Steve Iverson’s Frankenstein

This “golden” Frankenstein kit was one of two that I built in October of 1999 for a contest sponsored by Polar Lights. The company needed 8 “trophy” kits, and I volunteered to build two of them. Because these were to be used as prizes, I built them to be very durable. Having built several over the years, I knew that they had a tendency to come apart at the ankles and waist.

To make the model stronger, I re-enforced the interior with hot glue. This was squirted down all the seams, creating an interior bond which should hold up well. Additionally, the boots were screwed to the base, and a wire runs from the screws up through the waist and is anchored to the chest. Screws were also used to attach the arms to the coat.

Sheet styrene was glued to the back of the headstone, enhancing the appearance of the part. Additionally, this was screwed to the base from the underside.

The model was built from the ground up. First the boots were affixed to the base, the legs attached to the boots, then the chest plate to the waist, followed by the coat and arms, and finally the head.

The many seams of the kit are another potential problem.. I used acrylic texture paste to hide the seams, and blend in to the texture of the clothing. This was very effective. The end result was the need for very little putty and sanding. The joint in the hair was obscured by carving hair texture with an exacto knife. The model was primed with flat black to check the seams.

Then the model was sprayed with Model Master gold. Flat black was sprayed in the recessed areas, and a black wash was used to bring out the details in the face. Gold was then drybrushed over the model, highlighting the raised areas. I alternated drybrushing gold and black until I was satisfied with the appearance.

For a little highlight, I applied silver to the neck bolts and forehead clamps, as well as red to the scar on the forehead. Finally the model was sealed with Future.

Steve Iverson