307 replies to this topic

[Exactobeast]

Thanks for the confidence boost beastformers!

Screamer:
I spend a lot of time cruising the internet looking for ideas; whether they be new animals, monsters, or just cool concepts. I have a pretty solid handle on nearly every series 1-3 beast by now and can kind of quickly guess whether replicating something is even possible. Then hopefully I have what I need in my building stash (which is generally about 50 spare guys and some miscellaneous parts). More often than not I have to go shopping.

First hundred I built and painted five at a time. Since then, I've found it significantly more effective to have mass build sessions, during which I generally build roughly 20-40 beasts at once. Usually these ideas have been germinating, I've collected some pictures, and I've already started planning/grouping everything together. During the actual build I'll put together what I had planned and then reexamine the leftover pieces and see what else I can come up with (usually at least a third of the build is this). It's just more efficient this way when you are staring into a huge pile of parts. This is a pic for some of the guys I have planned for my next build:


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Really, the main driver for this next batch is the idea of an axolotl beast. You can actually see the pieces in there (frog head, deer antlers, and kangaroo body), but who knows what it will actually be when completed.

Once built, I separate them out into groupings of five for painting, mostly because I just find that it works best that way for me and I like having little squads. Then it will take roughly 1-2 weeks to finish a group depending on how busy I've been. At this very moment I am painting a monster group, which is group 3 of 7 from my last build session. For a while I was pumping them out at omega speed, but only because I had a tremendous amount of time and was also co-opting Ersico to paint nearly 30 figures for me. I also have roughly nine groups I haven't posted yet.

I've also been mixing in some random fun projects like the Poison frog posse, which actually took months as I completed them on the side one at a time, and my lion pride.

Generally I haven't been doing any commission work, but I did actually enjoy rebuilding some of my more favorite guys recently, so I suppose anything is possible.

Edited by Exactobeast, 07 May 2016 - 05:52 PM.

[Screamer]

Cool, thanks for sharing! Both your figures and the details of your work. I always appreciate getting a glimpse into an artists' creative process. Sounds like you have refined it significantly from when you originally started out. And looks like your newer system is doing wonders.

The sheer number of figures you have put together is impressive. And the fact that the vast majority of them are unique to both the original line and past figures of your own further exemplifies your eye and talent with these guys.

The axolotl is a neat idea. I saw one in my local zoo and remember reading that they are believed to be extinct in the wild. This made me think that it might be cool to do a group of extinct animals. The Dodo bird, Tasmanian tiger, Woolly mammoth, Sabre toothed cat, Mamo bird, Cave Bear, Giant ground sloth, Stellers sea cow. Just a thought.

Another group that would be really cool would be insects. I always felt that the original line should have had some, especially when you look and see how rad the Flying Dragon and Kickback laser beasts are. The options are endless really. Rhino beetles (tons of beetle options), leaf insects, praying mantis, flies, cicadas, stone flies, bees, wasps, ants, caterpillars, moths, butterflies, etc. I mean there is so many that I think you could do a killer job with. May have to add a pair of arms if you were worried about them being anatomically correct... I just feel insects and battle beasts were meant to go together. I think a wasp and praying mantis would awesome.

Anyway, just thought I would toss some suggestions your way if you were looking for a couple fresh ideas. Keep up the great work!

[Exactobeast]

Awesome suggestions! I'm definitely going to look into the extinct animals.

I've always liked the idea of insects, but I was always concerned about getting the heads right. Maybe using crab/spider or something more shaved down (squid, tarsier, seahorse)?

[Spiritcrusher]

A Praying Mantis battle beast would have been awesome. They are the coolest insect

[Exactobeast]

Coincidently, I've done a sloth bear and manatee already (I'll get the manatee up soon as he was done very recently from a ripped apart walrus)

Edited by Exactobeast, 08 May 2016 - 11:41 AM.

[Draznar]

I was considering asking you to do a megatherium, but not sure how you would do it outside of the sloth we already have. (Maybe change the head? The arms are going to be similar.)

[Screamer]

I thought the difficult part would be creating an abdomen, kind of like the army ants toy line. Or the 6 legs/arms could be challenging. I think the head wouldn't be too difficult, atleast not by looking at the other stuff you have managed to bash together. Shaving one down would be the way to go I think.

A praying mantis head could be fairly simple and look great. Triangular shaped with big eyes, a few mouth parts...again I think the abdomen would be the tricky part. Maybe a large arm or torso from another beast. Have you considered branching out and using pieces from other lines? If so there is all sorts of stuff you could use and the sky would be the limit with endless possibilities. I would totally understand if you like using BB parts exclusively though.

For the 6 arms you could stack the upper part of a torso (with the arm slots) on top of another torso...so 2 legs and 4 arms.

For a butterfly or moth (or any flying insect as they have 2 sets of wings) you could actually use 2 sets of wings. The bottom pair just being flipped upside down for a moth or butterfly (other insects wings are configurated differently). Maybe the bats up top, how they normally look and then the colonel bird, hawk, flamingo etc. below them, upside down but facing the same direction. Ya know? Just do a 180 with them and place them below the top set. Now I think about it a moth or butterfly could be super cool. The butterfly paint apps would be sweet. And male moths have those really neat, intricate antennae. You could use the rabbit ears for the antennae. Maybe just remove a little bit from the surface to give slotted reliefs that could be painted black. That would be rad for a battle beast.

For other flying insects like wasps and bees you could overlap 2 pairs. So have them pointing down and back and overlapping. Colonel birds wings, hawks wings or flamingos wings would work. Again give them a 180 but do it with both pair. The owls wings would actually be perfect for the smaler bottom pair. Really just want to see some insects! Haha.
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Attached Files

•  wasp.jpg   219.65K   0 downloads

[Exactobeast]

In the very least, for the moment, I can promise a slightly tongue in cheek rhinoceros beetle.

Awesome suggestions! Really appreciated!

Someone did a bee a decade ago. I can't remember who. Maybe grimerslimer. I'll see if I can find it.

That's the other killer with insects. Double wings. Part killer.

[Draznar]

You wouldn't need six limbs for any custom insects. None of the few insects in the line have more than four each, so any with more would just be out of place. That would save you some pieces/work!

[Exactobeast]

I do have a four limbed guy in the very next Ersico painted group....

Four armed that is

[Screamer]

Yea, you certainly wouldn't need them. I'm not familiar with any insects in the line aside from the 2 laser beasts. They attempted with the spider having 8 but they don't look like legs, rather spikes of sorts. But the spider doesn't really look like a spider to me.

I agree that 6 legs isn't necessary, especially if the other insect characteristics are done well. Would be cool though even if they are not functional/posable.

[Draznar]

Yea, you certainly wouldn't need them. I'm not familiar with any insects in the line aside from the 2 laser beasts. They attempted with the spider having 8 but they don't look like legs, rather spikes of sorts. But the spider doesn't really look like a spider to me.

I agree that 6 legs isn't necessary, especially if the other insect characteristics are done well. Would be cool though even if they are not functional/posable.

 

The crab isn't an insect, but would also naturally have multiple limbs! 

 

 

I do have a four limbed guy in the very next Ersico painted group....

Four armed that is

 

I look forward to seeing it!

[Exactobeast]

Also, I forgot to mention my current step 1 for a new guy:

 

Cut the head off and all head accessory gear and see what you are left with. This alone helped spawn a Manatee, Beluga Whale, Water Monitor, Yak, and a bunch more.

[Screamer]

[quote name="Draznar" post="654276" timestamp="1462803715"]The crab isn't an insect, but would also naturally have multiple limbs! 
 
And barely resembles a crab... Remove one characteristic, the claw, and ya wouldn't have a clue what it is (even with the claw it is a stretch). I always thought it looked more like a FoA figure than a crab. If it had a few more legs, even if they weren't functional, I think it would help sell it as a crab. Certainly an insect beast wouldn't need 6 legs (especially if other insect elements were implemented well) but it helps sell it as an insect.

Exactobeast makes some awesome figures and I feel like I can look at any given one and know what is. I'm sure an insect (with 4 or 6 limbs) would be rad and resemble an insect. I was simply acknowledging and making suggestions if he wanted to attempt or was hung up on the idea of a beast with more than 4 limbs.

It sounds like you have already tackled that issue. A rhinoceros beetle sounds ephin sick! Looking forward to seeing that dude and your future work!

[susha]

about the arms, this shapeways figure has 4. might be harder to sculp but might give you some ideas. hope it helps

 

unrelated but since u did some lovecraftian beasts couple pages back here is a link to all the beasts/gods in the Cthulu mythos; there's several chymeric options

https://en.wikipedia..._Mythos_deities

[Exactobeast]

Thanks Susha! 

 

I grabbed this pic of my guy from Ersico.  I'll post my own pics tomorrow. 

 

 

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Also Susha, awesome link!!

 

Great to find new monsters!  Problem with the lovecraft ones is that they are mostly festering blobs and tentacles.  I'm going through them right now!

[susha]

theres actually a lot of non blob and not foggy evil dieties in that list.

I went through it for my photocomic some years ago, I found something to go with

almost every battle beast, so you should find plenty of octoelefaliospidermaggigies

[Exactobeast]

Group 33

Ersico Monster Paint Part 2

 

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So, man do I love making monster groups.  Just so foreign to the general beasts. 

 

 

 

 

 

Cerebus

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Demon

 image8.JPG   54.28K   8 downloads  image9.JPG   40.06K   6 downloads  image10.JPG   54.79K   2 downloads  image1(1).JPG   27.47K   5 downloads

 

 

 

 

 

Erymanthian Boar

 image14.JPG   47.97K   10 downloads  image15.JPG   34.9K   10 downloads  image16.JPG   44.07K   4 downloads  Erymanthian_Boar.jpg   113.57K   6 downloads

 

 

 

 

Hydra

 image11.JPG   53.07K   10 downloads  image12.JPG   38.89K   8 downloads  image13.JPG   52.44K   1 downloads  hydra_omnivore_by_velinov-d3isnau.jpg   192.46K   3 downloads

 

 

 

 

Ice Dragon

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The pic inspired the beast, but the ice theme just kind of happened later

[Screamer]

I think you tackled the 6 limbs very well. That figure is radiculous! Looks like a great style/design for an insect too. I also really like the monsters and beasts.

I reckon you could do the same technique and lower the two extra non-posable arms below the functioning ones. Put them on the backside of the abs.

A similar maneuver would be to use two chest/shoulder/arm pieces. You could remove the abs and head from an upper torso and put it directly onto the groin/hips. You could then stack another shoulder/arm without the abs on top. This would give 6 limbs while keeping the figure the same general height of other beasts. It would also allow for 4 functioning arms. Again, just a suggestion my friend as I think your figures are awesome.

[Exactobeast]

I had never thought to stack torsos like that.  It is definitely an idea worth exploring. 

[Exactobeast]

Happy Friday!

Jump forward a touch today to Group 39

 

 

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Wallaby

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Arctic Fox

 image9.JPG   42.27K   12 downloads  image10.JPG   37.65K   8 downloads  arctic fox.jpg   3.33K   5 downloads

 

 

 

 

Tasmanian Devil

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Manatee

 image11.JPG   47.68K   10 downloads  image12.JPG   36.97K   12 downloads  image13.JPG   47.41K   9 downloads  Manatee.jpg   159.7K   8 downloads

 

 

 

 

Terrapin

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[Draznar]

God damn!

These are some excellent works. You never fail to impress!

Edited by Draznar, 20 May 2016 - 12:09 PM.

[ersico]

terrapin and arctic fox are stunning!

[Exactobeast]

Thanks guys!

[Exactobeast]

Group 35

Lovingly referred to as the Kill Crew

 

 

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Played with my paint schemes a little on these

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynx

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Robosheepconstruct

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Step 1. Cut off headgear.  Step 2: ?  Step 3: finished guy/$

 

 

 

 

EeL

 image4.JPG   36.18K   20 downloads  image5.JPG   34.16K   19 downloads

 

 

 

 

 

Brown Fox

 image6.JPG   38.95K   14 downloads  image7.JPG   34.23K   14 downloads

 

 

 

 

 

 

Demon Penguin

 image11.JPG   42.65K   18 downloads  image12.JPG   41.15K   14 downloads

Really kept the flightless bird spirit alive here.  That + demon

Edited by Exactobeast, 23 May 2016 - 05:22 AM.