Assembling/painting a mounted figure- after some assembly advice? (1 Viewer)

[beating retreat]

Thank you John for that tip, I would not have picked those reins as being electrical tape. I have actually been using your figure and horse as an assembly guide for this one.

Do you build up your bases with milliput or similar?


Brads, JohnnyB

Thanks for the other suggestions. The fine solder rolled to a flat profile sounds like another good method.

Scott

Hi

Yes in this case I used milliput on the figure base to give it some interest from the plain flat uninteresting base, it also strengthened the base as I thought it may bend with handling. Anything you need to know about my techniques just ask.

John

 

[theBaron]

Hi, Scott, yes, I've used putty to add some shape to bases, for various reasons.

For example, here's an early figure of Prince Henry of Prussia:



In that case, the map table didn't sit true on a typical tin base, so I used Milliput to make some ground and stuck both the figure and the table into it. The finish is relatively simple, though.

Here is another example, a little more sophisticated, of a Prussian Jäger:



In the case of this figure, his pose meant adding a base, to have something against which to rest his outstretched hand. I used a little Milliput, and a piece of tree root, to make the ground and the bushes.

For your Winston, you might consider putting a thin layer of putty over the surface of the base, and sticking in bits of hemp or twine cut to short lengths, to represent tall grass such as might have been seen on that battlefield.

Hope that helps, prosit!
Brad

 

[Hazebrouck]

For your Winston, you might consider putting a thin layer of putty over the surface of the base, and sticking in bits of hemp or twine cut to short lengths, to represent tall grass such as might have been seen on that battlefield.

Thanks Brad and John.

Have put a layer of milliput on the base and textured it with a piece of sandstone and now have primed the kit and ready to apply paint. Am going to try a citadel textured paint on the base (armageddon dust) with a lighter colour for dry brushing.

Here is the primed figure and horse. The primer has really brought out the details in the castings!

 

[theBaron]

Very nice! I like the texture you got on the groundwork on the base.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Hazebrouck]

Brad,

I have just finished dry brushing the base with these Citadel paints and thought I might put a pic up to show the colours. Most of the texture of the base is due to pushing a piece of sandstone into the milliput. I then painted the base with Citadel armageddon dust texture paint (it has sand/grit in it) and then dry brushed with Citadel underhive ash dry paint.

I think it looks OK for a desert finish. Making some progress on Winston as well.

 

[johnnybach]

You're doing well with this lovely figure Scott. I must say, you are a very neat painter indeed at this early stage in development, and I'm looking forward to seeing him progress further enormously.

On that score - I would like to let others who also like this Young Winston casting know, that I think I have had a positive result with the "forty-third Ltd" who have a mould for this figure. The owner, Andrew Sutton, has replied to my e-mail (and I suspect some others too.). They say that they are looking to bring Winston back into production - and will e-mail me with the release date - when they are ready. Well done lads - you can't beat the drip effect!

[Go to www.forty-third.co.uk for the web-site. Then look in the left hand column for the size 1/32 and finally look in the General Interest category for B8 figure of a Mounted Young Winston. Click on it - and a photo appears which shows this figure].

So, thanks Scott for triggering interest in this marvelous figure of a very famous man. I will advise everyone when I know when he will be available once again in due course. In the meantime - please continue with the good work you've begun so well.

Cheers chum - johnnybach

 

[Hazebrouck]

You're doing well with this lovely figure Scott. I must say, you are a very neat painter indeed at this early stage in development, and I'm looking forward to seeing him progress further enormously.

Thanks JohnnyB. I try to paint as neat as possible as I figure it makes it easier when touching up the mistakes.

Anyway have made some progress slowly. This is how he is progressing! A long way to go yet.

Scott

 

[Hazebrouck]

Have been working at this over the last couple of days and the kit is coming along nicely. Just a few more things to do- straighten the sword, touch up some areas of paint and make the reins. Then the gloss coat- although I am having second thoughts about that and might treat Young Winston to a coat of dullcote! Will see what happens.

 

[aujj65]

Very nice painting Scott! ^&cool.......matt I think would be best but that's just imho..:wink2:

Jeff

 

[theBaron]

Nice look, Scott! I'd hit it with the gloss coat, myself. I think you'd have a finished piece in the style of John Firth's work.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Wendy]

Nice, neat painting. And you choose well on the horse colors - most people don't bother to paint the muzzle the right colors. {sm4}

Purely stylistic options, but you could apply a darker wash to the base to make the texture really pop. If you're confident and have a good brush a little outline under straps and such will really make them pop also. Again, purely stylistic and totally up to you.

 

[Obee]

I think I'll have to agree with Brad that the figure needs a coat of gloss to bring out the colours and the deatils.

It does look a bit flat.....

I'm currently painting 4 x Sudan Cavalry for Luiz (Artillery Crazy) and I'll poist images of them this weekend to show how they look in gloss...... GREAT

John

 

[yeoman]

Hi Scott,
While I am now a confirmed gloss figure man especially with my own range of figures, this was not always the case. Over the years I have found that model soldiers always attract attention when on display but the uninitiated always give the gloss painted toy soldiers a second or even third inspection.

I agree with Wendy that underlining belts and edges to garments help to make them "pop". The other way is to accentuate the shadows and highlights. To illustrate I am attaching some pictures of figures I painted some 15 years ago. These show a Historex kit of a French Lancer and a Series 77 Red Lancer.

Regards

Brian.

Having avoided mounted figures for a long while this is one I have always wanted to make. It has been a long time since I made any sort of mounted figure and assembling this kit has been like landing a marlin- it has been fighting all the way!

I’m after some advice from the experienced painters/kit builders as to how they would approach painting and further assembly of this kit?

I’m inclined to (1) glue the figure to the horse. (2) Fit either the white metal reins supplied or make some from masking tape and glue them to the figures left hand. (3) Finally basecoat the figure and paint.

Would others paint the figure and the horse separately? The saddle blanket will be easier to paint.

Would you affix reins after the horse and figure have both been painted?

Looking for some advice?

Scott

 

[Hazebrouck]

Thank you all for the advice.

Wendy, I did darken up the base with a brownish wash and darkened a few areas a little more. Also decided to go with a gloss finish as originally intended. The figure looks good with my gloss finished New Hope Design figures.

The reins were tricky and are slightly thick in some areas. I made them from black insulation tape with the glue cleaned off the back. A TIP for those who wish to do the same- automotive Prepsol is the only cleaning agent I found that would remove the glue.

Brian,

Thanks for posting those pics. I can remember in the late eighties when Military Modelling magazine featured many mounted figures painted like that. Motivation for a painter.

So that is my first mounted figure finished. Much more difficult and involved than I initially thought.

Looking forward to others posting their painting projects.

Scott

 

[johnnybach]

Glad you went for the gloss finish Scott. This fabulous figure looks just great like that. Very nicely done indeed - and will grace your cabinet well. I'm still hoping to get a similar one of my own - one day. jb

 

[Obee]

Scott,

that looks SO MUCH better now

Sometimes figures look good in matte, but other time gloss is the way to go, and you have gone the right way with this one.

I paint with both matte and gloss paint, and its the final finish that changes its appearance, but that pepends on what my customers want.

Good work, I'd like to see more sometime,

John

 

[yeoman]

I agree with Johnny, a great looking figure.

Brian.

Glad you went for the gloss finish Scott. This fabulous figure looks just great like that. Very nicely done indeed - and will grace your cabinet well. I'm still hoping to get a similar one of my own - one day. jb

 

[Obee]

Here is an example of a figure I've just finishedtoday in gloss.

Not sure of the maker, as its got a tinplate base, and wire reins, but very nice action from the Sudan era.



John

 

[Hazebrouck]

That is a lovely paint job John. I'm not sure on the sculpting of that particular horse though.

Scott

 

[theBaron]

Nicely done on Young Winston, Scott! That's a nice piece to display in your collection, gloss was the way to go.

John (Obee), I don't know if the whole figure is a Stadden, but some accessories definitely look like Stadden parts, especially the bugle and the sword. It might be a kitbash of various parts. Did you acquire the figure already assembled?

Prost!
Brad