Welcome to the Asylum Project, a series of new blog posts showcasing my collection of custom Dalek figures depicting insane inmates of the Dalek Asylum. Several of these Daleks have been showcased on this blog before, however they have all changed greatly since then and new custom Daleks have been added to the collection. These Classic Daleks are all complete, with only repaints or additions being made – no serious damage. This is primarily due to the fact that, unless they already feature damage caused by other people, I am loathed to cause permanent damage to a classic figure. As such, many of the Classic Daleks in the Asylum are fully repainted yet complete figures.
Part IV of the Classic Series Dalek Asylum Inmates series will cover my collection of custom Classic Daleks in my Asylum collection that have been modified to appear damaged, insane or deranged. In the episode Asylum of the Daleks, many of the classic props were complete and could not be damaged – as such, many of the Classic Series Daleks seen in the actual episode lack the more serious damage that was done to some of the New Series Daleks.
Custom Damaged Grey Warrior Dalek
This figure was originally a Gold Dalek from Day of the Daleks – the entire figure was painted grey, and the details were then painted black to resemble a Warrior Dalek from the late 70s and 80s. The figure was also given a metallic finish using silver Citadel paint applied using dry-brushing. This figure could be a depiction of a Dalek from one of the 80s Dalek serials, however it appears more like the design that I imagine being used in the Big Finish audios of the same era. Despite the dull paint job of the Dalek Drones of this era, I designed this figure to stand out using the metallic scraping effects.
Despite their older casings, the Daleks of the First Dalek War era can last a long time with relatively little decay – this specimen has been in the Asylum for millennia and has taken little damage, despite taking part in hundreds of minor skirmishes between inmates. Despite this, it is constantly searching for new victims.
Custom Damaged Emperor’s Guard Dalek
This custom was created to accurately depict the Emperor’s Guard Dalek from The Evil of the Daleks, the only example of an Emperor’s Guard Dalek in the Asylum collection that is actually being used as an Emperor’s Guard Dalek. The Dalek in the episode appears to be completely delirious, spinning around in circles endlessly, though the physical prop itself features little damage other than cobwebs. As such, I only gave this custom some light modifications using a black wash that was late reinforced with grey detailing.
After taking part in the intense firefight between Humanised Daleks and Emperor’s Guards during the end of the First Skaro Era, many of the surviving Emperor’s Guards went insane due to the horrific damage caused to the Emperor. This Dalek spins on the spot in the depths of the Asylum endlessly, as means of penance.
Custom Flaming Silver Dalek
This custom was fun to make, and is meant to depict the remarkably flammable Daleks from the Third Doctor serial Death to the Daleks. Despite being attacked with sticks and rocks, the Daleks in this story inexplicably burst into flames. The flames themselves are actually the ragged sleeves of a Series 3 Carrionate figure from the episode The Shakespeare Code, turned upside-down and painted with orange, red and yellow paint. The figure itself was once a Dalek Emperor’s Guard, however the base has been replaced with a thicker 70s and 80s Dalek base and the eyestalk has been replaced with the later model. The gunstick has also been replaced with a fake one fashioned to resemble the crude machine-gun weapons that the Daleks use in this serial.
Although they are unusually flammable compared to other Daleks, this specimen seems unfazed by the fire that often consumes the outer part of its casing – this insane mutant sees the monsters of Exxilon wherever it goes, and feels pain with every waking second of its existence.
Sacred Icon 