Completed After Bruce Bairnsfather

[valiant]

Hi Guys,
was rummaging around in the attic at my parent's this weekend and came across these two figures I made years ago. Based on two cartoons by Bruce Bairnsfather, these were sculpted in clay, fired, then resin-impregnated to seal the surface, then painted in enamels. I know there are some anomalies in facial features, proportions, etc, but I was still learning in those days (and still am!!). Apologies again for the grainy pics, im no photographer!
hope you like them,
Steve

 

[housecarl]

Full of character Steve.
Carl.

 

[mil-mart]

Steve two great sculpts I especially like the German one What scale are these.
Cheers Ken

 

[valiant]

Hi Ken,
The officer is approx 175mm scale, the German about the same, but squat, as it's more caricatured. The HMG is scratchbuilt from plastic and metal bits.
The original illustrations are in "The Best of Fragments from France", edited by Tonie and Valmai Holt, published by Phin Publishing Ltd, 1978,
loads of inspiration there!
cheers,
Steve

 

[billyturnip]

Great stuff Steve, I was actually expecting to see Old Bill when I saw the thread title, you haven't got him tucked away in the attic have you? He'd make a great subject.

Roger.

 

[valiant]

Roger,
you don't realise how many times ive wanted to do an "Old Bill", but have always been wary in case there is any copyright issue!
cheers for the comments,
Steve

 

[housecarl]

There was a resin bust of him, but I think it's now OOP. As a Google brought up nothing, other than a few in brass on Ebay.
Carl.

 

[billyturnip]

Roger,
you don't realise how many times ive wanted to do an "Old Bill", but have always been wary in case there is any copyright issue!
cheers for the comments,
Steve

I can well imagine. Still it might be worth looking into.

Roger.

 

[Old Bill]

Hi Steve
Have just found this site and seen your excellent figures modelled from Bruce Bairnsfather's cartoons. They are brilliant! I've spent more than 30 years researching Bairnsfather and his work, and think your figures really capture the essence of his drawings. Would love to investigate the possibility of your doing an Old Bill.
Mark

 

[Ferris]

Love the German!

Adrian

 

[Richie]

Hi Steve,
Love both, but my pick is the officer, that look on his face! like he's just lost a trench rat in his trousers but wants to keep that stiff upper lip.
cheers
Richie

 

[valiant]

Thanks for the comments, guys! As I said, these were done way back in 1984, just after I'd been made redundant for the first time - I thought they might be useful to take to design interviews! I had a lot to learn (and still do) so that may account for the slightly odd expression on the officer's face!

thanks for resurrecting these pics,

Steve

 

[Barke02]

Cracking sculpts Steve! Love the German in the picklehaube.

I know a little archive locally where they have an original BB cartoon called 'Stern of the Tanks', will post a pic if you like.

All the best,
Jon.

 

[valiant]

Cheers Jon, that would be great, if it's no bother - many thanks!

Steve