Older Figures

[theBaron]

You may have seen my gallery, I have slightly different tastes that most of the rest of our Planet Family, in that I paint in toy soldier style with a gloss finish. So I still prefer the older makers' figures--Stadden, Imrie-Risley, Rose (Gammage), Phoenix, Alymer, Soldat, along with newer figures like those from Puchala, Peipp, Rylit, Tradition, among others. They have a sufficient level of detail for me, without being as prohibitively expensive as some of today's kits can be. I don't eschew those, either, if I can get an example of a subject that I don't have. I'm always looking to fill out my collection of the armies from the Seven Years War, or my collection of the Kaiser's army.

Some Stadden castings, if they were cast on a good day, have some very fine engraved detail that can disappear all to easily under the paint.

Prost!
Brad

 

[theBaron]

But yes, I do agree with the point that the work of painters from that era was quite nearly miraculous, to achieve the results they did.

 

[garyhiggins]

The quality of a sculpt is always down to the talent of the sculptor, then or now. I have on my window shelf a vignette sculpted by Tim Richards in the 1970's, in undercoat, of a Viking and Priest that still stands up alongside anything today. And my father's 30mm figures sculpted in the 1960's are still as good as any 30mm's now, and both my dad and Tim sculpted in a mix of beeswax and plasticiene. They were at the top of the game then and if they were still active, would be now.
Best wishes, Gary.

 

[garyhiggins]

PS. If I can ever figure out how to work a camera.............. grumble, grumble'grumble...

 

[peedee]

The quality of a sculpt is always down to the talent of the sculptor, then or now. I have on my window shelf a vignette sculpted by Tim Richards in the 1970's, in undercoat, of a Viking and Priest that still stands up alongside anything today. And my father's 30mm figures sculpted in the 1960's are still as good as any 30mm's now, and both my dad and Tim sculpted in a mix of beeswax and plasticiene. They were at the top of the game then and if they were still active, would be now.
Best wishes, Gary.

All true Gary.
I thought you the oldest figure, not a bad sculpt.
Then I had a look in the mirror,
I don't stand up to modern standards either.
It's the knees you know.
Paul

 

[garyhiggins]

Oh how I do know, everytime I get out of the chair I feel like Douglas Bader.

 

[peedee]

Oh how I do know, everytime I get out of the chair I feel like Douglas Bader.

Seriously?
That's worrying,
I still feel like chasing a woman myself,
But they do get away.
Paul

 

[garyhiggins]

Seriously?
That's worrying,
I still feel like chasing a woman myself,
But they do get away.
Paul

The time to worry is when they let you catch them

 

[peedee]

Lol.

P

 

[Funky50]

Alway

The 100 series I have by David are in resin and David himself has said if it were today he would be doing this. My only hurdle has been due to the engineering of the master I have had to retain some pieces in metal, ie swords with hands attached etc. Unfortunately the metal casting did give a surface texture which isn't on the resin casts, but I agree his casts were of excellent quality. I have also seen the lead disease on some pieces.
I still cast his 90mm figures in metal (available for £38 incl postage but I have had lots of requests to do the set of 5 in resin which I will at some point.
As mentioned I think a quality sculpt, no matter how old, when combined with modern practises done properly will give a quality piece. Hopefully standing the test of time and still finding a place with the painter.
Here is a resin cast off David's master
View attachment 184229 View attachment 184230

Always loved David's classic 100 Range and as you say Graham they still stand as quality pieces even by today's standards....the 28th figure has always been one of my favourites in the range along with the Lifeguard....for me a sorely missed sculptor and glad your keeping David's sculpts alive....Kevin

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

The 100 series I have by David are in resin and David himself has said if it were today he would be doing this. My only hurdle has been due to the engineering of the master I have had to retain some pieces in metal, ie swords with hands attached etc. Unfortunately the metal casting did give a surface texture which isn't on the resin casts, but I agree his casts were of excellent quality. I have also seen the lead disease on some pieces.
I still cast his 90mm figures in metal (available for £38 incl postage but I have had lots of requests to do the set of 5 in resin which I will at some point.
As mentioned I think a quality sculpt, no matter how old, when combined with modern practises done properly will give a quality piece. Hopefully standing the test of time and still finding a place with the painter.
Here is a resin cast off David's master
View attachment 184229 View attachment 184230

That metal casting just jumps out for crispness

 

[Funky50]

That metal casting just jumps out for crispness

Have to say I always preferred the White metal but that's just me showing my age I think....Kevin

 

[peedee]

Have to say I always preferred the White metal but that's just me showing my age I think....Kevin

I agree with why you said that Kevin.

A lot of us prefer white metal to resin I think.

It would be like the prelude to Armageddon,
the final days if we heard Bruno changed his company name to 'Resine modelles' !
Shock horror.

It would be cool but impractical to have the choice though.

I would also like to see more etched brass used in kits too.

Paul

 

[Rich Sculpts]

Half the fun of the older castings was improving and super detailing them, many of todays sculptors mastered theirs skills this way.

-Rich

 

[Rich Sculpts]

Got to add recognition of the injection moulded figures. Ray Lamb has been mentioned here as an exception in quality to some older sculptors, his work with Historex figures was the benchmark of the day! Many masterpieces were created from cheap mass produced plastic kits, something that is sadly missing in the hobby now.

-Rich

 

[peedee]

Yeah man
After I put a like under your 1st comment there, I was thinking,
for each ten year period over the 40 years I've been enjoying this 'obby,
there have been great characters who've come forward pushed us forward and onward.
The guys who only had flats and william britains like Roy Dilley looked on
merkelin and then historex as a revelation, in turn they spawned airfix and
helmet figures then heller and tamiya and now dragon and masterbox and
my favourites of the moment Mini-art..
Concurrently the metal figure world evolved through quantative leaps over time and now we have the hybrid market place of metal, resin or both.
Along that road the individuals that have pushed things on have been a great mix of innovative modellers and sculptors.
Even the sculpting materials have come on so rapidly.
How lucky we are today, to be able to buy solid water, home casting kits, a dozen brands of paint and medium and so on.
I can't wait to see what 'new' ideas come next.
When I began, guys where suggesting plasticene and
banana oil is good for sculpting plumes.
I consider myself fortunate that over 40 years, I've been
in a hobby where no-one has ever said
"not telling you" when you ask, excuse me how did you .....
That's the best bit.
Paul

 

[Rich Sculpts]

Yeah man
After I put a like under your 1st comment there, I was thinking,
for each ten year period over the 40 years I've been enjoying this 'obby,
there have been great characters who've come forward pushed us forward and onward.
The guys who only had flats and william britains like Roy Dilley looked on
merkelin and then historex as a revelation, in turn they spawned airfix and
helmet figures then heller and tamiya and now dragon and masterbox and
my favourites of the moment Mini-art..
Concurrently the metal figure world evolved through quantative leaps over time and now we have the hybrid market place of metal, resin or both.
Along that road the individuals that have pushed things on have been a great mix of innovative modellers and sculptors.
Even the sculpting materials have come on so rapidly.
How lucky we are today, to be able to buy solid water, home casting kits, a dozen brands of paint and medium and so on.
I can't wait to see what 'new' ideas come next.
When I began, guys where suggesting plasticene and
banana oil is good for sculpting plumes.
I consider myself fortunate that over 40 years, I've been
in a hobby where no-one has ever said
"not telling you" when you ask, excuse me how did you .....
That's the best bit.
Paul

So true, and with forums like this we have a platform to share in real time our knowledge and love of this art-form, we have all come a long way from just making model soldiers, the work shown here on a daily basis can truly be validated as art.

 

[Ray Stout]

I remember what Shep Paine did with Historex figures, Does anyone remember his "Whiff of Grapeshot" or "The Promotion" , that;s what inspired me, before Shep started his Box Diorama projects. I still think they are the pinacle of this art. The one that stands out for me was his version of Rembrant's Night Watch, which I saw in Shep's house on a visit with Phil Stearns, happy days!!! Ray

 

[waterloo1815]

Ray - I remember the " Whiff of grapeshot" - have always been amazed at what Shep could do with those Historex figures - both converting & painting!! As a matter of fact after seeing Shep's work I went out & bought several mtd. Historex kits - tried putting them together - well that's another nightmare!! They maybe still collecting dust somewhere!! Dave

 

[ometz]

I think it's a matter of perspective and technology. Many figures that I bought as a "youngster" could only be viewed via print mail catalogs, magazines or in books. Yet, at the time, I was captivated by what I perceived was magic in some of the sculpts--Suren Willys figures; Ray Lamb's early efforts both with Historex and Post Militaire; Sanderson's figures of Zulu War, Pirate plunderers. The advent of the internet along with new sophisticated casting techniques in resin has taken the hobby in a direction I couldn't have imagined 20-30 years back. That and a new group of sculptors with so much artisitic ability and creativity. Even with all that, I still possess and hope to paint some of the "old" figures in my grey army: Ray Jarvis's Regency cavalry officers by Hinchliffe; Lamb's first French Cuirassier officer; Tiny Troopers Crimean War figures. Maybe they aren't up to the standards set today, but they still retain their charm and my admiration.