Hello everyone! This is Stanley the Toy Brave!
It's been years since my last submission! Today, I'm excited to share a photography project I took on at the end of the year before last: a pre-painted statue collaboration between Ax2 Limited and Canadian illustrator Derek Stenning. It's "The Traveller" from the EK series (I affectionately call him the "Old Astronaut," and there's an artist bio later in the article).
Derek Stenning's EK series focuses on astronauts, with works that evoke a quiet, melancholic sense of weariness. While the statue isn't large, it's packed with intricate details. I used dramatic side lighting to emphasize the shadows on the face and suit.
The floating sphere is a signature element of the EK series. Early EK series statues were sold in limited quantities as 3D-printed white model kits. This time, toy company AX2 developed a fully pre-painted version, which is a huge relief for a lazy collector like me who has a backlog of Garage Kits and Gundam models! The statue is currently funding on Kickstarter, so interested fans should definitely check it out.
Illustrator Profile:
Derek Stenning
A Canadian illustrator, his official website is: http://borninconcrete.com
Derek Stenning is best known for his illustration series "Entartete Kunst," which primarily depicts "astronauts living in a surreal, spectacular, and solitary universe." Derek began creating this series in 2009 and continues to add new works to it. Four of his pieces were selected by snowboard brand Endeavor as official graphics for their 2010/2011 High 5 series.
Sculptor Profile:
Leo Haslam, a Polish 3D sculptor, has contributed to the short film "Adam: The Mirror" and various Techland video game projects. His work often features sculptures related to cybernetic organisms. As an amateur prototype sculptor myself, I, Stanley the Toy Brave, am deeply impressed by his modeling prowess!
Finally, here are some additional photos with a lighter background and more ample lighting. These shots highlight AX2's incredibly delicate paint application, with perfectly rendered shadow effects and weathering that flawlessly capture the mysterious essence of Derek's work. While characters like middle-aged men might be a niche subject, I personally find the artistic value quite high (and the price reflects that artistic quality). As a hardcore fan who collects all of AX2's products, this very commitment to niche, non-mainstream product positioning is precisely what defines the brand's unique character!
According to the official statement, the final product will primarily utilize magnets for most of its positioning and assembly. Furthermore, the connecting wire is made of bendable metal, allowing collectors to freely adjust the floating sphere's position.
All in all, "The Traveller" is a truly refreshing piece that left me constantly amazed and captivated during the photoshoot! I highly recommend it for anyone who regularly collects Art Toys or statues. The crowdfunding campaign ends in October, so if you're interested, be sure to grab one before it's too late (consider this a strong recommendation)!
That's all for now.
Thanks for reading.
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