Mechanically Violated

If you're not already familiar with the work of master sculptor Takayuki Takeya, or a model kit producing company named, 'Fewture Models', then I'm sorry; this isn't the time or place for me to delve too deeply into the history of either one.

A long time has it been that I've had this piece in a box waiting to be painted. I did a bit of prep work on it last summer, but since then it's been hiding out in a dark corner. It's titled, 'Hakaider: Mechanical Violator', and was produced on the very cusp of 1999 or early 2000, I believe, by a legendary company named Fewture Models. Hakaider is a study of a Japanese science fiction film of the same name. The film was directed by Keita Amemiya. Sculptor Takayuki Takeya actually worked on the film, and this is his version of the character.

If you've not seen the film, there are slight differences from Takeya san's sculpture and the film version character. The piece illustrates a scene from the end of the movie in which Hakaider and Michael (Mechanical Justice) battle it out; and as you can see...Hakaider busted his balls.

If it's evident from the photos I took of the figure proper, you might be able to see the subtle movement of Hakaider walking off the square base. The figure is full of tension and attitude. It's always been one of my favorite works by Takayuki Takeya. I'm painting this for a friend, so it will be tough seeing it go, but we'll see...it's been quite a while ago that it was sent to me, so I'm hoping it's been forgotten ;)







































Stay tuned...

Spiderzero: Medusa, in the buff.

This is one of those pieces that I felt intensely drawn to the moment I first saw it. Yet another masterful and strange piece sculpted by Simon Lee (Spiderzero).





The Medusa kit comes in four parts, ( 2 arms, torso and lower base section) solid cast in an off white resin. The original pre-order release also included a bonus figure of a mummified rat curled up in the fetal position. Simon's Medusa is loosely based on the infamous Medusa of Greek mythology. In Simon's own words: " This character's design is very abstract. I didn't go with the traditional rendition / description of Medusa, rather, I chose to incorporate snake motifs into a very "Gigeresque" design. There's only a hint of sexuality, and the overall sexual ambiguity makes the character more mysterious and that much creepier. As I'd discussed in the Blah! section of the site, I'd designed this character as a shape-shifter. It's form is ever-changing. It can take on the form of a human or that of a snake, or both. Medusa's eyes are hidden in this design. They're hidden behind those striations where the eyes should be. Being "her" primary weapon, the eyes won't emerge until she's ready to attack."

As a whole, Medusa has aspects that both attract and repel me at the same time. There's the pose: her arms out and overall shape gives me the vague impression of a Vegas showgirl in the middle of her onstage dancing act. I see a blasphemous sort of Siren, mocking the weak man; beguiling him with her disfigured promenade. The large head having the shape of her feathery and fanned out headdress. That large head also, for some reason, makes me think of the creepy, deformed blonde woman who appears during moments of Henry's trances in David Lynch's film 'Eraserhead'.





Those aspects, along with the obviously H.R. Giger styled appearance the piece has throughout. Most notably, the head itself makes me think of a Giger painting titled, 'Li I'.










There was a good bit of work that needed to be done with Medusa, primarily re sculpting detail to the areas that were affected by the offset mold lines. As time goes on I find that I rather enjoy doing this, the re sculpting in of detail bit; especially with Simon's work. It gives me the opportunity to better get in touch with the piece, study it and imagine how I'd like to paint it. In a nutshell: it helps boost my creative energy and inspires the Hell out of me.

All of the re sculpting work was done using Aves: Apoxie Sculpt and Aves: Safety Solvent to refine details and feather the edges of the clay out.

A Coupla' Zero's

Just funnin' around...

Spiderzero: Crescent

A face of sadness, a face of heavy burden, an intense moment of grim realization; at least that's what it says to me



This piece entranced me. Simon Lee's Crescent guided me through every step of the way, and I simply followed. The piece itself, and a few extremely cool Fellas by the name of Bradley Johnson and Bill Mayo did as well. I just let go and kept it loose. These colors had been hanging in my mind every time I imagined how I should paint this piece, and finally they made it to the surface. I hope you all enjoy...

La Pestilencia

La Pestilencia sculpted by Paul Komoda, released through Artist Proof Studio. This piece is a disturbingly accurate study of a woman in the dregs of tertiary syphilis.

Phyllis and I will be spending some time together, and I have no intentions of wearing a condom...

The Face of Horror! Artist Proof Studio: S.L.E. Syndrome bust

The S.L. E. Syndrome in sculptor Norman Myers' own words:

" A strange virus takes over its host mutating them into a twisted deformed being. During the mutation process, the virus allows the host's face to appear and look at its new body, the virus being proud of its work. When the host/victim inevitably freaks out, the head is re-absorbed and the virus gets to work creating an even more horrifying mutation. It's an endless cycle. "





...an endless cycle of mutation after horrific mutation. But not horrific to the vainglorious S.L.E virus, oh no! It tirelessly tasks itself at creating a new image which will please it's host, all in vain. Wipe the slate clean, try again...and again!




Norman created this imaginative and twisted 1/3 scale piece as the first in a series of virus inspired busts. It's 8" tall and cast in one solid piece of gray resin. Not enough you say? Well Norman didn't think so either, so as a cool gift to collectors the first 15 castings of S.L.E. Syndrome included a one of a kind super sculpey head sculpted by Norman! Yes, a one of a kind super sculpey head!






When I first received the S.L.E. bust, the piece conjured thoughts of Rob Bottin's work for John Carpenter's 1982 remake of The Thing. The piece is very reminiscent of kind of bladder pumping, slime slathered, writhing creature effects that were popular in horror films of the 1980's, and I truly adore that about this piece.








As I worked on the bust I couldn't help but imagine the all out creeping fear the host would experience as the virus slogged away at breaking bone and brawn in an arrogant attempt to please. The hosts pale face emerging from it's own anatomically confused flesh to see for the first time, their own body wreathed and wrenched beyond mend! The multiple faces: one in a catatonic state, the other fully ingested by the alien DNA; ripe with S.L.E! Strange appendages developing as they pull free of the body mass. The thought of a 'flesh totem pole' crossed my mind quite a few times.




I began the bust not really knowing where I'd take it, but I did have a pretty good idea that I wanted to complete it with a look not unlike the creatures Bottin crafted in The Thing. Not to compare the two, but the big difference between John Carpenter's creature and Norm's S.L.E. is that the film creature relied on it's host to use as camouflage to hide it's underlying monstrous form, whereas the S.L.E. boasts it's many dreadful, ( a matter of opinion) forms for all to recoil from! Just saying...





I pretty much dragged this project out all summer long. My busy schedule didn't allow me the time to suspend myself in paint mode. But with work slowing down a bit, I finally managed to pull it all together. And I must say that I'm pleased with the way it turned out.

I'm fairly certain that Dr. Meyers at Artist Proof Studio would be more than happy to contaminate your collection with the S.L.E. Syndrome... For more information visit the Artist Proof Studio blog, or contact the good doctor at: zombiejesus11@gmail.com

Amazing Figure Modeler magazine #47

All work and no play makes Jason a dull boy... Perhaps not, but it does mean I have very little time for the updating my blog and partaking of pleasures I so enjoy; such as painting.
Putting my lament aside- I'd like to talk about the new Amazing Figure Modeler magazine issue 47: " American GK Classics; Part One: The Resin Years" . This new AFM issue is a landmark in several different ways: it features a nearly full color layout and a new spine format which makes it easy to identify the volume and issue number when tucked away on the shelf for easy reference. It's also a landmark issue for me personally, because it's my first article for this great magazine.


I've been devotedly reading the magazine since I found out about it in 1997, so to now be contributing to it is quite exciting and rewarding; especially so when considering the congregation of inspiring artists involved with each issue.


Being that I'm an enthusiast of original designs and strange creatures I was a bit apprehensive about what I might be asked to feature in my very first article; there really are not too many early American GK's that really get my blood pumping, but when publisher Terry Webb called me and said, " Hey, Jas- so uh...whaddya think about doing an article on Dan Platt's 'Jersey Devil' from Barker Brothers?", any and all reservations utterly dissolved away... I've always been fond of that piece and I also have a familiarity with Jersey Devil lore from childhood reading, so it was a no brainer- I said, " Hell yeah!"


When I took a trip to the Louisville, KY. Wonderfest convention in mid May to see the culmination of the new issue, I was ecstatic to see my spread. I was also pleased to see one of my favorite monsters, Pumpkinhead, on the cover; fantastically rendered by artist Jason Walker.


I'd also like to thank Mike Falcigno, Terry Webb and David Fisher. These are three awesome and talented Fellas with a fiery passion for monsters. I'm truly appreciative for these guys providing me with such a unique opportunity. So without further stall, I'll leave you with a teaser shot of my buildup of this fantastic piece of American Garage Kit history. And have a look around at the Amazing Figure Modeler magazine website.