Franco-Prussian War (one sculpt so far) (1 Viewer)

[Guynemer]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this forum as you can see. My main interest is the Franco-Prussian War, and I prefer to paint my own figures. Currently sculpting a range of figures to be downsized for a figure producer to 1/72 scale. I'm free to do anything with the 54mm masters, and my plan is to give the Franco-Prussian War the desperately needed attention it deserves! Once the first masters are done, it'll be off to the mould maker for resin (and perhaps metal) production. I'll be adding to the series for eternity, figures, cavalry, artillery, scenery and vignette figures. Will also cover the Paris Commune. It's a personal interest, but also a more creative way to raise money for my university fees than working in a supermarket (currently in the final exams of high school)..

So there are two questions:
1) There isn't much demand for 1870-71, but let me know what you guys think! (Either way, I'll still make this series for personal use anyway).
2) My sculpting is bad, but is it completely atrocious? Does it put you off too much? Please be honest! Prefer to buy unpainted casts or painted figures?

So here is one of the first Chasseur a Pied sculpts, at a very, very early stage. Had trouble adding the photo, so here's a link: http://imageshack.us/a/img62/5051/chasseurapied541resize.png

The trousers have rolls and knee caps added, which will be sculpted over with 'green stuff'. This picture is a few days old- I've since added the gaiters, and made masters for the kepi (pictured, but not attached), backpack, rifle and other equipment to be duplicated in resin for use on other masters. My concern is that my sculpting is much too shoddy, and it will most certainly end up in cartoon style as with my drawings (am an art student). Let me know of your thoughts, and please be honest if my work is utter rubbish, I'd rather know.

So please give me feedback! May I use this thread as a WIP or is that not allowed?

Best regards, Bani
www.guynemer-cigogne.blogspot.com

 

[jazzeum]

Bani,

Welcome. I think you'll find that there are a lot of people interested in Franco Prussian War here. By all means, let us see your figures as they develop. It's certainly allowed here. However, the link didn't work :smile2: Perhaps you could give it another whirl.

BTW, there are a lot of Australian collectors here so you should feel right at home.

Brad

 

[Guynemer]

Hi Brad, thanks for the welcome! :smile2:

Glad to here there are more Aussie collectors here!

Here's another attempt to post the link, hope it works:

http://imageshack.us/a/img62/5051/chasseurapied541resize.png

I'll post the picture on my blog a little later if it doesn't work.

Best regards and thanks, Bani

 

[lancer]

Welcome to the forum, Bani. I have interest in the Franco-Prussian War as I have a real interest in the French Army from the 1870 time period through the end of their Indochina involvement, with particular emphasis on WW1. I see you chose the moniker Guynemer, who just happens to be my favorite French military figure, along with the rest of the Storks. I'll be looking forward to see how your F-P figures develope. -- Al

 

[Guynemer]

Thanks Al! We share the same interests! {sm4}

I hope to get the first few figures done and cast by December at the latest.

About our hero Guynemer- Have you seen the 54mm figure by Mokarex? It's a beautiful cast and a must-have for fans of the ace.

 

[Napoleon1er]

Great job!

1) There isn't much demand for 1870-71, but let me know what you guys think! (Either way, I'll still make this series for personal use anyway).
I would LOVE a Franco-Prussian War series!
2) My sculpting is bad, but is it completely atrocious? Does it put you off too much? Please be honest! Prefer to buy unpainted casts or painted figures?
No, it's not perfect, but it's much better than a lot of sculpting! I can't wait to see the finished thing!

-Sandor:salute::

 

[Guynemer]

Thank you Sandor! {sm4}

Along with the Chasseurs a Pied, I'll start by sculpting and casting a few small vignettes (such as the Garde Mobile troops huddled together in the winter, forgot the name of the painting).

As I said before, the range of poses for any unit will be indefinite, because it's a life long project I'll constantly add to!

Bani

Yeah, 3am over here but I'm an insomniac guys :tongue:

 

[lancer]

Thanks Al! We share the same interests! {sm4}

I hope to get the first few figures done and cast by December at the latest.

About our hero Guynemer- Have you seen the 54mm figure by Mokarex? It's a beautiful cast and a must-have for fans of the ace.

I have seen the figure from Mokarex but do not have it. I have the Del Prado figure of him and an unpainted metal figure from many years ago that I cannot currently locate. I don't know what kind of resources or connections you have but there is a book you would love to have on Guynemer but it is very hard to find. I purchased one when it was published but have been unsuccessful trying to locate another copy. It is titled "Guynemer: Les Avions D'un As". Written by Bernard Klaeyle and Philippe Osche, it was published in France in 1998 by Avions Press as No.6 in the Histoire de L'Aviation Collection. It is a 208 page hardcover (in French, naturally) and is a war history of Guynemer, the planes he flew, and the men he flew with. It is heavily illustrated with period photos and has color profiles of his aircraft. I have never seen so many pictures of Guynemer in one publication, including a photo from which Mokarex must have taken it's figure from. I cannot recommend it too highly, but it will be a pain to get. If you have it already, then congratulations, if not, then good hunting. It will be worth the effort. -- Al

 

[TomB]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this forum as you can see. My main interest is the Franco-Prussian War, and I prefer to paint my own figures. Currently sculpting a range of figures to be downsized for a figure producer to 1/72 scale. I'm free to do anything with the 54mm masters, and my plan is to give the Franco-Prussian War the desperately needed attention it deserves! Once the first masters are done, it'll be off to the mould maker for resin (and perhaps metal) production. I'll be adding to the series for eternity, figures, cavalry, artillery, scenery and vignette figures. Will also cover the Paris Commune. It's a personal interest, but also a more creative way to raise money for my university fees than working in a supermarket (currently in the final exams of high school)..

So there are two questions:
1) There isn't much demand for 1870-71, but let me know what you guys think! (Either way, I'll still make this series for personal use anyway).
2) My sculpting is bad, but is it completely atrocious? Does it put you off too much? Please be honest! Prefer to buy unpainted casts or painted figures?

So here is one of the first Chasseur a Pied sculpts, at a very, very early stage. Had trouble adding the photo, so here's a link: http://imageshack.us/a/img62/5051/chasseurapied541resize.png

The trousers have rolls and knee caps added, which will be sculpted over with 'green stuff'. This picture is a few days old- I've since added the gaiters, and made masters for the kepi (pictured, but not attached), backpack, rifle and other equipment to be duplicated in resin for use on other masters. My concern is that my sculpting is much too shoddy, and it will most certainly end up in cartoon style as with my drawings (am an art student). Let me know of your thoughts, and please be honest if my work is utter rubbish, I'd rather know.

So please give me feedback! May I use this thread as a WIP or is that not allowed?

Best regards, Bani
www.guynemer-cigogne.blogspot.com

Hi Bani....I am from Perth.....where abouts do you call home......your got the right idea mate....keep at it.....you will learn as you go along....you have the get up and go to succeed.....you will get there...TomB

 

[Guynemer]

I have seen the figure from Mokarex but do not have it. I have the Del Prado figure of him and an unpainted metal figure from many years ago that I cannot currently locate. I don't know what kind of resources or connections you have but there is a book you would love to have on Guynemer but it is very hard to find. I purchased one when it was published but have been unsuccessful trying to locate another copy. It is titled "Guynemer: Les Avions D'un As". Written by Bernard Klaeyle and Philippe Osche, it was published in France in 1998 by Avions Press as No.6 in the Histoire de L'Aviation Collection. It is a 208 page hardcover (in French, naturally) and is a war history of Guynemer, the planes he flew, and the men he flew with. It is heavily illustrated with period photos and has color profiles of his aircraft. I have never seen so many pictures of Guynemer in one publication, including a photo from which Mokarex must have taken it's figure from. I cannot recommend it too highly, but it will be a pain to get. If you have it already, then congratulations, if not, then good hunting. It will be worth the effort. -- Al

Thanks, I will certainly search around for that book! I've scans of an excellent article on Guynemer (albeit in French), I'll find it and share it sometime. Didn't know of the Del Prado figure. A friend of a friend is acquainted with the license holder for the Mokarex moulds, am trying to get the First World War and Second Empire ranges back into production, even if only for a short run.

 

[Guynemer]

Hi Bani....I am from Perth.....where abouts do you call home......your got the right idea mate....keep at it.....you will learn as you go along....you have the get up and go to succeed.....you will get there...TomB

Hi Tom! Unfortunately I'm at the opposite end-Sydney's western suburbs. The figure is actually going well for once (usually I stuff it up with a small mistake in the early stages)! Have finished the trousers now, pictures will be up soon :smile2:

Bani

 

[lancer]

Thanks, I will certainly search around for that book! I've scans of an excellent article on Guynemer (albeit in French), I'll find it and share it sometime. Didn't know of the Del Prado figure. A friend of a friend is acquainted with the license holder for the Mokarex moulds, am trying to get the First World War and Second Empire ranges back into production, even if only for a short run.

Hi Bani. The Del Prado figure is in the Treefrog shop area, in the Soldiers of the 20th Century section, under DelPrado. It is #S0L068 and titled 'Nieuport Ace Capt. Guynemer, France 1916'. It is a bargain at $12.99. Good luck with the book and getting the figures produced. -- Al

 

[TomB]

Hi Tom! Unfortunately I'm at the opposite end-Sydney's western suburbs. The figure is actually going well for once (usually I stuff it up with a small mistake in the early stages)! Have finished the trousers now, pictures will be up soon :smile2:

Bani

Hi mate...I used to live in Camperdown. a few few hurdred yards from Newtown....left Sydney in 1954...had a quick visit to Syd 2010....I was not sure if I was in Asia or the Middle East....how times change......keep at it mate...TomB.......PS...mistakes are part of learning

 

[Guynemer]

@Al Thanks, I'll most certainly buy that piece! Alas the move from England to Australia broke a lot of my Del Prado figures, poor General Blucher :'(

@Tom You have a good point there, I can't even read half the shop signs in the high street since they're Vietnamese!


So here are some progress pictures on the Chasseur. This collage shows tonight's work; the gaiters, trousers and lower half of the tunic are complete:

http://imageshack.us/a/img822/9067/chasseurapied2.png

As you can see, not exactly K&C quality but it does resemble a humanoid of sorts!
And the master for the Chassepot rifle (about 4cm long minus the Yataghan blade, so exact 1/32), to be duplicated in hard resin along with the kepi and equipment before I sculpt the arms:

http://imageshack.us/a/img203/2215/chassepotmaster1.jpg

Now working on more armatures from concept sketches. Once basic poses (command figures, advancing, marching, standing/kneeling firing) are done, I'll get to work on more dynamic figures, such as Edouard Detaille's painting of a Chasseur firing whilst sitting on a wall.

Bani

 

[Guynemer]

Some more progress! I remade the entire rifle (pictures of that and other equipment later).

Here's a collage of the figure:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JvtQ7pPr...AAAKE/hV_8OnfVlLk/s1600/chasseurapied54_2.png

Bani

 

[valmy33]

Hi Guynemer, ;-)

The more you will sculpt, the more you will progress. As we say in France : c'est en forgeant que l'on devient forgeron !

Happy to see you here
Faithfully

Valmy

For people who are interested in this war, a 1/30 scale paper card soldier