Mike's 28th Maori Battalion First Stage

[tonydawe]

Great work Mike. The skin tones look spot on.

 

[Christos]

Looks great, what scale is it?

 

[Mike - The Kiwi]

Looks great, what scale is it?

1\6th scale Christos, a real giant in our hobby.

 

[Mike - The Kiwi]

Great work Mike. The skin tones look spot on.

Thanks Tony, glad to have these behind be now. Took ages to get it to look how I wanted it too.
Next stage scarf & helmet cover then on to the jerkin.
Good timing on this as it is helping me reflect on 60th anniversary of El Alamein.

Stay safe,

Mike

 

[Mike - The Kiwi]

that is so real it's scary. Awesome work sir.

Appreciate followup Chris & Johan good to know the effect look realistic.
Still missing some detail from these photos, hard to see scratched paint on helmet.
Have a look at this shot & please tell me what you think? Does it work?

Stay safe,

Mike

 

[kiwi45]

nice pic Mike, why have you gone to the touble of painting/weathering helmet if your going to add scrim helmet cover?, which by the way may help enlarge the size a little as in pics it looks a tad small, perhaps add some circumference to rim prior to adding cover?? Keep the updates comin" I am relying on these as I am only getting back in house after EQC painting crews have finished, will be three weeks without any modelling and now heading into fishing season..ahh well.
Cheers Les

 

[Mike - The Kiwi]

nice pic Mike, why have you gone to the touble of painting/weathering helmet if your going to add scrim helmet cover?, which by the way may help enlarge the size a little as in pics it looks a tad small, perhaps add some circumference to rim prior to adding cover?? Keep the updates comin" I am relying on these as I am only getting back in house after EQC painting crews have finished, will be three weeks without any modelling and now heading into fishing season..ahh well.
Cheers Les

Hi Les, thanks for comments glad to hear you are getting house sorted & fishing is going well. Got to keep things in perspective mate!

Painted & weathered helmet at may not like hessian covering I'm making for it. So may want to remove this.
Have also just done some measurements on the MkII helmet & it actually is spot on based on these.

Hope to get some more painting tomorrow.

Stay safe,

Mike

P.S. We have 70 AFV's & vehicles, mock UBoat sortie & Mosquito fly past for Armistice Day, would be a shame to miss it ;-)

 

[Andrew Craft]

Looking great Mike, he looks very determined.

Andrew

 

[Mike - The Kiwi]

nice pic Mike, why have you gone to the touble of painting/weathering helmet if your going to add scrim helmet cover?, which by the way may help enlarge the size a little as in pics it looks a tad small, perhaps add some circumference to rim prior to adding cover?? Keep the updates comin" I am relying on these as I am only getting back in house after EQC painting crews have finished, will be three weeks without any modelling and now heading into fishing season..ahh well.
Cheers Les

Next stage beginning Les et al.
Slow but steady progress.

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[Mike - The Kiwi]

Inspiration & reference comes from here:
http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/photo/māori-battalion-haka-egypt-1941

http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/photos?i[name_authority_id]=35549&i[subject]=Military personnel, Maori
http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/photos?utf8=%E2%9C%93&i%5Bsubject%5D=Campaigns&i%5Bname_authority_id%5D=35549&text=&direction=asc&sort=sort_date&commit=Sort


Some specific photos that are particularly valuable:

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[tonydawe]

Some great reference pics there Mike. Love the toothless smile photo

I like the hessian cover on the helmet. Probably needs some weathering and a few rips and tears around the rim, but I'm sure you were going to do that anyway. The yellow undercoat for the leather gerkin is interesting. I'm curious to see how this turns out.

Keep up the good work bro.

 

[kiwi45]

Mike, the hessian cover looks the bussiness and will come up well with some paint/weathering. I love the last pic, this is exactly how I wish my conversion of Andy's 30 cal gunner to look as have all ready opened up mouth area and am re-working features to turn him into a Maori lad.
Hope to be back into model room 2nite for some modelling therapy.
Cheers Les

 

[Mike - The Kiwi]

Some great reference pics there Mike. Love the toothless smile photo

I like the hessian cover on the helmet. Probably needs some weathering and a few rips and tears around the rim, but I'm sure you were going to do that anyway. The yellow undercoat for the leather gerkin is interesting. I'm curious to see how this turns out.

Keep up the good work bro.

That photo is my favourite too Tony & where idea for hessian cover came from.
"Gerkin" ;-) Is steadily being consumed with oil paint

 

[Mike - The Kiwi]

Mike, the hessian cover looks the bussiness and will come up well with some paint/weathering. I love the last pic, this is exactly how I wish my conversion of Andy's 30 cal gunner to look as have all ready opened up mouth area and am re-working features to turn him into a Maori lad.
Hope to be back into model room 2nite for some modelling therapy.
Cheers Les

Thanks Les after yours & Tony's feedback have added some additional shading plus a few tiny tears & a hole in hessian.
Be careful not to over do 'battle damage' on him at this stage.

Stay safe,
Mike

 

[Richie]

Hi Mike,
That looks so life like, he must talk to you while you are painting. Superb.
cheers
Richie

 

[Sturm Grenadier]

Hello Mike, This is really coming along nicely. Love the helmet cover. Also, as Tony said, very interesting yellow undercoat for the jerkin. I have seen real leather jerkins having a worn yellowish orange color to them due to continued scuffling and general wear and tear. Is this a possible effect your trying to show, or some other form of weathering? Best of luck with this figure Mike, will follow. Regards, SG

 

[davidmitchell]

Awesome painting on the face Mike, very realistic. Look forward to your progress on this one .

Cheers David

 

[fanai]

Mike he is progressing really well - was blown away with the bright yellow then realised it was for the coat - interesting and insightful to starters like me- I may even learn something

 

[custer760]

Wow Wow Wow !!!!! I only just found this thread....And what a thread it is !!! This is absolutely gorgeous...So lifelike and you definately have captured that Maori look spot on Mike.Love the touch with the hessian cover and you are absolutely right to paint and detail the helmet even so,because it gives you the feeling for realism.This is going to be a showstopper buddy.Take all the time that you need for this beaut...It will be worth it...I guarantee...Bravo Mike I take my hat off to you my friend.
Regards
Pete

 

[amcairns]

Hi Mike,
He,s coming along nicely.The photo referance you posted looks like good inspiration too.Look forward to more progress.
Cheers
Andy