Signatu Studio - New for 2022

[Halichoeres]

Yeah, I'd read that. It's a figure I'm unlikely to buy, but would gladly feast my eyes on someone else's photos.

[Flaffy]

My Titanochelon arrived yesterday! Only 5 days to get to me! Stunning model! No pics at the moment. Might consider a Blog review if not claimed

Please do! There aren't a lot of reviews out there for Miguel's models. Would be nice to get the word out about the line.


On a related note, I stumbled across this video review of his 2020 Megatherium (M. americanum). For those who are interested in the giant sloth itself, or are curious about the expert sculptwork Miguel brings to his figures.

[bmathison1972]

My Titanochelon arrived yesterday! Only 5 days to get to me! Stunning model! No pics at the moment. Might consider a Blog review if not claimed

Please do! There aren't a lot of reviews out there for Miguel's models. Would be nice to get the word out about the line.


On a related note, I stumbled across this video review of his 2020 Megatherium (M. americanum). For those who are interested in the giant sloth itself, or are curious about the expert sculptwork Miguel brings to his figures.

Thanks @Flaffy - I just put in a formal request on the DTB Review Schedule thread! 

[Flaffy]

Casted and ready for painting! Looking magnificent.

[Dusty Wren]

Thanks for posting this, @Flaffy. Saves me from having to check Facebook all the time

Really interested to see how Miguel paints this up. There is such a wide variety of coloring and patterning across living deer species. It'd be nice to see an extinct deer with spotting, like a chital or sika deer.

[Flaffy]

Thanks for posting this, @Flaffy. Saves me from having to check Facebook all the time

Really interested to see how Miguel paints this up. There is such a wide variety of coloring and patterning across living deer species. It'd be nice to see an extinct deer with spotting, like a chital or sika deer.

Quoting Miguel:
"Well, it is quite difficult to know what the fur of the Eucladoceros was like because there are no painted representations of it in the caves, unlike the Megaloceros. I will try to represent it with a standard deer fur."

[Flaffy]

Thanks for posting this, @Flaffy. Saves me from having to check Facebook all the time

Really interested to see how Miguel paints this up. There is such a wide variety of coloring and patterning across living deer species. It'd be nice to see an extinct deer with spotting, like a chital or sika deer.

Quoting Miguel:
"Well, it is quite difficult to know what the fur of the Eucladoceros was like because there are no painted representations of it in the caves, unlike the Megaloceros. I will try to represent it with a standard deer fur."

Another response from the artist:
"Well. It is true that some current cervids have white spots on their fur. But they are usually the medium-sized and small species. I think I am going to paint it with a more uniform and less striking tone, like the one that the largest species have (moose, wapiti, megaloceros)."

[Dusty Wren]

Ah, that's kind of a bummer. Though I do consider the patterning on North American elk to be striking in its own right, I can't think of any reason some of the more dramatic patterns seen on smaller deer wouldn't work for larger deer. We have so few truly large extant deer that it's odd to assume that all large extinct deer would have looked like them. Seems more like a sampling bias than anything else.

But solid colors can still look fantastic. Moose are handsome animals even without the spots

[Halichoeres]

I mean, if I were him, I would also want to avoid painting dozens of white spots on every copy. 

[Dusty Wren]

Hey, he's the one who decided to give his Machairodus spots! Can't be much worse than that

But yeah, I don't begrudge him a simple paint job. I imagine it's hard enough being a one-man show for the sculpting, molding, casting, and shipping, let alone the painting.

[Flaffy]

Eucladoceros buck painted up in all his glory!

[Flaffy]

So very tempted to pick this guy up... I'm sure it'll display nicely alongside his Megaloceros which I'm getting.
I think this is the first model of a prehistoric cervid that isn't Megaloceros?

[Dusty Wren]

Paleocraft made a Eucladoceros a couple of years ago, but it was a one-off commission rather than a commercial kit. That's the only non-Megaloceros that I'm aware of.

I've always assumed that toy companies avoid extinct deer because they're afraid kids won't recognize that they're extinct. Megaloceros is pretty obviously different from anything we have kicking around today (and it doesn't hurt that it's shown up a couple of times in fantasy movies and games). But the others are less obvious, unless you're very familiar with their living relatives.

I think the paint scheme turned out nicely. Very much a classic red deer coloring, but the high-contrast rump patch is a little more elk-like.

[Faelrin]

I still can't believe how fast this one was finished. Now I'm just wondering about the cost.

[Flaffy]

Paleocraft made a Eucladoceros a couple of years ago, but it was a one-off commission rather than a commercial kit. That's the only non-Megaloceros that I'm aware of.

You're right, a fine piece that was, as usual from Sean Cooper. But since it was a one-off commission I don't think it's fair for comparison. (though tbh small batch artisan products are already stretching it)

I've always assumed that toy companies avoid extinct deer because they're afraid kids won't recognize that they're extinct. Megaloceros is pretty obviously different from anything we have kicking around today (and it doesn't hurt that it's shown up a couple of times in fantasy movies and games). But the others are less obvious, unless you're very familiar with their living relatives.

That's one factor among many for the lack of extinct cervid toys out there. But I think the bigger reason is that deer simply aren't that interesting to people, especially since they still exist nowadays. (Eucladoceros having no close living relatives not withstanding)

While I doubt anyone would mistake Sinomegaceros as anything but exinct, the prospect of a Mammoth or a Woolly Rhinoceros is certainly more marketable to the general public than "deer but with funky antlers".

I think the paint scheme turned out nicely. Very much a classic red deer coloring, but the high-contrast rump patch is a little more elk-like.

Oh definitely. The simple colour scheme of the body works well to draw attention to the impressive antlers instead. Though IF I were to get a copy from Miguel, I'll most likely ask him to make the face and neck darker like an elk so that it'll contrast nicely with Megaloceros's light-toned bust. Sean's decision to make the tips of the antlers faded is also something I'm a fan of, so I'll be requesting that too.

[Flaffy]

I still can't believe how fast this one was finished. Now I'm just wondering about the cost.

I know right? Miguel works fast! Cost-wise, the Megaloceros for reference is €105. So while the Eucladoceros is the smaller figure, I'd imagine the increased complexity of moulding and painting the infamous bush-antlers would mean the Eucladoceros being in a similar price range.

[Flaffy]

Comparison pics with the 1:20 Megaloceros. Didn't realise Megaloceros was this massive, and Eucladoceros isn't a small cervid by any means either.

[Halichoeres]

That looks incredible.

On a side note, there has technically been a Eucladoceros toy before, but it's definitely not the sort of thing that would be on most collectors' radar: it's a cartoon skeleton version from Kabaya's HoneHone Zaurus line: https://www.dinotoymuseum.com/rm13/rm12606.html

Apart from that one oddity, yeah, I think Megaloceros is the only extinct deer that has been made into figures.

[Dusty Wren]

@Halichoeres, your knowledge of obscure figures amazes me. I am so glad to know that goofy little skeleton toy exists out there in the world. 

[Halichoeres]

Thanks, I do what I can to shine a light on silly things!