Cafe Storme Mokarex figures (3 Viewers)

[blaster]

Hi Paddy,

Thx. Just a lot of random figures being made here.

Ive finished the simple groundwork for the crusader knight.

 

[blaster]

Just finished ptg this piece. A crusader knight in intense fighting.

 

[blaster]

Amborix has been attached to his base. Will continue to sculpt him.

 

[blaster]

In between other projects, I took out and refurbished ptd some of the figs. For these, I added yellow trim to the cloaks to brighten up the colours.

 

[blaster]

Since Ive exhausted my stock of mokarex figs, Ive had this set of 60mm Starlux figs forever. Made of a fairly hard plastic (not polystyrene), Ive noted that it has stood the test of time and has not yet gone brittle. Ive also realised that these figs were sculpted based on many illustrations in one of the Funcken books. So I now have ready references for ptg all the figures!

 

[itisi]

Blaster I was just admiring your handywork on the Mokarex or Cafe Storm figures and I was reminded when I saw the image of Dumas as I had converted him to an Officer of the South Irish Horse Yeomanry. Just cut down and changes the jacket style and added a Ensign Miniatures head. I have yet to paint and add his woman companion.
Yes , you are doing a lovely job.

 

[blaster]

Hello Itisi,

That is a clever conversion! Very well executed too! I think many of these olde figs have a nostalgic charm which was captured in vintage books. I love them!

Rgds Victor

 

[blaster]

Lets see what I can do with these play figures. These figs are based directly on the illustrations in the Funcken book below. I also see similar in my Blandford book.

As I paint each figure in detail, I will show the specific illustration for that fig. I'll also elaborate more on each fig and unit with additional refs.

I will also convert and modify some of the figures as I see fit. For eg, I will substitute longer brass tubing for pikes and spears.

I managed to buy a lot of excellent Jo Sonja acrylic paints at a great discount.

Here is what a basic undercoat with acrylics can achieve. I use acrylics as they can cling to most material surfaces used in toy soldier production.

I tk that this is going to be a fun project.

 

[blaster]

I drybrushed silver onto the armour of this fig.

 

[blaster]

I spent the whole week painting all the faces in oils. Now I am starting to paint the uniforms on each specific figure.

This is the first figure. It is captioned "Fife player (1570)". The other fig is "Arquebusier (1570).

The arquebusier pose is almost identical to one of the other figs but that fig has a front resembling yet another illustration. I will elaborate on that later when I reach out to fully paint that figure.

I dont have any other visual ref for this fifer, presumably Spanish as he is posed next to the Spanish-looking arquebusier. The fifer is now being painted,

 

[blaster]

I got some brass tubing to substitute for spears and pikes.

This next figure is captioned Bodyguard of Philip IV (Spain). He is taken from this Funcken illustration which obviously was taken from Spanish sources. I have a book on the Royal troops with the same illustration and others showing the evolution of this uniform.

The brass tubing was substituted for the spear and the head was turned and pinned to face forward. I used good qlty contact cement for glue. Takes me back to my Roy Dilley conversions.

 

[blaster]

I substituted brass tubing for these other two figs. Even though I intend for them to be background figs, the reworked weaponry should make them look more attractive.

 

[blaster]

The halberdier in the middle appears to be wearing a multicolour landsknechkt like costume. But he looks Spanish. The appcompanying caption for this fig states Duke of Alba guard.

 

[blaster]

A search on the web reveals a Fernando Alvarez de Toledo who was infamous in suppressing the Dutch revolt. He served as mayordomo in the court under Charles 1 and Philip II and was in charge of the royal guard. Aha…

 

[blaster]

The alaberda (halberdiers) were the royal guards. My Spanish book mentioned alaberda and there are several pix of these troops showing the evolution of their uniforms.

 

[blaster]

This is the Funcken illustration. As can be seen, the split colour landsknecht costume doesnt look right and he is posed next to Spanish -ooking mounted arquebusier.

 

[blaster]

I got these series of pix which appears chronologically from my Tropas de Real Casa book which shows the alabarderos costume over the years.

Ignore the first pix which looks late medieval.

There appears to be two trends of uniform designs. The jacketed one (fig 2 and 4) and the checquered tabard one (fig 3 and 5).

Fig 4 has a caption of several Guard units including the Guardia Alemana (German Guard) made up of Germans who served Carlos V.
Fig 2 has a caption Alabardero. No further info. But this looks like the Landsknecht costume.

Google translate of the spanish text indicated that the German Guard dressed in the German fashion with white, red and yellow colours. Hence the "landsknecht" costume.

I think that in fig 4, the Guardia Alemana evolved into the fig 2 uniform.

Hence, the correct sequence for the Guardia Alemana uniform should be Fig 4 (jacketed, split colour with slashing), Fig 3 (no more split colour nor slashing) and then Fig 2.

Look at how the simple collar evolved into the fancier ruff collar, the flat cap into the top hat.

Looks like the Funcken illustration is based on an amalgam of fig 2, 3 and 4.

 

[blaster]

So Ive decided to use Fig 2 (above) as a ref for my Guardia Alemana. This corresponds well with the sculpted figure.

I added putty to further puff up the sleeves and added a top hat and plumes. I should also add a ruff collar as well and date him to around 1580, under Felipe II and the Duke of Alba when he was mayordomo mayor until his death in 1582.

 

[blaster]

I spent the whole week painting all the faces in oils. Now I am starting to paint the uniforms on each specific figure.

This is the first figure. It is captioned "Fife player (1570)". The other fig is "Arquebusier (1570).

The arquebusier pose is almost identical to one of the other figs but that fig has a front resembling yet another illustration. I will elaborate on that later when I reach out to fully paint that figure.

I dont have any other visual ref for this fifer, presumably Spanish as he is posed next to the Spanish-looking arquebusier. The fifer is now being painted,

View attachment 367033View attachment 367034

I added a rapier sword to this fifer. Not exactly accurate as it should have a hilt and hand guard. But this is a simple howdy-do background figure so I wont focus too much on the accuracy of the details.