Brian Stewart

[custer760]

Hi everyone,
does anyone know if Brian Stewart is still modelling ?? And if so how can I contact him ? He made some great figures in the late 80s and early 90s lots of them based on Sovereign figures and was also the King of groundwork,I would like to get in touch with him if possible.
Thanks
Pete

 

[diamond cutter]

Hey Pete
I would like to speak to Brian Stewart also!
Hey Brian-how's the freebies going?
You have no F$$$$$$ class man
Pete Morton

 

[custer760]

Hi Pete,
do you have problems with Brian Stewart ?? Did I miss something ??
Regards
Pete

 

[diamond cutter]

Freebies

I met him when I was over in the US. I was actualy a bit of a fan of his painting and sculpting skills years ago (remember the McBeth article in Mil-Mod many years ago?)
When I came back to the UK, we were going to work on a figure project together, making figures for the NASCAR scene. He asked me to get and send to him a load of stuff that would be useful, which cost me about £100 - not really a lot of dough but I couldn't afford it but did it.
And that was that!
He avoided my calls and haven't heard from him ever since!
It's the principal really!

 

[Jeff]

I have heard that kind of story about Brain over and over. I would like to meet him but I do not think I would ever do business with him.

 

[diamond cutter]

I do think that he did some cool stuff though!!!
His groundwork on the McBeth figure was really outstanding, well ahead of his day!
It's a shame really!!

 

[Jeff]

His work is top notch. I do not think any one questions that. I have also heard he is a really nice guy. He may have just over extend himself and that got him in trouble business wise. To tell you the truth I have not heard about anything like that recently. I know I was more of a flake when I was younger.

 

[diamond cutter]

Maybe you're right but manners would have said .......
Anyway, it doesn't matter now !!!!
Still think that the rendition of Poste Militarre's McBeth by Brian Stuart was a quality piece. His ground work was, along with his vision of what that piece could be was really good.
He still owes me money though-LOL!!!!!
Maybe he could put it towards a charitable cause? Say
'Piracy International'
lol!

 

[diamond cutter]

flakes

But I guess that we all make mistakes sometimes!

 

[Jim]

Rip-Offs and Deadbeats

Jim Johnston, of the late Fort Duquesne, still owes me $75 from almost five years ago - and he's still on The Red Lancer's 'Deadbeat' list. I know we can all go through tough times, but at least step up and pay off your debts.

Jim Forbus

 

[Steve H]

I lent Dave Freeman of Bonapartes miniatures over £900 pounds to help him get started in the bust and figure market about 8 to 10 years ago. And I've not seen a penny returned. It's a hard way to learn a lesson!!

 

[gorgosaurus]

!!!!!!!!!

Now I don´t feel so bad about a deal I made for a 1/10 Pachyrhinosaurus adult and 2 juveniles from Dan LaRusso at The Dinosaur Studios.
I got the adult, but had to wait for the juveniles as the caster had flu.
Then Dan got the flu.
He´s had it for two years now.
So, I won´t be showcasing that one.

Funnily enough I´ve just found a file with some of BS´s old works whilst packing to move house.
PM "MacBeth", Border´s Border Levy, Durham Norman and a Celt.
All nicely done.

Spike.

 

[garyjd]

Might as well get on board, I got "burned" by Ian Burton of I & E Miniatures for a 54mm master I sent him. I never recieved payment and all of my attempts to get the figure back still left me empty handed. So my advice to would be commercial sculptors don't work without a contract of some sort, unless you know and have a decent relationship with the manufacturer. This is the big reason why I have never done work outside of the US. It makes recovering the figure or any monies impossible.~Gary

 

[Anders Heintz]

From what I've heard, Mike Good got ripped off by Ian Burton as well with his beautiful Tall Hat Bust. Since Mike is a regular here maybe he cares to elaborate.

 

[Dan Morton]

Used car salesmen, slave traders, lawyers...

Thank you gentlemen for the advice and wise counsel.

It sounds like the business methods and ethical standards of a few figure makers, casters, distributors, painters, sculptors, etc. are about on the level of a few used car salesmen. Probably not quite on par with lawyers or slave traders just yet.

If any used car salesmen or slave traders are offended by my meager yuk-yuk, please accept my most sincere apologies. On the other hand, the barristers in the crowd...uh...there doesn't seem to be an icon below for a little face sticking its' tongue out...

Even those of us who are not exactly in the biz, have been burned. I will not name names in a public forum, but a painter still has one of my figures from a few years ago. I have no idea if he ever painted it. Too bad. Had he only asked for it up front, I would have happily given it to him.

All the best,
Dan

 

[Roc]

Thank God, I never had any business dealings with GRAND MASTER Jim Johnson. I just know him to be an obnoxious and pompous individual.

Cheers
Roc

 

[bonehead]

From what I've heard, Mike Good got ripped off by Ian Burton as well with his beautiful Tall Hat Bust. Since Mike is a regular here maybe he cares to elaborate.

Hello All,

Anders, I was indeed ripped off by Ian Burton. But your information is not quite correct. I was paid for the Tall Hat bust in a timely manner. So I followed this up with a second project. Burton ripped me off for a Guard Cossack figure I did in 75mm. It had the misfortune to be mailed out just before the the twin towers attacks of 2001. I was in regular email contact with Burton at the time. Weeks and then months passed with Burton insisting that the package never arrived. I simply wrote it off as another victim of 9/11.

Then one day, out of the blue, I recieved and email from an English modeler. He was congratulating on my latest figure. I was unlcear what he was talking about so i asked him to send me a pic of the kit. He obliged and there it was, a resin casting of the supposedly "lost" Guard Cossack figure.

Since no molds were made from the figure before i posted it to Burton, the only way this modeler could have gotten the figure was from Burton himself, which the modeler confirmed. I was flat broke at the time and the loss of income from this ripoff was felt quite painfully at the time. However, the loss of income could be made up over time. What could not be gotten back was the work i put into the master. Here are pics of the original figure sculpt.

If anybody out there should have castings of this model, I would be most grateful to have a copy of them. I would be happy to pull molds off of the castings and replace the model for anybody willing to do this. It is quite a loss for me to not even have any copies of this figure which has some sentimental value for me, being one of my very earliest sculpts.

In over 20 years in this business, I have only been ripped off once. This was it. Also, I have never lost anything in the post. It is really great that most everybody in this business is ethical and straight forward in their dealings with a sculptor like myself. But I have occasionally run across unethical types. Avoid them like the plague. When I am aware of them, I do. I thought Burton was friend. It is unfortunate to learn the truth in this way.

Cheers!!

Mike

 

[Anders Heintz]

Hola Mike,

Aaah, ok. I heard the same story, just that it was the Tall Hat bust instead of the 75mm figure.

It is too bad that it happened. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the figure, but hopefully someone reading this will take you up on your offer.

 

[T50]

In the past, I had my own share of misfortune dealing with a lame, no life,
no class, no manner, no ethics, lying SoB with a tortured soul.
Apparently, he lives in a la-la land where he thinks he can get away with
taking someone else's money and not deliver the masters by simply
not replying to emails. BTW he lives off his girlfriend while he tortures his
own soul over a pair of masters per year. What a fücken loser!
I contacted a few companies that have bought some masters from this
lamo, and bascially they all told me that I was the fool to pay the sculptor
before having the master in my hands. I learned my expensive lesson.
From now on, I don't give a flying rat's ass who the sculptor is. I'm not
paying a penny until I see the master on my desk first.

 

[garyjd]

It might be best to

A. Send pictures and ask for payment upon completion. Once the money arrives ship the figure and sit on the money until the client sends and Email, phone call what have you acknolwedging acceptance of the master.

or

B. Ask for half of the money up front and the remainder upon completion and acceptance of the master.

I feel there's also nothing wrong with handling things this way even if you're dealing with a friend. It's all about having mutual respect for each other. There's nothing wrong with being a nice guy and trusting the other party it's all a matter of will they do the same.~Gary