Old MOC revamp: Karmenna

This MOC, Dragon Warrioress Karmenna, is one of my own favourites. I built it on January of this year, around a year ago. But it wasn't perfect back then.

From the original version I have changed quite a many little things. The middle and lower torso are rebuilt. The hip area of the original version was quite odd and the back was rather wide and blocky. The connection of Toa Inika shoulder guards (great pieces!) that are used as a side armours must be four units (or studs) wide, and there are only few ways to build small four-wide TECHNIC units with necessary connection points. The old version was oddly shaped  and used for example a bit clumsy ball socket, but this design uses more special TECHNIC connectors. You can see it better here.

The hair is a bit shorter, as I used my two middle tail pieces in Steampunk Qwena's hair. But I prefer this version, as it allows more movement to the head. It is also sturdier.

Legs are a bit sturdier and realistic. I added Visorak feet (another great piece) back of the femurs to make them more boot-like. The upper legs are also a bit more smooth. They are still quite a poseable. 

 She has now dragon skull armours on her both shoulders. I randomly picked another from Bionicle bin on second-hand LEGO shop in Berlin. I like how the another armour balanced the dark red with black. She also holds her sword more realistically now.

More pics on Brickshelf.

-Pate-keetongu

MOC: Warrek

 I don't really like the fact that in GregF's Bionicle canon Skakdis are usually just a gang of ugly bullies looking for something to steal and pillage. Fortunately the things are different in Bio-Klaani's Klaanon project: Sure, Warrek isn't the most beautiful boy in the class, and he probably has some thefts and pillages on his earnings, but he really has a heart (I wouldn't be so sure about the liver though) and yes, he could be seen as a freedom fighter (at least after few beers on the Dead Ruki's Tavern).

Warrek was once a general on the Great Civil War of Zakaz. He was not on the wrong side, but on a losing side. Group of talented Watchman-rifle-wielding skakdi warriors including Colonel Guardian fought under his command, but they were traitored and warlord Nektann's troops won. I don't believe Warrek was one of those who use to call the war Great; he was traumatized, he was alcoholized, and within the years he became a permanent boozer on Dead Ruki's Tavern. 

But the old dog haven't yet forgotten his old tricks. Or he may be, but after few pints he will remember them. And when he pulls out his wartime Zamor handgun, Nektann's troop should watch out if they don't want to lose some of their biomechanic body parts or get their heads stuck permanently in a pickle barrel.

This MOC was quite a interesting to build. The suspenders were super necessary (They are actually reference to Malcom Reynold's suspenders in Joss Whedon's Firefly, which settings are quite similar to Zakaz. Warrek and his men (or reptilians) were the browncoats of the Bionicle universe) and I also wanted to build some clawed boot-looking feet to add a bit more western look. I also didn't use any bright light orange on the legs because he really wears pants, or at least pants-looking armour. With shin armour, because bar brawls can be intricate.

The character is created by my good mate Dr.U and somewhat deepened by Guardian (Strange man, looks like an Easter island statue, kills with irony).

-Pate-keetongu

MOC: Balin

 Premiere of The Hobbit is near and I built this bust of Balin, an old dwarf from Thorin Oakenshield's company. I got the idea to make that huge white beard and then the rest of the MOC built itself around it. I'm glad I bought lots of small tan plates from LEGO shop in Berlin few weeks ago.

Balin's design in the movies looks excellent and he was my favourite dwarf in the book (Though most of the dwarves are not really characters...). Dark red is also a beautiful colour and I hope I would have been able to do the whole dwarf, but my collection of that beloved color is rather limited. And I had no idea how to do the arms.

Nothing much more to say about this simple little MOC. It work now as a guardian (Balin was the everyday watchman if you remember) of my bookself of the most important books (Mostly Tolkien with Darwin's Origin of Species and some Alan Moore's comics).

-Pate-keetongu

MOC: Vampire Hearse

Yep, I'm a bit late for Halloween. But I have to blame the weathers again. This is the first winter of this blog, and winter in Finland means darkness, especially when there's no snow at all. Today I managed to get some time in daylight to take pics of some MOCs.

This is my "revamp" of Monster Fighters 9464 Vampyre Hearse. I loved the idea of that set, a cool big Hot Rod Hearse to theme's main antagonist. But I wasn't completely happy with the set's design, it was somewhat too modern compared to Haunted House or Vampyre Castle, so I didn't buy it but built my own versions instead.

This MOC was on a WIP stage for a long time. I started (and built most of it) during my summer holiday but them somehow forgot the project on my table. I had the Humppa-pub going on alongside some Bionicle projects, including Ragnfast the Viking, and they seemed somewhat more interesting. I have to thank my ol' buddy Humppakeksi for reminding me about this thing. I couldn't have ever finished this without you.

The MOC itself is mainly straightforward build, lots of basic brick-on-brick with some SNOT on the front and the back cabin. The trans-clear 2x1x5 bricks were my only parts to represent the big long hearse windows, so I had to use some more special techniques here. Or oh well, SNOT isn't so special any more.

 I'm very happy with the front. Bigger and more triangular vampire teeth on the mudguards and some more teeth with bloody gums to add some horror feel. Plus completely unexplained odd turbine to block the view of the undead driver.

Because the original set included steampunk monster fighter Rodney Rathbone with his motorcycle, I decided to add Monster Hunter Aubrey Treesparrow Melledy from my previous steampunk figbarf with his special diesel motorcycle. It's equipped with augmented diesel tank, saddlebags, armored front and special floodlight to blind the pesky vampire.

-Pate-keetongu

Revamp: Onua

Ol' good Onua in one of the best Bionicle characters ever because of his unique hunchback look, fatherly appearance towards Lewa and damn cool claws.

I got the idea to this MOC from a bit older MOC of mine, Toa Samol. These characters shared the same short and stubby appearance, so I decided to use a very similar design especially on the torso.

It's not a full clone though. The chest armour is more organic. I used Core Hunter's pec armour plate to give Onua a more muscular look. I also put the gear things to his back to remind of the gear function of the original set.

The hand design is a bit similar than Samol's, it's based on BCth's Pohatu's hands. I used the newish bar-plate pieces I got from Lighting Dragon Attack to make the angled fingers. They are all poseable, a feature that original Onua didn't have.

The legs are rather thin, but I wanted to preserve the robotic look of the old Mata limbs. The HF shell is rather boring piece choice, but work quite well as the "inverted" leg shape that Gali and Onua had. It also balances the color scheme nicely.

-Pate-keetongu

MOC: Melville Blizzard XL

 First of all, I'm terribly sorry of the late time lately. I have had a lot of time with LEGO, but the weather outside has been rather terrible for some time so I hadn't got chance to take photos of my new creations... It was either rainy, or as in most of times, too dark. Usually when I arrive home from school sun has already set. I tried to took photos another day but they turned out rather bad. Luckily the weather was better today.

This Hero guy called Melville Blizzard XL (Yep, it's me doing HF MOC) is an older project from last summer. I tried different leg designs to HF sets to capture the coolness of ankle guards of 1.0 sets. It came up pretty well, but other parts of the MOC didn't and I abandoned the project. It laid on my Bionicle building desk for few months until I finished it on last weekend.

Aside the legs the build is pretty basic with some gimmicks on the torso and the shield. I'm rather happy with the colour scheme, blue, white and keetorange flow together nicely.

I'm not that happy with the thighs though, I wished to use a longer shell but I didn't have them on right colours. I originally used trans-yellow ones from Waspix but they didn't work that well. At least the visorak feet behind them make them a little bit beefier.

Stay tuned for more both Bionicle and SYSTEM stuff in the near future. I have another MOC photographed and I will post it during the following days.

-Pate-keetongu