Animated leaderhead preview: Mansa Mussa

[Yoda Power]

New crown and you should remove the cross, he was muslim.

 

[Chimtot]

okay, new version at the top of the thread. How does it look??

 

[Plexus]

Looks good, Chimtot.

 

[RagnarD]

I'm liking it! What are you thinking for the other eras?

 

[Chimtot]

a new preview for the modern era is at the top of this thread. I could not find a turban for him so I decided to go with the modern army guy look like Firaxis did with Joan of Arc. What do you think???

 

[RagnarD]

Well, it's good, but he looks more like a teenage irregular that the ruler of an empire.

 

[Chimtot]

Do you like him better with a goatee??

 

[RagnarD]

I like him better. But I think you need to lose the tank and the boonie camp. Just not suitable for the ruler of a nation. If you're going for the martial look, maybe you could can dress him like a modern field commander: cammo blouse with general's stars, a soft-cap and, maybe, some aviator shades.

 

[Chimtot]

i'll see what I can do.
thanks for the input. You seem to be more excited about this than kal-el right now RagnarD.

 

[RagnarD]

BTW, I see what you mean about this being what Firaxis did with Joan. You're right. This is a dead-on match for that look. It's just that I really hate that LH (Joan).

Maybe it's a personal problem.

 

[Chimtot]

maybe I'll leave this one for some peaple and do a more modern field commander look for those who don't.

 

[RagnarD]

You seem to be more excited about this than kal-el right now RagnarD.

Well, that's partly because I'm on the boards a lot now, monitoring progress on a project of mine. It's also partly because I'd like to include this LH in that project.

Keep up the good work!

rd

 

[Syrus_Knife]

He looks a little TOO American. Make him not SO clean shaven, like maybe he hasn't shaved for a day. Good job though, you did this with Poser 4?

 

[Kal-el]

@Chimtot,

Would it be possible if you didn't remove all the previews? I am not going to be able to log in everyday for the next 2 months, RL has gotten a bit busier, and I so I seem to have missed a few of the previews.

I like the suggestion by RagnarD, to give him more of the Saddam Hussein look rather than the Guerilla Leader look. And he looks better with the goatee

As for the crown of the Ancient Age, can you dress him up like the orginal pic? And there have to be turbans that you could put him in for the middle ages. It is probably also a good idea to have different backgrounds for the various ages so he is not always standing in front of the huts.

I will try and continue to look in on this project, but like I said I will probably only be online every few days. So don't go thinking I have lost interest. I haven't!

@RagnarD,

I agree completely with your take on Joan. I can't stand her as the French leader.

 

[Chimtot]

How about this look for a modern age military style Mansa??

 

[Chimtot]

I think Kal-el missed this look at ancient Mansa so I am reposting it. I will still add a helmet and robe if I can get it to look right.

 

[Chimtot]

Hello all. My wife and I are going out of town for a few days to visit family. I don't know what type of software my dad has on his computer or if I will even have time to update Mansa untill I get back on the 5th. Don't think I have dissappeared forever. I hope to complete this project within a few days of my return. If anyone can find a good 3D turban object let me know where.

Happy new year!!!

 

[RagnarD]

Chimtot,

That shirt looks a little too "fly" for the military. Gotta open up the collar, add a brown under-shirt, and loosen up the blouse. Dude looks like a Howard grad gone bad.

Still like the face. You should really try to drop some aviator shades on him. If you can find a cigar, it might add a little to the mystique.

rd

 

[Kal-el]

On the Modern:

Again I agree with RagnarD, open up the collar and give him some sort of hat. Maybe put some more medals and pins on him too. Take a look at some of these military dictators for inspiration.
Castro

Noriega

Kadhafi

Hussein

I like the idea of a cigar. It can be used to really help show the emotion of the leader.

I also think you should get rid of the gun.

Thanks for posting the ancient preview. It looks good. I look forward to seeing him with the cap and gown.

 

[Kal-el]

From Civilizations in Africa
The most significant of the Mali kings was Mansa Musa (1312-1337) who expanded Mali influence over the large Niger city-states of Timbuctu, Gao, and Djenné. Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim who built magnificent mosques all throughout the Mali sphere of influence; his gold-laden pilgrimage to Mecca made him an historical figure even in European history writing.

It was under Mansa Musa that Timbuctu became one of the major cultural centers not only of Africa but of the entire world. Under Mansa Musa's patronage, vast libraries were built and madrasas (Islamic universities) were endowed; Timbuctu became a meeting-place of the finest poets, scholars, and artists of Africa and the Middle East. Even after the power of Mali declined, Timbuctu remained the major Islamic center of sub-Saharan Africa.

Budweiser: Great Kings & Queens of Africa
Mansa Kankan Mussa - King of Mali

A flamboyant leader and world figure, Mansa Mussa distinguished himself as a man who did everything on a grand scale. An accomplished businessman, he managed vast resources to benefit his entire kingdom. He was also a scholar and imported noteworthy artists to heighten the cultural awareness of his people.

In 1324, he led his people on the Hadj, a holy pilgrimage from Timbuktu to Mecca. His caravan consisted of 72,000 people whom he led safely across the Sahara Desert and back, a total distance of 6,496 miles. So spectacular was this event that Mansa Mussa gained the respect of scholars and traders throughout Europe and won international prestige for Mali as one of the world’s largest and wealthiest empires.

The Budweiser Site is also where I found the two larger images.

I am reposting them here for people to see what Chimtot is using as a reference.