Completed WWI US Marine Belleau Wood 1918

[BigDaddy]

Here is the box art I just finished for The Model Cellar. It's a 200mm (1/9) scale bust of a WW1 US Marine. It was sculpted by Steve Leadley. Painted with acrylics and some other stuff for the helmet.
Thanks for looking. Matt

 

[SPrimeau]

Awesome work Matt!
Scott

 

[sd0324]

Nice work, I really like the helmet.

Steve

 

[baronband]

That helmet looks great, I for one would love to know how you created that worn satin finish.

John

 

[megroot]

AMAZING work.

Marc

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

Superb

 

[Ben-nl]

nice work,
Ben

 

[Dan Morton]

Fine sculpting and painting!

All the best,
Dan

 

[Scotty]

Lovely work, the steel helmet is particularly well done.

 

[Mike Stevens]

Wow Matt!

I hope we can see this one in Chicago!

 

[Michaelminiatures]

Awesome work Matt!

 

[John Bowery]

Superb, and the helmet is fabulous.
Cheers
John

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Nice sculpture by Steve and you have really injected life into him Matt!

 

[BigDaddy]

Thanks- Here is some tips on the helmet:
Base coat with your favorite Tamiya Color-applied with airbrush. I shaded it with a slightly lighter color on the top and edges. When dry, coat with future or similar gloss/semi gloss acrylic clear. When dry, give it some washes with brunt umber, raw umber and sepia oil colors. Let sit for 20 minutes or so. Use a slightly damp brush, remove excess oil colors. You'll see when to stop. When dry, dust helmet with dirt color pigment. Use some enamel thinner to apply localized washes around details. Feel free to remove pigments to your taste- light dirt, heavy dirt, etc. Usually rub it with my finger. Grind up some pencil lead on a sanding stick or sandpaper. Use the finger to pick up the graphite dust and rub all over the helmet. You can use your clean finger to remove excess or slightly wet your finger to do that. If the helmet is too shiny, I may dust it with a spray of Dullcote from the airbrush. Last step is to rub a pencil lead on the edge of the helmet- or you can use a silver artist pencil to do this. The silver will be brighter.
I hope this helps-
Matt

 

[baronband]

Awesome tips there Matt, thanks

John

 

[Zastrow.cuirassier]

great Bust !
For French, Belleau Wood is quite famous as "Bois Belleau" so famous that an aicraft carrier wore this name :

aircraft carrier Belleau Wood in Haiphong Bay, 1954, while in French service. Note he impressive air wing aboard of at least a dozen F6Fs and Helldivers plus two HUP-2's forward

French F4U-7 Corsairs lined up on Bois Belleau "somewhere in the Mediterranean"

 

[Grod]

Great job Matt
Gordon

 

[arj]

Superb painting. Like everyone else, I was particularly impressed by the finish you'd achieved on the helmet; so many thanks for posting your methodology.

Cheers,
Andrew