Miniature Animal Figure Collection
- Thread starter ollielloyd
- Start date
What would be the best way for me to get a miniature Hornbill
Are you looking for a particular species or just any hornbill?
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
1) Buy modelling paste and paints and make one
2) Contact an animal figure maker that accept commisions and ask for one. This can be very pricey. Some ideas for contacting authors of handmade figures:
---https://www.likaonmodels.com/about-us.html
---http://www.signatustudio.com/commissions.html
3) Search in internet, especially in eBay, Amazon and the like, for the hornbills done by brands:
---Albert Heijn's great hornbill from Indonesa's Jungle series, very small, unrealistic, discontinued
---Bandai's great hornbill from Animal Kaiser series, not bad, in flight, in production
---Bullyland's great hornbill, a keychain made for Cologne zoo, discontinued
---Furuta Chocoegg 7's great hornbill, the best one, very good but with assemblage joints visible, in a perch, discontinued
---Nayab generic hornbill, assumed to be Rufous Hornbill, correct shape but wrong colours for Rufous, landing, small, in production
---Yowies UK 98's great hornbill, from series 2, small, discontinued
---Yowies USA southern ground hornbill, from Rescue series, not bad, in production
Well I'd love any hornbill, but I'd really like a Rhinoceros Hornbill
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
My latest additions was bought in eBay and received some days ago! 
1. The Galapagos land iguana, Conolophus subcristatus. One of the few reptiles in my collection, it's absolutely magnific and painted with the exquisite detail that only Japanese brands are able to do with their figures, even the supertiny eyes. The sculpt is superb too. The crest over the back is precisely sculpted with minute teeth, and I love the folds of the skin in one flank as the animal curves itself slightly to the right side.
I dislike bases and avoid them when possible. So once at home, I cut the attachments under the feet, revealing the grey plastic used for this figure...
... and painted over the "wounds" with matchig colours.
2. The striped owl, Asio clamator (=Rhinoptynx clamator). My favourite of the genus and one of my most favourite owls. The figure is exquisitely painted, and very well sculpted, as one can expect in the high-quality-standards Kaiyodo.
But, shamely, a thing that one also can expect in Kaiyodo is the very noticeable seams
3. And finally, the gem of the trio: the supermagnific and dreamed Long-nosed Lancetfish (Alepisaurus ferox). I always liked a lot this species, with its dragon sail dorsal fin. All in the figure is extremely well done, the slim body, the fins, the sharp muzzle with prominent uneven teeth. The caudal fin is detachable from the fish, one must put care in not lose this part!
1. The Galapagos land iguana, Conolophus subcristatus. One of the few reptiles in my collection, it's absolutely magnific and painted with the exquisite detail that only Japanese brands are able to do with their figures, even the supertiny eyes. The sculpt is superb too. The crest over the back is precisely sculpted with minute teeth, and I love the folds of the skin in one flank as the animal curves itself slightly to the right side.
I dislike bases and avoid them when possible. So once at home, I cut the attachments under the feet, revealing the grey plastic used for this figure...
... and painted over the "wounds" with matchig colours.
2. The striped owl, Asio clamator (=Rhinoptynx clamator). My favourite of the genus and one of my most favourite owls. The figure is exquisitely painted, and very well sculpted, as one can expect in the high-quality-standards Kaiyodo.
But, shamely, a thing that one also can expect in Kaiyodo is the very noticeable seams
3. And finally, the gem of the trio: the supermagnific and dreamed Long-nosed Lancetfish (Alepisaurus ferox). I always liked a lot this species, with its dragon sail dorsal fin. All in the figure is extremely well done, the slim body, the fins, the sharp muzzle with prominent uneven teeth. The caudal fin is detachable from the fish, one must put care in not lose this part!
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
I opened today a figure received in a swap This is the magnific Schleich's bowmouth guitarfish, Rhina ancylostoma. It's an splendid species, that I like a lot, and despite not being so uncommon in public aquaria I never saw it in my life. This is, in my opinion, the best of the many bowmouth guitarfish figurines done by western brands
As arrived, still even with the tag!
Of course, first thing that I did is repaint it a bit!
Underside was also repainted
And now, integrated with the whole family
This is the magnific Schleich's bowmouth guitarfish, Rhina ancylostoma. It's an splendid species, that I like a lot, and despite not being so uncommon in public aquaria I never saw it in my life. This is, in my opinion, the best of the many bowmouth guitarfish figurines done by western brands As arrived, still even with the tag!
Of course, first thing that I did is repaint it a bit!
Underside was also repainted
And now, integrated with the whole family
Which company made the oarfish and whaleshark cause they look excellent.
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
Oarfish is from Ikimon/Kitan Club, from the Deep Sea Set 1, this set also contains the coelacanth seen in previous posts.
Nature Technicolor Giant Oarfish - ToyAnimalWiki
Whale shark is the Papo one, easily the best whale shark in the trade I think.
Papo 56039 Whale shark - ToyAnimalWiki
Nature Technicolor Giant Oarfish - ToyAnimalWiki
Whale shark is the Papo one, easily the best whale shark in the trade I think.
Papo 56039 Whale shark - ToyAnimalWiki
Ok thanks, I think I'll have to get them now!
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
Congrats for your new additions Ebirah. Fin and sei whales are delightful additions that I still don't have. Which brand of musk ox and bison did you choose?
This new batch took long time, but finally I've baked yesterday and painted all today
1. The zebra duiker, Cephalophus zebra. What? This is not a species that I already did? And is my collection not synoptic? Yes and yes. But this is a commision asked by a member of this forum so I will not keep it forever.
Here with my older zebra duiker. They could do a nice paper in a Noah's Ark diorama or a zoo diorama
2. The red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis. For sure the most beautiful goose in the world!
With my other waterfowl:
3. The mythical Bowfin!!!!!!!!! (Amia calva). Another fish that for sure @sbell will like Sole surviving member of an ancient fish lineage that rised with the dinosaurs.
A thing I learned today while looking pictures for painting my model, is that male bowfins turn their lower fins and belly emerald green during spawning. I wanted to try and painted the fins bright green. But after some time I decided that my model is too striking and painted again in the classic colour. However, I didn't tried to delete every trace of green. I left a small green subhue that I sort of like:
4. And finally, what I think is maybe my best mammal sculpt. The drill, Mandrillus leucophaeus. I just love how I've got the shape of the face, a thing that I tought I would not be able to do properly.
With Schleich mandrill pal!
This new batch took long time, but finally I've baked yesterday and painted all today
1. The zebra duiker, Cephalophus zebra. What? This is not a species that I already did? And is my collection not synoptic? Yes and yes. But this is a commision asked by a member of this forum
so I will not keep it forever.Here with my older zebra duiker. They could do a nice paper in a Noah's Ark diorama or a zoo diorama
2. The red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis. For sure the most beautiful goose in the world!
With my other waterfowl:
3. The mythical Bowfin!!!!!!!!! (Amia calva). Another fish that for sure @sbell will like
Sole surviving member of an ancient fish lineage that rised with the dinosaurs.A thing I learned today while looking pictures for painting my model, is that male bowfins turn their lower fins and belly emerald green during spawning. I wanted to try and painted the fins bright green. But after some time I decided that my model is too striking and painted again in the classic colour. However, I didn't tried to delete every trace of green. I left a small green subhue that I sort of like:
4. And finally, what I think is maybe my best mammal sculpt. The drill, Mandrillus leucophaeus. I just love how I've got the shape of the face, a thing that I tought I would not be able to do properly.
With Schleich mandrill pal!
The drill is stunning and is imo better than the Schleich one.
For the musk ox I got CollectA, which is around $25 but it is a fine model.
The American bison was from Schleich, which IMO doesn't have the best models but this is a very fine one except for the eyes.
Lucky... I've paid $15-25 per figure for my CollectA! I think it's a matter of distribution, I can get US-based Safari Ltd figures for cheap.
They're nifty, seen them before. Instead to see what you think.
The Safari weedy sea dragon is one of my favourite models, I just wish I had the leafy one as well!
Kakapo
Well-Known Member
After a long pause I return here to show my Epiphany gifts
1. CollectA's Common fallow deer, Dama dama
2. CollectA's markhor, Capra falconeri
3. CollectA's common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). Such an ABC species as is the common hippo have tons of different figures to choose from even the most little and obscure brands. However, CollectA did THE hippo. The real masterpiece with zero distance to perfection. It's extremely accurate and every detail in it is so perfect. The barrel body, the square muzzle, the wrinkles around eyes, the sexy little ears, the stubby tail, the short legs, the rosy hues on the underparts, the perfect teeth and inside of the mouth...
1. CollectA's Common fallow deer, Dama dama
2. CollectA's markhor, Capra falconeri
3. CollectA's common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). Such an ABC species as is the common hippo have tons of different figures to choose from even the most little and obscure brands. However, CollectA did THE hippo. The real masterpiece with zero distance to perfection. It's extremely accurate and every detail in it is so perfect. The barrel body, the square muzzle, the wrinkles around eyes, the sexy little ears, the stubby tail, the short legs, the rosy hues on the underparts, the perfect teeth and inside of the mouth...