KONG on EMPIRE STATE ... (Hold onto your Hats!) ...

[bucketfoot-al]

Kong is dripping wet from his first black oil wash tonight ...

[overspray]

He doesn't look too happy about it! Really enjoying the updates and looking forward to more!

[bucketfoot-al]

After the black oil wash dried overnight, I did some quick dry brushing with oil paint (Burnt Sienna color) this morning - (thanks for the tip LeGrandzilla!! )

He's got a lot more color depth now ... not sure about the brown I used for the eyes ... might need to darken them just a bit ... maybe a little more color dry brushing on the grey areas ... and another black oil wash ... I'm liking what I see - moving in the right direction!

[barad_dur]

You are making fast progress on this bash!

[bucketfoot-al]

You are making fast progress on this bash!

Yeah well ... work has slowed down this year ... for now ...

Edit: Seriously, Kong shouldn't take that long to finish - its the aeroplane - the next step - that will take some patience. I have not built a similar scale plane in over 30 years, I need to buy some styrene cutting/holding nippers and holders, as well as enamel paints and thinner. I want to do it right.

When all THAT is done (and hoping the plane mounting above Kong is a success), I need to repaint the display alcove in the hall a sky blue color, then add a couple of clouds .... (Hey, I said this was gonna be BIG, didn't I?)

[bucketfoot-al]

*FLASH UPDATE*

Well, I kept workin' on him tonight - the "tweaks" in order:

Yesterday: Black oil wash;
Today: Burnt Sienna Oil Paint highlights;
Red Earth Color Oil Wash;
Black Oil Wash;

Eyes, teeth, nostrils, ears and nails touched up with Faber-Castel artists pens (markers) - (Thanks again, LeGrandzilla!! )

Kong is now drying. Tomorrow or Friday I will spray-matte-seal the paint, then lavish clear gloss acrylic paint on the eyes, nostrils, mouth/teeth and BLOODY bullet holes (see those in the last photo below).

[Jon LeGrand]

Awesome project Vlad, you are putting a lot of love into this!

[barad_dur]

Very Nice touch with those bullet holes!

[bucketfoot-al]

Awesome project Vlad, you are putting a lot of love into this!

Thanks Jon! Coming from The Hobby's premiere Kong modeler I doubly appreciate it!!!

Yes, its become something of an obsession once I "started getting ideas" on how to make it - pardon the pun - (Le)Grand-er!!

[bucketfoot-al]

Very Nice touch with those bullet holes!

Thanks - but all credit for those goes to the sculptor, Michael Maddi, who put them in there!

I agree, a VERY nice detail, true to the film - and will work PERFECTLY given where I intend to place the biplane .... (Someone somewhere must have built a Kong with a full size plane before, but I personally have not seen it - hence my desire to make something truly spectacular ... fingers crossed I pull it off ... )

[Jon LeGrand]

Awesome project Vlad, you are putting a lot of love into this!

Thanks Jon! Coming from The Hobby's premiere Kong modeler I doubly appreciate it!!!

Yes, its become something of an obsession once I "started getting ideas" on how to make it (pardon the pun) Grand-er!!

LOL oh you!

[bucketfoot-al]

KONG'S paint up is finished! A few photos from the "matte sealant spraying session" on the rear patio ... and a few test shots with the tower. (Remember that the plane, the Ann Darrow figure and the massive tower base are still to be completed - this is just a teaser for y'all... )

[Jon LeGrand]

KONG'S paint up is finished! A few photos from the "matte sealant spraying session" on the rear patio ... and a few test shots with the tower. (Remember that the plane, the Ann Darrow figure and the massive tower base are still to be completed - this is just a teaser for y'all... )

[Buc Wheat]

enjoying the ride!!

[barad_dur]

Wow - this is quite the bash - Congrats on finishing two major phases of the project!

How tall in inches so far ?
What will be the total height after the plane is added ?

[bucketfoot-al]

Wow - this is quite the bash - Congrats on finishing two major phases of the project!

How tall in inches so far ?
What will be the total height after the plane is added ?

Kong on Empire State is 27" tall. I am figuring that with the plane it will reach 40" tall.

[bucketfoot-al]

The massive base is now painted and matte-sealed ... debated whether to go with mainly silver with black stripe or vice-versa ... asked my wife and she decided ...

Now the plane construction starts ... spent an hour with the guys at Dibble's hobbies yesterday while buying paint and thinner for the plane build ... wrote down a whole bunch of "what to dos" and "what not to dos" vis-a-vis enamel paints, attaching decals and building up styrene planes ... now to put it to good use ...

[bucketfoot-al]

Here's a list of the instructions I wrote down after talking with Jeff @ Dibbles' Hobbies, for anyone who's interested:

PLANE BUILD TO DOS:

1. WASH PARTS W/ SOAP N WATER BEFORE PAINTING;
2. DO NOT WIPE BRUSHES ON THE LIP OF THE PAINT JARS;
3. STIR AND SHAKE BOTTLE BEFORE FIRST PAINT USE;
4. CUT PAINT A LITTLE WITH THINNER;
5. DECALS: GLOSS SPRAY DECAL AREA FIRST;
6. PUT DECAL IN WATER, THEN SLIDE ONTO PLANE;
7. BRUSH DECAL WITH MICROSOL USING PAINT BRUSH
8. LEAVE THE DECAL ALONE WHILE MICROSOL CURES – IT WILL LAY FLAT IN THE END!
9. IF THERE IS AN AIR BUBBLE UNDER DECAL, SLICE WITH NEW EXACTO KNIFE;
10. MATTE SEAL DRIED DECALS (DO NOT WAIT MORE THAN A DAY)

[bucketfoot-al]

Prayers appreciated as I embark on the styrene biplane build - (for the first time since about 1990-1)

[Tim Fortuna]