You've hit the biggest part of it already. Try to imagine a task where you're expected to:
A) copy something exactly that can't be copied exactly.
B) re-create it exactly when viewed from multiple angles while only having one angle to work from.
C) sometimes use multiple sources that conflict - again, matching them exactly.
D) not copy it exactly where its "bad" in someone else's opinion.
E) Make it in as few pieces as possible while making it as flexible as possible.
F) not make it too stiff, whatever that means.
G) not make it too dynamic, whatever that means.
H) make it to two different scales at the same time to please everyone.
I) include extras to please more people.
J) absolutely don't compromise anything to please more people.
K) do it all down to the millimeter.
L) have it molded and cast, which can mess with proportions even if you've navigated all the previous requirements well.
Sounds easy, right?
Psycho,
I sincerely hope you did not sculpt this, because of the ones I know you've done...have been really near 100% accurate if not completely accurate. Take for instance your work on the No-Dachi NDA-3X from the XTRO set...holy crap is that beautiful & FAITHFUL to the art.
I completely agree with you on your points, you cannot please everyone & there has to be some compromises done, but I really think it should have been closer to the art with MUCH less deviation. I know there are things that go on behind the scenes, either TPTB or IWM tell sculptors that they "must do this" even if it deviates from the art...which is sad because it also puts the sculptor in a bad position of having to complete the work that even they may not agree with.
We have this beautiful art work to look at, then we get a miniature that is far enough "off" from the art, that it becomes severely disappointing. It seems like lately, with the attempts to keep certain sculpts like the Atlas III as close to the MWDA sculpt as possible, it's thrown us for a loop because it seems...at least to us that aren't in the know...short cuts are being made and that is making a lot of people very unhappy, especially at the prices we are paying for these miniature.
While the mini in & of itself, is nice...it's just seems off to me, even more so than the art in the book when you compare the mini to the Dragon II on the cover of the TRO (especially the cockpit & windows of it). Once I get them in stock for my online store, I will take a closer look at it, and maybe it will look different...but I have a feeling I will still be disappointed.
As far as the extra missile box, THANK YOU to whomever sculpted that. I know, from IWM's own words, that extra bits cost more money...but it would be REALLY nice if we could get more parts like that for upcoming minis.
This is a boat that was COMPLETELY missed with the release of the Warwolf. How easy would it have been to make the Heavy Lasers for that variant? Or covers for the ATM boxes? Yeah, sure, I can handle the ATM covers with other parts...but the Heavy Lasers??? Come on!
To whomever reads this, and is a sculptor for IWM...and ESPECIALLY with the upcoming Omni mechs...PLEASE for the love of all Battletech....include more variant parts.
