One of the main reasons I got into 3D printing was to make the toys that I could never find growing up. I created several versions of Johnny 5 from Short Circuit out of Lego; I built my own Proton Pack out of Construx before the "real" cartoon existed, and had to pretend a Nerf boomerang had 2 more wings so it could be the Glaive from Krull.
So when I got my first machine back in 2015, one of the first things I set out to design was the sphinxes from the 1984 NeverEnding Story movie. Using bits of some of the models on thingiverse, I was able to combine bits and pieces into something recognizable that I could be proud of, if not 100% accurate. As I got more experienced in making other things and using different tools, I was slowly taking some inspiration on how I could make a better version- ways to smooth out some seams, bend parts, and fill some defects that had always bothered me a little. (Any maker knows you're your own harshest critic. Work is never really "done"; it just gets to a point where it won't nag you if you set it aside for a while, lol)
With that in mind, I finally took the time to refine my model and correct some of those inaccuracies. I got the wings to bend, improved her neck, and reinforced the crown and tail, among other smaller details. I'll need to do a couple test prints to see if there's anything else I missed/need to reinforce, but in the meantime I'm dropping the price on the stock I have left. I'm still very proud of these early versions, and there's no mistaking what they're supposed to be, but it was time to upgrade! New version will hopefully be available soon! 