An informal poll - Figures based on photos and illustrations

[Dan Morton]

I'd like to conduct a poll. I'm posting four photos which might be used as photo references for a 1/16th scale Great War figure. Please tell me which one you'd find the most attractive, assuming the pose and the theme or story are both well done and the prices are all equal.

French Fusilier Marin - in 1914 blue uniform lightweight, no top coat, all field gear and Lebel rifle, leaning on haystacks smoking a pipe

German Landsturm - In this case, I'd just use the pose in the photo. I propose to do the figure in 1914 dark blue uniform with grey or black trousers, black oil cloth covered cap, all field gear and Mauser 88/s rifle, sitting on stonework and eating happily. The photo is of a re-enactor and was sent to me by Roger Newsome.

British Tommy scribbling a note home with a friend - 1915 uniform, dug-out entrance with hanging socks, all the rubbish, 1914 field gear and SMLE

British Tommy knitting a sock and smoking in mud, muck and water - actually in the photo it's hard to tell precisely what he is doing, but I'd go with re-knitting a sock. 1914 field gear and SMLE This photo comes from some 1930s era British movie.

None of these would be exact copies. The graphic would only be a reference.

 

[megroot]

I like two of them Dan,
The british who is absolutely sure about knitting a sock. My mother did it that way, with three knitting needles.
And i like the tommy who is writing a letter. I find that the dog should be sculpted also.

marc

 

[captnenglish]

Well, my bias is for Central Powers figures, BUT I really like the two tommies as they truly portray army life

 

[Dan Morton]

Marc and Matthew - Many thanks for your comments! From what everybody is saying both here and on the Great War Forum, I may have several winners! As whatshername says, "It's a good thing!"

All the best,
Dan

 

[tonydawe]

Dan

You have to do the Tommy writing a letter home!!! Please!!

Cheers

 

[Dan Morton]

Tony - Many thanks! It is pretty attractive, isn't it? And it's been suggested by both my wife and John McNenney (separately) that it could be used for any nationality of soldier. Maybe that's part of the attraction.

All the best,
Dan

 

[blaster]

suggested pose

Hi Dan,

My preference for a suggested pose would be for the tommy writing a letter, as that theme is poignant and obvious (rather than knitting a sock, eating or merely posing). However, the uniform of the landwehr or the french marin is quite attractive and you may wish to substitute them instead for the tommy.

Rgds,

Victor

 

[Tarok]

My preference would be for the Tommy with his best friend. I find the picture more moving than the rest.

 

[Dan Morton]

Victor and Rudi - Many thanks for your comments and suggestions. That scene certainly appears popular and would work equally well for any soldier of any army. I'm seriously considering using the dugout, complete with drying socks, the dog, etc. and doing more than one figure for it. Would anybody consider that a cop-out in that you wouldn't be getting a different pose or scene, just a different figure?

All the best,
Dan

 

[georges64]

Dan my choice goes to "Tommy knitting" perhaps because it will not be too chosen!
Not to be serious, it is the environment around him that I like,.all that mud and him knitting his sock!!
georges.

 

[AJLaFleche]

I really like the guy with the dog, a nice touch of humanity amidst the pathos and chaos.

 

[Dan Morton]

Georges - Thanks for the comment and I agree - its' a little illustration of the absolute lunacy of war - knitting socks in a quiet interlude in an incredibly muddy, mucky trench, waiting to be blown to kingdom come by a 5.9 shell. Read madness, eh?

AJ - I think almost everyone agrees with you. Even some of the ones that voted for another choice left me an e-mail or whatever saying, "Do the one I picked AND the Tommy and dog vignette." OK - I absolutely bow to the inevitable. Seriously, I'm very glad to have the input!

All the best,
Dan

 

[herbwf]

Dan,
You have done it again. The humanity of the pictures you choose is wonderful.
I picked both the writing figure and the knitter. (No fence sitting for me)
Is there a reason both figures couldn't be used in the same setting? A couple of trench mates and their dog during some down time?
Herb

 

[georges64]

Dan,
You have done it again. The humanity of the pictures you choose is wonderful.
)
Is there a reason both figures couldn't be used in the same setting? A couple of trench mates and their dog during some down time?
Herb

It's a good idea , what Herb suggests ! Why not Dan!

georges

 

[Dan Morton]

Herb, my friend, I can't take credit except for just knowing about the illustration and understanding how effective it could be as a figure vignette. It ain't original. Let's give credit to Mr. Stanley Wood, the illustrator of "Man's Best Friend".

I've been completing some new heads this weekend and one I finished and sent to John McNenney today for casting might work out pretty well for the figure. As to the dog....I'll give him a try. No promises.

Herb and Georges - While I like the idea of combining the two, wouldn't doing that detract from the focus of the vignette? It would no longer be about the camaraderie of a dog and its' master. I don't want to shoot you down or anything like that. I'm interested in and value your opinions and thoughts about how to improve anything I'm doing. I think they'd be more appealing if they were separate vignettes.

All the best,
Dan