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Saturday, March 20, 2021

She sells seashells

Mary Anning and "Tray"
28mm

 



A woman.  Born to a working-class Dorset family in the 19th century.  Without higher education.  Ineligible for membership in the Geological Society of London, due to her sex.  

But by age 12 Mary Anning had unearthed her first ichthyosaur, and by 24, a complete plesiosaur.  She discovered countless other fossils including England's first pterosaur, Dimorphodon.  And she impressed the hell out of most of the major paleontologists of her day, who visited her regularly and sought her fossil-hunting expertise.  She was just that good.

That said, she always struggled financially and like most people of her time, had to work very hard to support a quite modest living.  And while many prominent scientists of her time lauded her and considered her a friend, others had no qualms about leaving her name off the manuscripts they wrote about her fossil finds.  Still, her impact on the fledgling science of paleontology was striking, both in her time and ours.


This fantastic set, clearly based on a well-known painting of Anning and her beloved spaniel Tray, is a recent release from Antediluvian Miniatures.

 

“Her history shows what humble people may do, if they have just purpose and courage enough, toward promoting the cause of science. The inscription under her memorial window commemorates “her usefulness in furthering the science of geology” (it was not a science when she began to discover, and so helped to make it one), “and also her benevolence of heart and integrity of life.” The carpenter’s daughter has won a name for herself, and has deserved to win it.” - Charles Dickens, 1865

Tuesday, March 09, 2021

Emissary of Carnage

TROG
15mm




While GORT model automatons travel the universe promoting peace and understanding, TROG seeks only to visit planet after planet, spreading death, fire, and destruction.

TROG is a slightly modified Alternative Armies figure.  His spaceship is made of foamcore board, coated with Modpodge and dirt, with an LED inside.

DESPAIR, MEATBEINGS.

Thankfully, GORT arrives in time to save (some of) the planet...


Monday, March 01, 2021

Remember the Pigs

The Terraformers' Memorial
15mm scale


"The company put that statue up, you know.  Paragon Exoplanetary, the ones who had this world terraformed.  It's dangerous business, terraforming; hard to get workers willing to travel light-years just to scrape by on a toxic planet for decades.  They came up with the idea of making workers.  Genetically engineered pigs, with enhanced intelligence and opposable thumbs!   Picture that, eh?  Pigs, man!  Anyway, the pigs did the terraforming, god knows what they told them would happen after.  But just as this place became inhabitable... boom!  A mysterious disease.  They all died within weeks, just before they would have gained full First Settlers' rights here!  Way too convenient, if you ask me.  And then they built a god damn memorial to their 'selfless sacrifice'..."

 


These pigs were a Kinder Surprise toy that floated through the house for a while before I came up with the germ of this idea.  Then yesterday I felt the need for a quick, easy project so I finally did it!  Those poor pigs... never trust the company.