My 100th homemade model!

Dear collectors,
As most of you know, I discovered a new world when I acquired my first sculpting paste, then being able to do species I like that are not represented in any brand.

Slowly I was approaching the number 100 of my homemade models. I'm a bit silly with numbers but, as I wanted that my 100th figure would be something very special: my first homemade, I also wanted that my 100th homemade is something special: a more elaborated and difficult and more splendid model. So after thinking it what could be, I've chosen the Great Argus Pheasant (Argusianus argus). Mainly because of a friend in another forum that always like my photos of figures, and that is nicknamed like the bird. But also because a displaying argus pheasant is something that I really want in my collection.

As it's something more special, this time I took photos of the making, step by step. Maybe they can be useful if somebody decides to try too.

The start is easy, like all starting things. Just a mass of paste, and a wire bended for the legs.
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Then I added the belly and "pants". As my golden pheasant resulted a bit short-legged, I don't want this happen to me again. I have to adjust later the wires to a slightly shorter lenght.
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Then I added neck and toes. Toes are very important, as you know I want to avoid bases, so the figure must be in perfect equilibrium for standing over small toes. I had to remade posterior toe sometimes, initially I did it small and elevated as in the real bird, but soon I had to enlarge and lower it because of stability.
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The head is something special. I wanted to make it screaming like in some photos I liked and faved in the past in internet. I wanted to do the head sculpt accurately for a screaming argus pheasant, where certain muscles are very visible while not apparent with a relaxed head.
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I added a bit of "paste frass" finely fringed for the loose hairy feathers of behind the neck.
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Then I start to do the tail, a more funny thing. I would have prefaired to do an undulating border in the two long tail feathers, but giving how quick dries this material it was impossible, just making the texture spents all available time for modifying shapes.
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Now the tail is finished! :)
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I wanted to show you the texture of the tail undercoverts, as it would be much more difficult to appreciate once painted. Uppercoverts are similar too.
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Time to start the most spectacular feature of this bird, the one all you was waiting impatiently: the wings. This one have already the shape and only remain doing the texture.
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Sculpt finished! Well, once I saw images in the internet and compared with my result, I found it quite unpleasant. It don't have the correct shape or position of wings. Only taxidermized argus pheasants can be like that. A real displaying argus should have more rounded, higher wings that overlaps in the top. I passed some time deciding what to do. So much work done for coming back. I planned to break the wings and put it higher, but it's a very risky operation. Finally I decided to keep it this way. It's not so shocking after all and one can be used to this. Anyway this pheasant is not making a courtship display, because then it would have the head hidden instead screaming. So I finally left as a "crazy argus pheasant in a position that will not impress any female" (CAPPWNIAF for making it shorter )
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From behind...
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And now the most funny part: Painting!!! I started with the easiest colours, those that are simple with no patterns nor gradients.
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Here with all the basic background colours done. Only remain the intrincate pattern detail!
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And... here is it! The result, finished!
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Walkaround:
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The detail of the head is maybe what I get best. I sculpted the muscles, the wrinkles around eyes and the ears, and remarked them in a lighter blue. This is the "good side" as the other side is more hidden by the wing due to the position of head.
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And of course, for finish, my classic comparison shot, with my bunch of Bornean/Sumatran pals!
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You surpassed yourself that time ! By far the most ambitious one so far.

Very good, one of your best!

Wonderful model!!

Thanks a lot my friends!

And this is the list of species of homemade models that I did, in chronological order, if anyone is interested:

1. Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli)
2. African pygmy goose (Nettapus auritus)
3. Rajah Brooke's birdwing (Trogonoptera brookiana)
4. Fea's viper (Azemiops feae)
5. Ornate butterflyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus)
6. Giant freshwater stingray (Himantura polylepis)
7. Pacarana (Dinomys branickii)
8. Blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis)
9. Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria)
10. Bay cat (Catopuma badia)
11. James's flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi)
12. Jentink's duiker (Cephalophus jentinki)
13. Olm (Proteus anguinus)
14. Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi)
15. Wilson's bird of paradise (Cicinnurus respublica)
16. European hamster (Cricetus cricetus)
17. Red goliath beetle (Goliathus goliathus)
18. Helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil)
19. Giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus)
20. Grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
21. Ashy-faced owl (Tyto glaucops)
22. Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)
23. Prevost's squirrel (Callosciurus prevostii)
24. Blue-cheeked butterflyfish (Chaetodon semilarvatus)
25. Meyer's butterflyfish (Chaetodon meyeri)
26. Eyed torpedo ray (Torpedo torpedo)
27. Vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum)
28. Marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna)
29. Four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis)
30. White-necked rockfowl (Picathartes gymnocephalus)
31. Green spoon worm (Bonellia viridis)
32. Silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus)
33. Baler volute (Melo melo)
34. Pink-headed duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea)
35. Mandarin ratsnake (Elaphe mandarina)
36. Pacific blue starfish (Linckia laevigata)
37. Great bustard (Otis tarda)
38. Red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus)
39. Mosaic stafish (Plectaster decanus)
40. Pyramid butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis)
41. Red-necked avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae)
42. Zebra duiker (Cephalophus zebra)
43. Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius)
44. Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis)
45. Arabian butterflyfish (Chaetodon melapterus)
46. Grandala (Grandala coelicolor)
47. Bulwer's pheasant (Lophura bulweri)
48. Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus)
49. Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo)
50. Yapok (Chironectes minimus)
51. Superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus)
52. Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)
53. Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus)
54. Bowfin (Amia calva)
55. Red-necked goose (Branta ruficollis)
56. Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus)
57. Marbled cone (Conus marmoreus)
58. Splendid toadfish (Sanopus splendidus)
59. Flame bowerbird (Sericulus ardens)
60. Flagtail characin (Semaprochilodus insignis)
61. Eurasian goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
62. Standard-winged nightjar (Macrodipteryx longipennis)
63. Slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis)
64. Asian green mussel (Perna viridis)
65. Red-headed partridge (Haematortyx sanguiniceps)
66. Russell's viper (Daboia russelli)
67. Clown knifefish (Chitala chitala)
68. Marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata)
69. Congo peafowl (Afropavo congensis)
70. Agami heron (Agamia agami)
71. Saddle butterflyfish (Chaetodon ephippium)
72. Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber)
73. Eastern fiddler ray (Trygonorrhina fasciata)
74. Common death's hawk moth (Acherontia atropos)
75. Epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)
76. Eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius)
77. Owston's palm civet (Chrotogale owstoni)
78. Horned guan (Oreophasis derbianus)
79. Snow pigeon (Columba leuconota)
80. Twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella)
81. Marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops)
82. Common hoopoe (Upupa epops)
83. Northern screamer (Chauna chavaria)
84. Atlas moth (Attacus atlas)
85. Winghead shark (Eusphyra blochii)
86. Spanish moon moth (Actias isabellae)
87. Pink giant African silkmoth (Eudaemonia argus)
88. Dingiso (Dendrolagus mbaiso)
89. Kokako (Callaeas cinerea)
90. Regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)
91. Black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus)
92. Torrent duck (Merganetta armata)
93. Rhetenor blue morpho (Morpho rhetenor)
94. Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa)
95. Sulawesi flying dragon (Draco spilonotus)
96. Whooping crane (Grus americana)
97. Golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)
98. Ribbon moray (Rhinomuraena quaesita)
99. Manghsan pitviper (Protobothrops manghsanensis)
100. Great Argus pheasant (Argusianus argus)

Absolutly phantastic

Gorgeous! I love the level of accurate detail you've got in the feather sculpting, and the paintwork really brings it to life, the tiny tiny specks all over as well as the more noticeable 'eyes'.

Wow, this one is so amazing! Wonderful sculpting, super cool pose, incredible details, and perfect painting. Great, great work! Congratulations!

A very special 100th! The painting is exquisite.

Somehow I missed this one... absolutely stunning! Again the detailing and colors are expertly done and to great effect. Fantastic job!

Wow!! I couldn't believe my eyes, this is definitely your best and an amazing model!
I loved how you took photos step by step, and the wings! These were amazing, incredible- I have no words for the detail and accuracy and fantastic pose that they are in! And with the detailed colours at the end, especially on the body- al those tiny speckles! There is so much t learn from this- I have only ever done fur with dogs, but if I ever branch out to our feathered friends I'll revisit this topic because it is so useful to see!
It's one of those models where I just want to ask the sculptor how they did it- even though I can see each step, I am just too amazed!

If you learn to do birds Lilias, I certainly will be asking for more commissions

Advicot wrote:

If you learn to do birds Lilias, I certainly will be asking for more commissions  

Thanks everybody! For sure if Bonnie do birds she will get better results than me - but anyway we also can talk about commisions Advicot :)

Pardofelis wrote:

Thanks everybody! For sure if Bonnie do birds she will get better results than me - but anyway we also can talk about commisions Advicot :)

Ohhh you are very kind but I could never make something as amazing as this!!
Your 100th model is amazing in every way, so incredibly realistic and beautiful, I can't imagine being able to make such a stunning bird like you!    

After seeing your magnific aardwolf Biscuit, I have little doubts about who sculpts better, dear Lilias! :*

Maybe is a matter of that you do mammals better (especially if they are similar to dogs hehe) while I do birds better :)

This model is absolutely complex and you managed it with fantastic results.
It poses some important challenges in sculpting, painting but also as a whole project.
The animal is really beautiful and much nicer choice for your 100th than if it was a centipede.
The result is magnificent. Your skills improved noticiably and you only have to feel proud of your talent.

Pardofelis wrote:

After seeing your magnific aardwolf Biscuit, I have little doubts about who sculpts better, dear Lilias! :*

Maybe is a matter of that you do mammals better (especially if they are similar to dogs hehe) while I do birds better :)

I think dogs and canines are all I can really do- you most certainly can do mammals and birds best!

Impressive

Perfect choice for n°100 and very nice rendition. Thank you for the making of, I love that

Great job, very detailed figure.

ongratulations my friends Very good choice for this 100 th project.
I really like this model. I have been thinking about it for a few years and pushing it back while waiting for more experience.
I collected many images to shape his pose and his magnificent feathers!
Your Argus is remarkable without a platform, which I really like, the painting is detailed and to see it makes me very happy!
You are a remarkable artist Pardofelis.
Thank you so much for sharing

@Roger @Bonnie @Kikimalou @landrover @lucky luke thanks a lot for all your lovely and kind comments! :)

Beautiful, Bravo!!