Burt Ward Robin Model Followup

[radioscooter]

I showed this here when I first did it, scrambling to get it done for Tom Parker to take to Chiller show so he could take orders for the heads. He finally sent it back to me and $$ things being what they are around here these days - It's slated for sale in November when prices are better for ebay custom work.

Anyway - to sell it and to photograph it for Tom, I had to do up another base. The one that was in the shots before was from my original 1966 Aurora that I loaned to Tom for the show display.

So I did this one last week for it. Disclaimer - I never understood why Aurora did this base this way. I can see the power wall being from some amusement park basement the Joker had taken over and maybe Robin is shutting down the 'Tilt A Whirl' that Batman is tied to above ground. But why the science lab beakers and chemistry stuff? Anyway - I didn't like the new decals in the PL set and was too far into it to do super realistic ones plus Tom doesn't want to show anything not available with the actual kit so I had to use them. That made me just try to totally weather the thing as you see here. The dripping beaker liquids and dial faces were all done with clear tinted epoxy. Everything else is just painted with washes by hand. A bit too vibrantly colored to go with Robin, now that I have him on there. But - oh well - it's done.

[Figuremaster Les]

[glow=red,2,300]WOW! [/glow]

I for one LOVE the colors. They don't actually outshine the boy wonder's colors as help him stand out. Plus, the parts look lit up and real! It would look like that. Plus, your weathering is SUPERB! Glad to see such beautiful efforts on a base. Well done!
Will needs a thumbs up icon in here and I would use it, but in lieu of that, here's five flying bats!

[casimir]

Another incredible paint job and execution, Scooter! I'm amazed at the level of detail you manage to evoke in a simple model kit.

But yeah, the actual subject is kinda... non-sensical.

C.

[apeaholic]

This truly looks fantastic! The weathered look to the gauges and control panel itself really make this a standout piece. The Boy Wonder looks great as well. Your painting skills are over the top. I am blown away. I'm sure you will have no trouble finding a buyer for this one.

I hope you don't mind my asking, but what's going on with SCOOBY there in the background?

[radioscooter]

apeaholic said:

I hope you don't mind my asking, but what's going on with SCOOBY there in the background?

Scooby is part of a Maquette that a British sculptor did for the movie people. I got a copy of the prototype in trade and just painted it up to sell. It wasn't by choice...

Not that I have anything against Scooby. I just don't have any Scooby customers. If there even are such things.

-S

[martingb]

Again a brilliant piece of work. For me despite the kooky kinda pose and background the Aurora Robin kit will always remain a classic piece of 1960s Batman iconography. You have played your part in creating the best rendition of this kit that I think I have ever seen. Incredible. By the way Scooby in the background must be because this is a 'scene' from the New Scooby Doo Movie when he met Batman and Robin. Can't you just hear Casey Kasem!! (Doing Robin and Shaggy's voices!!)

[Wild Willy]

Holy S#!T the chemical which is spilling looks like it's actually f#@king smoking!
You & Les are freaking me out with your rust and corosion stains.
The gages do look lit up especially the large window meter thing, it has a natural yellowing look to it.

This base now takes on a whole new appreciation for me. It really looks like a dark & gungy setting where Robin is really trying to save the day.

Robin looks so fantastic on that base, wow! each piece accentuates the other so perfectly.

Make sure to keep us posted when it hits the market.

Will

[Figuremaster Les]

Just a followup comment about this particular model.

I remember getting this model back when it first came out. I went to the beach that year and built the kit on the dining room table there at the beach. Old testors enamel paint, the works. I was probably about 9 or 10 years old. I remember loving that kit. Robin was my favorite on the show. Only I couldn't figure out how to paint that base. It was way beyond my abilities at the time. I remember my frustration with it. I lost the model some time after that (as kids will do) and don't recall ever getting another one.

Now, seeing this one so well rendered, reminds me of that day at the beach again, so many years ago. It's nice to see it finished Scot. Really takes me back.

[faithfulbutler]

You know i never tire of the constant eye-candy that pops up on these Boards.Thanks for sharing Scot,your paint applications are really something awesome to behold!

Just curious too,your comment about better times of year to sell Customs on Ebay.Could you elaborate a bit more on that,sounds intriguing!

[radioscooter]

Wow,, I'm glad and surprised you all like it. I really wasn't that happy with it. The epoxy tinting worked for the yellowed glass dials and the spilled liquids and the rest was a bunch of rust and soot washes!

I have found in 7 years of selling customs that they sell the very best in January right after X-Mas. This is hard to trust and seems contradictive. The only answer I could come up with is Christmas money. However - if you can't trust it (as I can't myself sometimes) then teh next best time to sell is right after Thanksgiving toward X-Mas. That's when wives get items pointed out to them and they are happy to pay more to just be done shopping for their geek husband/boyfriend/son/grandson.

Just my armchair market research.
-S

[aburabusimbutu]

I really don't know too much about building models as I am pretty much a butterfingers. But for my money, that Robin is terrific. I think it totally captures the energy of the 60's era Robin. That platform is absolutely amazing- I can't help but think that somewhere Batman is in some terrible peril in that run-down, rusted out amusement park-lab-hideout-carnival- place because dang if it doesn't look REAL!!