Bill Horan's December Project
- Thread starter Billhoran
- Start date
Help Support planetFigure:
Guy
A Fixture
I just got an email from Bill with the latest photos of his sbs in progress.
Guy, here are the last (well almost) SBS pics of the San Blas figure. The rifle has been built up and reworked into a Brown Bess musket. I hope to have a separate shot of the musket later today. The bayonet and scabbard are yet to be added to the left rear hip.
Bill
Thanks Bill for the updated photos.
Bill's Planet Portfolio
Guy, here are the last (well almost) SBS pics of the San Blas figure. The rifle has been built up and reworked into a Brown Bess musket. I hope to have a separate shot of the musket later today. The bayonet and scabbard are yet to be added to the left rear hip.
Bill
Thanks Bill for the updated photos.
Bill's Planet Portfolio
BTW, folks dont forget to check the portfolio that Guy has put together of Bill's work........just noticed some extra shots not included in this thread! 
Just out of curiosity, Bill, how many applications of putty does a figure like this take? How many times do you mix the stuff? Approximately, of course!
Great piece by the way. As I have no idea about this event, I'm curious to see what colour he'll be!!!
Rob
Just out of curiosity, Bill, how many applications of putty does a figure like this take? How many times do you mix the stuff? Approximately, of course!
Great piece by the way. As I have no idea about this event, I'm curious to see what colour he'll be!!!
Rob
Rob,
I admit to being rather wasteful with my putty, and I probably mixed a dozen batches of Duro/A&B mixtures, as well as at least that many more straight Duro mixtures. Probably 3-4 straight A & B batches just for the limbs and armature. Altogether probably 30 batches of putty mixed - each in varying volume, of course.
He will be wearing a black shako with brass plate, yellow lace, red pompom and the white cloth "pugree" tied around it. This was a campaign modification from contempiorary sources. The frock coat is medium gray with red trim, and white (they could also be black) cross and waist belts. Sky blue trousers with red welt.
Bill
I admit to being rather wasteful with my putty, and I probably mixed a dozen batches of Duro/A&B mixtures, as well as at least that many more straight Duro mixtures. Probably 3-4 straight A & B batches just for the limbs and armature. Altogether probably 30 batches of putty mixed - each in varying volume, of course.
He will be wearing a black shako with brass plate, yellow lace, red pompom and the white cloth "pugree" tied around it. This was a campaign modification from contempiorary sources. The frock coat is medium gray with red trim, and white (they could also be black) cross and waist belts. Sky blue trousers with red welt.
Bill
Guy
A Fixture
I just got an email from Bill about the rifle and steps he took to change the original.
Guy,
Here are two detail shots of the Shenandoah Springfield converted to a Brown Bess Flintlock.
1. Carefully trim off Springfield bands, ramrod and percussion firing mechanism.
2. Sand smooth using fine grain emery paper (two grits), and steel wool.
3. Build up stock and firing plate reinforcement with Duro/A & B mixture.
4. Sand smooth
5. Using straight Duro, add details in one or two sessions, allowing to dry in between.
6. Sculpt hammer on a flat surface, allow to dry thoroughly, then remove from surface and glue to firing plate.
7. Add sling from rolled out (dried) Duro, then add final sling rings, buckle and sleeve.
NOTE: The ramrod is not shown on the rifle (the guides are empty below the stock), as I will have the it resting against the fortress wall.
I am also attaching a jpeg image containing various detail photos of an India Land Pattern Brown Bess that I downloaded from the internet last night – might be useful to the Planeteers.
Happy Modeling!
Bill
I am having problems loading into kitpic so I will add the images Bill sent one at a time.
Guy
Guy,
Here are two detail shots of the Shenandoah Springfield converted to a Brown Bess Flintlock.
1. Carefully trim off Springfield bands, ramrod and percussion firing mechanism.
2. Sand smooth using fine grain emery paper (two grits), and steel wool.
3. Build up stock and firing plate reinforcement with Duro/A & B mixture.
4. Sand smooth
5. Using straight Duro, add details in one or two sessions, allowing to dry in between.
6. Sculpt hammer on a flat surface, allow to dry thoroughly, then remove from surface and glue to firing plate.
7. Add sling from rolled out (dried) Duro, then add final sling rings, buckle and sleeve.
NOTE: The ramrod is not shown on the rifle (the guides are empty below the stock), as I will have the it resting against the fortress wall.
I am also attaching a jpeg image containing various detail photos of an India Land Pattern Brown Bess that I downloaded from the internet last night – might be useful to the Planeteers.
Happy Modeling!
Bill
I am having problems loading into kitpic so I will add the images Bill sent one at a time.
Guy
Attachments
Guy
A Fixture
Guy
A Fixture
Attachments
Jason W.
A Fixture
Thanks for sharing those tips, Bill!
Do you use a Shenandoah "blank" for your Martini-Henry conversions as well?
Thanks for posting the pic's Guy!
Do you use a Shenandoah "blank" for your Martini-Henry conversions as well?
Thanks for posting the pic's Guy!
Automata
Well-Known Member
Great tips Bill. I'm looking forward to trying something similar.
Thanks a lot,
Barry
Thanks a lot,
Barry
thegoodsgt
A Fixture
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Messages
- 909
Bill, when you apply a sheet/blob/mass of putty to the armature, how do you work it down to the appropriate thickness? Are you using a toothpick to roll the excess "off" the figure or is it simply using your fingers and spit to "massage" it off by working it down to an ankle or wrist.
In my shabby attempts at sculpting I've never been able to properly move the putty on the figure, so some areas wind up too thick and some too thin. The most difficult areas to work for me have been the armpits and crotch.
In my shabby attempts at sculpting I've never been able to properly move the putty on the figure, so some areas wind up too thick and some too thin. The most difficult areas to work for me have been the armpits and crotch.
The diagragm that Bob Tavis provided (above) describes very well the process of applying putty. Once the "blob" or sausage of putty is applied, I mainly use my toothpick, but also my fingers, if possible, to wrap it around the leg or arm, etc. If you get too much, just cut off the excess. When the putty is wet, it's easy to add a little (if you either don't start with enough or cut too much off). The key is to work in specific, smaller areas (one leg at a time, one sleeve, etc.).
Hope this helps.
Bill
Hope this helps.
Bill
Patrick Kirk
A Fixture
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2003
- Messages
- 834
Thanks for sharing all this with us, Bill...incredible work. Real motivating.
Larry and I were thinking, how do you find the time to sculpt? How do you maintain balance between your passion for figgers and the other things in your life (golf, family...)?
All the best
Patrick
Larry and I were thinking, how do you find the time to sculpt? How do you maintain balance between your passion for figgers and the other things in your life (golf, family...)?
All the best
Patrick
btavis
A Fixture
I think one thing about rolling putty out into thin sheets and then applying it is that you can create folds, creases that are more natural to the way fabric really appears than treating the putty as a mass. When you have tried this a few times your ability to keep the thickness consistant becomes easier.
The other key I also think is knowing when the putty has set up enough to do it this way as thin putty that is not cured enough can be fragile to manage and you can end up with a shredded mess. I wait about forty minutes with Apoxie before rolling out and applying. Duro is pretty forgiving and a bit more resilient to manipulate than other putties. I have mixed Duro with just about every other putty (A+B, MagicSculpt, Apoxie, etc) and it creates a wonderful wax-like substance that lends itself very well to sculpting. It also makes it a bit more sandable and takes the brittleness away from thin sheets of just MagicSculpt, A+B or Apoxie alone.
I bought a timer that I set for about forty-five minutes to gauge when the putty has cured enough to work with. I cannot tell you how many times I have mixed up a batch, worked on something else and let too much time elapse and then the putty is too hard and useless. Then you have to start all over again. Consequently, I have also wasted lots of putty over the years
The other key I also think is knowing when the putty has set up enough to do it this way as thin putty that is not cured enough can be fragile to manage and you can end up with a shredded mess. I wait about forty minutes with Apoxie before rolling out and applying. Duro is pretty forgiving and a bit more resilient to manipulate than other putties. I have mixed Duro with just about every other putty (A+B, MagicSculpt, Apoxie, etc) and it creates a wonderful wax-like substance that lends itself very well to sculpting. It also makes it a bit more sandable and takes the brittleness away from thin sheets of just MagicSculpt, A+B or Apoxie alone.
I bought a timer that I set for about forty-five minutes to gauge when the putty has cured enough to work with. I cannot tell you how many times I have mixed up a batch, worked on something else and let too much time elapse and then the putty is too hard and useless. Then you have to start all over again. Consequently, I have also wasted lots of putty over the years
Patrick,
...with great difficulty. Actually, I love gourmet cooking too, and I wish I had more time to do that. I don't close the door to my workroom, and the family typically "hangs out with me, watches TV, works on the computer, etc. while I am working, so it isn't like I am off in a bar or anything.
Sculpting is more sporadic than painting, as I put the figure in the oven every half hour or so to speed up the drying time, which frees me up to do stuff with the family. On the weekends, my wife teaches cycling and spends alot of time shopping with my daughters (my presence is not required, thank God!), which opens up some quiet time for painting.
It is a balancing act, no question about it - and sometimes it is a challenge!
Bill
Patrick Kirk
A Fixture
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2003
- Messages
- 834
Thanks for the response Bill.
Your subtle point is well taken...time is something we never have enough of until we look back and see how much we have wasted. Certainly that isn't the case with you.
I look forward to seeing more of your work.
All the best
Patrick
Your subtle point is well taken...time is something we never have enough of until we look back and see how much we have wasted. Certainly that isn't the case with you.
I look forward to seeing more of your work.
All the best
Patrick
