Completed French Legionnaire & Spanish Officer, Colonial service

[Nap]

Hi Simon

Your certainly getting there , nice putty work , better and better

The helmets are a difficult shape to get right and your almost there

A good update , look forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Briggsy]

Steve, Nigel and Kev, many thanks gents, the hope is that I'll learn and improve with every figure, but even if not I still enjoy the process and that's enough for.me.

Cheers Simon

 

[clubcat]

My, these are coming along beautifully Simon. Enjoyment is what we do it for....
Melanie

 

[Briggsy]

My, these are coming along beautifully Simon. Enjoyment is what we do it for....
Melanie

Cheers for that, yes not enjoying it would be a good incentive to find another hobby.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Minor progress as there isn't a great deal left to do on either Figure.

The Legionnaire has had his insignia, buttons etc added, mostly from paper strips and a Magicsculpt medal. I have also started his eppulets, just got the fringes to do when this bit cures. The helmet is nearly there, I think I have the shape right now, just need to add the accoutrements.



The Spanish chap has his rank insignia, buttons and medal ribbons in place. This helmet has been more reluctant to form properly, I think it needs a little more fullness to the top and then the fittings by which time he'll be done.



All images are thumbnails.

If there is any glaring, or not so obvious error I have made please let me know, so long as I don't have to rebuild the figures I'll be happy.

Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

Hi Simon

Great update ,the Legion headwear looks good , agree ref the Spanish , that aside I admire your patience in getting the shaping ...well worth the time and effort

The pose of both works really well

Nice detail work added

Look forward to the next update and the paint

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Briggsy]

Hi Simon

Great update ,the Legion headwear looks good , agree ref the Spanish , that aside I admire your patience in getting the shaping ...well worth the time and effort

The pose of both works really well

Nice detail work added

Look forward to the next update and the paint

Happy benchtime

Nap

It's the only way I know how to make those things, slow and steady, at least they don't need a wrapped around pagri like a British one would, apart from in South Africa anyway.

One thing i am stuck on is the medal ribbons on the Spanish Officer, can't make out colours from my reference image, more digging through info on the web i guess.

Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

One thing i am stuck on is the medal ribbons on the Spanish Officer, can't make out colours from my reference image, more digging through info on the web i guess.

Cheers Simon

This might help , very similar timeframe

Nap

 

[Briggsy]

Many thanks Kev, I shall use that medal ribbon. My searching brought up lots of medals but few details on dates issued etc and were either sold or for sale, I'm not starting down that road!

I really like the stripey blue and white uniform, I've seen lots of illustrations that are very tempting subjects but no way am I up to painting those pinstripes. A shame really it's an odd enough uniform to tick the boxes for out of the ordinary which I like, plus I want to hang onto the sanity I have left.

Cheers Simon

 

[MalcC]

Very nice, looking forward to seeing him painted.

Malc

 

[Briggsy]

Very nice, looking forward to seeing him painted.

Malc

Not long to wait for that now I hope.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

I spent the morning and the last couple of days doing the final bits and bobs to the pair of figures.

I'll start with the Spanish gentleman, he still needs a cane or riding crop adding but that can wait till after painting. The helmet spike is an entomologist pin with super glue and bicarbonate of soda on the end, this was then filed to shape and glued into a really handy hole that appeared on top of his helmet. The band around the helmet is as far asi can tell the chin strap, this is made from wine bottle foil and the cap badge is Magicsculpt.



The Legionnaire didn't look quite right and I realised the front peak of his sun helmet came to too sharp a point, more like the British version than the French. So that was sorted with Magicsculpt, the cap band and chin strap were added from good old wine bottle foil, with the top ventilation button and grenade cap badge added from Magicsculpt. The fringes to the eppulets are also Magicsculpt and he has a bayonet side arm from G&G in Italy.



Now I need to wait for a dry day to basecoat them with cellulose car primer, fettle any errors etc and then I can get my brushes going.

Cheers Simon

 

[Merryweather]

Oh very respectable, Mr Briggs!
I would say these are amongst your best-can't wait to see them painted

 

[theBaron]

Great progress with these details, Simon!

Prost!
Brad

 

[clubcat]

Nice jobs Simon, very natural poses. Will look grand with a lick of paint
Melanie

 

[Briggsy]

Neil, Brad and Melanie, thank you all very much, best I try harder when I paint them then!

Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

Hi Simon

Nice updates ...ref the Spaniard...looking at the pic I added there’s a definate band under the badge and he wears a chin strap ......I reckon it would look better like that ..just my thoughts

Good work on the epaulettes on the French and spot on the helmet ...looks better

Look forward to seeing the painting on these fine folk

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[NigelR]

These are both looking really good but I particularly like the pose and that character of the Spanish guy. Great work here, looking forward to seeing some paint on them.

 

[Briggsy]

Hi Simon

Nice updates ...ref the Spaniard...looking at the pic I added there’s a definate band under the badge and he wears a chin strap ......I reckon it would look better like that ..just my thoughts

Good work on the epaulettes on the French and spot on the helmet ...looks better

Look forward to seeing the painting on these fine folk

Happy benchtime

Nap

And there in lies the problem.of reference material, according to my reference and the info Super Anto sent the helmet has its chinstrap wrapped part way around the helmet and no cap band. I'm going to go with the illustration I have rather than mix and match reference material.

Thanks for the kind comments on the figures, I need a dry day to prime them, my wife won't let me spray cellulose paint in the house for some reason. Fingers crossed for a dry day.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

These are both looking really good but I particularly like the pose and that character of the Spanish guy. Great work here, looking forward to seeing some paint on them.

Nigel, thanks for that, the Spaniard does have a lot of character in his pose I agree and I think I have captured it well enough. I'm looking forward to painting but like I said to Kev above I.need a dry day to start the process.

Cheers Simon