Twiggy

As part of my 'Britannia' collection, I thought I'd have a stab at the iconic 1960s British Fashion Model Twiggy- the first of the supermodels, stood next to her Mini Cooper. What could be more British than that?
I got the Tamiya 1/24th mini, so that means the Twigster has to be 1/24th or 70mm.
As you can see my first attempt has not gone well. Her head came out more like 90mm ruining the effect. Still that's just one day's sculpting, so I'll bin it and try again this weekend...

This is going to be good ....

Sculpting please David!

Nap

Yes this should be good.
A few years back I made about four of the Tamiya mini's for different people in different colours.
Ralph.

Nap- could be cool if I don't screw up the sculpting!
Ralph- its a most British of British cars, I thought about doing this with a union jack on the roof, but also, NMM style to give it a little twist...

You wont need much modeling clay for her

Didn't think much of the stick look back in the day but then again I was only a kid . Came to like her and her looks as she matured and got out of the business. Really liked her sense of humour. Never seemed to take herself too seriously...not like the current batch of vapid runway divas.

Will you sculpt Mr. Bean next, in keeping with the Mini theme? Seriously, though, very cool project!

Prost!
Brad

Mr Bean, Jeremy Clarkson, David Cameron so many Brit media figures it would be fun to try in a model scene!

Twiggy was only 16 when she was declared 'the face of 66'- so just a kid, and I think she went on to about 1970 in her main career. Today's supermodel divas are quite a bit older in many cases- I think without checking, Elle Mc Pherson is 50, Cindy Crawford, Kate moss still going strong. Twiggy was always 'girl next door' ish and pretty likeable. She ended up doing quite a bit of course and has become a mature model for Marks and Spencers campaigns in recent years...

I'm curious. How tall was Twiggy actually in the 66?

The 2015 Mini is between 24 and 26 inches in height or 1397mm. 1/24th would be 58mm and a bit. Of course the 1966 Mini might have been taller or shorter.

My wife was a high school part-time 'look-alike' model for Twiggy-type fashions in a large department store in downtown St. Paul, MN. She was 5 feet, 7 inches at the time or about 1702mm. A scale figure in 1/24th would be about 71mm, right?

All the best,
Dan

Twiggy was small by today's standard where the models are often 6 foot and maybe not that twiggy compared to the latest catwalk models. I hear the French are introducing a law to have a minimum BMI for models due to the taste for the painfully thin.

At least with Twiggy you only need the armature David good luck with the project.

Colin

The very best of luck with this super project David.
Great start on a very complex figure. Following your progress with keen interest.
Cheers
Keith

Interesting subject but may I make a suggestion if you are keeping with Mini themes?

How about Michael Caine as Charlie Croaker and some of the other gang with three minis red,white and blue - "you're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" - if you do cast a figure of Caine I'd be your first customer!

This is the self preservation society....

Adrian Cowdry said:

How about Michael Caine as Charlie Croaker .

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Nice choice - however would love to see Harry Palmer done as a figure



Rich

I think we could all pick out favorite Caine figures - Palmer would be great (I'd like Edward Woodward as Callan as well), Croaker and of course Jack Carter - but would you want Jaws the Return?...probably not.

But I am sure that Caine from Zulu, Italian Job, Ipcress File, Getr Carter even Batman would all be well received.

I am looking forward to the Man Who Would be King busts that are mentioned on this site - Connery and Caine busts look great.

Of course Connery has been done in his most famous role and there are some great figures and busts of Sean007, I'd like a good figure of Connery as Marko Ramius - there are a couple out there but the likeness are not great.

I'd also like good figures of Sherlock Holmes - Rathbone and Brett.

I'd also like figures of Eastwood and Burton from Where Eagles Dare, I keep plaguing Mitches Military Models for them - they have hinted that Kelly's Heroes might be on the cards.

But what about all the cast of A Bridge Too Far? - It wouldn't sell - too much commitment but I'd love that.

However I am digressing - the 1960's subject with Twiggy I think is very cool and I look forward to seeing the end result. If the female theme is paramount - Raquel Welch and Audrey Hepburn would be two great subjects.

Next - what about an Lotus Eurpoa and Diana Rigg? Mustang with Tania Mallet? E Type Jag and Anouska Hempel? All these women .....!

Thanks for your interest fellas, and wow so many good ideas for other figures. Some of those like Adrian's suggestions could be worthwhile commercially I reckon.
Now for a hobbyist like me who likes to do his own stuff, you can see the fun in doing things that no commercial manufacturer would consider taking on- the sex pistols certainly, and I doubt Twiggy would ever make a mould!!

Adrian Cowdry said:

I think we could all pick out favorite Caine figures - Palmer would be great (I'd like Edward Woodward as Callan as well), Croaker and of course Jack Carter - but would you want Jaws the Return?...probably not.

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100% yes to Edward Woodward as Callan - especially as the Callan character was a figure collector, a definite

Wouldn't mind a bash at it myself?

Being into curvy women myself I nevertheless find this a fantastic idea.
There are sixties cars from several nations available from Tamiya (Beetle, Karmann, Fiat 500, Renault Alpine, etc) with a Gullwing Mercedes to be released this year and doing a "typical" female to fit is a charming idea.
And Ebbro is releasing the wonderful Citroen DS 19 in 2015.
Size issue aside I like what you did so far.

Gents, I'm 52- I have 2 daughters 13 and 10. Twiggy was a child girl in her hey day, 16 when she hit the big time! I see that now as a dad. I can appreciate her good looks, but really I think- what was it like for her, as barely an adult becoming a British icon, so dramatically and before she was ready to cope with it ?!!!

Here's where I'm up to today. If I can get a likeness the paintbrush will have a part in it!

Bit more...