Historex Rob
PlanetFigure Supporter
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2023
- Messages
- 202
Hello, all…
I came across the story of Fort Mose and it’s militia leader Francisco Menéndez, the subject of my latest project, while researching/writing articles on early Spanish Florida button typologies and their cleaning/conservation. If you unfamiliar with Menéndez, there is a good amount of information on the Internet to at least get an overview of his exploits.
I started with Historex’s kit: French Soldier 1750-1760. I chose one of the nice African American heads from the Historex/Nemrod range. I am also using an interesting set of Historex hands that Historex lists simply as: “hands outstretched” in their parts catalog.
I’ve been able to use most of the kit, adding only small details to adapt the kit parts to the non-standard Spanish militia uniforms of the time. By non-standard I mean arrangement of buttons/button holes, pockets, collar type and belts, accoutrements.
The legs are standard gaitered legs in an offset stance. I undercut everything to bring out the detail, carved in soles for the boots, and pinned for painting. I need to add small strap ends to the gaiter buckles. The pin in the waist will allow me to properly position the legs inside the upper torso once both pieces have been painted.
The upper torso has become almost a separate model of its own. I undercut and thinned all areas and scribed in seams and button holes. I added the coat tails, which were also undercut in the folds and thinned from the inside. This allowed me to work the diameter of the waist into scale in preparation for the belt to be added.
I chose a pistol to have tucked into the waist. I cleaned/detailed the pistol, hollowed the barrel end and then cut a small groove into the torso for a proper/nestled fit. I then used Aves Epoxy Sculpt to make the first ROUGH rendering of the belt (as you see it now). I have the buckle with strap end as a separate part yet to be added once I refine the belt shape/thickness a bit more.
The final photos show the parts “tacked” into place to give a general idea of the pose I am looking for. The hands are floating above the hips in the photos, as it is not possible to have them snugged into position at this time.
Lots to do yet including: adding more buttons and button holes, finishing the belt (thinning the central portion and the edges then adding the buckle with strap end), fitting arms/hands, sculpting the large uniform cuffs, fitting head into tricorn, paring down neck; sculpting on the shirt collar… and probably another dozen things that will come to me as I go along.
Thanks for looking.
I came across the story of Fort Mose and it’s militia leader Francisco Menéndez, the subject of my latest project, while researching/writing articles on early Spanish Florida button typologies and their cleaning/conservation. If you unfamiliar with Menéndez, there is a good amount of information on the Internet to at least get an overview of his exploits.
I started with Historex’s kit: French Soldier 1750-1760. I chose one of the nice African American heads from the Historex/Nemrod range. I am also using an interesting set of Historex hands that Historex lists simply as: “hands outstretched” in their parts catalog.
I’ve been able to use most of the kit, adding only small details to adapt the kit parts to the non-standard Spanish militia uniforms of the time. By non-standard I mean arrangement of buttons/button holes, pockets, collar type and belts, accoutrements.
The legs are standard gaitered legs in an offset stance. I undercut everything to bring out the detail, carved in soles for the boots, and pinned for painting. I need to add small strap ends to the gaiter buckles. The pin in the waist will allow me to properly position the legs inside the upper torso once both pieces have been painted.
The upper torso has become almost a separate model of its own. I undercut and thinned all areas and scribed in seams and button holes. I added the coat tails, which were also undercut in the folds and thinned from the inside. This allowed me to work the diameter of the waist into scale in preparation for the belt to be added.
I chose a pistol to have tucked into the waist. I cleaned/detailed the pistol, hollowed the barrel end and then cut a small groove into the torso for a proper/nestled fit. I then used Aves Epoxy Sculpt to make the first ROUGH rendering of the belt (as you see it now). I have the buckle with strap end as a separate part yet to be added once I refine the belt shape/thickness a bit more.
The final photos show the parts “tacked” into place to give a general idea of the pose I am looking for. The hands are floating above the hips in the photos, as it is not possible to have them snugged into position at this time.
Lots to do yet including: adding more buttons and button holes, finishing the belt (thinning the central portion and the edges then adding the buckle with strap end), fitting arms/hands, sculpting the large uniform cuffs, fitting head into tricorn, paring down neck; sculpting on the shirt collar… and probably another dozen things that will come to me as I go along.
Thanks for looking.
