Black Heart News for October 2020

It’s been a crazy year and things are going to get crazier during the next few months. Then we’ll hit a new peak of crazy as the pandemic continues to keep us separated and socially distant, as one side or the other in the upcoming election struggles to accept the results of November’s elections, and while we label as “the enemy” any American with different political views from ours. With all that going on, maybe the best thing for all of us is social distancing and self-isolation so we don’t hurt each other. This, too, shall pass… eventually…we hope. In the meantime, let’s be safe and do something that gets our minds off the crap that is going on in the world and especially in the United States. Here’s a little something to get rolling in that direction.

Resin Maniacs’ 2020 Online Model Contest

Norbert Ossner, the force behind the Resin Maniacs group on Facebook, asked Black Heart to participate in Resin Maniacs 2020 model contest. This is an online contest and will be held around Christmas. This year’s contest will feature two categories with different rules. First is Resin Maniacs Masters, an ultimate master class competition. This is NOT a straight out-of-the-box model competition. Contestants will go above and beyond to take their models to the next level by modifying, scratch-building, customizing, and/or base- or diorama building. The winner of the Resin Maniacs Masters category will be receive a $150 cash prize, a model kit prize and a spotlight feature in Amazing Figure Modeler magazine. Second is The Ultimate Bust Challenge. In this competition, ALL entries must be Black Heart’s Angelique bust (either our 1:2 scale or microMANIA™ version) sculpted by Abner Marin. Be creative and show us your unique paint job, modifying or customizing skills or create a cool base or diorama. If you’ve already built and painted an Angelique model, even if you’ve previously entered it in a contest, you can enter this one. If you haven’t already purchased an Angelique bust, Black Heart is offering a discount of $5 off the microMANIA version and $20 off the 1:2 scale version. The discount is already applied at checkout. First place in The Ultimate Bust Challenge will receive a $150 cash prize. Second and third places will each receive a model kit prize. For more specific details, visit Resin Maniacs at https://www.facebook.com/ResinManiacs.

NEW STUFF

Black Heart’s 1:1 scale Christopher Lee as Dracula is available now. This three-part bust requires very minor assembly, was sculpted by Jeff Yagher and stands about 16 inches tall. The head is cast in translucent flesh-colored resin; the body and cape string are cast in black resin. The bust retails for $265 plus $35 U.S. shipping

microMANIA™ Busts, Figures and Bases Available NOW is our microMANIA™ Tribute Bust Set #2 celebrating the contributions of George Takei, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan and Gene Roddenberry to science fiction television and film. The busts were sculpted by Jeff Yagher and stand between 6 and 6-1/2 inches tall with the base. Each retails at $30 plus $9 U.S. shipping. The cost for the whole set is $100 plus $16 U.S. shipping. DeForest Kelley James Doohan George Takei Gene Roddenberry

Tribute Bust Set #1, also sculpted by Jeff Yagher, retails for $100 plus $16 U.S. shipping. Each retails for $30 plus $10 shipping in the U.S. The cost for the whole set is $100 plus $16 U.S. shipping.

William Shatner Leonard Nimoy Ricardo Montalban Nichelle Nichols

microMANIA™ Dinosaur Set #2 is also available now. This set features four new busts. Triceratops was sculpted by Mike Berglund. Ceratosaurus, Pacycephalosaurus, and Pentaceratops were sculpted by Shane Foulkes. The busts sell for $35 each plus $9 U.S. shipping. The whole set sells for $120 plus $16 U.S. shipping.

Ceratosaurus, Pentaceratops, Pachcephalosaurus sculpted by Shane Foulkes. Triceratops sculpted by Mike Berglund.

microMANIA™ Dinosaur Set #1 (Styracosaurus, T. Rex, Carnotaurus, Parasaurolophus) is still available. Each was sculpted by Shane Foulkes and sells for $35 plus $9 U.S. shipping. The whole set sells for $120 plus $16 U.S. shipping.

T.Rex Carnotaurus Parasaurolophus Styracosaurus

We have two new microMANIA™ Kaiju busts sculpted by Joe Laudati. Our 2014 Godzilla and Skull Island Kong stand 5-1/2 inches with the base and retail at $25 each plus $9 U.S. shipping.

microMANIA™ Bases The POD Base is cast in black resin and measures 9 inches by 9 inches and was sculpted by Phil Kupka for Black Heart’s POD (Planetary Orbital Drone). The base retails for $35 plus $16 U.S. shipping. The POD is sold separately and still available for $125 plus $20 shipping.

microMANIA™ Predator Base is also cast in black resin and measure 7 inches by 5 inches. Also sculpted by Phil Kupka, the base retails for $27.50 plus $10 U.S. shipping. microMANIA™ Predator is sold separately and retails for $35 ($40 for the very limited clear version) plus $9 U.S. shipping

COMING in NOVEMBER

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man Deluxe Diorama

Features microMANIA™ Frankie and Wolfie figures sculpted by Tim Bruckner; Countess Frankenstein and Dr. Mannering figures sculpted by Joe Simon; lighted lab equipment (with LEDs) designed by Matthew Lawrence and Starlighting Projects; base sculpted by Phil Kupka. Price TBD Also coming in microMANIA™ scale are Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer Figure Sculpted by Joe Simon; the Martian from War of the Worlds (1953) and the Gillman from The Creature Walks Among Us.

Customer Gallery Preview

Check out our Customer Gallery and see model kit photos sent to us by GK artists from around the globe. And we hope you’ll send photos of your finished Black Heart kits for publication in our Gallery pages.

1:1 scale Wolf Man bust painted by Mike Reagan

microMANIA™Carnotaurus painted by Emma Persson

Creature from the Black Lagoon painted by Mike Walker

1:1 scale Bride wall-hanger painted by Derek Conlon

microMANIA™ Purgatory

painted by Neil Vickers of Creator Worx

The Idle Mind The Voyeur The Whisperer The Knucklehead

1:2 scale Angelique painted by Matt Kay

microMANIA Montalban painted by Tony Erdelji

Frazetta Tribute painted by Davide Decina microMANIA Hannibal painted by Syndjinn Scott

Interstellar Modeler (Oggie Gonzalez) and fellow modeler, Ken Spriggs, collaborated on a “buddy build” video series in which they demonstrated building, painting, customizing, and making dioramas for Black Heart’s Planetary Orbital Drone and the Predator figure that pilots the POD. Check out the video series at: Buddy Build Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KowfUc_BP_4&t=104s Buddy Build Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TAU3qUf9uM Buddy Build Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMwXz60vQP0&t=186s Buddy Build Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw_FLG-KheM&t=1120s Buddy Build Final: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSqjHWcZ_VY&t=2s

Planetary Orbital Drone painted by Oggie Gonzalez

Planetary Orbital Drone painted by Ken Spriggs

TIPS & ADVICE Check out our T & A page with more than 50 articles with kit-finishing tips, painting techniques from some of the most experienced and talented artists in the model kit-building hobby.

Greg McKellar’s tutorial on finishing Black Heart’s 1:2 scale Gorgon bust was selected as one of the featured articles in the latest issue of Amazing Figure Modeler magazine, the “Reader’s Choice Contest” issue. This issue is not on newsstands but can be purchased at www.amazingfiguremodeler.com. Congratulations, Greg, and thanks for making Black Heart Models look good. __________________________________________________________________________________________

Congratulations and a huge thank you to Davide Decina for his article on Black Heart’s Frank Frazetta Tribute bust which is featured in the latest issue of The Figure Mentors magazine. Davide’s work was so unique and incredible that the bust is featured on the magazine’s cover. To subscribe to the magazine or the newsletter, go to: https://figurementors.com/shop/fantasy/the-figurementors-magazine-fantasy-edition-issue-14/?fbclid=IwAR2BFueQFbmrc8u_upSYjFh0d6wDf4DQhd7qTS05-pdVsd5bPNMjkqQkVMI

Tentative Convention Schedule for 2021

June 5-6, 2021

Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Hotel

830 Phillips Lane, Louisville, KY 40209

WonderFest is a weekend of hobby escape that is held every year in Louisville, Kentucky. WonderFest features

movie special effects guests; the largest model contest in the U.S. for sci-fi, horror & comics-related subjects; model

and toy dealers galore; and seminars to entertain and improve modeling skills. Check out the Badger/Black Heart

airbrushing and model finishing class at this convention each year

For more information, go to https://wonderfest.com/

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G- FEST July 2021 Rosemont, IL G-FEST is the largest regular gathering of Godzilla

and Japanese monster fans in the world. Held each summer, it typically attracts more than 1000 attendees, but has seen a gradual increase in attendance over the past few years. G-FEST is a family-oriented convention which caters to a wide variety of interests within the kaiju genre. G-FEST features presentations and Q & A sessions by actors and crew from the Japanese Godzilla films, fan presentations on topics of interest, contests and gaming, new and classic kaiju movies, the western world’s largest kaiju-oriented dealers room, and lots of kaiju fun and camaraderie.

For more information, go to http://www.g-fan.com/html/gfest_xxvi/registration_xxvi.php.

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July/August 2021

Indianapolis Convention Center

Indianapolis, IN 46225 Gen Con is the original, longest-running gaming convention in the world! Founded in 1968, Gen Con hosts the largest consumer hobby, fantasy, science fiction, and adventure game convention in North America. With 500 exhibiting game companies, award-winning authors and artists, vibrant costumes, thousands of events, family entertainment, food trucks, a beer garden, and the debut of hundreds of exciting new games, Gen Con truly is The Best Four Days in Gaming™.

For more information, go to: https://www.gencon.com/

September 2021

Newark, New Jersey

JerseyFest is the best model kit and statue fair on the east coast, a show which caters to hobbyists and collectors of busts, figures, model ships and vehicles based on horror, sci-fi, comic, and fantasy subjects. The show offers sculpting classes, airbrushing classes, painting classes and assorted seminars and demos by some of the top artists in the hobby.

For more information about this annual convention, check out http://jerseyfestfair.com/. _____________________________________________________________________________

September 2021 Indianapolis, Indiana

MASK-FEST is a family-friendly convention that celebrates the artistry of MASKS, MAKE-UP, MONSTERS, and HALLOWEEN! At MASK-FEST, you'll witness aisle upon aisle of independent artists selling, demonstrating and displaying collectible masks, makeup fx, props, model kits and busts, and every other sort of monstrous goody you can imagine.

For more information, go to https://www.maskfest.com/events.shtml.

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Labor Day Weekend 2021 Hilton Denton Convention Center Denton, Texas

ReaperCon is a four-day celebration of miniatures and miniatures painting sponsored by Reapers Miniatures. The convention features hosting some of the best talent in the miniatures and gaming industry--world-class sculptors, painters and illustrators, and four days of classes, seminars, games, a painting contest and other fun stuff. For more information go to: https://reapercon.com/. _____________________________________________________________________________