Completed Critique USMC Guard in Dress Blue Class A

[Andrew Perren]

Hello folks

Recently completed this guy and wanted to know what you think. It is a 1/16 plastic figure from ICM in their new "World's Guards" series. The base comes with the kit and comes with optional surfaces for the figure to stand on.

USMC Corporal in dress blues class A uniform. He is holding an M1 Garand Rifle with fixed bayonet in what I believe the Yanks call Parade Rest. Painted in acrylics except for the white areas which are AK white primer from the airbrush. Opportunities for shading were pretty sparse especially on the midnight blue tunic, but he is meant to be sharp and clean. Metals are enamels.



Hope you like him, feedback welcome.

Cheers
Andrew P.

 

[Ferris]

Nice clean job!

Cheers
Adrian

 

[Jim]

Nice work.
How were the fit and seams?
Lots of sanding and filling?
Thanks.

 

[JonH]

He looks very good Andrew. Great finish. The figure looks an awful lot better than I expected ! There are two more of these ICM figures being started on the milmod site-Swiss Guard and Carabinieri-so I'll keep an interested eye out for them.
Jon

 

[theBaron]

Your job on his face is excellent, I love the skin tones, especially how you've captured the look of skin that has been shaved repeatedly, it looks life-like. And the uniform colors look great, too.

The cap emblem is the only weak spot, but that looks like it's the kit, not anything you've done. It looks like they didn't sculpt it as crisply as they could have.

OUT-standing! Ooh-rah!
Brad

 

[MoboSchreuder]

Excellent job

 

[billyturnip]

Good work Andrew. I've always said painting a convincing parade ground uniform is a lot more difficult than an on campaign look and you've cracked it.

 

[Viking Bob]

Top notch painting, looks great

 

[clrsgt]

Excellent painting; looks very good. I like the face.

 

[WestJoe]

As a former Marine, i say you did a stellar job. You captured the dark blue/black of the coat perfectly!

 

[Andrew Perren]

Thanks guys for the positive words. I like the way these figures are moulded. Fit is great & joins are in smart places most of the time. For example the head is split front to back, so the face is separate from the back of the head with the joint behind the ears with very little visible to deal with. Of course injection moulding has limitations and some of the details could do with cleaning up and defining, I did whatever I could with my scriber to deepen undercuts etc. The cap emblem is one of those areas that could be sharper.

The dark blue for the tunic is the darkest blue shadow tone from the Andrea Blue paint set ( sorry it doesn't have a name). Mixed in some pure black for a shadow and some dark blue for a highlight.

 

[alamac]

Very good, clean , crisp painting all round nicely done
Cheers
Al

 

[Jeff T]

Great work Andrew!

As Roger said, a clean parade uniform is much harder to do realistically than a battle hardened one, and this looks excellent.


Cheer's,
Jeff.

 

[MasterGunns]

Andrew -

I've been waiting for someone to tackle this figure, and what you've done with it is really outstanding, especially the skin-tones. The only suggestion I would make is that you should put some clear gloss on all of the metal and leather parts of the uniform plus the silver colored portions of the bayonet. This gloss may already be there, but in your photos these areas seem a little on the dull side. The visor, chinstrap, and shoes are "corefam" (sp) which is very glossy, and the brass items are anodized, also extremely glossy. When I was a junior rated Marine, I spent countless hours spit shinning leather and polishing brass, so was very happy when allowed to purchase the corefam leather products and anodized brass.

The other thing I would point out is that ICM did not get the shape of the cover (hat) correct. The sweatband is too big, it looks to be about two (2) inches in height (48 millimeters) and should be approximately one and a quarter inches high (29 millimeters). Also, the crown is way too high. The height of the crown in the front should just be enough for the Marine Corps emblem to fit between the sweat band and the bottom edge of the crown at its' highest point. The shape of the cover as presented looks like a cross between a Wehrmacht and a Soviet officer's cap. Just too large. The Marine Corps covers are usually shaped by their owners to provide a pronounced "dip" in the middle, especially by ships' detachment Marines, which more often than not, take being "salty" to the extreme.

I just ordered one of these for myself and will use your outstanding depiction of this figure as a guide for my own. I just hope that I can modify the cover to a more acceptable shape.


Semper Fi - MasterGunns

 

[John Bowery]

Very sharp looking.
Cheers
John

 

[Andrew Perren]

Thanks again everyone.

MasterGunns - thanks for your feedback. I've attached a sprue shot so you can see the parts for the cover. Reducing the height of the sweatband should be an easy enough sanding job. As for the peak that may be harder.

I'll beg for a pass on the visor and black shoes as they already have 3 coats of Vallejo gloss varnish and one of future .

Cheers
Andrew P.

 

[captfue]

Great job, as a former Marine I can say you nailed it. You are right it is "parade rest"

 

[MCPWilk]

Very nicely done. It would appear that Revell has bought some of the moulds for UK release.

Mike

 

[Grod]

Great job on a colourful uniform.
Gordon