@Nagoya
Wow!!!! ZEUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly been the MOST excited to see how he turned out, WOW.
But since I tend to reply in a topdown approach....I'm so happy you were successful in switching the shoulder pauldrons around for Ares and Hades. It was such a great idea to swap the armour pieces to begin with, but I absolute LOVE how they both look with those changed around.
Poseidon literally looks like every piece was made for eachother to be a full figure. The oxidised bronzing is fascinating and looks marvelous!!! Very curious how you even arrived to that idea for a figure, but the execution is so.. authentic!
I've traveled a bit around the US east coast for work and leisure and there's actually this bronze "King Neptune" statue at Virginia Beach which your new patina work instantly reminded me of:
View attachment 669777
It's just a modern, loosely representative art piece, but I find it quite hilarious that it might be the only other blue-bronze depiction of a sea god and something I've seen in person!!
BUT ZEUS!!!! WHAT! HOW? How the hell is it so perfect??
Saving such a stark gold and white colour scheme for him makes him absolutely regal. The calm, determined look of that sculpt is perfect; a confidence that he's in control of it all. Absolutely adore the eagle sceptre. Not sure myself what every motif on the torso represents, but it looks so much like renaissance artworks: loud, angelic, beautiful--like having the Sistine chapel emblazoned on his chest. Very creationistic; which makes perfect sense in an ironic way. Between the almost hieroglyphic nature of images on the torso and the short staff, and the composition of the art on the torso, it makes me think of Zeus as being there first before Egyptian myths and Christianity-like he's the true progenitor to the whole world.
Also love the literal crowning touch--are the gold laurels original, I noticed they're not an olive branch, are they acorns??.... Poetically suggesting he's grown the roots of the world tree?!?!?!
You couldn't have found a better or more elegant way to convey his status
Also also, that eagle looks perfectly magestic. Love that he's rising above it as if to say "I'm literally on a higher plane of existence than all the things in the sky"... the white cloudy cape and bits of sky blue make him look like he's one and the same. Also now wishing Eagly from the Peacemaker fig was closer to that size, lol.
The greaves are especially amazing, though; are they a depiction of the trio of Horae? The Fates? The Big Three? The furies? I kind of like to think the first, but trios in general are such an integral part of the balancing of the mythos universe that the ambiguity actually might be the neatest part. And the water bird above the ankles is especially amazing--now we know he just looked down at his feet to get the idea of turning into a swan.
Back to Ares for a moment; it's crazy that the original hand holding the head shattered... I can't even imagine the disappointment when it first happened LOL--but what an amazing success story in making those new grooves. It looks completely natural!!
I've no idea how much experience customising other figs you've had before kitbashing this whole line, but the creativity in tackling both the issues and improvements is really, really neat. You make it all seem straightforward and easy to think of things practically in a way I wouldn't begin to imagine. The handwoven fishing net, too, OMG.
I don't think you've shown that Cerberus stand piece beneath Hades either or else I haven't noticed it. Is that a pomegranate in his hand, too? INCREDIBLE!!!! I also just realised how similar the double helix of his staff is to the caduceus. Oh my god.
So exciting to see the three complete. It's such a serious treat whenever I see a notification for this thread
Already loving the sneak peek of Apollo with his bow. AND SEWING A CAPE FOR HADES
Click to expand...
Thank you so much mate - I love sharing these figures with you!
I really like that Poseidon statue! Nice to know I'm not going off the walls crazy with my ideas!
What a crazy coincidence!
The paint was U-RUST brand Copper Patina blue and it works by creating an actual copper oxidisation process, I then went over it with a toothbrush when it was dry to vary up the texture and look a little more natural - I'm so glad you like it!
I knew you would pick up on me saving the classical Hellenistic white-gold aesthetic for Zeus right away!
Yeah, I knew from the beginning I wanted Zeus to be the most classical god, the most alike to the idea of the Olympians we all share, including the colour palette.
I do love this sculpt from the ACI Hercules action statue figure and knew it had to be for Zeus.
The eagle sceptre was a lovely little find parted out from the Coomodel Julius Caesar figure - which was handy as the Roman dictators/emperors wielded a sceptre that was meant to be a representation of Jupiter/Zeus' - so its an odd case of an imitation of an imitation being used as the real thing
I love this breastplate - it is so gorgeously detailed and like you said has an almost Italian Renaissance feel to it, which was an intentional point as the Classical period [of which Zeus is the codifier] was the subject of
a lot of Renaissance art.
Love the interpretation you give - there is an almost theogony sense to it, like a act of creation.
The Breastplate is from the "Throne of Tyrants [white edition]" [Commodus from Gladiator] figure: it was originally all white but I painted the detail in gold to help it pop more. The design from the movie is vaguely based on the design of a famous statue called Augustus of Prima Porta, but certain key details/characters/subject matters are changed.
The top figure holding up what looks like a golden bar [actually a symbol of the heavens] is Uranus, the Primordial God of the Sky, the Original King of the Gods and Zeus' grandfather - Uranus was overthrown by his son Kronos at his mother Gaia [Uranus' wife] request and castrated him. Uranus swore that his grandchild [Zeus] would avenge him and usurp his usurping father, it was he who advised Rhea where to give birth that would save Zeus from being devoured and it was he who advised Zeus to swallow Metis [Zeus first wife in most versions of the tale] to prevent the son of their union usurping him [he did so and Athena emerged instead]. So given his central role in Zeus story, and indeed in many ways paving the path and towards Zeus destiny and his predecessor as King of the Gods and King of the Sky, he seemed like a really great bit of symbolism on the chestplate.
Below him in a chariot is the deity Helios/Apollo [conflated as one] as the God of the Sun, I thought this was appropriate for a few reasons - firstly as the Sun is part of Zeus domain of the Sky, if you consider the figure to be Apollo it is showing pride in one of his greater sons, and if you consider it Helios it is a sign of respect to an older deity who aided him in the Titanomachy, as Helios was one of the 3 great powers Zeus made sacrifices to during the War against his father [alongside his grandparents Uranus and Gaia] to learn how to win against the Titans [of whom Helios was among but he sided with the Olympians after the sacrifice and as the all-knowing Sun he gave secrets that made the Olympians' victory possible].
The Winged figure next to him is Nike, the Goddess of Victory, and she is usually depicted as both a constant attendent as well as an attribute/motif of most ancient depictions of Zeus - an honor granted to her for being among the very first god to swear fealty to him at the beginning of the Titanomachy when he declared his intention to war against the Titans.
So frankly she is ideal for a Zeus figure!
At the centre of the design is a figure holding an Eagle staff [who for this figure will represent Zeus himself] facing a veiled female figure attending a hearth who is almost certainly Hestia - Zeus' eldest and most beloved sister, the Firsborn of Kronus and the Eldest of the Olympians, the Goddess of the Hearth attending the Eternal Flame of Olympus. It was the custom in Ancient Greece for the first offering of all sacrifices to be made to her 'Hestia comes first' out of respect for her seniority, her purity, her status as the most beloved of the Olympians, and her respresenting the Home and the State - in many ways Hestia and Zeus ARE Olympus - he founded it and built it with his rebellion against the Titans, but Hestia maintains it - she constantly attends the hearth of Olympus to keep its Eternal Flame burning.
So I thought the inclusion of Hestia and the Hearth on the breastplate next to Zeus himself would again fit the theme of Zeus paying homage to older deities, referencing his glorious victory in the Titanomachy that made him Ruler of the Universe, placing himself near the Hearth as the "centre" of this new world-order.
The two sworded figures on the side I thought could again be a symbol of the Titanomachy - representing the clash between the two sides in the War and again hinting at Zeus own glorious victory.
On the shoulders are a pair of Griffins, and while Griffins are primarilly associated with Apollo they are also at times called the "sharp-beaked hounds of Zeus that do not bark" so I felt they still fit.
I do love how this crown came out! Its actually made from a series of metal bracelet charms of Oak Leaves and Acorns that I glued to a wire frame to fit the head and painted gold - I chose this as Zeus in the myths wears a crown of Golden Oak Leaves instead of the common thought that he wears a crown of Laurel leaves - the laurel crown is specific to Apollo. Thats just the sort of weird mythological nitpick that would drive me crazy if I didn't get it right!
The Oak, like you say, is connected to Zeus through the symbolism of it being the greatest and strongest tree but comes from small beginnings - like the great god himself. The druidic worship of Zeus through the Oak likely influenced later druidic and celtic practices in Western Europe according to some scholars so as you say there are connections to the world tree and axis mundi tree motifs.
I am very pleased with my Eagle - see Hot Toys! Eagles are BIG AF!
This, by happy coincidence is EXACTLY 1/6 scale for a large Golden Eagle - its from the "Leonardo Collection" of Birds and other figures and I think its sculpted by the same chap who did those Little Owls for my Athena!
Made of porcelein or polystone - hard to tell, but I love how Majestic he looks!
Yep - spot on again, I chose the base to show his status as God of the Sky, his elevated position as King of the Gods and to hint at his condescension to the other deities and mortals, the base is parted out from the new TBLeague Athena figure and is really nice and high-quality as their bases usually are, sadly that seems to be the only thing of real note from that figure - although at least Tbleague's lackluster Greek God offerings inspired me to create these figures, so not entirely without merit!
Absolutely spot on again, I chose the white cape and the gold/white and Sky blue skirt [made from a sample of curtain trim] to further lean into those Classical Hellenistic colours, and to emphasise Zeus as the Sky God.
The greaves are amazing aren't they! Such a find!
They are from the HHModel "hunting" Gladiator figure [i think - struggling to remember, where I bought them from didn't list what figure they came from] and they are recreations of an incredibly ornate set of greaves found in Pompeii likely used by a Gladiator.
Love the interpretations! The Rule of Three is very powerful in Greek myth.
So these greaves actually depict the two favourite sons of Zeus:
At the top we have a bacchanal being conducted by Dionysus with the figures drinking and playing music on horns - Dionysus in many versions is the favourite of his divine sons and is touted in the Orphic Cult as the next King of the Gods in waiting, Zeus elevated Dionysus to full godhood from demi-god[ish] status in some myths [and unlike Herakles who was also granted apotheosis Dionysus was made a full on member of the 12 Olympians - though in other versions he is already something more than a normal demigod and may have already been a god who had died called Zagreus being reborn] and in all versions Zeus personally birthed Dionysus himself making him his father and one of his mothers. Of course Dionysus is the second favourite of Zeus' divine children after Athena, but he is usually depicted as closer and more loyal to Zeus than Ares [naturally - Zeus despises Ares], Hephaestus and Apollo [who often challenged Zeus role as king in myths] and is granted a higher position than Hermes.
Below that is a depiction of the Nemean Lion and Herakles slaying the beast and wearing its skin - Herakles is, I think we can all agree, the absolute favourite of Zeus "mortal" children.
I also thought these two childen of Zeus also could represent aspects of himself that he sees in himself that he admires [while inadvertently admitting to some of his flaws] - Dionysus for his gifts of prophecy, rebirth and liberation [but also representing Zeus hedonistic tendencies] and Herakles for his strength, power and bravery [while also representing his wrathful and short-sighted nature].
At the bottom is a waterfowl defending its children from a snake - a common motif in ancient Greece and Rome and thus allowed for Waterfowl to become symbolic of fiercely protective parents, defenders against evil, and the triumph of sky-motifs against chthonic ones - all of which are aspects Zeus would wish to associate himself with.
The arm bracers are also from the Commodus figure but painted gold and depict scenes of gladiators doing battle - I felt this would work well for Zeus as a symbol of his using the lives and deaths of mortals for his own amusement and to glorify his own name - a subtle suggestion of his more callous nature.
I was [and still am] tempted to get a pair of bracers I've seen with Gorgon faces on them to respresent the Aegis which is also closely associated with Zeus like it is with Athena, but I was starting to wonder if that would mean I have too many Gorgon motifs on these figures so I decided to go with something different.
His iconic Thunderbolt is, like the crown, made from metal bracelet charms glued together and then painted gold!
Finding a thunderbolt the right size and shape was weirdly difficult so in the end I had 2 options, wait for the Thunderbolt from the latest HT Thor or Valkyrie figure to be parted out [which could be over a year from now] or make my own.
I couldn't display Zeus without it so I made my own!
The electricity effects I chose are from the HT Infinity War Thor and GOTG2 Nebula, I had a choice between yellow or blue electricity effects but I chose blue to tie in with the blue in the skirt and because I consider blue a more accurate colour for lightning.
Yeah the shattering hand was gutting at first, but honestly I am so chuffed with how its come out now - I couldn't be happier with the final result.
Never kitbashed or customised before the Osiris I shared here, and I took on these Greek figures immediately after - I am having so much fun doing this to be honest, I'm a little sad that everyone of the main gods I was interested in bar Apollo and Dionysus are currently done, I might have to expand the collection to include the entire 12 [well really 13/14 depending if you include Hades + Hestia & Dionysus] Olympians!
I can see myself taking on Hermes and maybe Artemis when I'm done with these as an ongoing project as I really like their aspects as deities and I think they could have a strong visual appeal - but I've got no
real plans for them at the moment unlike Dionysus who I have a full plan for and am just waiting for the opportunity to get the parts I want and know how I'm gonna present him [got some COOL ideas for Dionysus!].
Maybe a Hera and Aphrodite and Hephestus in the future? A Persephone as Queen of the Dead? Who knows!
But for now I have a core group done or very near done: Zeus, Hades [finally finished the touches on the cape and will share pics/details on him tomorrow, so I will leave you in anticipation!
], Poseidon [although If I go ahead with my Hippocampus idea he may have one final change], Athena, Ares, Apollo [he is moving forwards rapidly...]
I love sharing this with you and I hope you know how much I appreciate your passion and insight on my first steps into this whole kitbashing-customising thing as well as having our geeky mythology dicussions here!
Hopefully TBleague continue the Egypt/Greek god lines and we can keep this party going!
Hell, if they raise their game back to the effort they make for the Egyptian stuff I would love to see them do all sorts of gods, Greek, Norse you name it.
but I think an argument could be made either way.
). Not to mention, ingesting the food of the dead seems to have some sort of powers, as Persephone was essentially bound to the underworld after the pomegranate Hades had her eat.
