GI-ANT

The Perils Of Nude Sunbathing

Here's something a little different - a combination of nudity and mutant gigantism. Created quite a few years ago, this diorama has garnered a few comments and raised eyebrows. Of course, there's nothing really rude here, it's all just in your mind.
 



The idea for this diorama came from the purchase of a Beach Queen resin model in 1:35 scale. A friend gave me a half-started Heller kit of an ant and the ideas came thick and fast after that!

The Beach Queen resin kit was assembled, puttied and painted in flesh tones. It was a test for my eyes to add all the details to her, including sunglasses and a can of drink. Certain anatomical parts were removed with a scalpel as she was disturbingly accurate! I gave her a gloss clear coat to show she was covered in sunscreen.

The ant took quite a bit of puttying and sanding to get it to the painting stage. I spray painted it black and overlaid various additional colours, including Clear Silver and Clear Blue. The result was a matter of trial and error until I was satisfied with the result. During sanding, I managed to break off two legs which had to be pinned with fine wire and Superglued.

The toxic chemical barrel was a kit part that I added a top and bottom to. The radiation labels came from a household fire alarm that you attach to your ceiling. The toxic green spill is fluorescent enamel paint made by Humbrol. I made a couple of council signs from sheet styrene and plastic-coated wire. The signage came courtesy of my computer.

I purchased a 1:35 scale human skeleton and added it to the scene to suggest that the mutated ant had devoured a hapless human and was now going to feast on the sunbathing girl. The base is plaster of paris, mixed with cement powder, covered with fine sand and overlaid with model railroad terrain material. The plastic plants are from a friend’s aquarium!