African Rhino

What do you do when your Rhino has lost an ear? Create a new one of course. I have never sculpted anything before. The ear does look a little larger in the photo but in reality it is not all that noticeable and he will be fine once mixed in wi


th the rest of the zoo figures.

All completed and painted. I was worried that I couldn't match the paint but it appears to look ok so I am pleased with the results.

Hurraaay !!! A black rhino's life was saved

It is a beautyful model ! What brand is he ? Britains ?

I have a huge admiration for people who is able of restoring these figures. There's a kind of rejection feeling when we have a figure with a broken part but that's not correct. What you did is the right thing and I hope this is a perfect start for you to give this dignity back to other models with small defects.
Your rhino looks wonderful.

You did a great job!!!

That you everyone, for a first attempt I think it turned out good. Yes he is a Britains Rhino Susanne.

It looks really good, as you say the size difference is noticeable in close up from the front, but when viewed at a distance or a normal side view the replacement ear blends in just fine, and is a definite improvement on not having one at all! The paint matching is good, both the colour mixing and the simple application of the grey to copy the way Britains are given their details.

A tip if you want to get a closer size match on any future ears, without having to train your fingers into really refined miniature sculpting, what I do is sculpt one roughly right but allow it to be a little bit bigger and thicker than the end result I'm after.
Once the stuff is set hard, I use a little sandpaper or nail file to gently remove some of the material at the top and back of the ear, til it's reduced down to be a much closer match to the width and thickness of the original ear. You could also try using a small scalpel or craft knife, but have to be careful as the pressure needed might be enough to snap the putty off the plastic!

Also works for missing limbs, I've done legs on Britains-scale horses by sculpting them roughly first, then sanding and carving til they're as slim and detailed as the real ones.

George wrote:

It looks really good, as you say the size difference is noticeable in close up from the front, but when viewed at a distance or a normal side view the replacement ear blends in just fine, and is a definite improvement on not having one at all! The paint matching is good, both the colour mixing and the simple application of the grey to copy the way Britains are given their details.

A tip if you want to get a closer size match on any future ears, without having to train your fingers into really refined miniature sculpting, what I do is sculpt one roughly right but allow it to be a little bit bigger and thicker than the end result I'm after.
Once the stuff is set hard, I use a little sandpaper or nail file to gently remove some of the material at the top and back of the ear, til it's reduced down to be a much closer match to the width and thickness of the original ear. You could also try using a small scalpel or craft knife, but have to be careful as the pressure needed might be enough to snap the putty off the plastic!

Also works for missing limbs, I've done legs on Britains-scale horses by sculpting them roughly first, then sanding and carving til they're as slim and detailed as the real ones.

Thanks very much for the tips George. I did try and pare some of the material away with my craft knife but it was pretty hard and I worried about snapping it. I never even thought about sanding it DUH !! Oh well we live and learn, next time !!