Mike Blank

[Mike Blank]

I just got several emails from Mike ahd he has sent me photos of his latest projects. Here is a copy / paste of his email followed by the photos he has sent.

Dear Guy

Many thanks for the welcome on the Planet figure forum... and here are my first photos of my latest work... hope you like it!
I would be most grateful if you could post these on the forum... I still have not found out how to do this... !
Thanks!

Here is the text to go with the photos:

90mm scratchbuilt Drabant officer (the guy with the tricorne hat, wig and about to draw his sword.

54mm vignette showing the retreat of general Armfelt karoliner over the snowy mountains between Norway and Sweden in jan 1719.

54mm scratchbuilt king Karl XII of Sweden... the head has been painted wih Humbrol natural wood to show up any fault.. the head was built up with tiny pieces of putty... it took forever to get a good likeness! The coat of nat. wood helps to achieve an even finish.



Take care

Mike

More photos will follow in the next post
Guy

Mike's website

 

[Guy]

more pictures of Mike's in-progress

Mike has stated he is more than happy to answer any questions we at the planet may have.

Many thanks Mike for sharing your work.
Guy

Mike's web site

 

[Kisifer]

I really like the Drabant officer. Any chance that he will be commercially available?

 

[garyjd]

Guy, thanks for posting these fantastic pieces. Mik creates some very inspirational work. I can just imagine the paintjob that awaits these fine figures. Great job Mike...as always.~Gary

 

[Mike Blank]

Hi everyone!
Many thanks for the comments on these figures!
I am sorry to say that none of these figures will be available comercially... however I would love to do a similar 90 mm figure for a company in the future...!
All sculpting has been done with Magic Sculp, the green parts are, of course, Duro which I like to use for really small parts and seperate hairstrands.
As you may guess these dudes will wearing lots of blue, and in the case of the Drabant officer, heavily laced with gold lace... !
I am also working on a kettledrummer in 54mm, pics will be up here soon.
Happy painting
Mike
PS I will bring these to the Atlanta show next feb... with some paint paint added!

 

[Guy]

Thanks Mike for the follow up posting and we all look forward to seeing more of your work in the future. Feel free to send me any photos you may want to share with the guys here at the planet.

Here is a Portfolio I have started of your work submitted here at the planet
Mike's Planet Portfolio

 

[captnenglish]

Originally posted by Mike Blank@Dec 13 2004, 05:43 PM
PS I will bring these to the Atlanta show next feb... with some paint paint added!

And SCHAMS??

 

[Automata]

Mike,

Fantastic work, as always. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Did you sculpt the heads on the figures in the vignette also?

Barry

 

[Ernest]

Hi Mike, Fantastic works, I also use MagicSculpt to my works but I don't know how to diluid the magic sculpt, did you use a brush with water or another stuff to soft the magic sculpt...?
Thanks and take care

Ernest

 

[RobH]

Hi Mike

thanks for sharing these.

I have no questions........after seeing your seminar at Euro last year and having read your books, I know what you are doing, but as to how!

Excellent.......the 3 figure vignette really captures a tired a stressful retreat......as ever, the body language speaks volumes! (yourself and Bill Horan are indeed the masters of this!)

a big

Rob

 

[Anders Heintz]

Tjena Micke!

Kul att se dina nyheter har pa "Planeten"!

Love the looks of the guys to be in the vignette, looks very appropriate from what I have read about the occurence. The man clutching the bible is also a great touch, as the Karolins were "God fearing soldiers" and deeply religious.

Keep it up man!

 

[yeo_64]

Mike !!! The 3-figure vignette is my favourite of the lot ! Cheers.
Kenneth.

 

[Lou Masses]

Excellent stuff Mike. I look forward to seeing them in Atlanta.

 

[Joe Hudson]

Mike,

This is truly outstanding! I think this is my favorite so far. I love the look of the cape and the wind blowing it. I can just feel the cold, of course it is 19 degrees outside and it is helping to set the mood.

Looking forward to seeing them in person.

Joe

 

[RobH]

Mike

where did the grey heads of the 3 figure vignette originate?

 

[Mike Blank]

Hi!
Once again, many thanks for the coments!
The heads for the vignette are from the new sets by Historex (resin heads) and are slghtly converted to show appropriate expressions (fatigue, sorrow,etc.) These heads are great, check them out. They have made 4 new sets, two female and two male. As for the head on the 90 mm Drabant dude, it is a slightly converted resin head from an S & T figure (by Rosengrant), these are slightly smaller than "normal" 120mm, actually more of large 90mm size. For lubrication I use skin lotion which works very well with Magic Sculp putty... a tip a learned from Bill Horan (thanks Bill!) Anders; well spotted on the guy on his knees in the vignette, he is indeed holding on to a bible in a desperate way... these Karoliner soldiers feared no enemy, only that that god would abanden them...
In the vignette I wanted to show several types of mood and expressions, from the officer (better dressed with his cape blowing in the wind), to the private (holding his sword in his left hand) who just keeps walking, stumbling on with a lifeless expression... I wanted the viewer to feel his apathy, to the figure on his knees who has giiven up, putting his final last thoughts to the lord...
A bit dramatic perhaps, but that is how I like to do vignettes, trying to tell a story...
Tomorrow I will start painting the vignette... photos will be here later on... !
Mike

 

[amherbert]

Super work as always Mike.

Thanks for showing us your work here.
That's a great ad for the Historex heads!!

Andy

 

[Uruk-Hai]

This might be just me, but I dont get the impression that the kneeling soldier has given up. To me it looks more like he is praying for strenght to carry on.

Cheers

 

[Roc]

Hello Mike, excellent work,the sculpters are extreemly well done.


Keep the great work.

Ciao

Roc.

 

[rej]

Excellent work as always Mike, I concur with ALL the comments so far, did'nt leave me anything to add really :angry:

Keep up the Excellence of your Works of ART

Best Regards,

Ray