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Conversion
/ Customization
Entry
2 - Kurt Christensen
1st
Place
Legs have all been
repositioned. The spikes along the side of the body
have been repositioned to make them less strait
and rigid. The tale is featured much higher than
the original kit would have allowed, and most of
all the head is turned.
The base that I made was
fabricated primarily from the top of the Cave
kit, I also used one of the wall pieces, and the
rock from the Triceratops kit. The foliage,
trees, and critters are customized and fabricated
from various other PS pieces..
 
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Here is the note that Kurt
enclosed with his entry.
For the most part, this model was meant
to be an exercise in customized flora. It is
intended to ultimately be a small vignette in the
greater scope of a large jungle swamp diorama. I
see it as a little peninsula jetting out into a
placid pond, the cycad on the far right will be
hanging out over the water and the Diplocaulus
(small amphibian) will be climbing out of it,
wile the Ankylosaurus makes his way down to the
waters edge for a drink.
I have always had a great passion for the Aurora
Prehistoric Scenes series and the work of the
many artist who brought them to life. However, of
all the kits in this line I have always been
disappointed with just one, the Ankylosaurus, I
have always seen it as being very stiff and
lifeless. Therefore, I saw fit to do quite a bit
of modifying, including fabricating a more
interesting base.
Modifications, Ankylosaurus:
Legs have all been repositioned, some of the
ankles have been cut and angled, one knee has
been cut and straitened, the spikes along the
side of the body have been repositioned to make
them less strait and rigid (I used a candle to
heat the plastic for that), the tale is featured
much higher than the original kit would have
allowed, and most of all the head is turned. This
was a bit of a problem for the model never had a
neck, so I needed to make one. To do so, I made a
mold of the back of the creature, cast up small
portions of the scaled texture, and fit them
together like a puzzle. All of this resulting in
a much more anatomically accurate looking beast.
Modifications, Base:
I decided to scrap the original base, it was just
to plain, and would not facilitate all of the
foliage that I wanted to have. The base that I
made was fabricated primarily from the top of the
Cave kit, I also used one of the wall pieces, and
the rock from the Triceratops kit.
Modifications, Foliage:
The taller tree-like cycad has one more branch
than the original one did from the line. I made a
mold of that tree and cast up that limb and all
of the additional cycads that are featured,
including all of the palm frongs on the entire
model. Some frongs were bent wile still drying,
to give them a more natural appearance. The small
plants were also cast and stacked on top of each
other to give them a fuller look.
Modifications, Critters:
The Diplocaulus’ entire body is curved to
contour the shape of the rock, the Eohippus’
(horse like animal) head is turned and its legs
have been repositioned, the wings of the
Rhamphorhynchus have been bent up, the body of
the snake has been straitened a bit. The small
lizard on the back of the tree was snatched from
the snakes’ mouth, I then frankensteined the
head of a Rhamphorhynchus onto its decapitated
body.
My philosophy in building these vintage kits is
to really bring the featured animal and setting
to life. Therefore at times I do see fit to do
quite a bit of modifying, however I a make it a
priority to maintain the integrity of the work of
the original artists. For the most part I’ll
just turn the head, reposition the legs or open
the mouth, but in the end it is still the same
creature. About 98% of this overall diorama was
originally sculpted by Aurora (the roots of the
cycads are the exception on this particular
display). Any of the work that I or any other
builder of these kits may do is merely standing
on the shoulders of greater men, the sculptors
and designers of Aurora, men like Bill Lemon, Ray
Meyers, and Dave Cockrum. I seek to honor there
art whenever I do my own.
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