XV Century Half Armoured Samurai

[quang]

Check out the final battle under the rain.

Note how the armour of each one of the seven reflected their personal psychological nature. From the bare-bottomed character played by Toshiro Mifune to the minimal (but so kewl! forefront protection worn by the leader.

An all-time classic. Is it the Criterion dvd you've got?

Gotta run

Q.

 

[quang]

As for my Ronin.

Watch carefully the quiet, melancholic one in the duel scene (the same character played by James Coburn, the knife-thrower in the Magnificent Seven).

 

[Elia Cid]

Quang,
I just found out one of my collectors, George Papandreas, provided the swords for the movie “The Last Samurai†Check out his web site! http://www.ameurasiart.com/index.html, he owns "The Half Armoruerd Samurai" figure.

As an artist on occasion I am forced to decide between the esthetic and realism between art and fact! I will let you in on a little secret, I often time, allow art to trump facts and I justify it by calling it “Artistic License “

I hope this doesn’t stir the pot to much!

Happy painting
Alex

 

[quang]

Ho-ho! 'Artistic license' is a very touchy subject and has been the cause of several flame wars of yore.

It would be interesting though to start a thread where everyone can expose his own conception of artistic license and its relevance to our hobby. This could be very constructive as it will give us another way of assessing and judging the merits of a figure other than on its 'historical accuracy' alone. What do you guys think?

As to your collector friend, I see that he also carries the Alfrex samurai action figures. Great figures but VERY steeply-priced (to me anyway). FYI you can find the same Seven Samurai action figure set at roughly half-price on eBay:

http://cgi.befr.ebay.be/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?V...item=3174744927

Even so, they still cost 650 USD! For those of us with thick wallets.

Q.

 

[Elia Cid]

Hi Mike,
Yes he has a tattoo of a dragon that runs down his back, and over his right shoulder it’s not to visible in the picture, put I will try to post a better picture soon!
Happy painting
Alex

 

[RobH]

Hi Quang

Yes, it is the Criterion dvd. Also got the BFI 'essay' book (or pamphlet) on the movie. Cheap little thing but full of fascinating stuff.

Tempted to do a likeness of Mifune, but from earlier in the movie carrying the sword. Screen grabs from the DVD.

Rob

 

[Pete_H]

Alex,
Looks good so far. I must admit that the blending of colors between highlights, shadows, and base colors looks too stark. IMHO, not enough blending. Just constructive criticism ...

 

[quang]

Hi Rob,

I have the 2-dvd French edition. It'd appear that the Criterion has a clearer picture. Looking for one on eBay to compare. Two dvd are NOT too many for a masterpiece such as this!

(Already have two Ridley Scott's Alien and two Jackie Brown. And waiting for the upcoming Richard Lester's Three Musketeers 3-dvd box. Dark stare from the missus! Ah well!)

Q.

 

[RobH]

Hi Pete

If you look carefully you'll see this figure has some sort of digital effect going on (see grading on top right of background - resampling? some conversion for Web? desampling of colour?) and this may effect our interpretation of the photo! Hence the starkness of the shadows you refer to.

Guess that just raises the issue of judging work from photos. Not always straightforward (hopefully not contentious)

Maybe, Alex, you could post another pic?

Rob

 

[RobH]

Quang

I am reassured to know I'm not the only one! Alien = Videos x 2, DVDs x 2 (+ the rest of the franchise). And don't you know we'll get one day the super deluxe extended extended volume of the Lord of the Rings with 4 weeks of extra footage! And I'll have to get it.



Rob

 

[quang]

...not to mention the 1/6 scale Helm's Deep to go with the action figures! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Boys will be boys, said she.

 

[quang]

Just forgot this.

I also have two 'Fellowship of the Ring' (the theater and extended versions) but only one 'Two Towers' (extended).

At least, they didn't get me the second time around!

Q. (supposedly) at work

 

[quang]

Just checked it out.

I have two Dances with Wolves (French 2-dvd and Flemish 3-dvd). Much better image in Flemish version (film in 2 dvd). Sky is blue in Flemish version, grey in French version.

The catch is when they speak Lakota, subtitles are only in Dutch and I don't speak Dutch. Perhaps I should learn to speak Lakota?

To be frank with you, I'm beginning to get scared of myself.

 

[RobH]

Talking of epic 'westerns', I'm trying to track down a copy of Black Robe. Saw it years ago, but only released on Video in UK. Might have to get my first region 1 disk (player should cope).

I'm being grown up enough to wait for multiple disk editions (if I know they're on the horizon), unless I hit fanboy mode (see LOTR FOTR + TTT).
Best bit is getting the sumptuous Pixar releases for my son (yeah, right).

And I've just bought a Widwscreen digital TV, so need to rewatch ALL of my movies!

Rob

 

[quang]

And I've just bought a Widwscreen digital TV, so need to rewatch ALL of my movies!

Same here. What a chore!

 

[Elia Cid]

Alex the Vampire

Alex the Vampire
1/4th scale, From Spectral Motion, Inc.
Scott Pierce’s private collection,painted by Alex Castro

Hi Pete,
Who me? Mind constructive criticism!!
I‘ll try to post a clearer picture soon, thanks Pete.

Happy Painting
Alex

 

[Johan]

Quang: "I don't speak Dutch. Perhaps I should learn to speak Lakota?"

... :lol:

Let me know where they give evening classes in Lakota.
"Hoka hey"!

 

[quang]

Bobbejaanland?

 

[Johan]

:lol:

niets is zo erg, als een cafe zonder bier!

.... well that's not Lakota, you can ask your wife for a translation and explanation on this one I believe.

 

[quang]

Coming from a cinephile like you, is that a line from 'F.C. De Kampionen'?