Cyril the Chameleon (Robot Rocket Miniatures)

[Steve Brodie]

Whilst waiting for some new paints to arrive so i can start on 'my' Irish piper bust - along with a replacement head !(I have managed to lose the original one) , thought I would crack on with this little one first. He is a (I reckon) 1/12th resin model of a Parsons Chameleon and made by Robot Rocket Miniatures. The kit comes in a small plastic box, with some foam padding.



It comprises of two pieces of resin;
the chameleon



and a branch, which has its feet cast in place.



Only a small resin plug on the tail to remove and two small pieces at the base of the branch.
I don't know why, but for love nor money could i get the two pieces to stick together, good job no cameras in the house as would have been very funny to see me holding the body onto the branch with one hand and a wallpaper scrapper in the other!, no matter how long i held both pieces together they just unstuck themselves. In the end i made a clamp and left it for a couple of hours.
I have touched in a couple of gaps with some Vallejo putty and its now ready for a wash and a primer coat to see how it all looks together.

[Steve Brodie]

All primed and ready for some paint;

[papa 695]

Nice one Steve, a very interesting build.

[Steve Brodie]

So the main colours have been painted in, started wet blending some green shades on his body ( his head is still in its base green colour), will have some more different shades added in different areas. The first yellow coat has been applied, this needs a big colour change as this yellow is to light , needs darkening and some orange added in.

[Steve Brodie]

Got some more colour on him last night. The golden yellow is a mix of about 90% Tamiya yellow and 10% Tamiya clear orange, clear orange has also been used on his head plate. Edges and nodules on his head have been picked out in Vallejo Ice yellow. Body cracks have been picked out in a very diluted Vallejo Leather brown - more like dirty water and carefully painted in. Needs another coat on the yellow and then a few spots to be added to the body and highlights on the yellow.

[papa 695]

Looking very good Steve

[Steve Brodie]

In my hand;

[Dave Ward]

Steve,
really unusual subject, much smaller than I expected! Given the propensity of Chameleons changing colour, how did you choose the final camo scheme?
Some resins seem to resist gluing, no matter what - I've cleaned them in soapy water, IPA, white spirit, and they still fall apart - I've taken to drilling small holes & using wire as reinforcement & using 2-part epoxy - good old Araldite - as long as you take care & smooth/remove any excess before it dries - which is why I don't use 5min epoxy!
Dave

[Steve Brodie]

Steve,
really unusual subject, much smaller than I expected! Given the propensity of Chameleons changing colour, how did you choose the final camo scheme?
Some resins seem to resist gluing, no matter what - I've cleaned them in soapy water, IPA, white spirit, and they still fall apart - I've taken to drilling small holes & using wire as reinforcement & using 2-part epoxy - good old Araldite - as long as you take care & smooth/remove any excess before it dries - which is why I don't use 5min epoxy!
Dave

Just a mix of various schemes, need to cut back the yellow bands quite a bit, but easier to chop them back. seems to be an infinite combination of colours on chameleons, especially parsons

[Guest]

I wasn't expecting that. Great work so far Steve. I remember sitting in a cafe in Montpellier sometime in the 1980s and a bloke at the next table had a live chameleon sitting on his head, zapping the flies.

[Steve Brodie]

So whilst stuck in my home office, rolled out some milliput and sculpted some groundwork for him, plants added, but all removed for painting; plants are to shiny at the mo; Will also be adding in a stream over the rock bed.

[Guest]

Terrific work Steve.

[papa 695]

Great work

[Guest]

Very nice Steve and no way a easy subject to paint. Great base and vegetation.

[Steve Brodie]

Couple of coats of Testors dullcoat and the shine is gone, ready for weathering;