match the paint for the sigils as close as I can. 

Idea 2:  Same thing but do the rings in the four colors and the centers in black.

Idea 3:  Do the buttons to look like the stone and paint the sigil over the buttons.  (painting buttons works FYI, I started testing it about a year ago and they've held up great.  Also, good feedback to the same effect from DRVenture - I'll do a tut at some point). 

Idea 4:  Airbrush the button rings with the exact same metallic paints I'm using for each sigil and do the centers in a metallic gray/black.

Idea 5:  Same as 4 but versa-vice.  Rings black/metally and centers coloured.   

[yotsuya]

All interesting ideas. You have any photos to illustrate some of them? Those would help. 

[wp34]

I'd like to see a sample of #3.  It sounds cool but I'm having a hard time visualizing it.

[Le Chuck]

Brought the client over so we could white board some stuff together.  He liked number three as well. 

Trick here will be getting the controls to blend as much as possible.  The art just got more complicated.  Unfortunately I don't have any examples to post up right now, but - I'll be doing sketches tonight and try and get some of those up as reference. 

I'm very partial to Idea 4 but don't think this is the right build for it.  We don't want the CP to end up incongrous with the rest of the build. 

[wp34]

I'm very partial to Idea 4 but don't think this is the right build for it.  We don't want the CP to end up incongrous with the rest of the build.

I was thinking the same thing but did not use the word incongrous.  I like #4.  Save it for another build.

A guy on KLOV recently painted T-molding with apparent success.  It is exciting to see people pushing the boundaries so we are not stuck with traditional arcade colors.

[ChanceKJ]

I agree with #3. Painting them just looks so much cooler in my mind.

[Le Chuck]

I missed doing my Sunday update but here's where I am at for the one month mark.  I'm not 100% complete (trim the moss, add more moss, add more weathering) but I am wrapping up. 

Went back and forth on the button painting a lot, tried a few examples and really found that if you try and make the buttons disappear into "stone" it just looks like you're trying really hard to make the buttons disappear.  The effect is...poor.  So I did a simple treatement that I thought looked nice and tied in with the base.  The black surrounds are a metallic flake, bad pic tho. 

I haven't painted in years, well nothing besides solid colors so it was nice but I was certainly rusty.  It's not "hang on the museum wall" quality but I think it looks good and fits the theme very well.  The shading doesn't show up well in this pic but there is some reasonable depth to it.  I also got the MALA Layout together so here's the background for that.  PC is in, controls are wired, just need to clean things up and will be ready for delivery.  I'll waiting on a USB audio dongle right now to come in from Amazon - PC had a borked audio lineout jack, then it'll be out of my life *sniff sniff*

I'll get better pics before that day tho. 

[rockyrocket]

  Congrats!, as always it looks great.

I wonder about gold buttons maybe?.

[Automark]

 

[Le Chuck]

We're complete.  Delivering tomorrow, pretty psyched.  Pics and first post updated with the same. 

[ChanceKJ]

Every time I look at this I keep having to remind myself that the tree is supposed to be that colour. 

Great job on this, love the clever use of what looks to be Woodland Scenics model railroad decorations. The originality all around is fantastic.

...what's next? 

[jdbailey1206]

The moss work is great!

[AlienInferno]

Every time I look at this I keep having to remind myself that the tree is supposed to be that colour. 

Agreed.  Every time I see a tree my brain automatically thinks brown.  Not ghost white.  LOL.

Good job Le Chuck.  I want to see the recipients reaction caught on film.  OK everybody.  Get ready for the big reveal....."Le Chuch removes tarp".......            

[Le Chuck]

@ Chance, JDBailey, and AlienInferno

Thanks gents, the colour definetely gives a bit of a double take at first but now that I'm totally used to it I couldn't imagine it another way.  The moss isn't Woodland Scenics (love their stuff) but a much cheaper set that I got over in the craft flower dept for $6 to do all of it .  What really fixed it was taking a pair of my wife's good shears and going over all of it for a close crop haircut.  That really helped the scale of it and gave it a much more natural look imo. 

As to what's next?  I've got to put a yoke together for another user and then I want to work on Idle Fingers Starfighter for a bit and maybe toss together a pedestal for my son since he's been asking for months now.  By August hopefully I'm back working on my super secret project with two other users here that's been ongoing for about a year now.  More on that later (how's that for a freaking tease?)

I made delivery on Saturdary morning, client was floored - always a nice feeling to get good feedback after the oddysee of putting one together.  He had seen pics of course as we went along but this was his first exposure in person and I have to tell you, pics really do flatten this build out, there is a lot of depth and texture that just doesn't get captured.  Anyway, I fixed a few resolution issues on the spot (I thought TV was 720, it was 768 or something) showed him how to navigate and get into the service menus, played a few games, dropped into SFII and got ---my bottom--- handed to me almost instantly when the client dropped multiple hurricane kicks right out of the gate (who knew?!) and generally had an awesome hour of gaming before I left him with his prize and proceeded home to through and luau party and generally give myself alcohol poisoning.  Sunday was kinda rough lol.  All in all good experience, fun build, and the client is happy.  That's a win.     

[kahlid74]

Well done man.  Very artistic and well designed.  Carving is an art and is fun as hell so it was fun seeing that take shape.  Keep up the great work!

[ChanceKJ]

By August hopefully I'm back working on my super secret project with two other users here that's been ongoing for about a year now.  More on that later (how's that for a freaking tease?)

Pics or it's not happening...

[yotsuya]

By August hopefully I'm back working on my super secret project with two other users here that's been ongoing for about a year now.  More on that later (how's that for a freaking tease?)

Pics or it's not happening...

If he showed you pics, it wouldn't be super secret!!! 

Great contribution to The Summer of Chuff, Le Chuck!

[ChanceKJ]

Haha, my plan was to trick him into releasing some deets.

Yeah ok it's not a very good plan. But I don't see you doing anything to help figure it out.