THE CLUBHOUSE

Wonderfest is a model contest extraordinaire, but for many, it is so much more. Fun, motivating, and educational. I defer to the terrific photos that Clubhouse members have provided to show just how fantastic a modeling event that it is. There are also many marvelous videos going back several years ...

So lifelike! A very dynamic figure brought to life with perfect painting. This guy is ready for round two with Sinbad.

The first WF 2026 guests have been posted. They are multiple Academy Award winner make-up artist Ve Neill and director, actor and stunt performer Sandra Gimpel, the original Salt Vampire from Star Trek amongst many other memorable characters. The latest guest added as of 1/9/26 is Beverly Washburn, ...

Since the conclusion of the series Alien: Earth I have some additional reflections to share. The first Alien film had "mystery" which did not require any further storytelling (of course, there is always a case for $equels). As in modeling, you reach a point where you know the project is &q...

Excellent! Great expression on Konga's face and very fine detail on the scientist. The base is equally impressive, especially the lettering. Wow!

I added a couple pictures which Little Shoppe had already made available to the public for promotional purposes. Believe me, there are tons of additional pictures. Beyond the pictures are the most incredibly detailed accounts of the making of the film. And for us modelers, there is a picture of a Go...

Issue No.52 of Little Shoppe of Horrors is completely dedicated to Gorgo. The issue is huge and phenomenal. It is much more like a book than a magazine. It contains behind the scenes photos from the production that are remarkable. If you ever wondered how the Gorgo scenes were created this is a reve...

Space really is becoming the "final frontier" for us long term modelers. I'm starting to look at the possibilities of those really small (but exquisite) figures from Japan. It's just the fun of carrying out the idea at this point.

Excellent work on both large figures all adding up to a super diorama. Toho's was a very sympathetic depiction of Frankenstein, more like a "teenage Frankenstein" version showing his growing pains. Perhaps someday he will cross paths with his lost progeny, the Gargantuas. A family saga. Ou...

Looks great! It can take its place by the original Aurora classics.

Beautiful work! A gorgeous tribute indeed.

Thank you for the very kind words. I hope to be working on more dinosaurs this coming year. It can daunting as I see such beautiful and imaginative projects such as by Bucketfoot -Al and Tay. But I hear that persistent scratching from inside the model boxes telling me they want out!

Here is the only picture I could find of a project I completed many years ago. The pachys are from Kaiyodo and are resin. I colored them using pastels. The base is water putty and foam.

The 2025 Amazing Model Contest winners list has been posted on the Wonderfest USA website. The contest lived up to its name, truly amazing! Nothing like going through the contest room and seeing such creativity and talent. But months, years and decades later when viewed in photos and videos, the ent...

I think the roots of this story go back about 20 years prior to the first Alien film (excluding the Peter Pan references). I'm referring to the Crawling Eye (or Trollenberg Terror). The T-Ocellus looks like a miniature of the crawling eye alien monster, particularly when it only has one iris. It als...

Well, this settles it. If Legendary goes with a new version of Godzilla, this is the one. And I especially mean that color scheme.

That's a remarkable conversion. The face is perfect Toho Kong. (Poor Goro's origin was closer to Konga than Kong in the program). The base is excellent as well. Total WOW!

Very vivid like right out of the film. Normally I would ask where you put the leds, but who needs them with your painting skills.

Excellent work Joe! You captured both the inspiration and the melancholy which defined Poe.

Thank you very much for the kind words fellow modelers. Being able to post on the Clubhouse is an honor! Superman and the Rhedosaur are very much my favorites too. This project was an attempt to keep things compact and focused. Up to that point, my projects had been getting bigger but harder to mana...