Perhaps the best aspect of Pixar's charming Monsters Inc. is how it reclaimed the childhood terror of monsters in the closet, transforming the formerly horrorfying premise into a narrative kids could enjoy. Sure there were a few frightening monsters in the bunch—the slithering Randall Boggs with his chameleon powers and schemes of child abduction was pretty disturbing—but by and large the creature-filled cast of the candy-colored comedy was made up of monsters who were fluffy, funny or downright adorable. In short, they were perfect for the many, many plush toys they inspired.
But what, wondered miniature-painting hobbyist Panzer Vargas, would James P. "Sulley" Sullivan, Mike Wazowski and Boo look like in a more monstrous translation? You can see his results below, thanks to io9.
For those unfamiliar with this pastime, miniature manipulators purchase plastic or metal models that are mere inches tall, then paint them with great detail, often customizing figures by carving off elements, gluing others on, and sometimes using putty and the like to sculpt all new characteristics. Vargas explained the source of his monsters, with this caption: (translated from Spanish)
"This is my version of the characters of Pixar's Mosters Inc.. In this realistic concept of Sully, Mike and Boo, an Orc figures Mcfarlane, The Taurus-brand Lilith and Gentle Giant were used as basis. Worked and fully painted."
To see the depth of Vargas's transformation, check out the trio of snapshots below, that show the figures he's created next to the figures they were crafted from.
Though I've never indulged in this hobby myself, I've seen plenty of miniatures that are stunning in the teeny tiny detail work they hold. But I've never before seen this hobby applied outside the world of Tolkein-style fantasy so creatively. Vargas's Sully and Mike are familiar, frightening and remarkably rendered, but I marvel most at the craftsmanship of the yowling Boo, down to her stuffed monster-bear that Vargas must of sculpted himself from scratch!
To see more of Vargas' work, peruse his blog.
