Horan Figure of the Week: Light Infantry Carabinier 1796

I apologize for not having updated the blog much with my own work recently. I have been very busy at the bench, but have been working on some commercial stuff, and have been asked by the manufacturers not to share until they are ready to do so. I hope to update you with the progress on the Quatre Bras piece in the near future, as well as potentially another 3 figure vignette that I have in the pipe line. BUt until then, please enjoy the Horan figure of the week!


This week features one of my favorite Horan figures! Love the pose as well as the defiant look complimented with his tattered and torn clothing.

As always, Click images for hi-res version

Horan Figure of the Week: "The Souvenir, 1778"

This weeks piece is probably the most playful piece ever done by Horan. It is a light hearted and humerous scene, which differs from his normal body of work. It almost has a touch of a Norman Rockwell painting with the dynamic and somewhat humerous body language.

Click images for Hi-Res version

Horan Figure of the Week: Yogi Berra

This weeks Horan figure is the Yogi Berra figure that was included as a step by step in the "Complete Bill Horan" book published by Andrea Press a few years back. There are some great in progress pictures as well as a nice write up about the making of the piece in there. If you haven't checked out the book, it is well worth it!

As always, click on the images for hi-res version.

72nd Regt of Foot, South Africa 1835

At this years SCAHMS show I had the very exciting opportunity to spend a couple of days at Bill Horans house, where we sat down and sculpted a bit. This was a dream come true, as who is better at posing miniatures then Bill Horan, and I learned quite a bit from him during this time. Not only did I get to pick his brain a bit, but left there extremely motivated to continue to push forward with my figures. 

The figure we worked on was this piece, a private from the 72nd highlanders, 1835 placed in South Africa. Bill posed the figure and it was very interesting to watch how he works the mannequin. The years of experience was very evident and I learned a lot just by watching.  The first shot if of the figure on Bills workbench. The rest of the pictures are a series of shots from various angles of the figure at each key stage.

This was the first figure I used the Duro/Magic Sculpt mix (though started out with A&B as Bill doesnt use Magic Sculpt). I decided to finish the figure out with the same materials when I returned home and started liking the mix more and more as a result.

The figure was painted with Reaper Master Series Paints as well as Vallejos. If you haven't tried the Reaper paints, you really should, they are truly excellent to work with!

A big thanks goes out to Bill, for the hospitality and the willingness to sit down and sculpt with me.

As always, click images for larger versions

"Steady Lads, Here They Come Again!" - 42nd Highlanders, Quatre Bras, 1815

Here is a little 54mm vignette I've started working on. The picture showing the three figures is a bit dated, as the groundwork was not done, but more over the figures are not the same and the composition is not necessarily the same, it is similar but not the same. It's just included to give an idea as to where the project is headed.


The figure depicts an officer of the 42nd Highlanders (Regt. of Foot) at Quatre Bras. I've been wanting to experiment with more dynamic poses and this was the result of such an experiement. Small vignettes is also an area which I'd like to explore more, so it is a good project which covering many of my interests in one go.


Of note is the use of new materials since the last postings here, I've switched to a Duro/Magic Sculpt mix, but more on that at a later date.


The figure itself is sculpted with the new mix, the head is a Historex part and the scabbard is made out of a tooth pick, my favorite scabbard making material!

The painted figure is also a part of the vignette. I'll make a seperate post on that piece later on.

As always, click images for larger versions!

Horan Figure of the Week is back! "Stand Fast You Boys From Maine!"

This is without a doubt a way over due update and hopefully a "re-launch" of "The Bench" blog. A lot has happened since the last postings but more on that later. To kick things off I thought a good dose of Bill Horan's work would do us all some good, and what better then a spectacular diorama called "Stand Fast You Boys From Maine!, 1863". The diorama that was finished in 1993 based on the date on the base,but 1994 according to "The Complete Bill Horan". Either way it is a timeless classic from Horans first book, the Military Modeling Masterclass. I had the opportunity to shoot the piece at the MFCA show earlier this year. So without further ado, please enjoy the pictures. The pictures are detail oriented as opposed to general views of the scene, I assume most people will be familiar with the diorama, and if not I appologize.

For over 190 Horan pictures already posted, click here.

As always, click images for larger pictures.