WIP Critique 75mm British WW1 Officer Box Art

[gothicgeek]

Hi All!

This is my next piece for Stuart at Stormtroopers.

It's a Carl Reid Sculpt and will be my first attempt at a 75mm figure.

So here is Carls sample image that I saw several months ago ....

The kit has just 7 parts and cleaning them up was the work of about an hour, be careful with the casting blocks on the coat as some sleeve detail is right under it ....

Here are the parts right from the box.

I washed the pieces with warm soapy water and left them to dry overnight.
Primed with Halfords Grey Acrylic Primer and assembled for a few pictures.

Expect frequent updates as this fellow is to be released sooner rather than later, details to follow.

As always please feel free to comment, correct and crit!

Oh and my spell checker is on the fritz so a few spelling missteaks ahead

 

[DEL]

Hi Mark
what a cracking sculpt. really looking forward to see this progress.
Cheers
Derek

 

[housecarl]

Looking forwards to this developing, and the release date.
Lovely sculpt to boot,
Carl.

 

[mertenspeter]

I am curious to the advancement of this figure.
grts
Peter

 

[MBD]

Brilliant as Carl has us accustom but is me or look like has a bit *&^%.....or a small head!!!

Looking forward to see your rendition Mark

 

[mil-mart]

Excellent sculpting and I'm looking forward to seeing how he turns out.
Mark surely the deadline date can't be ...

Cheers Ken

 

[sam b]

Hi mate , great figure looking forward to you putting your magic on it

 

[gioazz]

For once I have to disagree, the sculpture and details (at least from the pics) doesn't seems so great, the coat for instance doesn't seem so smooth, is actually quite rough as well seems that the details, like the buttons are not of the highest standard..

Sorry to be such a pain, I'm sure that looking at the real piece I'll be completely wrong.

Nevertheless I know for a fact that Mark will do an amazing job, as usual.

Good luck with it, you rock!

 

[MCPWilk]

Looks good, would be even better in 120mm!

Mike

 

[megroot]

It is a figure that depict's a soldier from WW 1 that have my interest.
So, i could'nt resist it.
But it seems that i have to do alot of sanding......it's a bit rough in my humble opinion.

Marc

 

[stu]

Mark, I'll be following naturally and looking forward to you bringing this to life.

As to the remarks about the coat being rough, this is how carl has depicted the uneven surface of what is essentially a Burbery Coat or mack. I doubt it would be smooth at all esp if worn near the front.

I would never have let it go into mould if it was just tool marks .

The head is perfectly in scale.

For all those interested the idea has come from a sculpt at the royal artillery monument in London.

Cheers

Stuart

 

[gioazz]

I meant no disrespect, and I agree that a mack should look more "edgy" but again, from the picture I see is not about the fabric, but the sculpture, and I know that Carl is an excellent artist.

I mabe completely wrong, of course.

 

[pipetrepid]

mark, should look great painted up!

 

[tonydawe]

It's Colonel Blimp by Jove.

Can't wait to see you paint some life into the old boy.

 

[smudger1960]

Hi mark,another Great WW1 subject and i'm looking forward to your progress on this one

Brian

 

[carl reid]

Thanks Guys for your comments, both positive and Negative.
All your comments have been duely noted.

I do feel it's a little harsh to be judging a piece based upon a picture thats anything between 2.5 and 4 maybe 5 times (if not more) the size of the piece, dependent on your monitor etc. But hey I guess thats just life these days! I'm sure it will look very different when Mark works his magic!

I do however feel the hobby has evolved from a pastime of sculpting and painting, the enjoyment of watching a piece grow into a thing of beauty in front of your very eyes, to openly critiqueing through the anonimity of the internet. It's almost as if that some in the cyber community are waiting with itchy fingers to critique. I have never understood that mentality myself, but hey thats just me!

I hear the words we are entitled to our opinions etc, and you are absolutely right. All under the guise of constructive critism. But when does constructive become destructive...!

I know some fabulous sculptors/painters over the years, some houshold names that have walked away because of the endless critism, only for the modelling community to ask what ever happened to....

Anyway enough said form me. I will watch Mark work his magic on this piece.

Carl

 

[Edorta]

I am curious to the advancement of this figure.
grts
Peter

Me too.

http://www.mininet.tv/egminiatures.html

 

[Babelfish]

I for one welcome another interesting Great War subject and look forward to seeing this one develop in Mark's capable hands.

As Carl rightly points out, PC monitors that magnify a piece by 4 or 5 times take no prisoners and often show up very minor flaws that wouldn't even be visible to the naked eye. So I'll reserve final judgement until I see the thing painted up, and/or until I have one in my own eager mitts. Because if it's up to the standard of Carl's Border Riever, its sure to be a cracker.

- Steve

 

[gioazz]

Hi Carl,

I apologise if my words have let you down.

I feel responsible for your reaction but I assure you that I never use the web to blame someone, neither speak in anonymity.

I'm a sculptor and painter myself, not even close as your standard of course, and I always looked at your work with interest.

You are right, pictures of a figures can not be used to judge, but this is all we have until the piece is released and I've always based my choice for your other pieces, in the past, on the same element, pictures.

I post my work as well as you do, and I always accept critiques and compliments, and I always look out for the constructive ones, the only one that help me progressing, especially if they point out flaws in my work.

I don't have to say that you are an excellent sculptor, everybody knows that, and one of the few with his own style, on the other end, the CASTING posted by Mark has some flaws.

I've stated that the comments where based on the pictures and I hope to have the piece in my hand soon.

I have made a huge mistake posting a public critique to you, I apologise for that, I did not want to offend you in any way but, please, accept the constructive comments, as much as the critiques.

Kindest regards

Giovanni Azzara'

 

[stu]

Hi everybody,

Well after much consideration, a headache and after talking with mark and carl at length about some of the critique of this piece, I have decided to let mark carry on blogging the piece as is, especially due to the high level of interest shown, but probably not as indepth as initially hoped. I was going to scrap it totally.

I will need to get my 8X optivisor out on the master and the initial cast's to closely look at the points raised in the critique. I can see some marks from the initial casting's myself which to be honest are already rectified. The sculpt itself is pure carl at his best.

The CASTING that mark has was the first one and I could barely see the mould line. I admit I rushed it to mark as we are both big kids full of excitment with these things. It was only later, on another casting I saw a couple of marks. This is why i make production moulds so this wont be evident on the production copies.

I constantly strive for perfection and know quality is a major factor in the purchase of products these days. At a later date Mark will use a production copy to show a bronzing effect on the figure. This may be a while as the figures release will now be delayed somewhat.

On another note I may add another head with helmet cover and have already seen 2 great conversions of this figure!

Many thanks for all your comments and the interest shown in this lovely little gem of a figure from Carl.

Stuart