Wednesday 22 June 2016

Bouncing Boy has lift off!

Spurred on by the many kind words of encouragement, I am pleased to report that my contribution to ‘Forgotten Heroes’ is back on track; ‘Bouncing Boy’ is slowly, but surely, starting to take shape! Having already identified the ping pong ball as the structure on which the character was to be built, I started with the ubiquitous utility belt, in this case a strip of foil from a ‘Pringles’ tube*. To this was added a few likely looking pouches from a handy sprue that was in this year’s ‘Salute’ goody bag. 

*Be warned though, once you ‘pop’, you just can’t stop!

Whilst I was harvesting the pouches, it struck me that the legs, or at least part of them, might work for ‘Bouncing Boy’ and so out came the side snips again, now I don’t know exactly what a Maelstrom's Edge Epiran Handler** is, but I am grateful for his sacrifice in this project!
**Apparently from the Battle for Zycanthus box by 'Spiral Arm Studios'.
Arms proved a little more difficult to source as I wasn’t sure about the pulse rifle attached to the Epiran Handler's hand, but as luck would have it the ‘Victrix Limited’ Napoleonic Highlanders sprue offered up a couple of alternatives that fitted the bill perfectly. I decided to keep the buttons on the cuff, they are probably not called buttons and I may just have committed an awful Napoleonic faux pas, as they added a little more interest to what was, in effect, a ball!  
So it was now all about finding a suitable head, but I was right out of youthful molecular scientists!   I could muster the odd grizzled Viking, or a helmeted GI, but I was struggling for the right look for my Charles Foster Taine.  In a fit of desperation, I took a more left field approach approach and attached an unmarried Zulu warriors head left over from the the 'Cetshwayo Challenge'.  I was thinking that there was, arguably, an air of youth to the sculpt and that headband could certainly add something to the costume!
Given 'Bouncing Boy's' unique skill of being able to inflate into a round shape that could bounce and ricochet off walls without harm, it seemed like a good idea to incorporate a flight stand.  I also managed to unearth a suitably futuristic base topper as well, so all is nearly complete.  I hoping to get some undercoat on him tonight and then, if all goes according to plan, try and get the bulk of the painting done over the weekend; I may yet make the deadline! 

51 comments:

  1. Ok so all of that works very well. Can I suggest the McEnroe colour scheme for the headband

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  2. He's so cool, can't wait to see him finished

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  3. Amazingly creative once again, Michael! Looking forward to seeing the finished work.

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  4. Very impressive as usual sir. Great idea.

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  5. Still lost, but fascinated by what you're doing.

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    1. Thank you Joe, I signed up for a themed month trying to create a forgotten superhero - it seemed like a good idea at the time and has been tremendous fun seeing what the others have come up with.

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  6. I do so hope you get to splash some paint on the mini soon, as I can't wait to see it finished! Top stuff and a bouncing ball design is very fitting now the Tennis is on the BBC.

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    1. Thank you Roy, hopefully not long now before the paint gets a run out.

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  7. Epic Level bodgeing Michael! And they are called buttons.

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  8. Delightfully bonkers! I look forward to seeing him painted.

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  9. Terrific stuff Michael. He looks suitably rotund :-)

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    1. Thank you my good man, practically a self portrait. :D

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  10. He's really coming together, great idea with the flight stand.

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    1. Thank you Brian, hopefully I can pull it together over the weekend.

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  11. Looking good already! Now get those paints out ;-)

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    1. Hopefully this weekend, if all goes to plan.

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  12. Can't wait to see him painted. :)

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  13. What a great fun figure his is! really good choice and execution Michael.

    Have copied this across to the FH site.

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Thank you Roger and for the transfer, most kind of you Sir.

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  14. Coming along very nicely! Look forward to seeing him painted up!

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    1. I'm thinking of breaking out the airbrush this weekend to give him that stretched lycra look!

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  15. Well done!
    A really interesting conversion. Cannot wait to see it painted.

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  16. Ok....completely mad but a brilliant project 😀

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  17. A triumph of improvisation. The flying stand conveys the bouncing aspect perfectly.

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    1. I have to say that I was really pleased with the way the stand worked.

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  18. Creative, so creative...

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    1. Thank you Phil, but a little more to go yet.

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  19. Right, I am definitely stealing this idea now! I initially thought the ping-pong ball would be too big, but it looks just right. Guess I will be doing Pinball now...and the Mink...

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    1. Steal away, I have to confess that I thought it was going to be too big too, but the other options were far too small - so a result, but more by luck than judgement.

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  20. Thank you my good man, hopefully I'll fid some time this weekend to get him finished.

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  21. Keep up the good work. Interesting to see how this turns out.

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  22. Totally enjoying this Michael!

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  23. WoooooooooW!I cant wait for next steps sir!

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  24. Whoa ... that's super creative! :)
    That round body shape can be a simple process but if you are considering OSL effects on it then it's going to be really hard I think.

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  25. ahaha, at first I was confused but now I can't stop laughing! Very smart idea. I think it will look fantastic once it's finished!

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