HOME | DD

Librarian-bot — A New Dalek Paradigm

Published: 2010-04-18 10:15:21 +0000 UTC; Views: 33509; Favourites: 149; Downloads: 6517
Redirect to original
Description Well now. SPOILERS. In fact, if you're looking at this, it's possibly a bit late but, if you don't want to know anything about Victory of the Daleks, GO BACK YOU MAD FOOLS, GO BACK!!!

*Ahem* Anyway, I was on the whole impressed by it, even if it did gallop along a touch too fast. The Dalek’s plan was sound and their needing the Doctor's help was wonderfully reasoned. And the new Daleks were certainly impressive, with some wonderful (intentional or otherwise) nods to Ron Turner's art on the Dalek Chronicles. However...I have three problems with said new Daleks.

The first is that they look hunch-backed. This is not a little be due to some bright spark's idea to cover the back panel of the skirt with a ruddy great support pillar with vents on. This is something I’ve noticed happening a lot in fan redesigns and I personally loathe to see it on anything that isn't a special weapons Dalek. In fact, I dislike any design that cuts the Dalek bumps down from the requisite 56. In story, if they are sensors, then that would leave them with a blind spot. Out of story, I just don’t think it looks right. All this said, on subsequent watching, I am getting used to it so we’ll have to see how it goes.

The second is the neck/ring section. It looks like a compost bin. And you can SEE STRAIGHT THROUGH IT. Granted, this only happens a couple of times but would it have killed them to put a bit of gauze or something around inside there? The above models take these two complaints and run with them. It’s effectively my attempt to bolt aspects of the new design onto a more traditional (and, admittedly, smaller) model, since it’s long been my ambition to apply some features of Turner’s wonderfully stylised Daleks to an actual model and this is as good an excuse as any.

But the third problem is the worst and will sorely test my endurance if it remains. It’s one of the greatest crimes against the image of the Daleks since the comedy routines of The Chase. It is an almost unforgivable sin. You see, last night, the world bore witness to the unimaginable horrors that were the Bright Orange Dalek and the Marigold Yellow Dalek.

I exaggerate, of course. But while I am (as a glance at my gallery will show) a lover of multi-coloured Daleks, there are limits. I’m not talking about going beyond so hallowed ‘black, red, blue, grey, gold’ spectrum of acceptable Dalek colours ‘cause they already did that with the rather spiffing bronze scheme we’ve had for the last five years and that worked wonderfully. What I’m talking about is the sudden absence of the very definitely metal feel that the UK’s favourite pepper-pots have been sporting of late. Suddenly we’re back to flat, matte colours and it leaves a design that is bigger, bolder and heavier than even the bolted and riveted RTD era one looking decidedly plastic. And that would be fine, I suppose, if it weren’t for the colours. You see, it kind of works on the White, Blue and Red versions. A bit of texturing and a metallic zing would go a long way, of course, but what the heck. Bonded polycarbide doesn’t sound like a metal anyway.

Except then we have Orange Zest and the Sunflower Kid and it all falls apart. If it had been a decent gold and copper, we’d have been fine, I think. But Orange and Yellow – *bright* yellow – do not look threatening. They’re cheery, friendly colours, nice, happy colours, in short, colours no self-respecting Dalek should be seen dead in. They look, as a friend of mine pointed out, like sweets.

Which is all a rather long winded way of saying that, when it came to deciding on colours for the above picture, I decided to stick with metallic hues. I hope that, while still striking, they can at least hold their eyestorks high, confident that they do not look like they could be undone with a craft knife and a glue-gun.

*Phew*
Rant over. Enjoy the picture. It’s sort of WIP but hopefully there’ll be more of this design to show off soon.
Related content
Comments: 130

Librarian-bot In reply to ??? [2011-01-15 23:06:49 +0000 UTC]

Yeah...it seems so silly that they'd go for such flat, plastic colours, especially if they were emulating the Peter Cushing movies, with their splendid metalic Daleks.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Death-Driver-5000 [2010-12-19 23:47:04 +0000 UTC]

This is what I think they should have done for the New Dalek Paradigm:

Only the Supreme Dalek should have the new design (since he's the leader), and the rest of the Daleks have the original design, but with the new colors (which I will agree the bright yellow is not very threatening).

I think it would have been much better if that's how it went.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Laharl234 [2010-11-12 12:13:54 +0000 UTC]

Did you know the new Daleks actually have an eyeball in their eyestalks? I didn't notice until I got the Visual Dictionary, but they do. They've got a little fleshy eyeball wired into the eyestalk, which I think is meant to replicate the black dot in the old Dalek eyestalks from the classic era.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to Laharl234 [2010-11-12 12:36:28 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, I know. I think the main reason they did it was because it's in Terry Nation's original outline...

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Laharl234 In reply to Librarian-bot [2010-11-12 21:44:32 +0000 UTC]

That the eyestalk holds a real eyeball?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to Laharl234 [2010-11-16 10:07:07 +0000 UTC]

I believe so, yes. It's something like a description of it as a living eye on the end of a stalk. Not sure exactly.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Laharl234 In reply to Librarian-bot [2010-11-16 10:33:55 +0000 UTC]

Well Daleks are technically cyborgs. The NDP (Moffat's) have really grown on me actually. I know many other people are still adjusting to them, but I think it's a phase all Whovians will get through.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

N-spired-Void In reply to ??? [2010-10-15 23:33:29 +0000 UTC]

sorry, but all i can think of is GO GO DALEK RANGERS

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to N-spired-Void [2010-10-18 14:31:09 +0000 UTC]

Heh. Ah well, as long as it amuses you!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

sammy9897 [2010-08-14 12:35:15 +0000 UTC]

This is the Dalek paradigm done right. Great work! I think the BBC should really think about revising the new Daleks.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to sammy9897 [2010-08-15 15:44:44 +0000 UTC]

They will, sooner or later. They always have. I just hope they give 'em a lick of metallic paint before they show up again...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Percyfan94 In reply to ??? [2010-07-25 07:57:21 +0000 UTC]

The new Daleks are still great to me! Great job!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to Percyfan94 [2010-07-25 09:14:35 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Laharl234 [2010-07-08 00:09:03 +0000 UTC]

I just thought of how these could work. Remember there were hundreds of Daleks sucked into the Void. Well maybe they, like the Cybermen, escaped during Davros' machinations and a couple of them found another Progenitor and used it to create THIS New Paradigm.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to Laharl234 [2010-07-08 15:55:46 +0000 UTC]

Well, I'm kind of imagining this lot as an alternative to the actual new paradigm design rather an co-existing with them. Still, not a bad idea...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

shadowthewedgehog In reply to ??? [2010-07-06 20:33:22 +0000 UTC]

I didn't think it was a vent. It looked more like a shutter that would open to reveal something intresting

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

RYCloud92 [2010-07-05 14:53:07 +0000 UTC]

I agree with the weird vent in their back. And especially with the yellow and orange colours of the "Eternal" and the Scientist. Hopefully the "Eternal" will play its part next year and will never be seen again.

The reaction of some fans though was as if the BBC had completely changed the basis of the Dalek concept in general. Surely if they rolled out some Spider Daleks that would have been closer to that truth.

Anyway great pic, love it

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to RYCloud92 [2010-07-05 15:03:14 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I certainly don't think it's a challenge to the basic concept of the Daleks, whatever that is - I just don't care for bits of the design. I dread to think what would have happened if the spider Daleks had showed up...

Anyway, cheers! Glad you like it!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

EVysther In reply to ??? [2010-06-13 00:04:32 +0000 UTC]

Nice reworking of a REALLY LOUSY redesign...I lost *all* faith in Moffat after those turkeys strolled out - you made them semi-bearable - I still hate the mid section though - looks like a block of cheap plastic...actually, the entire redeisgn IS made of cheap plastic...but oh well...

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to EVysther [2010-06-14 16:50:24 +0000 UTC]

I certainly haven't lost all faith. I think it was a mis-step...but one that was very nearly a right step. I do kind of agree with the idea that Daleks should look like machines...but not ones built by humans, which is the downside of the bolt-and-rivet style.

Anyway, glad you think I improved on it!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

HeartoftheTARDIS [2010-06-12 04:24:54 +0000 UTC]

I liked the colurs, but no the design of the new daleks, i wouldn't mind a blue dalek for my guard dog, but they are fat in the back and the eye piece is all wrong...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

OwenDWF1 In reply to ??? [2010-05-23 22:40:12 +0000 UTC]

Very nice design!!!!

I cant decide if i like the new Daleks or not. When you see them on screen and moving, your like "Wow" and "Thats Fantastic!!!" but when you see them in a still image from an Episode they look god awfull, but if its a publicity shot, say a Dalek looking down with its gun pointing staright at you, say in the likes of Doctor Who Magazine or the Radio Times, or maybe on a poster or DVD cover they also look brillaint.

Im not so sure about the Drones though. Gun metal grey would suit them, and not Red. Red looks a wee tad "Bubbly" and Gun metal Grey looks so much more aggressive and angry. As for the Supreme, Black and Gold from Planet of the Daleks would have been my choice. Im loving the Blue Dalek though. First ever one seen in the Series, apart from Jon pertwee's auto biography.

I really cant wait for the Merchandie either. Im not entirely sure if you like the new Design or not. Im completly boggled. At some moments your saying you do, and some moments you dont?!?!?!

You should start a Yotube channel and get some animations of these bad boys on the go. It would look brillaint!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to OwenDWF1 [2010-05-26 12:07:24 +0000 UTC]

Well, if I could animate them, I would, but at the moment, I don't have the software. And my feelings on the new design can basically be summed up as 'like some bits, don't like others, generally feel they should have looked more traditional'! Thanks for your comments.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

ShadowtheImmortal In reply to ??? [2010-05-21 23:31:55 +0000 UTC]

Wow. These look fantastic! I completely agree with you concerning the orange Dalek, They would have been better leaving the colouring the same as the bronze daleks. I don't think the silver orbs go with that orange too well, either.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to ShadowtheImmortal [2010-05-22 09:05:21 +0000 UTC]

Thank you. And I think you're right about the silver not entirely going with the orange...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Night-Miner In reply to ??? [2010-05-19 09:14:05 +0000 UTC]

Personally I preferred the design they'd been using since the series was brought back. The new ones seem a bit too bulky for me, and they lack the swivel mid-section.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

dragonkan In reply to ??? [2010-05-11 05:12:31 +0000 UTC]

ok 1. im a nerd 2. im a doctor who fan 3. get over it, i like the new daleks warch the doctor who confidenshal to go with that episode it explains some things, the new daleks rules, and its ment to be paradime not Paradigm. i like the idea of the master race- scintest,blue - stratigest,orange -drone,red - eturnal,yellow-supreme,white.
the daleks prior where based of roses highet now they have a taller asistant they have taller daleks its not the main reason they did it but its a parshal reason for the high to give them a scale., they are taller then amy tho
now they eye, they now have a living eye insted of the emcanical eye, this was to remind people that theres a living thing inside the dalek and its not just a robot shell.
now as for the ring around there necks it looks good so leave it alone its like the old one just to scale.
some of the new design is from the old daleks from the books and stuff.
now the eturnal they dont know about it when they made this story for the intro for the episode and they unsure wat there gunna do wat there gunna do but there gunna be really important.
the eturnal also has black ballbels on the side rather then silver because im gessing black and yellow work as also the supress loos slighly diffrent.
they move more menecing way because there bigger.
now the dalek movies sorta inspried tje size and the colours.
its unconfirmed but there is posibly a black dalek coming back as in the epirors gard from the books

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to dragonkan [2010-05-11 09:52:25 +0000 UTC]

Since I'm a geek and a Doctor Who fan, I doubt I'm going to object to you posting!

I have watched that episode of Confidential, several times, in fact, and I agree with pretty much all of their reasoning - I just don't like the final product as much as I would like to like it...if you see what I mean. Since I'm a great fan of the old Dalek Book and comic strip art, I love that we've got some features of that actually on the live action props. I don't care either way that they're now big and on eye-level with the Doctor (I think he and Amy are about as tall as each other). And they do move with more weight behind them now, which is also good. My chief complaints are solely directed against the drift away from the classis Dalek silhouette and the...the type of colours, more than the colours themselves. As I've said before, because they're so flat and un-metallic, they detract from the heaviness of the design. It deserves to have looked as heavy as it moves and I don't think it does.

And no, I do mean 'paradigm', which can be pronounced 'para-dime' and means a distinct philosophical or scientific framework, a set of ideas and laws and principles, if you will. In this case, however, I think it's used in its second meaning, that of a particular pattern, idea or exempler (prime example). Trust me - I'm a philosopher!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

dragonkan In reply to Librarian-bot [2010-05-11 23:17:58 +0000 UTC]

well you know how every thing looks shiny and new just give them time then fine tune the look, but ither way i like them

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

TFallspark [2010-05-05 21:01:01 +0000 UTC]

THE RESURECTION OF THE MASTER RACE!!!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Laharl234 In reply to ??? [2010-05-01 06:01:06 +0000 UTC]

Boo-hoo, get over it. It's Steven Moffat's series now, not yours. Orange and Yellow are the colours. I've had to warm to them too more because seeing RTD's get shot down was sad. But oh well. If you don't like it, then shut up and get out of Doctor Who.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to Laharl234 [2010-05-01 10:57:57 +0000 UTC]

I've been a Doctor Who fan through seeing the 5th Doctor blaze away with a handgun at a Dalek creature before threatening to shoot Davros in cold blood, through the Sixth Doctor half-throttling Peri and the Daleks been given stupidly high voices, through the nonsense of Cybermen being killed with gold coins fired from a catapault, through the frankly disasterous Faction Paradox plot arc in the Eighth Doctor books, through some of the New Series mis-steps (in my opinion) such as Love and Monsters and forcibly bringing Rose back into an already cluttered story and a thousand other choices by show-runners that have made me question what they thought they were thinking.

Bright orange Daleks are small fry. But I reserve the right to complain and show I personally think things could have been improved.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

TeenDalek In reply to ??? [2010-04-30 17:58:43 +0000 UTC]

I've seen hundreds of YouTube vids that parody these Daleks with the Power Rangers. Trust me, it suits them and it never gets old.

Like you, I had to warm to the new Daleks. New Who seems a bit like Marmite at the moment. You eith like it or loathe it.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

novmbr17 In reply to ??? [2010-04-27 13:06:46 +0000 UTC]

These are pretty much a million times better than what we actually got, they're practically perfect, a beautiful blend of old and new, pleasingly proportioned, satisfyingly sturdy-looking and tastefully technicolor-less.

I absolutely, completely love your work, PLEASE give us some more of these new Daleks of yours, to banish the nightmares we've had since Victory of the Daleks!!

(Also, I love your Green Lantern Dalek too )

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to novmbr17 [2010-04-27 15:44:34 +0000 UTC]

Thanks a lot! I certainly intend to continue producing these pictures - might even spring to a few comic strips. We'll have to see. (And I was rather pleased with the GL Beta myself... )

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

cerberus144 [2010-04-26 17:18:52 +0000 UTC]

I love these Future Retro Daleks. How ever like most people, my first thought was "Go! Go! Dalek Rangers!"

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to cerberus144 [2010-04-27 15:38:40 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, that seems to have happened a lot. Of course, until they start pulling off the moves, I will not be thinking that.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

cerberus144 In reply to Librarian-bot [2010-04-27 15:41:39 +0000 UTC]

I giant Dalek Zord made from slightlly smaller but still quite large Dalek Zords.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to cerberus144 [2010-04-27 16:15:58 +0000 UTC]

I almost want to see that...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

yourmother120 [2010-04-24 21:43:38 +0000 UTC]

This is brilliant stuff. Great work Mr librarian Bot. This picture improves the Daleks immensely. At least now they look menacing and convincing. If I knew Moffat's email I'd send this to him to show him how real Daleks should look. I hate the Daleks seen in Victory. They just look so cheap, plastic and bright. It just reduces their threat and was a really pointless change IMO. You've done a fantastic job improving them, you should be proud.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to yourmother120 [2010-04-27 15:37:48 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! I'm one of the few, I think, that doesn't think the change was pointless - just not one that turned out for the best. The visual difference was very dramatic and with a few touches, could have been brilliant. There is an in-story difference between the 2005 Daleks and the New Paradigm and I don't see why that shouldn't have been reflected in the casings. But I also don't see why a slightly more traditional design wouldn't have worked just as well...

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

darkdave08 [2010-04-23 00:32:33 +0000 UTC]

HELL YES LOVE THEM GREAT JOB!!! EXTERMINATE,EXTERMINATE.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Primal-Mythos [2010-04-21 22:39:20 +0000 UTC]

They look like something based off the power rangers XD

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

SeraphL In reply to ??? [2010-04-20 02:09:38 +0000 UTC]

I'm with you on this one. Much as I like the tallness and I can deal with the rather retro design on the basis that these guys are going back to an earlier and 'purer' model of Dalek, the humpback and see-throughness annoy me, and there is something odd about the finish of them. The colours are WAY too cheerful and just very plasticy, which looks tacky at the best of times.

Your versions, the the other hand, with the more muted colours and the more solid looking metallic finish, I actually like more than the real ones! At least the previous 'bronze effect' Daleks didn't look like they had been made by the guys who made Duplo blocks.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

starfox4 In reply to ??? [2010-04-19 10:34:50 +0000 UTC]

Look at the fat bastard of a Dalek.

Steven Moffat wants to make this series "his series" which, sadly, involve throwing out the old (and better) Dalek design with....with the technicolour nightmare of 70s Daleks.

If everyone remembers the colour thing of the 70s was pretty much the BBC's way of saying "we're to cheap to spring out for a different design of Dalek with each level of command so colour should do it".

Damn it! I thought we were past the cheapness of using colours to convey rank and instead using alternative designs like the one from Journey Ends (the red one with the cool extras and such. Which was in keeping with the standard form).

These new Daleks are more likely to get a victim laughing then carving in the sense of dredd.

Thank you Steven Moffat and Mark Gattis (or something like that) for introducing your fanwank of a design in honour of those films from 60s (Peter Cushing anyone?) along with the colour scheme.

Nice pic (in the way its possible when faced by the laghingstock of the Dalek breed).

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to starfox4 [2010-04-19 22:53:46 +0000 UTC]

Um...I think the 'rank being a different colour' thing is less a case of them being cheap and more a result of them not having the money! Certainly back then, it was pretty much all they could do to get the sets built and the effects done. And speaking for myself, I don't have a problem with that. I don't see why higher ranking Daleks would be constructed any differently. Indeed, it probably doesn't make much sense for them to be differentiated at all but someone needs to look like they're in charge.

The funny thing is, I don't see this design as 'too fat' so much as 'too long'. In portrait, it's fine...in profile, considerably less so.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

starfox4 In reply to Librarian-bot [2010-04-20 18:10:10 +0000 UTC]

"Cheap" being (this is my opinion) the BBC's attitude to their prime example of good TV production (everything else they produce is a waste of potential Doctor Who production money). They make all this money from the mechandise (toys, magazines, DVD's) which I'm aware the people who make the stuff get some of the money.

I might've been in nerd rage mode when I made the "fat bastard of a Dalek" comment.

Back to the reason we're all here: Nice pic, the darker colour scheme works better then plastic (toy selling) city.

--

Welcome to the bright side of the Daleks breed.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to starfox4 [2010-04-21 09:08:44 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! I did vaguely debate whether I should scrap anything like yellow in favour of black but I think gold is a perfectly respectable colour for a Dalek.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

N3v3r-Kn0ws-B3st In reply to ??? [2010-04-19 06:43:48 +0000 UTC]

zomg finally some one who Sees the new Daleks the way i do

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Librarian-bot In reply to N3v3r-Kn0ws-B3st [2010-04-19 22:49:06 +0000 UTC]

That a good or bad way?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1


| Next =>