MOC: Mustrum Ridcully revisited

 I've written numerous times to this blog that I often come back to my MOCs and mod them. Seeing them on a shelf from day to day make you see things on them that could be done better. Sometimes I even end up building the whole character again: I feel like I want to have the MOC on display, but it just seems completely outdated... Last time this happened on Balin, my favorite of The Hobbit's dwarves, and now it happened on Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully, my favorite Discworld character.

The old version had pretty good face, and I liked the crossbow and hat. But somehow it felt unnaturally stiff, and was too tall compared to my other Discworld builds; that also made the hands feel tiny. I based my approach on clothes, drawing lot from Paul Kidby's art as usual (I didn't have his Discworld art books when building the old version), making Ridcully have elaborate waistcoat, dark red jacket, brown overcoat and wizardy robe. Sir Terry gave us mixed descriptions on Mustrum's clothing, and I think this is quite pleasant compromise.

Probably even more important change was making the character more lively and less stiff. I made the beard hinged, so I could push the head a bit backwards; real beards are flexible. I also tilted the had (almost identical to the old one) a bit backwards using some Technic. The trousers are shorter and the boots aren't ridiculously big any more; I'm actually very happy with their overall shape. 3x3x3 cone is one of the best pieces there is.

The shoulders were hard. The old one used T-bar connection, usually pretty good technique, but I switched it to ball joints to increase mobility. Both 4x4 wedge slopes and frontal bits of the robe are jointed to enable posing the arms.

Ridcully still has his hunting crossbow, but also gave him a Staff with a Knob on the End. He doesn't use very much magic, but usually believes that six-feet oak staff is at least as efficient!

-Eero