WIP Critique ~1/6 bust - Maj. Gen. Pat Cleburne CSA

Major General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne was one of many Irish immigrants that fought in the American Civil War. Cleburne began his career in the CSA as a lowly militia private and ending as a divisional commander with the moniker “The Stonewall of the West.” He fought at Shiloh, Stones River (i.e. Murfreesborough), Chickamauga, Ringgold Gap, Missionary Ridge, and finally at Franklin. Cleburne is notable for proposing in late 1863 that the South end slavery and recruit black soldiers to their colours, as the North was doing. Surprisingly, his military career survived this revolutionary proposal but it may have stifled future promotions.

Pat Cleburne was one of six confederate generals killed or mortally wounded in action in John Bell Hood’s ill-conceived frontal attack on the federal entrenchments outside Franklin. There are some historians who believe that this attack was ordered by Hood as a deliberate attempt to discipline his army for its major failure at Spring Hill the previous day. When last seen, Cleburne was charging the Union fortifications on foot, having lost his mount. His body was found within the Union defensive lines after the battle. In company with three other of the slain Confederate general officers, Cleburne’s body was brought to plantation of Carnton and he was laid out on the back veranda so that his men could pay their respects to their beloved commander.

“Where this division defended, no odds broke its line; where it attacked, no numbers resisted its onslaught, save only once; and there is the grave of Cleburne.” Gen. William J. Hardee

“He was a meteor shining from a clouded sky.” Robert E. Lee



There are many Cleburne relics left that can still be seen in Southern museums. For example, one of Cleburne’s coatees (sadly not the one that he wore when he was shot through the abdomen at Franklin), his kepi, pistol, sash and sword are all still to be seen in various public collections. There are many pictures, paintings and engravings of him on the net but all seem to be derived from two period photographs, both sadly taken from exactly the same angle. So my portrait will be my impression of Pat Cleburne taken from these images.



The model is about 1/6 scale and the head is in sculpey firm.

The kepi needs its peak yet and there is no way I am sculpting on thosse horrific Austrian knots - I will add them with paint.



I have been ill for the last 7 weeks so haven't done much here. But I managed to sculpt this piece over the last week after a week in hospital. I'm on the mend now and look forward to getting him finished and dipping him in paint.

Colin

You are off to a booming start my friend! I really like this so far. Come on Chicken Little sculpt the braidwork on the kepi... I dares ya, I doubledog dares ya I don't know what would be harder, sculpting it or painting it without it being sculpted.
Too bad you won't be able to show this off on Sunday

I will be following this closely as always... Carry on MacDuff

Short haired Colin

Looking really good Colin.
You have packed loads of character into this face.

Good to see that you are on the mend.
Cheers,
Keith

Hey Colin,
This is coming along great. Cleburne is a personal favorite of mine. Here is Ron Tunison's version of him:


Wish I could take better pics but you get the idea. Sorry to hear you have been ill. Of course most doctors reccomend attending Figure Shows to improve one's health escpecially the one in Chicago in Oct.

Bob

Heh Bob - thanks for posting Ron's bust.Every year I toy with a pilgrimage to Chicago and every year I do nothing about it. But I will get there soon I think. At least I hope so. Being sick so long this year should be a major wake up call to put more emphasis on fun rather than work.

It was only in doing more research last night that I found that Ron is also the sculptor of the Cleburne monument that the town of Ringgold commissioned and unveiled in 2009. Ringgold is the site of one of Cleburne's most notable actions and the town of ~2500 people commissioned a full-monument in the hopes of putting themselves n the ACW tourist map - I hope it worked.

Ron Tunison is certainly one hobbiest that made the successful jump from playing with clay to professional in the big time. I remember looking at his stuff in old Campaigns mags.

Here are a couple of shots of the monument gathered from around the net and what appears to be a study for it. My personal view is that it's a great statue.

I tried to give more prominence to Cleburne's high cheekbones and the gaunt look that one sees in his photos but I guess the portraits are not too dissimilar.



Colin

Added the peak to his kepi. Used a dremel circular saw to carve out a recess to take the peak.



Then put in a piece of cardboard from a writing pad. Drew the peak shape in pen. Cut out the cardboard master with an xacto. Added a layer of magicsculpt. Force dried it for 15 mins in the oven at 225 degrees (like sculpey). Used a rio rondo carbide scraper to remove the cardboard pattern from the MS.



Here he is with the kepi's front adjustment band and buttons. I will also add a textured edging to the peak as this level of detail is probably required in the larger 1/6 scale. I also opened his eyes up a bit. The nice thing about sculpting eyes in sculpey on an epoxy ball is that you can change the eye size and shape after baking with the simple use of a #11 blade.



Colin

Good progress Colin.
I do like your method of getting a good fit on the peak and chin strap.
Press on Mate.
Cheers,
Keith

Colin,
Yes, the bust I have was done by Ron for the fund raising program by The Gen. Patrick Cleburne Society to help pay for the statue in Ringgold. Unfortunately due to economic conditions, Ron no longer does cold cast sculpts for collectors and battlefield monument commissions have pretty much dried up. He was selling off his militaria collection at MFCA this year and works a regular job. Hopefully this will change for this talented artist in the future.
Bob

This is an interesting article on the travels of Cleburne's personal sidearm, taken from his corpse at Franklin and reunited with his kepi for museum display for the first time after a century and a half. http://battleoffranklin.wordpress.c...of-gen-patrick-r-cleburne’s-once-lost-pistol/

Colin

The peak makes all the difference. Really starting to take shape now. Maybe a little length on the goatee... more like the statue, it will also serve to "lengthen" the shape of the face. That's why I keep keep my goatee all long and pointy-like... so my face doesn't like so fat

Keep on keeping on

Colin

Hi Colin - thanks for the comments. I agree that the pointy goatee that Ron Tunison portrayed looks far more debonair and southern genteel. I was after a bit more of the scruff Irish immigrant look one sees in Cleburne's photos. If anything, I think I still have him too "tidy." I will need to make is facial hair look more patchy when I paint him.



Hope you guys have a good meet tomorrow. Wish I could be there.

Colin

Based on Colin's prompt (see above), I decided to sculpt on the the kepi decoration and peak edging. I think this is better than painting on the detail. I went with indicating the lace detail rather than precisely sculpting on each individual strand of the detailed lacework. I figure I can improve any imperfections in the sculpted knots and lace with paint. This detail was added in MS.



Next step to start the bust. I have to decide to go with boring (no arms), holding his sabre in the crook of his arm per the painting below or holding his Colt revolver. Decisions decisions.



Colin

Or have the sabre as above and the colt in the hand instead of the kepi best of both worlds!
Steve

Great idea and a sculpting challenge! Thanks Steve.

Colin

You're welcome I believe in making peoples lives miserable
Steve

You're welcome The kepi braiding looks fantastic... much better than if you had tried to paint it on, for sure. Well done!
I'd go with the arms, sword cradled (as is) and the right hand resting loosely on left hand/wrist.

To play Devil's Advocate (a la Steve), I will lobby for the full sculpt like the memorial

The meet on Sunday was great fun, of course you were sorely missed, sir. Did you get the pics from Zeno?

Colin

Colin

Got the pictures from Zeno - thanked him already. Looks like you guys had a nice little work session. I am 0 for 2 now :-(
Any idea when/if you are doing it again? Really nice of Joe and Greg to open up the shop to host it and make it so welcoming too.

Re. Cleburne, I think I will pass on the revolver with sword as it would make him look a little too much like one of those Missouri bushwackers one sees in the posed photos of the period. As he is a Major General, he needs a little genteel going on (Steve - do you buy my excuse to not sculpt the colt?).

Also, its staying a bust only. I have discovered in my travels that I hate sculpting full figures as in 90% of the cases its only the face, chest and head gear that interests me. Saves on anatomical torments too. I often get the stance wonky at least from one angle.

Colin

That's some exceptional work Colin! Hope you recover pronto! Look forward to seeing more.

Joe

crf said:

Colin

Got the pictures from Zeno - thanked him already. Looks like you guys had a nice little work session. I am 0 for 2 now :-(
Any idea when/if you are doing it again? Really nice of Joe and Greg to open up the shop to host it and make it so welcoming too.


Colin

Click to expand...

We are trying for a bi-monthly schedule... putting the next one mid-september. Hopefully you'll be better by then A little show and tell, some technical exchanges, coffee, pizza and some girl watching on Bayview Ave during smoke breaks... I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon

BTW did you notice you are the last of the long haired freaks?

Colin