Autumn~Sucus Auribus Sanguis

 















This might be the most bizarre kit release of sculptor William Paquet's career. Released through his amazing resin kit company, Sheer Terror Society, this cadaveric piece is titled, Sucus Auribus Sanguis, (Latin text) or simply, Blood Sap Zombie. This piece is to be the first of a four part Seasonal theme that William intends to realize: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. Blood Sap Zombie is the Autumnal release. *side note: in progress photos of the Winter piece, which is fucking...incredible, can be seen on the Sheer Terror Society Facebook page.*

  I would peg the scale to be in the 1/6 neighborhood, standing at just shy of 14" in height. Cast in four solid pieces of resin: main body, left arm, skull, and the base. Do you understand the implications of a complex figure such as this, with all the negative spaces and undercuts, being cast in in so few pieces? The entire body, sans the left arm, was cast in one...piece. And extremely cleanly cast in one piece, at that. I had only to scrape with my hobby knife around the perimeter of each piece, fill a few air bubbles on the right hand and the left elbow with some epoxy putty. The casting William sent me was the color of pistachio pudding; a strange, ecto green. 
  
 I'm fighting back the urge to drone on and on with praise for this amazing piece, but let it suffice to say it's among the most original, highly detailed resin kits I've had the pleasure of painting, and I've painted a good many. With my paint scheme, I wanted to pay homage to the beautiful colors of the late Autumnal season here in the midwest, but with a bruised,  moldering aspect. I envisioned the strange, corpse-like elemental wraith to stride over the tangled mess of unidentifiable body parts; engorged with blood taken up from human viscera (and unfortunate woodland creatures alike) that blankets the forest floor. Always in flux. Shifting, shimmering like flame, and smelling of sweet cedar resin, wood smoke, iron and putrescent flesh all at once. The fleshy vines which course about it's emaciated body acting as siphons to sanguinate, feed and replenish it's nearly whole, (unwholesome?) form. It oddly regards a freshly depleted human skull in it's monstrous, vine fingered hand. 

  I was constantly reminded of Andreas Vesalius' anatomical illustrations I used to study in high school art class when working with it. I applaud William for releasing such incredible pieces.