Tyto's Repaints & Customs

[Tyto_Theropod]

Welcome to my humble customs thread, where I post pictures of my repaints and mods of prehistoric toys and figures.  Unfortunately there isn't much to see right now, as I removed all the images I had up as part of the forum-wide photobucket purge, and I don't have access to the original copies.  Hopefully I can rectify this soon, but in the meantime repaint photos will start further down the thread - hopefully in the near future!

[Tyto_Theropod]

Modded Papo Spinosaurus. I know some people here don't like the paint job but I actually do and I didn't think I could possibly match up to Papo. So I just tried to blend in the areas I'd modded. I wasn't confident enough to change the lower jaw and nostrils, so he's still not perfect, but he's better than he was. I'm also thinking of changing my red display colours a bit - most of my personal customs will always be works in progress!

[Images removed]

[Manatee]

I find it surprising there haven't been any other replies yet. The Papo Spinosaurus edits look amazing!

[stargatedalek]

I love the re-sculpt spinosaurus!

[Tyto_Theropod]

Thanks guys! Maybe I should do more re-sculpts...

[Tyto_Theropod]

Holy Edmontosaurus! Have I really not finished any customs for nearly a year??!! Disgraceful! I've been quite busy, and frankly haven't had convenient time or space to do this kind of work in. Anywhoo, first up, a model I found in a box of tacky Chinasaurs, but which is definitely a Euoplocephalus (under the new Victoria Arbour classification it could also be Anodontosaurus) - and actually, as far as I can see, quite an accurate one at that. Given that none of the other figures from the selection held a candle to it (the best was definitely a tail-dragging, bunny-armed mutant Pachycephalosaur thing with a snarling mouth and carnivore teeth... ), it made me wonder if it was some kind of bootleg or resculpt. It's actually a decent model, hollow but with quite firm plastic. I finished painting it about a year ago and posted it, but took the images down when I decided to redo the eyes, and then promptly never got round to posting the final version! So here it is:

Before repainting:
[Image removed]

After:
[Image removed]

No rescultping. Done with acrylics from my local Ryman, no dilution. The armour plates are painted black and then drybrushed with pale blue - I love the effect this gave! After painting she was sealed with Dullcote. This is very effective in keeping the paint on (although it has worn off the pointy bits from wear and tear while I'm transporting the model to photograph it, but this isn't a problem for me as I can retouch once a in a while) and gives a finish that isn't matte, but isn't glossy either - somewhere in between... It gives a very nice effect in photos and in person.

Probably my favourite custom dino to date, and the only one I'm 100% satisfied with ATM - hoping that will change! She's actually now one of my favourite models. Funny what a better paint job can do, huh?

I'm currently working on a mod/repaint of a Carnegie 2014 Tyrannosaurus - stay tuned!

[Tyto_Theropod]

Some minor detailing in my Carnegies. I really love the factory paint on all these guys and have no intention of changing it, but there were a few things I was unhappy with and decided to touch up.

Miragaia got some more gold paint on the eyes - previously it was very dark.
[Image removed]

Albertosaurus received tooth whitening and a manicure/pedicure:
[Images removed]

Finally, Concavenator got the most extreme makeover, with completely new eyes! I also blended in the colours on the hump, as previously they were very stake and artificial looking.
Model before:
[Image removed]
Eye after:
[Image removed]
Hump after (the cream doesn't quite match, but it's close):
[Image removed]

[Tyto_Theropod]

Another Carnegie custom, this time with more to it. Feathered T-rex! I've been working on this on and off for a couple months and would appreciate feedback on how I'm doing. I wanted to make the sculpt more interesting texturally and adding a feather texture seemed like a good way to do it. I decided to go for a structure not unlike that seen on ratites. After I'm done, I'll do a complete repaint.

In the meantime, I'm not entirely happy with the feathers yet - any ideas on how to make them really 'pop'?

WIP shots:
[Images removed]

"We have as much evidence that T. rex was feathered, at least during some stage of its life, as we do that australopithecines like Lucy had hair."
  - Dr Mark Norell

[Simon]

It looks wonderful - may I make a couple of suggestions?

Since you are going all-out, it would be really cool if you repositioned and bulked up the legs to give the animal a more level pose, with thicker ankles and toes.  A few cuts with an exacto-knife, a little putty sculpting and you'd really have a nice piece on your hands.

Just some food for thought. 

[Dinomike]

I think the feathering looks fantastic! Just the right scale! I agree with Simon that some reposing would be good. You could add a base and thus get rid of the tripod pose? Looking forward to the repaint!

[Tyto_Theropod]

Progress of my latest project, custom work on the Wild Safari Velociraptor - this time I'm trying my hand at reposing.

[Image removed]

I completely removed the left arm for repositioning and sculpted a niche for slotting it into when I reattach it once I've sculpted the wings. The right arm is partially removed and both of the hands will be put in the correct position. I'm going to wait and see if the wings touch the ground for balance, but if they don't I'll reposition the legs making the figure (shock horror) an subtle tripod using the tail fan to prop it up.

[Image removed]

At the moment I'm hugging the body with the feathers - if I think it looks shrink-wrapped I can always go back and add more over the top later. With this model, I went for a different texture on the main body, hinting at more complex feathers.

[Ramose]

These are incredible!

[Arul]

Cool i have ws velociraptor too in future i have a plan to totally custom it because yeah the paint on the body isnt very good anyore it looks like it removed by itself maybe because its old item, and it have a standing problem, so dissapointed its original figure my figure is number 0816  well cant wait to see the result 

[Dilopho]

Your customs are amazing! Do you think you'd be able to do more Chinasaurs? They're always interesting to see.

[Tyto_Theropod]

Your customs are amazing! Do you think you'd be able to do more Chinasaurs? They're always interesting to see.

I would love to do more chinasaurs, as you can really make them into something so much better looking with just a lick of paint. However, I'm always wary with them after the plastic on one reacted to the paint and started releasing fumes into my working space!

[Dilopho]

Your customs are amazing! Do you think you'd be able to do more Chinasaurs? They're always interesting to see.

I would love to do more chinasaurs, as you can really make them into something so much better looking with just a lick of paint. However, I'm always wary with them after the plastic on one reacted to the paint and started releasing fumes into my working space!

When I paint them, I put on the paint layer-by-layer and leave them to dry naturally outside. My acrylic paints only take around half an hour to dry this way, sometimes even less.

[Tyto_Theropod]

Your customs are amazing! Do you think you'd be able to do more Chinasaurs? They're always interesting to see.

I would love to do more chinasaurs, as you can really make them into something so much better looking with just a lick of paint. However, I'm always wary with them after the plastic on one reacted to the paint and started releasing fumes into my working space!

When I paint them, I put on the paint layer-by-layer and leave them to dry naturally outside. My acrylic paints only take around half an hour to dry this way, sometimes even less.

I do apply paint in layers, and I let paint and sealer dry outside whenever possible, but the weather in Britain is far from predictable and obviously nothing will dry on a wet day! Even if I did live in a consistent climate, this would still not do anything to stop my being wary of fumes - they can be dangerous even outside and can keep on being released even after the paint is dry. I have discussed this issue previously.

[Dilopho]

Your customs are amazing! Do you think you'd be able to do more Chinasaurs? They're always interesting to see.

I would love to do more chinasaurs, as you can really make them into something so much better looking with just a lick of paint. However, I'm always wary with them after the plastic on one reacted to the paint and started releasing fumes into my working space!

When I paint them, I put on the paint layer-by-layer and leave them to dry naturally outside. My acrylic paints only take around half an hour to dry this way, sometimes even less.

I do apply paint in layers, and I let paint and sealer dry outside whenever possible, but the weather in Britain is far from predictable and obviously nothing will dry on a wet day! Even if I did live in a consistent climate, this would still not do anything to stop my being wary of fumes - they can be dangerous even outside and can keep on being released even after the paint is dry. I have discussed this issue previously.

Oh, I live in Britain too! Yaaaay!
I'm actually painting a Triceratops with my other hand right nowand I'm just covering it in Acrylic paint. Like, drowning it. If anything starts coming off of it it won't get through the Acrylic shell fortress.

[tyrantqueen]

Your customs are amazing! Do you think you'd be able to do more Chinasaurs? They're always interesting to see.

I would love to do more chinasaurs, as you can really make them into something so much better looking with just a lick of paint. However, I'm always wary with them after the plastic on one reacted to the paint and started releasing fumes into my working space!

When I paint them, I put on the paint layer-by-layer and leave them to dry naturally outside. My acrylic paints only take around half an hour to dry this way, sometimes even less.

I do apply paint in layers, and I let paint and sealer dry outside whenever possible, but the weather in Britain is far from predictable and obviously nothing will dry on a wet day! Even if I did live in a consistent climate, this would still not do anything to stop my being wary of fumes - they can be dangerous even outside and can keep on being released even after the paint is dry. I have discussed this issue previously.

Oh, I live in Britain too! Yaaaay!
I'm actually painting a Triceratops with my other hand right nowand I'm just covering it in Acrylic paint. Like, drowning it. If anything starts coming off of it it won't get through the Acrylic shell fortress.

Be careful. You'll end up obscuring detail if you do that. Especially if the paint isn't thinned.

[Dilopho]

Your customs are amazing! Do you think you'd be able to do more Chinasaurs? They're always interesting to see.

I would love to do more chinasaurs, as you can really make them into something so much better looking with just a lick of paint. However, I'm always wary with them after the plastic on one reacted to the paint and started releasing fumes into my working space!

When I paint them, I put on the paint layer-by-layer and leave them to dry naturally outside. My acrylic paints only take around half an hour to dry this way, sometimes even less.

I do apply paint in layers, and I let paint and sealer dry outside whenever possible, but the weather in Britain is far from predictable and obviously nothing will dry on a wet day! Even if I did live in a consistent climate, this would still not do anything to stop my being wary of fumes - they can be dangerous even outside and can keep on being released even after the paint is dry. I have discussed this issue previously.

Oh, I live in Britain too! Yaaaay!
I'm actually painting a Triceratops with my other hand right nowand I'm just covering it in Acrylic paint. Like, drowning it. If anything starts coming off of it it won't get through the Acrylic shell fortress.

Be careful. You'll end up obscuring detail if you do that. Especially if the paint isn't thinned.

Detail? I mostly paint Chinasaurs (I'll work my way up once I get better at painting) and they don't really have much detail, unless you count those lazily sculpted wrinkles they all seem to have. They look like worm skin!