The Elephant in the Room- Finished..... (...and the Missus is well chuffed!)

[Eric the Shed]

Looks fab...well done
Eric

[Blackwolf]

So many talented people on this forum!

Lovely work (again)

[anevilgiraffe]

looks great...

is that a pegasus building for the walls?

[Mason]

Thanks, chaps, much appreciated.

The final details are all coming together nicely.
I will take a further picture or two when it is done.

is that a pegasus building for the walls?

They are indeed.

[panzerfaust65]

Very very Impressive
I am in awe of your work!! great stuff ol chum

[Mason]

Thanks, mate.
 

I have almost finished it.

Rope railing: Check.
Picture on wall: Check.
Title: Check

Just got the small signs to do.
Oh, AND the bloody Mahoot!
Forgot all about him...
DOH!

Well, I have a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon to get the final bits done.
Everything fitting together nicely, just need to figure the best way to assemble it all...

Fingers crossed!

[Legionnaire Bert]

Good luck Mr Mason!

[Mason]

Good luck Mr Mason!

Cheers, mate.
'Tis done!
(Well at least as much as I have had time to do...)


Finally have the thing at a point where I can stop (for now!)

Here is the back as it is now:



Just finished painting the Mahoot.

Here it is without the mahoot:




The rope railing turned into more of a problem than I first thought it would.
The rope itself is made from twisted garden wire. I was going to just use string or thread, but could not find any the right size. The next attempt was some twisted green stuff, but I could get it to a consistent thickness without it either breaking or being too thick, so in desperation opted for some wire from the shed.
I think it worked out ok.
The poles are simply flat-headed nails that have been snipped to size with green stuff balls on the top.
I would have preferred to have used ball bearings or beads, for a more consistent appearance, but had no time to find any.

The painting in the background is of an Indian prince that was recently part of an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
I know that my missus likes it as she bought a print of it that now hangs on the wall above our sofa....that should go down well!
The frame is made of plastic sprue and green stuff.

The Mahoot:
I had started with a standard 28mm Indian mahoot but, as he will be the Suspect, I felt that I needed to make that more apparent. Therefore he got a headswap for a more european-appearing head with more traditional '20's headgear. The join was hidden with a green stuff scarf-type effort...

The explaination behind him is, as he could not escape from the scene, he has tried to disguise himself as part of the exhibition but has forgotten to take off his hat.
No-one else at the scene has noticed him yet, but the wily Belgian Detective will, obviously, not be fooled.

Here he is:





And with him in the scene:





The question is: Does that concept of the Suspect work or not?

He is not stuck to the elephant yet, so I could go either way as I have another traditional Indian mahoot that I could replce him with.
(But not until after the holidays, as I am working pretty much the whole week or so...)

With:






Without:





What do you think?

[marianas_gamer]

Mason,
Wonderful finish on a great project!!  My personal preference is for without the mahoot.  I like the back story but to me he is just too glaringly obvious to have been missed by the police on the scene.
LB

[Svennn]

Super piece of work mucka, it all comes together wonderfully 

Personally I think without, primarily because of the framing - he sticks out a little high and upsets the balance to my eye.  I also think the piece works equally well without him there.  I like to imagine the culprit having legged it which gives the viewer endless possibilities in their own mind as to whodunnit

[Bugsda]

Brilliant! But ditto what Svenn said.

[DeafNala]

WONDERFULLY WELL DONE! I love the addition of the painting (on the wall that is).
Bucking the trend, I like the piece with the mahoot; re, it fits with a more Peter Sellers style detective...it's my basic sense of the absurd kicking in.

[OSHIROmodels]

Fantastic work mate 

Leave the mahout off, I understand the route you are taking but I think it make a better model without him than with.

Cracking build and thought processes all round 

cheers

James

[FramFramson]

I vote for without, mostly due to the framing issue already mentioned.

[phreedh]

Splendid work Mason! Especially like the personal touch with the painting, very well played! =)

I too vote for without the rider. Makes for a better scene, even if the story is better with the rider included.