Destiny - 120mm Carabinier. Waterloo 1815.

[DioramaArt]

Very effective, believable and tastefully executed considering the subject matter. Extremely well done.
I doubt whether many will have the nerve to depict the displaced viscera but would like to see it done to re-inforce the sheer horror of the incident.

David

Thank you David,

I tried to treat the subject with sensitivity but appreciate the work may not be for everyone.

The modeller has the option to add the exiting canon ball, that is their choice and taste. I just tried to be honest with the scene as best I could as an anti war message, controversial in of itself.

Took these images before it went to caste.

 

[Briggsy]

Thank you Simon,

A difficult subject to model with any sympathy, but to that end we can only but imagine what it would have been like at that moment in time, inspired by the Robert Capa photograph of the falling Spanish soldier, I hope some painters would value it as a subject to model as a warning to others about the fate of many in war.

As Plato said, only the dead have seen the end of war!

It is what it is, the inevitable consequence of human nature, it shouldn't be sugar coated.

Cheers Simon

 

[bigtodd]

Wow, just........wow!!!! Totally gobsmacked.

 

[DioramaArt]

Wow, just........wow!!!! Totally gobsmacked.

Thank you very much, honoured.

 

[T-34/85]

I wish I had the talent to do this justice. I would most certainly paint it. Thinking it would still make a powerful statement as a bronze piece, but not have the full effect that the painted version would have. I hope a talented artist gives us a rendition of this soon.

tom

 

[Nap]

Hi Marcus

Great to see what you’ve been working on ......a infamous museum piece showing the horror in reality of war

I tip my hat to both you and Gordon for this piece , very clever and impressive sculpting and a clearly well thought commission by Gordon

A challenging build and paint but will definitely be a impressive

Thanks for sharing

Nap

 

[Babelfish]

Sobering. Very sobering. But an inspired commission by Gordon.

I think that most of us (I know I do) often forget (or choose to gloss over) the fact that this is what the subject of our hobby is ultimately all about: Killing, being killed, and hoping/trying not to get killed. A very nasty business indeed, and this brings that point firmly home.

- Steve

 

[Redcap]

The more I see this, the more impressive and conversation stimulating a piece it is. Those with way more knowledge of such matters than I have gone into specific detail about body position, horse movements and visceral extraction for the body etc. but just remember, it is capturing a mere fraction of a fraction of a second (only) in time and as such, how can anyone say with 100% accuracy what position the body would be in, or what, exactly, would be ejected (in that specific moment) from the body..?

We are modellers and many here are actually true artists and so, I am sure we can all use our imaginations and creativity to 'fill in the gaps' as it were.

I think this is one of the most original and well thought out pieces in a long time and especially so in an already saturated Napoleonic French cavalry market.

Once again, a great piece and concept!
Gary

 

[Helm]

More I look at this, the better it gets. Currently mulling over, given my very average painting skulls, the idea of a bronze with just the cannon ball and it's damage in colour.
Steve

 

[Wayneb]

Sobering. Very sobering. But an inspired commission by Gordon.

I think that most of us (I know I do) often forget (or choose to gloss over) the fact that this is what the subject of our hobby is ultimately all about: Killing, being killed, and hoping/trying not to get killed. A very nasty business indeed, and this brings that point firmly home.

- Steve

B*#ls@“t ........It's called "Planet Figure".......Not "Planet Military Figure".......Other than that......I think it's a very well done piece of work. What a sad state we would be in if everything was military.

Wayne

 

[Babelfish]

B*#ls@“t ........It's called "Planet Figure".......Not "Planet Military Figure".......Other than that......I think it's a very well done piece of work. What a sad state we would be in if everything was military.

Wayne

Ummmmh ...... errrrrr .... yes okay!

- Steve

 

[Briggsy]

The mainstay of the hobby is Military Modelling, that is where most of us started and concentrate our efforts for sure. As with all modelling we all branch out on tangents as the hobby evolves otherwise we'd all still be making gloss painted Toy Soldiers. The subject matter does not really matter, that we all come together and appreciate the talents and skills on show is surely the heart of the matter. Wow I wrote matter three times in one sentence, there must be some literary rule against that!

Cheers Simon

 

[DioramaArt]

I wish I had the talent to do this justice. I would most certainly paint it. Thinking it would still make a powerful statement as a bronze piece, but not have the full effect that the painted version would have. I hope a talented artist gives us a rendition of this soon.

tom

Thank you Tom. Doing as a Bronze would be striking indeed.

 

[DioramaArt]

Hi Marcus

Great to see what you’ve been working on ......a infamous museum piece showing the horror in reality of war

I tip my hat to both you and Gordon for this piece , very clever and impressive sculpting and a clearly well thought commission by Gordon

A challenging build and paint but will definitely be a impressive

Thanks for sharing

Nap

Thanks mate, you know me. I try to push the boundaries, for good or bad and glad I have Gordon’s support.

The breastplate as an object from the battle of Waterloo is a horrific statement about the reality of war. Many have said, and I agree that reality is understated in military modelling. Like others I was always interested in modelling men with weapons and machines of war, but I think few question that interest and fascination, considering the dark side of conflict, the reality of war and effect on people, families and society.

Having been brought up reading Charley’s War in battle comic, as a life long pacifist Pat Mills pulled no punches in how he wrote about war, and the effected it had on people in WW1. Many comics, publications and films up to the 1980s tended to glorify war. Charley’s war as a slightly subversive storyline was the exception, depicting the horror and gore as the reality of war on the soldiers that fought it, not to glorify but to act as a warning to the young reader. Those stories and images stay with me and effect how I approach military modelling today.

Always appreciate your support and understanding my friend.

 

[DioramaArt]

Sobering. Very sobering. But an inspired commission by Gordon.

I think that most of us (I know I do) often forget (or choose to gloss over) the fact that this is what the subject of our hobby is ultimately all about: Killing, being killed, and hoping/trying not to get killed. A very nasty business indeed, and this brings that point firmly home.

- Steve

Thanks Steve, I concur.

I don’t think it detracts or undermines those that model militaria, I love the history, uniforms advances in technology but like you say this one doesn’t hide the brutal reality of war.

 

[DioramaArt]

The more I see this, the more impressive and conversation stimulating a piece it is. Those with way more knowledge of such matters than I have gone into specific detail about body position, horse movements and visceral extraction for the body etc. but just remember, it is capturing a mere fraction of a fraction of a second (only) in time and as such, how can anyone say with 100% accuracy what position the body would be in, or what, exactly, would be ejected (in that specific moment) from the body..?

We are modellers and many here are actually true artists and so, I am sure we can all use our imaginations and creativity to 'fill in the gaps' as it were.

I think this is one of the most original and well thought out pieces in a long time and especially so in an already saturated Napoleonic French cavalry market.

Once again, a great piece and concept!
Gary

Thanks Gary,

I suppose the art of creating and modelling figures is capturing and depicting a moment in time, like you say it’s a snapshot and the one I chose to depict at the point of life and death.

What others see or choose to see is for them as viewer and painter.

We all bring to modelling our own understand, ideas, talent and prejudice. Once finished each model as a work of art has its own story.

 

[DioramaArt]

B*#ls@“t ........It's called "Planet Figure".......Not "Planet Military Figure".......Other than that......I think it's a very well done piece of work. What a sad state we would be in if everything was military.

Wayne

Thanks Wayne, appreciate your words of support.

I think Steve was reacting to my earlier comment, when I was being specific about military modelling rather than a commentary about this website, all modellers and figure painting.

I suppose conflict and war comes from misunderstanding, at least we have the luxury of planet figure as a website that doesn’t conflate or generate hate with algorithms, as many social media sites do. From other threads it’s obvious we all have varying opinions on many topics, we can be honest with those opinions but still respect others and be friends.

 

[DioramaArt]

The mainstay of the hobby is Military Modelling, that is where most of us started and concentrate our efforts for sure. As with all modelling we all branch out on tangents as the hobby evolves otherwise we'd all still be making gloss painted Toy Soldiers. The subject matter does not really matter, that we all come together and appreciate the talents and skills on show is surely the heart of the matter. Wow I wrote matter three times in one sentence, there must be some literary rule against that!

Cheers Simon

Very well said Simon and I agree.

I started off modelling by loving Action Man as a child and reading comics of war. My parents were quite concerned with that obsession as a child. Who knows why we are fascinated with war and militaria, maybe partly out of fear, the realisation of sacrifice or something deeper in our psychology.

It’s easy to forget the realities of war when we make a vehicle or paint a figure in uniform.

Even non military subjects are usually about human conflict or overcoming it. Be it a statue, sculpture or work of Art. My last finished work, whilst it was about the struggle of man in conquering nature reaching the South Pole, we know that those same men all met disaster and died on the return journey. If they hadn’t died, would it have been so historically significant, news worthy or remembered today?

 

[Briggsy]

Too much theory and thought required for an old soldier like me to continue this debate. As I see it we are a self destructive flawed species with a bleak future, so it's a case of crack on and enjoy life, it's too short not to.

Cheers Simon

 

[NRG]

You did say that this was a Marmite figure and would divide opinion. Well……I for one don’t like it!
We all know that soldiers kill and get killed, but there’s no need to try and model it.
No, this is not a brave attempt to depict the horrors of war, it’s puerile, ghoulish, morbid and is the equivalent of people who take photos on their phones of motorway crashes.