Some might well remember the Cyclopes from BB`s Toy Figures?
Well i thought to do a little something with him.
So i paced him out in flow and ebb
and set to sea in Greek Mythology.
Polyphemus
The Work in Progress
The first thing i did after washing the thing,was to make the plastic base. I used Green-Stuff,and i rolled ,twisted and shaped it a small piece at a time. Besides getting a blister doing this,i managed it well into place and plunked my Cyclops upon it. I fixed a wire into each foot and bent it about so as to get a good grounding for the figure. A bit like a tree root to help anchor it in.The pose is one where he stands upon a cliff top,and far below is the sea. I found the perfect tool to use was the rubber end of a pencil. I remarked to Mrs B, "This sticky stuff does not stick to the rubber at all." So it was that i managed well to shape the base as my imagination wanted it so. There we have it ,and as it seems to me with no great skill level required at all.
He now needs painting which does require perhaps more talent then me,but like the story that follows i will have a stab at it.
Polyphemus Cyclopes
After coming upon an island and the boat being well secured, Odysseus and a few of his men set out in search of food supplies.Water having been found earlier was being relayed in skins back toward the boat by the greater number of the crew. A small number were carrying out needed repairs. Odysseus seeing that all was going well decided to take full wine skins in order to trade them for his needed food supplies. As he set out upon that pathway with a dozen of his well armed men,the sound of axes chipping away on lumber filled every ear. The repairs to the boat were indeed going well.Very soon she would be in full fit trim again.The Greeks all veterans of that Trojan war of ancient times were at sea ,and lost because of a great storm that had smashed the fleet of many a boat to splinters along with their men.It had blown them into uncharted waters.
After finding a well trodden track used by animals,such as Sheep or Goats,they followed it alongside and around huge boulder's and worked their way up the cliff.Finally it led them to a great cave. Entering into the cave there was evidence someone lived there because a large store of cheese was laid up,and sheep skins were bundled up in piles. Others soft to the touch were laid upon the floor where it had been levelled out.The Greeks fearing no Herder of Sheep, decided that they would help themselves to the cheese and trade later when whomever turned up.However later as the sheep are driven into the cave what appears is the sheepherder a Giant Cyclopes who enters the cave and then rolls with very little effort a huge stone across the only entrance and way out. They are all trapped.
Polyphemus the Son of Poseidon is angry to find men eating his food. So after introducing himself the Cyclopes sits down. He then catches and eats one of Odysseus men. Biting off bit by bit the good pieces he likes the best,and throws down whats left of the legs. Then sitting there he picks his teeth with the tiny Greek sword the poor fellow had carried. Horrified the Greeks realise their fate. Panic sets in amongst the men,but it is Odysseus who calms them down. Turning to face the Cyclopes Odysseus introduces himself as Nobody,fearing that Polyphemus might recognise his real name. Laughing out aloud he urges the Giant to sip the Wine. "Wine! What`s Wine?" Polyphemus, asks in his loud demanding voice."It is the drink of the Gods." Odysseus answers,and beckons his men to ply the Cyclopes with the sweet wine. As a flute is played the soothing music fills every ones ears. After much wine had been gulped down by Polyphemus,he falls to sleep being quite full of Vintage Trojan Wine. ( Spoils of war. )With his men now wanting to kill the Cyclopes,Odysseus calms them down with a question. "If you kill him.Who will roll away the stone so we can escape?" Some leap forward upon the chance to move the massive Stone,but cannot. Others try too. All fail in the attempt.
Odysseus as ever resourceful has a plan.
He fetches a large length of wood,a pole that lay in the cave.
As the flute player spins out his musical tune, a spike was hacked into shape by a sharp Greek sword. Soon Odysseus,in the lead followed by a handful of his men manhandle and manoeuvre themselves with this stake up above the rock face over looking the head of this giant man eater. It was upon a split second as the Greeks plunged downward the spike that Polyphemus opened his eye. It was far to late as it was driven in. In the darkness and blinding pain Polyphemus the Cyclopes rolled about in agony. Pulling out this wooden stake what was left of his eye gushed out with blood. Stumbling about the Cyclopes rolled away that massive stone and then on his knee`s at the only way out he called out," Brothers,Come Help Me! Nobody Has Blinded Me!" It appears there were more of this kind. "Come Help Me Brothers." cried out Polyphemus. With the way open the sheep began running out,and one by one the blind Cyclopes fingered and felt out each and every one before allowing them to pass between his legs. In a bid to escape a Greek holding a sheep over his head and back tried to trick the howling beast,but was blindly found out,but before those giant fingers closed around him he leaped and scrambled through the gap between the legs and ran screaming in the direction of the boat. The last of the sheep scrambled their way through and raced out in all directions.
Now upon his hands and knees Polyphemus, cried out "I`ll eat every last one of you." So the Greeks were still trapped with no way to avoid those searching giant fingers. It now fell upon the courage and self sacrifice of the gentle flute player,as he enticed the blind Polyphemus to seek him out,by blast upon blast from his flute. As those giant hands found him the last defiant note slipped out ,as those hands and teeth tore him apart. Behind the Cyclopes a gap had appeared just enough for the Greeks to escape. Seizing the opportunity of escape they ran for their lives knowing full well that the blinded Cyclopes would follow on best that he could behind them. As they neared the boat Odysseus shouted out to the men on board to shift out the oars and make ready to sail.Jumping frantically on board each grabbed an oar,and soon pulled the boat away to sea. With hearts racing,but with heads of relief they rowed for all their worth. As they eyed the cliff they were pulling away from,the blinded Cyclopes Polyphemus came into view upon the highest point.
As Odysseus and his men escaped on board their boat they shouted out insults to Polyphemus which is nearly their downfall. Relying upon his hearing the Cyclopes hurls huge rocks that crash into the sea around the Greek boat sending giant plumes of water sky wards.
As they rest oars exhausted,and sail away to whatever next will befall them,
This is the End of this Greek Mythological Tale.
One Poem describes Polyphemus as calling out to his two Brothers,but crying out that Nobody hurt him suggested to them that he really was not hurt at all. So they yelled back and told Polyphemus to pray to the Gods. Later Polyphemus would commit suicide by wading out into the sea.
Written by BB
A Top Secret Undercoat went on today. I have been fed up and let down in the past with undercoat pinging off ruining my work. So formulated my own and it skins over well dries perfectly and is tough. A second lighter coat will go on and in a day or so the base colours will be applied to this Man Eater.
The eye of Polyphemus having been poked out has been converted for purpose of story telling.It`s horrid that a toy should suffer so,but there we have him struggling in his frustrating painful dilemma.
A plight torn between nursing his wound or of trying with all his might of sinking the getaway boat.
Meanwhile one of his Brothers is being painted by my untrained awkward hand. He runs forward adding more power to his intended hurl ,because unlike his Brother and us,he can see the escaping Greeks. It does seem to be the case,that these two Sons of Poseidon are Well P`d Off!
The Damaged Eye will be last on this list to do.
The skin does look rough and shocking,but gradually thin`ed down
lighter shades of flesh will give the look i want.
Highlights on the skin next,and then the brush will be applied to the fur..
It`s well worth the mention that the undercoat paint that i mixed up has been a perfect success,and that the spot of red mixed into the Tanned Flesh ,has been a good base colour for my use here.It was easy to gradually lighten in way of two thin colour washes that i myself mixed and applied by brush. As the figures have dried lighter than can be seen in the picture above.The case being they were still wet when the photograph was taken. The work i nearing completion and should be finished sometime today 27/01/2016.
BB
