Three Horned Dinosaur – Aurora Triceratops – model kit

Aurora Prehistoric Scenes Triceratops – model kit
with the Lava Pool Base extention

I finally tackled another model kit build after a short hiatus. This one is an original Aurora Prehistoric Scenes, Three-Horned Dinosaur (aka: Triceratops). Added on to the build is the Lava Pool base extension which lines up with both, the Triceratops and The Allosaurus original base.

I painted the whole dinosaur with a van dyke brown and yellow ochre undercoat before painting layers of Blue, Gray and Black for the skin color. The horns are off-white with some textures. The main modification I made to this dino was turning its head to the left to create a more dynamic pose. I built the figure, cut off the head and repositioned it by building a new neck area to support the head twist.

 

The Lava Pool extention was created/designed by myself. I shaped it to align with the edges of the Trike base and the Allosaurus base which also has the volcanic activity present upon it.

This is another one of my favorite dinosaur model kits and I’m glad to have the opportunity to build this again. The first time I had built it was over 40 years ago!

 

 

Godzilla vs Rodan – Famous Monsters issue 114 – model kit

Famous Monsters issue #114 – model kit – kit bash

So, I had the idea to recreate the cover of my favorite movie monster magazine from my youth with model kits. Famous Monsters #114 came out in 1975 and was the definitive authority on Toho Kaiju films at the time. I wanted to create a 3-D rendition of the fantastic cover art by Ken Kelly.

I started with the Aurora Godzilla kit (Polar Lights re-issue) and did many modifications, most notably, re-sculpting the head and hands.

I took a good look at the Aurora Rodan kit and knew it wasn’t going to suit the diorama in regards to the wing positions. I instead used the Polar Light’s Pteranodon. I extended the wings downward and completely removed the head, sculpting my own Rodan head and neck based on the design of the cover art.

 

I molded and sculpted each building separately, closely matching the layout of the cover art. I also sculpted flames to recreate the fire.

I never painted a kit totally based on lighting (as how the cover art was created) so this was a challenge for me to ignore the actual color of the monsters and use the chromatic tawny yellow coloring of the artwork instead.

 

It took me about 5 months to build and paint this and although it’s not an exact match, I’m pleased with the final result.

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View more of my model kit builds:

Individual model kit builds on Parlor of Horror – Monster Model Kits

Model kit Gallery and links – Parlor of Horror’s Model Kits

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Godzilla posts:

Godzilla’s Most Formidable Enemies

Godzilla Thru the Years – the Many Looks of Godzilla

My Top 10 Godzilla Films (1-5)

Moebius Mummy – model kit build and paint

 

Moebius Mummy – 1/6th scale – custom build and paint

Here I’ve taken the Moebius Mummy and made some major modifications to have it emulate the cover art of Monsters of the Movies Magazine, issue #6, 1975.

It is 1/6th scale and stands about 13 inches tall.

I was never impressed with the older mummy movies. I thought they were slow and boring. The mummy seemed too slow to really stir up fear and the films dragged on worse than the mummy’s left leg. It wasn’t until I had seen the cover of this Monsters of the Movies issue that I gained interest in mummy movies. My favorite is the Hammer films adaptation, but I eventually developed an appreciation to some of the older films too. Of course the newer films are action movies, not horror movies, and I think they’re entertaining enough, but not my favorite pics for Mummy flicks.

Monsters of the Movies Magazine -1975

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here’s a side by side comparison, standard kit build and my modified kit

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Modifications:

Repositioned mummy’s arm and sculpted new legs.

Broken Sarcophagus and loose pieces flying outward

Added steps to base, repositioned Sarcophagus cover

Added torch light mounted to wall, skulls and rats (from Aurora Customizing kit #2)

Spider webs/cob webs

Mummy nameplate holder

 

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I’ve been working on this kit for a few months. I’m glad I finally finished it and it came out the way I had envisioned it.

Gallery:

moebius mummy – standard build

Classic Aurora Mummy Model Kit

Classic Aurora Mummy Model Kit

 

This is only the 3rd classic Aurora Monster Model kit I’ve built since revisiting the hobby a few years ago. (the Forgotten Prisoner and The Wolfman are the others). This is a re-issue from Revell but the same mold and design as the Aurora kit.

I had originally painted the Mummy gray and painted the base a combination of sand colors, but it seemed too simple and sterile. So I looked at the original Aurora Box art painting by James Bama for inspiration and noticed the blue and purple lighting in the art. I emulated the lighting plus added some other coloration such as dull greens into the exposed skin areas. I also made the bloody eye more prominent with bright red and expanded the blood dripping to the hand and to the steps of the base. To do that I had to move the Cobra to the outside of the mummy’s left leg similar to the Bama painting.

 

Other than moving the Cobra and using custom wall pieces for added background, I didn’t make any modifications to the kit. I want to keep these monster kits close to the original design.

 

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(The additional background wall pieces are from a Mummy base expansion kit from Prehistorix. Thanks to Bill Voyce for sending it my way. I didn’t use the whole expansion addition because as I stated I wanted to keep these kits close to their original design. I also have plans to use the bigger base part for a different kit all together.)

If you would like to see my other Classic Monster Model Builds, as well as, dinosaur model kits go to my gallery page here: Monster Model Kits

If you would like to check out the separate posts from each model kit I’ve built, as well as, articles pertaining to model kits, click the link to the Monster Model Kits Category at Parlor of Horror!

“Jurassic Savage” – Model kit build – custom diorama

“Jurassic Savage” – Model kit build – custom diorama/kit bash

Ok, this is not exactly Halloween related but it just took me a long time to build, complete and get some decent photos of this diorama and I couldn’t wait to share it.

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Allosaurus Marsh Attack on Brontosaurus

I had a vision of this scene based on Rudolph Zallinger art depicting Allosaurus attacking a Brontosaurus. I always liked the painting as a young man and used it as inspiration for this kit/diorama.  I set out to replicate and expand on the scene using several different model kits available on the market.

I painted the Modified Brontosaurus, Rudolph Zallinger style blue-gray to emulate his famous paintings. I decided to go more modern terms with the Allosaurus creating a camouflage mosaic.

I crafted a bloody battle of life and death that would show the savagery of these ancient Jurassic wonders. Hope you enjoy it.

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Jurassic Savage

There are several kits involved, all modified to create the scene I had envisioned.

Main Components: 

Horizon Apatosaurus Vinyl 24″

I turned an Apatosaurus into a Brontosaurus

modifications:

Cut legs to show half body standing in water – elongated leg stems

Exchanged/Remodeled larger head to shape/form of classic Zallinger Blue Brontosaurus including high brow ridge bones, open mouth/extended jaw, modified nostrils

 

Allosaurus

Airfix Tyrannosaurus modified to represent Allosaurus (2)

 

I turned the T Rex model kits into Allosaurus

modifications:

Change face to an Allosaurus by changing line of sight from forward (T Rex) to side (Allosaurus).

Mold flash bone shapes above the eye

add length to arms, add claw (Allosaurus has 3 claws)

Remove back claws from hind legs and reshape feet

reposition legs for attack stances

Base

Custom shape mounted on stained wood

Aurora Prehistoric scenes and Aurora model kit components for land mass

Prehistorix add-on Foliage kit pieces

Prehistorix Rhamphoryncus

Self made Ceolyphysis

Self made Brontosaurus eggs

Self made Name plate with foliage

Water effects – Scene It water effects

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Aurora Godzilla – MotM Prototype (1973) – my custom rendition – Part II / painted

This is my fully painted kit modelled on the MotM prototype planned by Aurora before they went out of business. (more details here)

 

I was originally going to paint Godzilla in green tones but having the red and white Tokyo Tower made the whole kit start to look like Christmas themed colors. So I went with Gray tones for this one. I mounted it on a stained wood base for that extra classy treatment.

 

I decided to put a couple of flags out front as are usually present at local landmarks and parks.

 

I also made the small tank that was present in the original prototype. It came out decent enough 🙂

 

I was careful to get the eyes to have a 3d effect. It’s a new technique that I may use on certain kits from now on.

 

The nameplate is from Cult of Personality but I made a custom name plate holder with some sea plants and trilobites.

 

I took the buildings from the Aurora Godzilla kit base and made a universal background that can have many uses. Below are some pics from different angles.

  

Here’s a pic with the bg. behind Rodan and Gorgo.

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undertone painting

go go Godzilla!

Tokyo Tower ripped to shreds

resculpted face

Godzilla custom kit

Godzilla custom kit

elongated tail

The destroyer of worlds

burnt out city raised for bg.

I used washed out colors for effect

different angle

city in ruins

custom nameplate holder

universal city bg. behind Gorgo and Rodan

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Parlor of Horror – monster model kits, by Mike K

You can also view my Gallery of kits

Aurora Godzilla – MotM (Monsters of the Movies) Prototype – Model Kit

 

Aurora Godzilla – MotM (Monsters of the Movies) Prototype (1973-ish)

In the 1970’s Aurora was planning a second GODZILLA model kit under their Monsters of the Movies line. The kit was in design stages and complete prototypes were made.

There are a few images of the kit which look somewhat different from each other. The kit never went into production as Nabisco took over Aurora Model Kits and basically dismantled the company.

There was also some video/film of the making/sculpting of the project. Kudos to PHILSEP for finding/saving/posting this for fans of the old Aurora kits.

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Well, needless to say, ever since getting a glimpse of this kit prototype, I’ve been obsessed with What if…?

 

So, I built my own rendition of the…

AURORA GODZILLA MONSTER OF THE MOVIES PROTOTYPE

DETAILS:

I started with the standard Aurora/Polar Lights Godzilla kit. I modified the Godzilla body to resemble the Prototype kit. I made my own base from scratch emulating the MotM Prototype base.

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Polar Lights – Godzilla Form – modifications:

more robust body

reversal of forward moving leg and back moving leg

lengthened and extended arms – changed hands to hold tower pieces

Elongated and more animated tail

remolded eye brows/top of head/cheeks

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Cult of Personality – Godzilla wide jaw replacement

Cult of Personality Name Plate

Self-made name-plate holder – featuring trilobites and sea-plant

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Godzilla MotM Prototype Base: full sculpt

Self-molded base copying shape from historical pics.

Trees

Tower Platform

Rubble

Tower parts modified from N-scale Train accessories

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Background:

I assembled the city ruins from the original kit as a Universal Destroyed City background piece that can be used for any giant monster kit.

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I had a blast making this kit and have seen my sculpting skills get better with this project. I enjoyed putting my own ‘look’ on Godzilla’s head/face and making a more animated pose with his head twist, elongated tail and step. Now the kit is all primed and ready to paint, so be prepared for another post when the kit comes to life in full color.

Baryonyx resin model kit build – May 2016

Baryonyx model kit

Prehistoric Scenes add-on kit from Prehistorix -2016

Here’s a kit that I had been waiting for its release for many months since Prehistorix announced they were working on it. When I was young there weren’t as many dinosaur species known as there is now. The Baryonyx is a carnivorous therapod I learned about some years ago but seeing a model kit for it was a thrill.

I built this kit between April and May, 2016

 

I did a few modifications on this kit. The Baryonyx is half submerged in the water. I sculpted a tail to stick out of the water after seeing a similar scene of Godzilla in a movie. In order to accommodate the tail I had to extend the base on water side of the diorama.

modification sculpts – in progress

undertone colors

I sculpted a fish for the Baryonyx to grip in his crocodilian like jaws.

 

A also cut some strips of plastic to simulate sea grass. The Baryonyx color choices were made from studying alligators and crocodiles.

Most builders painted this kit with a river swamp look in mind. I wanted to make it more of a sea/marsh area. This enabled me to use the water effects to create sea waves and a sandy shoreline.

basis for my eye colors

Check out the wonderful new Resin Model Kits at the Prehistorix Website

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parlor of horror – model kit post

Aurora Prehistoric Scenes Styracosaurus – model kit

Aurora Prehistoric Scenes Styracosaurus – model kit

 

I was finally able to build another model kit after a long hiatus. This one is the Revel re-issue of the Styracosaurus. Included with the kit is the Carboniferous Forest base extension (You can get one from Jurassic Arts) and my little Carnosaur in the background peeking through the trees.

I painted the whole dinosaur with a van dyke brown and yellow ochre undercoat before painting layers of green for the skin color. The horns are black/white/gray and silver. The only modification I made to the dino was adding the skin at the back of the mouth as seen on many reptiles.

This is one of my favorite dinosaur model kits and glad to have the opportunity to build this again. The first time I built it was 40 years ago!

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parlor of horror – model kit post

My Aurora Prehistoric Scenes Collection video

My Aurora Prehistoric Scenes Collection video

I put together this video to showcase my Aurora Prehistoric Scenes model kits. All the kits were built and painted by me. Most of the ones in this video are original 1970’s kits, not reissues. Many of these were damaged and had missing pieces that I refurbished. For some I made minor modifications. I have more kits yet to be built that I will be working on in the coming year. Part II of my video will be made when they are complete. I did a voice over in my 1950’s style narration voice. it came out hokey but I left it in anyways. It was my dry attempt at humor…

Kits: Cro-Magnon Man, Cro-Magnon Woman, Neanderthal Man, Sabertooth Tiger, The Tar Pit, The Giant Bird, Allosaurus (2 kits), The Wooly Rhino, Dimetrodon

You can see photos of these kits and more here: Model kits by Mike K