Peter Day
PlanetFigure Supporter
Nothing to worry about there Neil - great work. The camera is uncompromising and it's easy to forget how small the originals are. Coming along very nicely indeed.
Completed Airfix 54mm French Line Infantry
- Thread starter Merryweather
- Start date
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Merryweather
A Fixture
Scott, Paul , Peter and Tony- thank you very much for the encouragement.
I’ve been getting on with Fusilier 3.
In the quest for more character in the faces I sharpened up the detail very slightly with a scalpel and gave him new ears. I like to paint the head separately so I got rid of his collar and added it to the torso to make the join easier to hide.
Here he is before ;
And here he is after surgery
He needs some hair (although he clearly has at least one….). The green bits of Duro are his ears-I might have to re-think them, although hopefully I can get away with just repositioning the chin scales.
So, on with the rest of him. I decided that there was no point in having separate flaps for the cartridge boxes if I didn’t show at least one of them open, so I changed his right arm to be reaching behind for a cartridge. The close-up shots make me realise I need to try and drill out the block. The change also makes the turning of his head a bit less contrived. Being a converted body I had to add piping (from 0.3mm solder) and buttons to his tunic and sleeve.
While I was painting the first fusilier I had a real fight with all the detail being under the straps, so I thought I would try and leave everything separate this time, and hope I can glue it all on afterwards without doing too much damage to the paint. For the straps I‘m using metal foil from an old glue tube which is tougher than pewter and allows for a lot more movement before it work-hardens.
Looking at the pics I think I will remove his left hand and fix it to the musket with a more convincing grip, just like my hero Bill Horan does.
Right, time to get on with painting Fusilier 2.
Thanks for looking
Neil
I’ve been getting on with Fusilier 3.
In the quest for more character in the faces I sharpened up the detail very slightly with a scalpel and gave him new ears. I like to paint the head separately so I got rid of his collar and added it to the torso to make the join easier to hide.
Here he is before ;
And here he is after surgery
He needs some hair (although he clearly has at least one….). The green bits of Duro are his ears-I might have to re-think them, although hopefully I can get away with just repositioning the chin scales.
So, on with the rest of him. I decided that there was no point in having separate flaps for the cartridge boxes if I didn’t show at least one of them open, so I changed his right arm to be reaching behind for a cartridge. The close-up shots make me realise I need to try and drill out the block. The change also makes the turning of his head a bit less contrived. Being a converted body I had to add piping (from 0.3mm solder) and buttons to his tunic and sleeve.
While I was painting the first fusilier I had a real fight with all the detail being under the straps, so I thought I would try and leave everything separate this time, and hope I can glue it all on afterwards without doing too much damage to the paint. For the straps I‘m using metal foil from an old glue tube which is tougher than pewter and allows for a lot more movement before it work-hardens.
Looking at the pics I think I will remove his left hand and fix it to the musket with a more convincing grip, just like my hero Bill Horan does.
Right, time to get on with painting Fusilier 2.
Thanks for looking
Neil
Warren SMITH
A Fixture
Hi Neil, I think your being a bit hard on yourself.. The pics we see are blown up and they still look damn good... How did you get the strap on the rifle to look and sit so well...
Smithy
Smithy
Hi Neil
Catching up a bit on things here on PF
All credit to you for the puttywork , looks good , the painting the same ....so good on you
Do like the way your approaching the diorama especially the size differences of parts
Look forward to seeing more
Happy benchtime
Nap
Catching up a bit on things here on PF
All credit to you for the puttywork , looks good , the painting the same ....so good on you
Do like the way your approaching the diorama especially the size differences of parts
Look forward to seeing more
Happy benchtime
Nap
Merryweather
A Fixture
Thanks Smithy, for the kind words.
The rifle sling is made pretty much as in real life, from the strap(glue tube foil) threaded through a buckle and a swivel at each end in PE. They are parts from an ABER set. It's fiddly stuff but I like the challenge. As for the 'hang', the doubled part would be more rigid so I made it straight with flat, spade-ended tweezers. As I said, I prefer the stiffness of the glue tube over pewter for leather straps like this as it doesn't deform so much.
Thanks for your interest
Neil
Merryweather
A Fixture
Warren SMITH
A Fixture
Keep us posted..
Merryweather
A Fixture
I've finished painting Fusilier 2 and I'm a bit happier with him.
I always intended to paint the trousers in a variety of shades and colours but a moment of madness came over me with this one. I realised that if any of them were to have the stripes it would have to be this one with the straightest legs, so I bit the bullet and although I have seen better, this is my best shot and I'm not unhappy. And the face is better too.
So, on to number three.
Thanks for looking
Neil
I always intended to paint the trousers in a variety of shades and colours but a moment of madness came over me with this one. I realised that if any of them were to have the stripes it would have to be this one with the straightest legs, so I bit the bullet and although I have seen better, this is my best shot and I'm not unhappy. And the face is better too.
So, on to number three.
Thanks for looking
Neil
Peter Day
PlanetFigure Supporter
Another cracker Neil. Bravo for the stripes.
Hi Neil
Nice result on #2 , brave lining on the trousers ...looks good
Look forward to seeing #3 progress
The diorama is going to look really good
Happy benchtime
Nap
Nice result on #2 , brave lining on the trousers ...looks good
Look forward to seeing #3 progress
The diorama is going to look really good
Happy benchtime
Nap
Warren SMITH
A Fixture
Hi Neil,
as nap states, brave to go for stripes... I will be honest. I'm not a fan, but you do seem to have the talent to pull this off... Looking forward to more...
as nap states, brave to go for stripes... I will be honest. I'm not a fan, but you do seem to have the talent to pull this off... Looking forward to more...
Merryweather
A Fixture
I’m half way through painting Fusilier 3.
It’s MUCH less stressful to paint all the detail without the equipment in the way, but we shall see how easy it is to attach it all convincingly after the event.
I am now painting completely from the top down, in order to avoid handling areas already painted.
That too is a lot less stressful.
So here he is, for better or worse. As always the blue is in need of matting down. Not my favourite face but I don’t imagine soldiers were all good looking Greek gods in those days either....
It feels rather strange trying to finish everything on the top part and leaving other bits completely untouched, but I'm sure I will get used to it.
Anyway, thanks for looking in
Neil
It’s MUCH less stressful to paint all the detail without the equipment in the way, but we shall see how easy it is to attach it all convincingly after the event.
I am now painting completely from the top down, in order to avoid handling areas already painted.
That too is a lot less stressful.
So here he is, for better or worse. As always the blue is in need of matting down. Not my favourite face but I don’t imagine soldiers were all good looking Greek gods in those days either....
It feels rather strange trying to finish everything on the top part and leaving other bits completely untouched, but I'm sure I will get used to it.
Anyway, thanks for looking in
Neil
Warren SMITH
A Fixture
Great work Neil, good to see your getting on with it... Keep the posts coming... I keep looking at my Airfix French Line Infantry figure.. Will wait to see this finished before dragging him to the bench.
Peter Day
PlanetFigure Supporter
Great stuff Neal. Your method is the best way to go in my opinion - from the top down and with as much equipment left off as feasible. That way you can see the wood for the trees.
Merryweather
A Fixture
Thanks Warren. I hope you're not in a hurry because I have got four more of his pals to do, so it might take me a while yet!
Merryweather
A Fixture
Cheers Peter. As for the method -I stole it wholesale from you! And I am very pleased with it
Hi Neal,
Nice to see the update coming along nicely there
Don't forget our Vignete & Diorama comp #3 running till end of December ...so plenty of time !
Happy benchtine
Nap
Nice to see the update coming along nicely there
Don't forget our Vignete & Diorama comp #3 running till end of December ...so plenty of time !
Happy benchtine
Nap
Waterlooman
A Fixture
- Joined
- May 8, 2021
- Messages
- 1,061
Excellent work - so love Napoleonic works.
W.
W.
Merryweather
A Fixture
Fusilier 3 is now done.
I think I've got away with fitting the equipment after the event. Some areas could be better but on the whole I am happy. I will try a bit harder with the next ones.
I remodeled his left hand to improve the grip and I drilled holes in the cartridge box, which I later discovered were inaccurate, but who will know.....?
He looks like the BFG in the first shot
Thanks for watching, and now it's on with number four, the falling over guy.
cheers
Neil
I think I've got away with fitting the equipment after the event. Some areas could be better but on the whole I am happy. I will try a bit harder with the next ones.
I remodeled his left hand to improve the grip and I drilled holes in the cartridge box, which I later discovered were inaccurate, but who will know.....?
He looks like the BFG in the first shot
Thanks for watching, and now it's on with number four, the falling over guy.
cheers
Neil
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