Completed Second Empire Infantry Tambour Major 1870

[David Spencer]

Hi Simon.
It's really just a minor observation, and only my opinion. Having run around numerous fields in the 1990s, dressed as a Damned Confederate, I've seen a few woollen bedrolls (and worn 'em). All very casual, though, so probably not especially representative of the real thing.
I'm fine, thanks. Just back from holiday in N Wales.
Hope you are OK?

 

[Briggsy]

Hi Simon.
It's really just a minor observation, and only my opinion. Having run around numerous fields in the 1990s, dressed as a Damned Confederate, I've seen a few woollen bedrolls (and worn 'em). All very casual, though, so probably not especially representative of the real thing.
I'm fine, thanks. Just back from holiday in N Wales.
Hope you are OK?

Hi, I'm happy to take advice mate and thin it down a bit, better now than when the paint is on it. I have seem them modelled as anything from a tube to little more than a sash, just trying to find the middle ground.

Hope you had a good break, I'm off to Cornwall at the end of the week, plenty of pasties and cider!

Cheers Simon

 

[eppi]

Hi Simon,
building from scratch a figure is a ... life experience and you may guess how much i like it.
Since we're in the brutal corner and since you are re-doing the epaulettes, may I suggest to cut whit a sharp blade or the top of a pin the fringes so that they look less ... chubby? Of course when putty is still soft.

Keep putty (and paper, and whatever else) running

 

[David Spencer]

Hope you had a good break, I'm off to Cornwall at the end of the week, plenty of pasties and cider!

Cheers Simon

Have a splendid time! That sounds good to me.

 

[Briggsy]

Hi Simon,
building from scratch a figure is a ... life experience and you may guess how much i like it.
Since we're in the brutal corner and since you are re-doing the epaulettes, may I suggest to cut whit a sharp blade or the top of a pin the fringes so that they look less ... chubby? Of course when putty is still soft.

Keep putty (and paper, and whatever else) running

Cheers Eppi, I did the original fringes from rolled Magicsculpt hoping to add to the detail. That may be a method for gold fringed eppulets but not the red ones, hopefully I'll get the chance before my holiday.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Have a splendid time! That sounds good to me.

Cheers David, we always go to The Lizard, nice and quiet usually, this time I have the in laws in the car, might be a long drive!

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Absolutely knackered now, the monster has gone home and won't be back till Thursday, though I understand the boss has a whole load of things I need to get done, oh well.

Last night I didn't get time to post my progress from an afternoons work so here it is.

I thinned the blanket roll somewhat, it still has plenty of bulk but is less like a rubber ring. I remade the right eppulett and was quite happy with it. The left arm was reworked so as not to be too long and then remade the left eppulett and was happy with that as well.

However something was wrong, didn't take long to realise his left shoulder was dropped very noticeably, in fact last time I saw a shoulder that low it was dislocated. Also it was gnats hair longer than the right. Major surgery followed, the arm was removed and replaced, built back up with Magicsculpt and the eppulett replaced. You may note this time I used the crescent of a pair of Historex eppuletts and added my own fringe, just need to add a button.

Thanks to Neil, David and Eppi for their input.



Thumbnails

Cheers Simon

 

[theBaron]

I'm fashionably late to this one, but it's fun catching up by looking at the posts for each stage so far. Excellent conversion work, Simon! Well played on the items people noticed, and very clever techniques from the start, to act as guides for your sculpting and building up the shapes.
You remind of a similar how-to from back in the day, where someone did the same kind of shaping, adding a framework to build up tunic skirts from a cropped coat. But he used-gasp!-wire and solder! Well, like I said, it was back in the day...
Looking forward to your next update!
Prost!
Brad

 

[Merryweather]

Oh yes!

 

[David Spencer]

Really good. The proportions work well and the details look very nice.

 

[Steve Ski]

Beauty, Simon, Rucking along well!

 

[Briggsy]

I'm fashionably late to this one, but it's fun catching up by looking at the posts for each stage so far. Excellent conversion work, Simon! Well played on the items people noticed, and very clever techniques from the start, to act as guides for your sculpting and building up the shapes.
You remind of a similar how-to from back in the day, where someone did the same kind of shaping, adding a framework to build up tunic skirts from a cropped coat. But he used-gasp!-wire and solder! Well, like I said, it was back in the day...
Looking forward to your next update!
Prost!
Brad

Cheers Brad,experimentation with the guides but one I'm glad I did as I'll be sure to use this method again. I know two sculptors who made their masters in metal, the first was a good friend sadly no longer with us, Alan Caton who did the Sovereign range, last seen with Sarum Soldiers. The other I knew of and only ever briefly met once was David Grieve.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Oh yes!

Happy I pass that hurdle Neil. It's a bit daft but when sculpting I don't always see the mistake I am making, just pleased people are far more vigilant. I have got well into the painting phase before seeing the glaring error before now. Sadly paper and Magicsculpt don't fair very well in dettol overnight!

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Really good. The proportions work well and the details look very nice.

Cheers David, got to admit I did overdo the blanket roll, I'd have been better off using the Historex one! Thanks for the tip off and your kind approval.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Beauty, Simon, Rucking along well!

Cheers Steve, I have relied on the observations of others rather a lot with this one, not far from being ready to paint but that will probably have to wait until after my week in Cornwall getting fatter on cider and pasties!!

Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

Hi Simon

This is what PF is all about ...great to see the comments and the resulting modelling ......this is looking ....



Have a great time in Cornwall ....sure you might feel the need to taste many a pasty ....and cider ....purely for research of course

Look forward to seeing you back !

Nap

 

[Briggsy]

Cheers Kev, not setting off until early Saturday morning so I might sneak some bench time in!

Cheers Simon

 

[NigelR]

I've been missing out on this one because I confused your two tambour major threads So just caught up and this is coming along very nicely, another fab piece of creativity and problem solving. Lovely work all round, have a nice break and I look forward to seeing more when you are back

 

[Briggsy]

I've been missing out on this one because I confused your two tambour major threads So just caught up and this is coming along very nicely, another fab piece of creativity and problem solving. Lovely work all round, have a nice break and I look forward to seeing more when you are back

Cheers Nigel, not a great deal to do now, unfortunately I'm not allowed to take it on holiday with me, life's just not fair!

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

This is going to be my last update until I'm back from my holidays. A rest from the figure will give me a good chance to cast a critical eye over it before going to paint.

Not much has been done, his last buttons left sleeve insignia and his left hand complete with a nice slim panatella.



Thumbnails, you know what to do.

Cheers Simon