Completed Christmas Truce 1914

[NigelR]

I've spent the last 6 months making WWI aircraft and also doing a fair number of practice figures. I'm now back doing figures and I have several vignettes and dioramas that I will be working on over the coming months. This is the first one, which will be a bit of a test piece for some groundwork effects as well more painting practice.

This is a 1/35 Christmas Truce vignette from D-Day Miniatures:

It's a fun piece with nice animation although the sculpts have some rough edges and 1/35 is a real struggle for my eyes! But it was a gift from a fellow Planeteer so I felt I had to give it a try.

I replaced three of t he four hands on the two figures with Hornet and Figurinitaly replacements as the sculpting and casting was poor. I've done most of the Highlander so far, just got his kilt, socks and boots to do. Here's where I am with that:

There's a few rough edges and things I can improve on but I feel like I am progressing. And 1/35 is really small.....!

 

[DaddyO]

Nice to see this one up and running Nigel (Yep 1/35 seems tiny compared to 54mm )

Lovely tonal work so far - keep it up
P

 

[VerSacrum]

Looks great so far...!

 

[Briggsy]

Cracking paint job so far, love the tunic colours with high and low lights, it looks really good. Best part about WWI Scots is much less tartan to paint! I'll be watching with interest now you're back on the straight and narrow.

Cheers Simon

 

[NigelR]

Nice to see this one up and running Nigel (Yep 1/35 seems tiny compared to 54mm )

Lovely tonal work so far - keep it up

Thanks Paul, all your advice has been very helpful. And at least 1/35 is bigger than 1/72!

Looks great so far...!

Thanks, and thanks for the link to Angel Giraldez you posted on another thread, I've found his videos very helpful.

Cracking paint job so far, love the tunic colours with high and low lights, it looks really good. Best part about WWI Scots is much less tartan to paint! I'll be watching with interest now you're back on the straight and narrow.

Thanks Simon, appreciate the feedback. I use the AK 2nd Gen WWI uniforms set and their base khaki is a great starting point. And yes, mainly back on the straight and narrow for a while......

 

[David Spencer]

Really very nice indeed. Ans a manufacturer to investigate...

 

[Richard Baxter]

That tackle would probably be outlawed today. And smoking a tab during the game!

I have one of these kits for sale if anyone is interested. Send me a PM.

 

[Henk]

1/35..... I struggle to get that kind of detail and blending in 1/24.
Love the jacket, looking forward to the kilt. At least it's only part of the kilt.

 

[David Spencer]

Painting kilts is an artform in itself.

Scotland vs. Germany is always likely to go well. For one side, anyway.

 

[phil_h]

Beautiful work so far, Nigel!
-Phil

 

[NigelR]

That tackle would probably be outlawed today.

Oh for the days of Billy Bremner and the 1970 FA Cup Final...!

1/35..... I struggle to get that kind of detail and blending in 1/24.
Love the jacket, looking forward to the kilt. At least it's only part of the kilt.

Thanks Henk and yes, I am glad it's only a tiny bit of kilt. Fortunately the kilt cover on te model goes all the way round, on some original photos it only covers the front. Wouldn't fancy painting all those kilt folds

Scotland vs. Germany is always likely to go well. For one side, anyway.

The football matches did/do. Wars less so...... Thanks for the feedback!

Beautiful work so far, Nigel!

Thanks a lot Phil, appreciate that

 

[Nap]

Hi Nigel

Missed this starting , lovely looking figures , nice details like the open pocket and that Scots uniform looks excellent , do like the way your painting Nigel, blending looks good

Intriguing about the green “bobble” ...apologies to all Scots reading this

Following with interest

Have fun @ the bench

Nap

 

[Henk]

Hi Nigel

*Snip*

Intriguing about the green “bobble” ...apologies to all Scots reading this

Following with interest

Have fun @ the bench

Nap

"An' it's Called a Tam-o'-shanter".
By Kenneth J. West

 

[Nap]

"An' it's Called a Tam-o'-shanter".
By Kenneth J. West

Cheers Henk .....I was looking at the green colour of the actual bobble ....not seen that much although this original 1st Tyneside Scottish (MG section) looks greener

As with everything there’s variations .....just thought it a interesting observation

Nap

 

[MalcC]

Fabulous work, and marking a piece of history.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...l&ru=/search?q=video sabaton, christmas truce

Some good to music and video to listen too while you progress.

Malc

 

[NigelR]

Hi Nigel

Missed this starting , lovely looking figures , nice details like the open pocket and that Scots uniform looks excellent , do like the way your painting Nigel, blending looks good

Intriguing about the green “bobble” ...apologies to all Scots reading this

Thanks a lot Kev, I've spent the last few months doing a lot of reading and learning plus some practice figures in between building planes. Hopefully it's paying off.

The green bobble on the tam o shanter was inspired by the green one in the picture you posted (although mine may be a bit dark, even allowing for fading on the original). Most seemed to be a light khaki colour but some were coloured, I've seen blue and green. Once I have decided what regiment I am doing for the tartan I will check to see if there is any record of the bobble colour for them....

Fabulous work, and marking a piece of history.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video sabaton, christmas truce videos&FORM=VIRE0&mid=94EDA12935F13F7CDF6494EDA12935F13F7CDF64&view=detail&ru=/search?q=video sabaton, christmas truce

Some good to music and video to listen too while you progress.

Thanks Malc, appreciate it. And you can't beat a bit of Sabaton, although those haircuts would never pass muster......

 

[MalcC]

Quite right, their haircuts certainly would've raised some eyebrows.
Its a great song with a lot of meaning.
Can't wait to see your next update.

Malc

 

[Steve Ski]

These are looking beautiful, Nigel, Ruck On!

 

[NigelR]

These are looking beautiful, Nigel, Ruck On!

Thanks Steve, appreciate it!

I have finished the Highlander:

On doing a bit of digging I found a print these models are based on and it depicts a soldier from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who wore the Government 1a tartan, which is what I tried to depict. Although as it is mainly dark blue, dark green and black it's hard to see it in the small area I had available to me....

I also researched the tam o'shanter and it looks like the Argyll and Sutherlands had a light coloured bobble, either khaki or light green. So I lightened it up a bit. I also found the figure is inaccurate because the tam o'shanter was not introduced until 1915, in 1914 they would have worn the glengarry cap. But I am not going to resculpt it even though I am a rivet counter!

He needs to be dirtied up a bit, but I shall do this after I have painted the German figure and am working on the groundwork.

 

[MalcC]

Looking good.

Malc