Old maori Warrior New Zealand( 1890s)

[Roy]

John, he looks fabulous. Some beautiful touches , I especially like those old eyes..and his overall pose is very expressive..The hands are also very good and bring life and feeling to the old fella...
Looks like he could spin a few good one's mate...Lovely creative work John.

All the best...Roy.

 

[mister greg]

good work, the face is very beautiful

 

[John Belcher]

Hi Guys,many thanks for all the compliments on my old Maori Warrior.I had alot fun creating this figure and are pleased on how he turned out.I am glad you like him too. I have another New Zealand figure on the drawing board of which I hope to get started on over the next week.I will post some progress photos on him.Kind regards John

 

[PHIL WALDEN]

John mate,..
dont know what to say....perhaps just the man needed to be done, and you've done the man......hes the best....

Phil.....

 

[Mark Dunsmuir]

Well it's all been said and I can'nt add much more except to say I have had the privalege and pressure of eyeballing this old warrior up close and live . John has totally created the warriors history and mana in sculpting and painting. The artistry in the moko with the different shadows and highlights of deep greens is amazing, the moko is exact. It's a complete piece of craft and artwork , just a total insparation to me. Excellent john cheers Mark Dunsmuir.

 

[John Belcher]

Thanks Phil and Mark for the nice words on the Maori warrior.Mark I will have him at the club meeting this Sunday for the guys to have a close look.Last meeting of the year.Hope there will be a good turn out.Just started sculpting the head to my next project.He is a Captain to a very rare New Zealand volunteer regiment that only lasted two years from 1868 -70.Had the opportunity to get hold of some excellent photos of the uniform which has been beautifully looked after by his descendants. Hope to have some pictures soon.Kind regards John

 

[kiwi45]

Hi John,well it's great to see the old warrior finished, and boy oh boy has he come up nice. It's a real shame most of the guy's veiwing this figure may never see it in the flesh because this is the only way anyone is able to "feel" the power in this work of art. When we (guy's from the club) veiwed this fig last month at the club meeting it was spooky how the old guy's eyes seemed to follow you, and the outstanding work on the moko Must be seen in person to appreciate it's realism.An absolute masterpeice!!!!
cheers Les.

 

[slaj]

Hey John,that as a tough subject to pull off and you did a great job of it.A very big well done

Stephen Mallia

 

[John Belcher]

Hi Les and Steve,thanks guys for your compliments on the Maori Warrior ,glad you like him. Les nice to see you on Planet figure. Hope to see you on Sunday at the club meeting.Kind regards John

 

[LindsayThompson]

Hi John, Les and Mark. Guess I'll get lucky this weekend and get to see the figure in person as well. I'm a coming over.

John, I take it you are beginning to sculpt the Westland Rifles Volunteer officer Tim Ryan told me about. Should be interesting. Would you like some real Westland dirt and ferns for the base? Hang on. I'll just nip outside and get some............. :lol:

See you Sunday !!!

 

[brentonrj]

Hey mate,

Well done John, just beautiful.

Sculpting a face as distinctive as this is not easy. I especially love your attention to detail in the Maori facial structure. The Maori (Polynesian) people have a very unique, broader craniofacial form/skull and it's evident on this figure. This man also has a greater neck circumference and broader nasal aperture, yet another characteristic feature wonderfully depicted here.

Great work. Look forward to seeing your next figure.
Cheers

p.s. You should be sculpting for the commercial market as your talent for representing iconic/cultural characters in miniature is supurb.

 

[John Belcher]

Hey Lindsay,you are right the next project is the Westland volunteer rifle officer. Captain Alexander Mee. Tim Ryan has very kindly given me so much great information on him. Yes some plant life and dirt from Hokitika on the base would be a nice touch,seeing he was from your neck of the woods mate. Many thanks.Looking forward to see you mate at the club Sunday.Hope you bring some of your latest work along.
Thanks Bernton, for your reply to my maori warrior.Glad you like him mate.
Kind regards to you all,.John

 

[Guy]

Excellent work John. I look forward to your next project. I moved this topic from the sculpting forum to your vbench so it would not get lost in the sculpting forum and be with your other works.

 

[kiwi45]

OLD MAORI WARRIOR by John Belcher EURO BOUND.
Hi guy's, for all who loved Johns Maori figure, I'm pleased to say that I am hopeing to take Johns fantastic figure + his mongolian archer to Euro Militaire for this years show, (hopefully these models survive the trip from New Zealand, and I actually get to the show) with the pitfalls of travelling all this distance. John has agreed to me taking his figures knowing any risks involved,It would be fanastic to have this figure by NEW ZEALANDS BEST FIGURE MODELLER at this contest.
Les Smith

 

[Dan Morton]

Superb sculpting and painting John! There is so much subtlety and care in your artistic approach! Any chance this figure will make it to a show in the US?

All the best,
Dan

 

[housecarl]

I was having a look around today, and found this beauty.
Carl.

 

[blaster]

Hi John,

Running out of superlatives here. A real stunner.

Rgds Vic