MOC: Madventures

Hello readers, here I am again. Sorry for lack of inactivity, the reasons remain the same - studies and a modular building project slowly but steady getting done. There's still awful lot of back walls to do, and few roofs, and one facade... but I'm getting there.

Now this is a character build, or perhaps an actual person build. 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of Finland, and as the only (and best) Finnish LUG Palikkatakomo is hosting a Suomi 100 contest with two categories, An Important Finn and Moment from the History or Mythology. This is entry for the former - Madventures, AKA Riku Rantala and Tuomas "Tunna" Milonoff, two traveller-journalists known from several TV-series and books. The original Madventures show is about travelling, mostly in the third world, with just them two guys and some filming equipment. The first two series (2002 and 2005) were made in Finnish while the third (2008) was made in English for international audiences. Madventures is the most widely broadcasted Finnish TV program with 200 countries or territories. They are also awarded with several awards, including National Award of Information Distribution (or something like that anyway).

But above all they're both very entertaining and thought-provoking, diving deeper into the global wonders and issues. I think that qualifies for An Important Finn.

Build-wise this was just another character build, though not without challenges. I built them partly simultaneously, first making some drafts of both heads, them building mots of Riku (left on the photos) and then rest of Tunna (whose head got redesigned few times). Riku was somewhat easier: His style, with distinct beard, stays pretty much same through the series, and as Tunna spends more time behind the camera, there was less reference material of him. Riku's clothes are based on Indochina episode (Bad quality photo, I know), with red bandana, blue utility vest and trekking shoes. Sleeveless undershirt leaves the tattoos, here achieved with couple of tan printed round 2x2 tiles; the PotC one with stylish world map work pretty well, I think.

Tunna's clothes are more casual, with dark green T-shirt that cunningly evaded me from using valuable pieces for tan shoulder joints; the trousers and shoes are similar to Riku's. Tunna's head was challenging, partly due to limits of the colour (dark tan) and lack of coherence of the man himself. After all, they're on the road for months and hair and facial hair grows all the time. Now the moustache might be a bit too bushy, looking like 3/4 of 80's Black Sabbath, but it was the best alternative. I also built a camera for him, based on what I believe are promotional photos of season three.

These are my first character builds based on real people (not including fictional characters portrayed by real actors). Time will tell how they'll do in the contest.

-Eero

PS. Photographed another creation with this, so it shouldn't be so long gap before the next post. And I'm still having loads of WIPs around!