We’re back with our last installment chronicling the development and design of the new Terminator 2 Minimates line. This time we’re checking in with DSTBarry and learning all about the non-human Minimate designs and getting a look at the Terminator 2 Minimates poster!

Sometimes figuring out where to begin on a new Minimate design can be daunting. This was originally what I thought when I started working on the detailed design of the Terminator Endoskeletons, and also all the fluid transformations of the T-1000. I didn’t know how I could take these very extreme and drastic designs and have them fit on a Minimate body. Surprisingly, both characters weren’t as difficult to capture as I originally imagined.

I ended up designing the look of the Endoskeleton in one attempt. This might not seem like an accomplishment, but getting it in one isn’t always easy. Marvel’s War Machine took me four or five attempts for each version, and currently I’m awaiting word on whether or not the eighth rendition of a seemingly simple cape on a different upcoming figure is the final one.

The face for the Endoskeleton was probably one of the more detailed ones I’ve worked on. After creating the tampo file, I printed it in 1:1 scale to make sure it wasn’t just a mess of incoherent lines. I now have one scary looking test subject: Toy Fair promotional fanboy Terminator Minimate!

T-1000’s specialized pieces required slightly more tweaking, but the initial look was captured early on. Certain specialized head pieces needed to hold the Minimate head shape, but still look like the source material.

The piece that was probably the most fun to create was the Final Battle T-1000. With only one clear camera view of T-1000 in this form to work from, it required a bit of thinking and planning. We also wanted to be sure the standard head and hands could still be a part of the piece, as they remain intact in the film.

My first version was a little out there in terms of size. It would have required its own special larger packaging and it was a bit ridiculously proportioned. On occasion, I apply the real-world proportions of items to my designs when I should be thinking about the squatter, caricatured proportions of a Minimate. Once I refined the design, it better fit into the Minimate world.

When all the design work was done, I set to work on my part of the T2 poster. I first designed the motorcycle for the lower half of the poster, and combined it with Uriel’s fantastic pencils of the Minimate Terminator. I then set to colouring by sampling some base colours from the original poster to build my palette. I often change them slightly, but it at least helps me get the overall colour range correct. Like the posters before it, I applied lighting and shading on the figure as if it had contours of a real person. It gives the poster more depth, and also helps it reflect the original.

Read Part 1

Read Part 2