WIP Miniart Samurai

[valiant]

Hi folks,

Some progress pics on my Miniart samurai. I know this kit has its drawbacks and I really dont know how accurate it is, but it looks right to me! Still loads to do, matting bits down, painting the knots and lacing and still some detail painting to complete...

Thanks for looking

 

[Warren SMITH]

Very nice work. Ive always balked at this one as its seen some bad press with fit etc.. Be good to see how you finish him..

 

[Oda]

Regardless of what this kit is or isn't,your work on it is really good.

Oda.

 

[Cannonball]

Great job so far Steve. Like the patterns and free hand work.

Neal

 

[misfit151]

Looking really good Steve...... Mike

 

[Nap]

Hi Steve

Fair play to you , certainly coming on and very colourful ........good modelling from you sorting out the issues with the kit

Nice patterning and colour choices

Look forward to more updates

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Banjer]

As I have posted several times this kit comes and goes on my bench but this super job has encouraged me to bring it out again.
Very nicely done.

Cheers
Bill

 

[valiant]

Thanks for the good comments, chaps! Ive done some modifications to the kit, including resculpting the face, but nothing hugely taxing to the average modeller. I picked the kit up cheap, as it had been started, so I disassembled the bits and had to deal with some of the seams which had been butchered by the previous owner! Some of the parts needed thinning down as they were very bulky and I reshaped the sword and cut a chunk off the scabbard which way way too long! As Ive said, it may not be the most accurate representation of a samurai, but for the money, you cant really beat it!!

 

[OldTaff]

Great piece of work, Steve. You have endeavoured to persevere , and it has been rewarded.

Alan

 

[Peter Day]

Really very nice and congratulations on managing to get it built - I've tried twice and failed.

 

[Chris Oldfield]

Excellent work, Steve - I like the combinations of blues & purples in the armour.

 

[Scott Sheltz]

Great looking paint work and nice job on the rescue of this kit.

 

[NeilW]

Nice work so far

This pic shows the challenges of modelling/painting Japanese armour (at any scale)

However, some thoughts ref the lacing (odoshi).

As the vertical laces support the row of laminae beneath it, the upper row of lacing would be the same as the upper lace above it. There were many variations on lacing but during the Age of Warring States (Sengoku Jidai: c1467-1615) plain basic colours (often dark blues) and simplified armour, often with solid lames and widely spaced lacing were popular as they were more functional.

MiniArt don't give a date, but looking at it (and yes, there are many errors), it looks like a fairly early one, perhaps the most likely lacing method for the figure may be:


See refs below, mainly from Abselon's book on cuirasses (do) show lacings and colour variations:



There are many useful web links, eg:
5. The Odoshi — Sengoku Daimyo
Samurai Painting Guide Part I: Clothes and Armour - KRIGET KOMMER (weebly.com)
The Evolution of Japanese Armour -- myArmoury.com

... and if you want overkill (and can read Japanese script):
https://archive.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/ke05/ke05_00230/ke05_00230_0001/ke05_00230_0001.html
https://archive.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/ke05/ke05_00230/ke05_00230_0002/ke05_00230_0002.html

Restorers sites also give invaluable information and show the mechanics of lacing etc:
katchushi.com
David Thatcher – Katchushi Koubou – Japanese Samurai Armour Studio (yoroi.uk)


Otherwise, the figs swords are wrongly mounted. For much of the earlier period the main sword (tashi) would be suspended from the waist and a dagger (tanto, later a longer uikushi) thrust through the waist belt (and spare bow string holder if using a bow).

(this also shows the long no-dashi sword, as used by kikushio on Seven Samurai and the bow string holder)

In the later period, the longer (katana- a little shorter than a tashi and better for fighting on foot) and the short sword (wakizashi- the two together known as a daisho) would be diagonally thrust though the sash (obi) with the blades uppermost. This was especially a fashion when wearing 'civvies' .


However, throughout the period there were many ways of mounting the swords and the 'old' and new styles (tashi/katana; tanto/wakizashi) could be mixed (suspended best if on horseback) as:


The shoulder guards (sode) don't look right either (the refs above give refs)


BoL

 

[Nap]

Completed model here

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/miniart-samurai.384511/

Nap

 

[valiant]

Thanks for the references, Neil - this was an itch that needed scratching, like the Roman I did a while back, but I shant be doing any more samurai. Been there, done that, now!!

 

[NeilW]

Thanks for the references, Neil - this was an itch that needed scratching, like the Roman I did a while back, but I shant be doing any more samurai. Been there, done that, now!!

...ah, fine: thought you were still working on it



I've weighed up this fig several times and always decided against buying it