Rob C.'s Gouache Sketches Based on My Toyscape Photos - Pt 1 GIANT Spaceship

Rob C. and I are regular reader's and contributor's to the UK based Moonbase Central blog. Over the past several months and years I've posted a bunch of diorama photos based on my small space toys from companies like Tri-ang Spacex, or GIANT of Hong Kong, or LP. Those photos were also featured on Moonbase Central. After seeing them, Rob said he'd like to try his hand at interpreting some of them in the 'gouache' style:

Gouache is defined as a method of painting with opaque watercolors. It is a water-based paint that consists of natural pigments, water, and a binding agent, typically gum arabic or dextrin, which gives it a unique opacity compared to traditional watercolors. Gouache is known for its vibrant colors and matte finish, making it distinct from both watercolor and acrylic paints.

I've seen his terrific work featured on Moonbase and readily agreed. Today we proudly feature the first in a series of six gouache Toyscape interpretations by Rob C.- "GIANT Spaceship". The original photo - as posted here and on Moonbase Central - will appear first, followed by Rob's interpretation. Be Blessed and Relish Life! Ed

The original photo showing the GIANT spaceship with astronauts on an alien planet.

WOW - this is like right out of an illustrated book of space stories!

A GIANT UPDATE: Starry, Starry Night

 Well heck, now that I've got the toy I might as well put it to use! Be Blessed and Relish Life! Ed

A GIANT UPDATE: The GIANT Spaceship

As popular as GIANT HO scale toys were back in the day, I have to scratch my head as to why they didn't produce more of some of their items. You can get their forts fairly readily (or at least repops from other manufacturers using the original tooling), American Civil War limbers and cannon are very common, Roman (Greek) chariots are readily available. Even the Viking ships are usually available on fleaBay, but the space series had two pieces that are nearly impossible to find: the spaceship and the flying saucer! Go figure. The spaceship doubles as a container designed to hold the space figures and has an opening hatch underneath. It measures: 6.5" (16.51cm) H x 2.375" (6.03cm) W (fin-to-fin) 2.125" (5.39cm) diameter (at widest part of hull)

Here a GIANT spaceman is posed next to the ship he arrived in.

As this is just a cylinder with fins, I dispensed with the twelve-view photo essay.

The access hatch at the bottom is tricky to open and shows cut marks from people trying to pry it open.

 

A GIANT UPDATE: The Collection is Complete

Last year from October-December, I was covering GIANT Plastics Corp.'s (aka Giant of Hong Kong) line of HO scale space toys, but there was one piece that eluded me: their spaceship. I already had the VHTF flying saucer, and I had a spaceship in the collection which would work quite well with GIANT figures, but the original spaceship was a bear to find. Wellll, guess what? You got it - one became available with a host of figures and I snatched it up! The picture below shows the job lot I received. It was awesome having all the astronaut poses, as well as all the alien poses with multiples to boot! In the coming days I'll be featuring photo essays on the spaceship as well as the aliens because there were a bunch of poses in colors I didn't yet have. Be Blessed and Enjoy Life! Ed 

GIANT Plastics Corp. (aka GIANT of Hong Kong) / Helen of Toy Space Toys - Pt 28 The Missing Piece, The GIANT Spaceship

Soooo, as I'm sitting here writing this post and kicking myself repeatedly, I could've had this piece earlier this year when one came up for sale. But here I was with funds already stretched to the breaking point and other pokes in the fire and I had to pass it up! arrrrrrrghhh! 😭

The GIANT spaceship as it appears in issue no. 57 of PFPC magazine

HOWEVER, all is not totally lost. Many years ago I acquired this spaceship as part of a job lot and it's nearly the same size as the GIANT spaceship. It appears to be for use in an office and I thought at first it was the collection bin for pencil sharpener shavings, but can't see any attaching points for a sharpener. On the back side of the rocket there appears to be a wall-mounting bracket. Maybe this was a paper clip container??? The ship itself is about the same height but is much rounder in cross section and is made of clear and translucent hard plastic. I always meant to paint this silver but just never got around to it. Oh well - ain't no hurry! Enjoy! Opa Fritz