The Gemini twins (1 Viewer)

[blaster]

I'm starting a new piece based on another painting by Rubens. The original title of this painting is a little risque and it is based on Greek mythology.

Some of the reasons for doing this is that I have a considerable stock of heavy horses cast in metal. The pic shows that they have naff poses and I have more....
I also have a dwindling supply of 1/24 figures so might as well use them up. Both of these stocks appear to offer suitable starting points to kick off this piece.

 

[Mike Niederman]

Another ambitious project! You'll need lots of putty to get those skinny Preiser girls up to their proper Rubenesque voluptuousness. As to the title - Abduction is often used now as a more accurate and (somewhat) less objectionable replacement for the classical terminology.
Looking forward to watching this take shape.

 

[blaster]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the PC title version of The Abduction of the Daughters of Leucippus. I didn't have the guts...hahaha.

I like the Preiser figures. I had only bought a few sets of 1/24 scale.

These had been gathering dust in my graying collection until more recently when, I started to embark on more ambitious projects just to use up the stock.

The figures help to establish a consistent scale next to the horses which seem to be the most efficient way to work on this piece.

Rgds Victor

 

[Mike Niederman]

I was kidding about "skinny". The Preiser Eve and Adam figures are by the famous figurative sculptor Ron Cameron. You can see a large selection of his bronzes by doing a Google Image search for Ronald Cameron sculptor. He's a fine equestrian sculptor, too.

 

[blaster]

Ron Cameron was a top-flight sculptor. I have numerous sets of his 1/32 Airfix and Preiser multipose figures. However, they represent slim academic norms.
What I will probably enjoy here is to slap on all of that putty to achieve Rubensque proportions.
I've just managed to cut up the metal horses at a friend's workshop so will probably be able to move at a fast pace from here on.

Rgds Victor

 

[blaster]

I stuffed the horses with epoxy putty and re-assembled the parts, shaping the necks and e-adjusting the legs with pliers.

 

[blaster]

I had a rather productive weekend. I drilled thru many horse head mouths to take tiny bits which will be fitted. this included the many horses in my Rivoli scene as well as many stalled projects.

But I spent most of the time to sculpt the horses and figures here.

The horse limbs were animated and sculpted. The figures too were sculpted in stages. There are two horses, men, women and cherubs.
Rather challenging as most of the pieces are interlocked and in close proximity.

 

[blaster]

After further examination of the poses, I modified these two figures.
The lady being manhandled up by the horseman - I sawed thru her torso and twisted it more.
The man on the ground--I repositioned his right foot.

 

[blaster]

I packed in the areas with putty and sculpted more lard on the ladies. Also reposed the men and the four figures have been juxtaposed to fit reasonably well.

I may have to make further adjustments when the figures are lined up against the horses.

 

[blaster]

Starting to detail the horses.

I located two small female heads and used them as the basis for the two cherubs clinging on to the horses.

 

[blaster]

For the mtd horseman, I added legs and started to sculpt his armour. The cherubs are also taking shape.

 

[blaster]

I sculpted the hair locks on the kneeling girl. The left shoulder of the standing man was lowered, boots added and the two figures were joined together.

 

[blaster]

After several rounds of sculpting, I've nearly completed this piece.

A light gray primer allows the sculpting to be visualised in between the process.
The cherubs have been largely fleshed out. Details of the armor of the mounted figure have been completed.
I pre-drilled holes in pieces of wood to act as bases for the figures.
The horses were glued into position, allowing me to juxtaposed the other two male figures manhandling one of the women.

 

[blaster]

Finally reached this stage. I sculpted the mtd horseman and his armour fixed his pose and juxtaposed the other figures around him. Then a few drops of superglue to hold everything in place. Getting there.

 

[blaster]

I painted the parts with enamel undercoats.

 

[blaster]

I carefully drilled thru the horses' mouths to accept tiny pins to hold the bits. As the horses are metal, I had to use a 0.6mm drill dipped in thinner to carefully drill thru otw it would break. The steel pins I used were 0.5mm.

More minor sculpting and the figures were finalised in their positions.

 

[blaster]

Starting to paint the figures now.

 

[blaster]

I knocked up a box frame to fit within an IKEA frame and staged the figures within. It looks to be about the right size.

 

[blaster]

I attached the back to the box frame. Then I cut up some cardboard and stuffed it into the box for the background. As the horses are heavy, I created a base of thick wood to support the figures. Pretty fast work so far.

 

[blaster]

I painted the armour in silver, when dried, I covered this with varnish. When dried, I tinted with gloss black.

For the background, I discovered an old old roll of railway modelling plaster strips. Will it still work?