Justin's Modifications and Repaints

[Justin_]

I bought the Papo Allosaurus a few years ago because I liked the dynamic pose and skin textures. However, I don't think it looks like an Allosaurus. To me it looks like a cross between a JP raptor and a crocodile, plus I don't like the seam lines around the head, the pushed-back shoulders and the huge feet.
Today I finally started to make it a bit more to my taste simply by carving down the longer spines on the back. I used promarkers to change the eye from yellow to orange, so it looks a bit less hypnotized, and to reduce the contrast between the top and bottom jaw.
I've also chopped off the pronated hands, shortened the forearms a bit and pinned the hands back. They aren't glued yet until I've decided the final position, so the seam is currently filled with a bit of plasticine.

Nice weather for working outside but not great for picture taking.

I want to eventually paint this a much warmer colour, like the orange Allosaurus from the Zallinger book, so I tested some orange and brown with the markers on the top of the neck.
I'll probably completely remove the few large scutes at the top of the tail and sculpt smaller ones. If I feel brave enough I'm going to remove the arms right up to the shoulders to move them down a bit, so it doesn't look like it's preparing to lift a heavy weight.

[Justin_]

Fixing the jaw in a slightly open position; filling the seams around the head and adding some loose skin under the jaw and neck.







I've used greenstuff and left it smooth because I'm going to put a thin skin of milliput over it, as I find that takes texture stamps better.

[Jose S.M.]

You are doing a great job customizing that figure into a more realist one! looking forward to see the final result.

[indohyus]

Looking good thus far.

[Shonisaurus]

My congratulations. It seems to me a very good idea to remove the seams of the allosaurus and fix the jaw. If it depended on me I would want to do the same as you in all prehistoric animals with articulated jaws. In short, it is a great job that you are doing with the allosaurus and it is very aesthetic to remove the seams of the articulated jaw and definitively fix the jaw.

[Justin_]

Shortening the arms on the Papo running 'Rex.



I just cut a small section from the upper and forearms and pinned everything back in place. No gap filling yet. The result is a bit banana-shaped due to all the muscles. I should at least add a bit of an elbow but I think I'll carefully carve away some of the bulk.
It doesn't really show on this picture but I've dulled the white of the teeth a bit with a wash of tan promarker.
As with the Allosaurus, the jaw will be fixed in place.

[Justin_]

Papo Allosaurus update.



Although I cut down a lot of the spines I've added a few little ones to the top of the head, and the brow horns are very slightly enlarged.
You can see a few leaves from my cycad behind it.

[Syndicate Bias]

Looks good, I'm curious if you will be obtaining the Papo Giganotosaurus to reposition as well I'd be interested.

[Shonisaurus]

The figures have been well, the spinach green color in the seams of the allosaurus conceals the defects that these articulated jaws leave. On the other hand, the tyrannosaurus rex has been great for you. You are a true artist.

[Justin_]

......I'm curious if you will be obtaining the Papo Giganotosaurus to reposition as well.........

No. These two are figures I've had for years that I gradually decided needed slight changes. What I want to do is be sculpting my own figures and I partly got them as reference for the detail that made Papo figures stand out from other brands at the time, as this was before Rebor, PNSO and Eofauna etc. were around. That Giga would be too much work to make it satisfactory.

...... the spinach green color in the seams of the allosaurus conceals the defects that these articulated jaws leave.....

That is just the greenstuff putty's unpainted colour. I will be painting it to match the rest once I've added scale texture.