WIP Hollowcast 220mm Cuirassier resurrection.....maybe

[Rob]

In an obvious moment of madness I have undertaken to try renovating a "model" of a dismounted French Cuirassier from the 1812 campaign.
The "model" is actually a resin hollowcast fake bronze sold for a few quid in a souvenir shop, it was described by the seller as "..a bit of seaside tat...". He sold it on behalf of the wife of a friend and fellow modeller who sadly passed earlier this year.

I know.......... it has issues. There are some other images in my gallery: https://www.planetfigure.com/useralbums/cuirassier-220mm.1187/view

The cape border is plaited needlework thread and the threads in the rips are rubberised horsehair, the arm bandage and knee patch are real bandage, the core of the plume is blu-tac, the hair and fur texture is tiny offcuts of sewing cotton and the snow is finest Homepride (without fixative so most of that was loose in the post wrapping). Very "inventive" scratchbuilding.

First up to remove everything that is not resin and see what is left and then work out how to even begin.........any thoughts welcomed.

 

[NigelR]

Madness - interested to see what you do with this. I have a similar project underway. A friend asked if I could paint a figure of Napoleon crossing the Alps (a la David), I said sure no problem. He then presented me with a 300mm high resin thing he picked up at a car boot sale. Hideous semi-scale lump of resin that has been a right pain to do!

Best of luck......

 

[Larsen E. Whipsnade]

Yikes! Good luck.
Rick

 

[Rob]

Madness - interested to see what you do with this. I have a similar project underway. A friend asked if I could paint a figure of Napoleon crossing the Alps (a la David), I said sure no problem. He then presented me with a 300mm high resin thing he picked up at a car boot sale. Hideous semi-scale lump of resin that has been a right pain to do!
Best of luck......

Thanks, I am having great fun currently attacking him with the radial cutter on my dremel.
I have decided to limit reworking to the cloak, helmet and sword/scabbard. He will have to remain probably the skinniest recruit ever accepted into the French Heavy Cavalry Corps.
Surprisingly after a rub with BioStrip there is a really nicely detailed face under that paintwork.

Any pictures of your Napoleon?

Yikes! Good luck.
Rick

Thanks Rick, at least with this as a starting point my extremely limited modelling skills will not be too obvious, nor the hit on my wallet too desperate if it all goes awry.

 

[NigelR]

Any pictures of your Napoleon?

Here you go:



It's bloomin' mahoosive, full of pits and recessed detail that is hard to paint. Weighs a ton as well. Not quite finished, still got a few details on the horse to do and the "groundwork". So best of luck with yours!

 

[Rob]

He is looking smart, if the basic form is anything like mine you have done a cracking job on that. It is a bit of a monster to get onto the workbench though. Nice one.

 

[Nap]

Here you go:

View attachment 471202

It's bloomin' mahoosive, full of pits and recessed detail that is hard to paint. Weighs a ton as well. Not quite finished, still got a few details on the horse to do and the "groundwork". So best of luck with yours!

Nigel

That looks really good ..do share when all finished

Nap

 

[Nap]

Hi Rob

Heavens that's scary initially .....what's it looking like after the clean up

it's a rather large piece

Look forward to seeing more

Have fun

Nap

 

[Rob]

Progress so far.
Some paint stripping done, the old paint is proving quite resistant to my go to BioStrip20 product so does not come off cleanly.
I cut off the top of the helmet and started a new one with milliput and sheet styrene. Better than it was, but I make no pretence to be any good at this sort of thing so it will be passable at best.
I cut out the bent broadsword and scabbard and the area of cloak it was moulded onto so I can fit a new, straight one and then rebuild the cloak around it.
Also cut away a lot of the cloak inner to remove the hollow and some of the unnecessary humps on the back. Begun milliput and styrene work to rebuild the cloak accordingly.

All in all still fun up to this point!

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[Larsen E. Whipsnade]

Hey, Rob looks better now than when you started. Following with interest.
Rick

 

[Pedro]

This must be love: There is nothing to like but i like it anyway

 

[NigelR]

Madness, but of the best type! Keep going.......

 

[Rob]

Thanks guys, I have been hunting the web for images of the front plate of the pre 1812 brass helmet comb, I never considered there would be so many variations. Between actual historic examples and respected uniform studies, let alone modern reproductions and other scale models there are a myriad of designs.

 

[Warren SMITH]

Very interesting.. keep at it..

 

[Rob]

More progress on this guy this week.
Almost finished rebuilding the cloak, virtually all the hollow has now been cut away. I started the sword and scabbard and resculpted his left hand and leg where I removed the old scabbard and cloak. For sake of maintaining the link to the ornamental source of the figure I left the treestump behind his leg under the cloak. I did however carve it away enough not to interfere with the new scabbard.
Still fun but now I can see it coming together I have to avoid temptation to do too much to him. He will never be anything other than an oddity so I have to resist spending a lot of time on him.

 

[Wayneb]

"Putty and paint make the devil a saint". I just made that up.......

 

[NigelR]

Good progress, but don't get carried away.....

 

[Rob]

I know, so much wrong that could be fixed. Caught myself wondering about scratchbuilding a basket hilt for the sword earlier.

 

[Babelfish]

I'm filing this one under "Polishing a Jobbie".

Rather you than me! But if nothing else, I admire your courage and perseverance .

- Steve

 

[Redcap]

'Each to their own' and all that but sometimes you have to ask..."Why?"

It isn't even a decent figure or anatomically and uniform details correct. There are so many tremendous figures on the market at the moment (including large 'statue' sized ones) that would be a much better use of time and effort and of course, yield a vastly superior end product. Even if you are an international 'GOLD' standard painter, you will still only be left with a very well painted but anatomically naïve and toy-like looking piece.

That said , it's your figure and time - your choice - and so irrespective, 'good luck'

Gary