Completed Legionnaire

[Ferris]

Adrian thank you, the buttons are small, really small, bits of Magicsculpt rolled carefully in the palm of my hand. I then put a small dab of diluted (but not very much added water) PVA glue where I want the button. The PVA keeps it in place very well and I have found it dries without a mark or trace left behind. The button itself can be shaped and manipulated with a fine damp brush after about 30 seconds to a minute later. The only down side is if you need to trim or remove the button the PVA can get tacky and is reluctant to be removed, though a quick brush over with a water loaded brush will reactivate the glue so it can be blended back in place without a trace.

Cheers Simon

Thanks Simon, sounds great. Going to try that!

Cheers
Adrian

 

[Briggsy]

Ian, many thanks for watching.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Adrian, you're welcome, all these little cheats and methods are great to share, it's what makes the hobby so much fun.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Back again, not much progress today, the boss has had a few tasks for me, also not much chance of anything tomorrow as I have my demon Granddaughter all day. Fun but exhausting.

OK so with both arms in place it is time to start building up the fringed eppulets. Got the main shoulder board in place complete with button and a frame/foundation or whatever is the right word to build the round end on the shoulder board and the fringe.

I also did the cuff detail, a three button affair with an outer piping of cord.

Fairly simple bits really but not wanting to have to redo them that was the limit of what I was prepared to do in one session.

Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

Hi Simon

Nice update , looking forward to see how you do the fringe on epaulettes, cuff details look good to me

Enjoy the day with your granddaughter

Look forward to seeing more ...inbetween the hoovering , dusting , ironing etc etc .....lol

Have FUN @ the bench

Nap

 

[Briggsy]

Cheers Nap, hard day yesterday it's amazing how much energy a three and a half year old has! Gonna try get some bench time today then I can think about how to do those eppulette fringes.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Later than I had hoped but some progress, I decided to dispense with the extra ammo pouch, though carrying a full load of ammunition in just one pouch would be very lopsided weight distribution wise.

I gave him is rank insignia and service stripes, simply narrow strips of post it note paper glued in place with PVA, the wet glue makes the paper much easier to work with.

I now have the general shape of the fringed eppulets in place. Once cured they will be filed down and reshaped where necessary before adding the retaining loop, the crescent edging and the fringe. Only had to re-do the right one once because of my clumsy fingers.

Next I came across a planning error, keen to do the eppulets I went ahead and added the arms only to find them in the way as I tried to add his haversack and water bottle, D'Ho!



Also did a bit of work on a 9th Lancer in Afghanistan, added the jacket quilting to his left arm and thought it looked OK but later I realised the arm was too short so I had to do some field surgery, try again tomorrow!



Cheers Simon

 

[Mike Stevens]

Looking good Simon.

Quick question, why not use metal
For some of these details. Foil for buttons, wire for loops and piping etc?

 

[marco14]

that is a lot of work you have like I can see,it's nice too see the evolution
of your work,keep it up
Mario

 

[Warren SMITH]

Amazing work, so far..

 

[Briggsy]

Looking good Simon.

Quick question, why not use metal
For some of these details. Foil for buttons, wire for loops and piping etc?

Mike, thanks for looking. Some of the detail such as belts and straps is done in foil from wine bottles. As for buttons, simple answer is I don't have a punch and die set to make them. I find that putty rolled thin is far more malleable than even annealed metal wire, there is always an issue of consistency of size/width etc but I'm getting better at it, only taken about 50 figures. Trouble was as my attempts at sculpting has improved my painting got worse!

Marco, Warren, thanks for your kind words, I have to admit that making my work public like this has made me put much more effort into it than I probably would have just for myself.

Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

Hi Mr Simon

Glad you survived the youngsters have ...bet it was fun though and a nice break from bench

Good updates on the figures , your getting good results with many different elements being used and it's very enjoyable to follow

Have you the Stan Catchpole booklet ?

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/anyone-remember-stan-catchpole.15826/

Look forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Briggsy]

Hi Mr Simon

Glad you survived the youngsters have ...bet it was fun though and a nice break from bench

Good updates on the figures , your getting good results with many different elements being used and it's very enjoyable to follow

Have you the Stan Catchpole booklet ?

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/anyone-remember-stan-catchpole.15826/

Look forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap

Thanks for that, I like to use what's easiest and also close to hand, something I picked up recently reading the Military Illustrated article on Sid Horton.

No I don't have the Catchpole book but remember reading his column in Mil Mod all those years ago.

Enjoy Barnstable, I have a Hen Party for my daughter starting and finishing here today, mmmm deep joy.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

So here I go again, not too much today. Late night waiting for the hen party to come back so I could ferry a bunch of drunken women safely back home then up early to make much appreciated bacon (and meat free) butties for the hung over who stayed here.

Now a combination of Sunday G&T's and lack of sleep have made the figures far too wobbly to work on.

However I did get some work done. Eppulet fringes on the Legionnaire, still got some cordage to put in at the top of the fringes and below the crescent but I need to wait for the fringes to cure first.



Also regrafted the arm to the Lancer just need to redo the quilting. Also trying a new approach to face painting on my Offr of the 66th at Maiwand.



Gonna crash on the sofa now with another G&T.

Cheers Simon

 

[MalcC]

Liking the progress.

Malc

 

[Briggsy]

Cheers Malc it's getting there, of the six on the go three have full marching order. Back packs and greatcoat etc, something I haven't attempted before, no point in not challenging myself, apparently.

Cheers Simon

 

[stoffy01]

Thats some lovely work, am enjoying following your process, well done!

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

 

[Rob]

Steady progress, Legionnaire is looking good.

 

[Nap]

Hi Simon

Well done on survival around the hen do ....obviously a couple of G & T are well deserved ...don't dip the brush in it !

Good updates on these piece , fringes look good

Have FUN @ the bench

Nap

 

[NigelR]

Excellent progress, thanks for sharing your step by step photos.