Kit Review 120mm Texas Cowboy

[Guy]

Texas Cowboy – 1880
PiliPili Miniatures
120mm resin
Sculpted by Le-Van Quang
Box art by Le-Van Quang
Painting guide included

I did this kit for a collector after it first came out and enjoyed it so much I ordered another to do at a later time. The kit is comprised of 14 parts, 1 being a coil of rope to use with the kit. My kit had an extra gun/holster and an extra set of spurs and I e-mailed PiliPili to see if this was the case with all kits and he informed me that rather than toss an extra part after casting he randomly just includes it with a kit as they prepare them for shipment. I wish more of the manufacturers would do this as we all know how valuable these extra’s can be when doing another figure or as accessories.

The kit is cast in a light gray resin and has minimal mold / seam lines. Mold plugs are easily recognizable and can be carefully removed with a jewelers saw and or knife. Body fittment is clean with "D” lugs making the fit exact and tight. Quang has done an exceptional job with detail as the holster has empty loops where bullet shells were and the holster has detail befitting a leather western six gun holster. The detail Quang has put into the wrist chaps and leg chaps can really enhance the over life-like appearance when the figure is finished.

This kit is a “Must Have” for any serious American West figure collector.

 

[Anders Heintz]

Looks like a great figure and nice castings.

If one could find a suitable new head to replace the one that comes with the kit it would make for a super piece. Love the chaps, they are spot on!

 

[garyjd]

That's one of my favorites from Quang. There are not very many cowboy figures that look like one from that period. most cowboy figures end up looking like characters from a movie.~Gary

 

[Johan]

Well, Guy, I look forward to see your version of this one - it's actually my favourite figure !

Anders, may I suggest you have a look at a painting by Frederick Remington, Charles Russell etc. when you have the chance - you'll notice that the real cowboys did NOT look like John Wayne or any other movie star.

And Gary : I agree !

 

[garyjd]

Originally posted by Anders Heintz@Mar 7 2005, 07:02 PM

If one could find a suitable new head to replace the one that comes with the kit

Suitable? I think we need an emoticon scratching it's head. If I rmember right someone even did a bust using only the head.~Gary

 

[Anders Heintz]

Anders, may I suggest you have a look at a painting by Frederick Remington, Charles Russell etc. when you have the chance - you'll notice that the real cowboys did NOT look like John Wayne or any other movie star.

Johan, may I suggest you read my post again?

I have seen many Remington and Russel paintings in the flesh, and I am very well aware of what is history and what is hollywood. I am not sure where you got that idea from that I said that he was hollywood as I clearly did not.

Honestly I just dont like the Asian features of the head, wouldn't have been many Asian cowboys, certainly not with such a full mustache and so tall, how's that for reality vrs hollywood?

 

[quang]

Originally posted by Anders Heintz@Mar 8 2005, 09:49 PM

Honestly I just dont like the Asian features of the head, wouldn't have been many Asian cowboys, certainly not with such a full mustache and so tall, how's that for reality vrs hollywood?

Hello Anders,

Obviously, it's Bruce Lee in cowboy disguise. :lol:

For your appreciation, here's a close-up.

No hard feelings!

Quang

 

[Anders Heintz]

Hola Quang,


Thanks for posting the big picture, its shows more clearly what I mean.

Obviously, it's Bruce Lee in cowboy disguise.

:lol: Shanghai noon maybe?

 

[Guy]

Thanks Quang for posting the enlargement. From visiting the many many Cowboy museums located in Oklahoma (land of the Cowboy) I see your sculpting beeing closer to the true look of the cowboy than any other sculpting done of this character. The mustashe being thick and the worn weathered look exemplifies the hard life that the cowboys endured and loved. When I paint mine, I will have the cowboy in his later years as an older cowboy and a true vetern of the Range. I personally do not see any Asian look and only see an old Cowboy roping his bronc. You did a terrific job in bringing this "look" out in the figure.

 

[quang]

Anders: So sorry you didn't like it. I will try to do better next time.

Guy: Thanks for the kind words.

As a matter of fact, I didn't use any specific model (Remington, Russell or Wyeth) for the figure. I just wanted to do a cowboy in the Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove tradition and thought that a Richard Farnsworth type would fit the bill.

Now imagine my surprise when, 5 years after I sculpted the figure, I stumbled on these photos of Brushy Bill Roberts (the REAL Billy the Kid?) on the Internet. Scary!

Brushy Bill story HERE

Enjoy,
Q.

 

[quang]

Hello Geoff,

The running nooze on the lasso is made by folding and tying one end of the rope to create an eyelet called the 'hondo'. Also note the correct way to hold the lariat. Pics tell all.

As for David Lynch and the 'Straight Story', looks like we have the same taste in films.

Incidentally, 'Ulzana's Raid', one of the best movies about the Apache wars, is the main inspiration behind my Apache figure.

Yippee yi yea!
Q.

 

[Anders Heintz]

Hola Quang,

I never said I didnt like the figure, I love the figure and the subject, just not the head part. Its nicely sculpted and all, just too ethnic, but nothing some putty and an X-Acto blade couldn't fix.

The best Cowboy museum (in the world?) that I have been to was located like Guy said in Oklahoma city called the Cowboy Hall of Fame, tons and tons of awesome stuff there, I will make sure to go there again next time I am in Oklahoma City for the NRHA Futurity in December.


I hope you do more cowboys in the future!

 

[quang]

My pleasure, Geoff. As a matter of fact, pF is a priceless tool for clarifying such small details.

Anders: What I'm modestly trying to give to my figures is CHARACTER. Ethnic peculiarities are just a part of it along with age, state of health, morphological and psychological type.

I'm not quite sure what you meant by 'too ethnic', but next time that someone tells me that I'm looking 'too ethnic', I'll think of you.

Cheers,
Q.