The Bench by Anders Heintz

Time to get Squared Away..

2011-09-29T20:56:00.000-05:00

It's funny how time passes by..and how quickly motivation and creativity comes and goes..! The past 8-10 days or so is the first time in years that that I have not touched a figure for over a week, nothing, nada, zip! Usually I will do a little everyday, but work has been intensely insane, many days working 14-16 hours, but hopefully that's done and over with now, and I can once again have a life outside work!
It's been very unproductive lately, there are several reasons for this, and since you are reading (or perhaps used to read...since I been horrible at keeping it updated properly) this blog I assume you are at least a little bit interested so I'll vent a bit here about everything. A lot has been going on, and even though I have been extremely inactive on the forums and about sharing what I've been working on I have done a few things. Five commercial sculpts have been completed over the summer (Rev War, American Civil War, Zulu Wars and WWI) and they should start trickling into the market in the near future. I must say I am quite happy with a few of those pieces and I feel that I can incorporate what I am doing in original one off's into production pieces more easily then I have in the past. However, doing commercial stuff is a huge killer of personal/commission project productivity. I really like to work on one project at a time, but due to what I was working on I ended up with a workbench of 9 figures in various stages of completion...and it's not good! Now I have to regain momentum on each piece instead of following the rhythm of a project, you see, usually I am a bit like a ball rolling down a hill, once I get started on a project, there is not much stopping me and as long as there is forward momentum I'll keep on rolling. However, when the momentum stops and for whatever reason the project grinds to a halt, it is hard to get started with it again. That is what I am going through now. There is some hope though, and I feel it's coming back. It usually comes back with a vengeance, which will be useful considering we are 2 weeks out from the Chicago show and I have about 5 figures to complete..!

Lately I've also been doing a lot of other things outside of figures, I've quit smoking and I've started working out, alternating running and working out every other day, and earlier this summer I'd swim 2-3 days a week as well. I've also picked up a new hobby, which unfortunately is a lot more expensive then figures, which is shooting! I've picked up a couple of pistols which I've enjoyed learning to shoot. I'm also in the middle of applying to become a US Citizen so a lot has been going on for sure. Oh, almost forgot...I have been doing some 1/1 scale modeling as well, I made an old school Chuck Wagon out of an old box wagon to have as a prop near the log cabin we built. Pictures of this to follow as well.

So to wrap up this little venting session I'll share a picture of my epic disaster zone, also known as a workbench. As you can see there are a fair amount of figures everywhere. The next thing I am going to do is to clean this mess up, get organized, throw every piece I am not working on into a bin, out of sight and out of mind, so I can get back to business as usual and start being productive once again.

And this is how it somewhat normally looks like...

Horan Figure of the Week: Charles Griffin, 1864

2011-08-05T21:57:00.001-05:00

Alright! Slightly delayed, but better late then never! Here is the next installment of the Horan figure of the week, a 54mm figure of Charles Griffin, 1864.

Click images for hi-res version

Andrea Miniatures Converter/Mannequin Review

2011-07-28T12:50:00.001-05:00

As an aspiring sculptor I am always looking for new tools and sculpting aides to make life easier and more efficient. The Andrea Miniatures converter has been something I've always wanted to get my hands on to try out. After years of procrastinating, the opportunity to buy some presented it self when a few of us Texans made a field trip to the new Andrea Depot USA, which is the American distribution arm of Andrea Miniatures located in Corpus Christie, Tx. Since I've always been curious about how they work and never found anything written about them I decided to write up an semi in-depth review of the product.

The Andrea converter comes in a small. Heavy plastic Baggie, and includes the following:

- Metal sprue with the torso, pelvis, option of 4 hands, shoes as well as a head.

- One photo etch fret containing the skeleton of the armature

- A simple tutorial how to use the mannequin

click images for hi-res version

At first glance the mannequin idea to squash a photo etch skeleton in-between the torso and pelvis parts seems very logical and a clever. It is a way to 'beat' the quest to be able to cast a ready made mannequin which requires little prep work and that is anatomically correct without a lot of measuring and cutting of wires. So far so good!

Assembly is done rather quickly and with out much problems, it is slightly tricky to put the two pieces of each of the torso and pelvis together, but as long as you make sure that you put the part with the 'pins' through the holes in the photo etch skeleton first you will have no issues.

The torso and pelvis pieces went on with little problem, and my first concerns started with the shoes and hands. The photo etch skeleton is made out of very fine grade of brass, as such the pins dedicated to the feet are pretty small, and not too durable. The same is true for the hands, and care must be taken to properly drill the parts to fit the photo etch pins. The hands will need to be carefully planned ahead as the thin pin allocated for the hands probably would not withstand a whole lot of bending.

The neck is a bit heftier and as such more durable.

Once everything was assembled I started playing with posing the mannequin. At first was a little strange as the metal parts have some weight to it, making the photo etch feel quite springy and flimsy. Which is actually my biggest issue with the mannequin, that the photo etch is just a bit too thin to really have any rigidity to it. This will cause a few problems later on as you will see. One could assume the thin brass was deliberately selected so it will have enough flex and soft enough to repose a few times with out breaking. This is merely an assumption on my part though.

Using the Andrea Converter when posing the figure was quite a bit of fun. It takes some of the boring parts out of the equation when using my standard mannequin parts such as gluing the wires, marking the joints and making sure the proportions are correct. A very neat thing about the converter is the way the shoulders are designed. Makes it really easy to properly position the shoulders whether they be raised, pulled back or lowered. A neat touch for sure, and something which I will try out with my own mannequins.

The photo etch seemed fairly forgiving and could probably be bent several times before becoming a problem. I had a pose in mind and went for it so not a ton of repositioning was necessary. To be able to fully use the mannequin though one must have at least a basic understanding how the body works and how it is all connected. But over all it was very easy to pose.

After the pose was set, some super glue was laid onto the brass skeleton to add some rigidity and to lock in the pose. The mannequin was then fleshed out, in this case Milliput Yellow/Gray was used, another endeavor in my quest to try new putties! The thin brass, even with the super glue was a little too flexible, much care needs to be taken when adding the putty as to not push too hard and as a result mess up the desired pose. This is where a heavier gauge of brass would be very handy. A softer putty such as Aves Apoxy sculpt would probably be beneficial to use on this mannequin due to it's softness and ease of application.

click for hi-res version

Once the mannequin was more or less fleshed out I started having some problems. I'm not very gentle with my figures, handling them quite extensively, and as a result some of the putty started to break off. I think this is in part the springy soft brass center that easily bends, thus creating pressure from the inside causing the putty to crack. The reason for this conclusion is that I've not had much problems with the same process using a stiffer, heavier gauge copper wire for the legs.

Click for hi-res image

Other then the soft brass used for the skeleton and its small pins for the extremities, my other concerns about the mannequin is the lack of a way to properly pin the figure once sculpted. Normally when sculpting your own figures the wire used for the legs is left long so it will act as the pin used to secure the figure to the base. In this case it will be hard to properly pin the figure, though this can be useful for sculpting commercial figures as well as mounted figures, or even seated figures for that matter that does not require pinning to the base via the feet. Though I'm sure there is a way to accomplish adequate pinning it is a bit more of a pain then other mannequins. Along the same lines, it is impossible to sculpt the figure in separate parts, without having to cut the figure. Though this probably a lesser issue then the pinning issue it is still something noteworthy.

All in all it's a great little mannequin. The price is way to high at approximately $25 per mannequin, making it almost as expensive as a finished figure, and would be more appropriately priced around $12-$15. The other issues are the soft brass used and the lack of good connections for the hands and feet. But the shear fun of using this product and the ease of assembly makes it worth while to try out. Though perhaps not for the absolute beginner, it is a better option then making your own, at least for the first few figures as it gives you everything you need to start making your very own figures.

And here is the finished mannequin, though I've since opted to change the left hand and head, it will give you a good idea of what it looks like. Once it's all said and done, the figure will be of Edward Rutledge arguing against the Decleration of Independence in June of 1776. Mr. Rutledge was the youngest member of the continental congress, and at the time the Decleration of Independence was debated he was 26 years old.

click for hi-res version

Latorre Figure of the Week: Sergeant, 71st Regt of Foot 1825

2011-07-09T20:59:00.002-05:00

Since the past three weeks the blog has only recieved updates in the form of Horan figures, while that is pretty cool in it self, I thought for this week (though a bit late...sorry!) that we'd change it up a bit. So here is an absolutely fantastic original by Raul Garcia Latorre. I have not had the pleasure to see many of Latorres figure in person, but I have seen about 6-7 of them (and have pictures of all of them!!) and they are really something to study. The pictures doesn't do the pieces much justice but they will be good to use as reference for studying techniques and color placement. Enjoy!

Click images for hi-res version

Horan Figure of the Week: Light Infantry Carabinier 1796

2011-06-29T19:18:00.001-05:00

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"

2011-06-22T23:09:00.002-05:00

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

2011-06-15T00:06:00.000-05:00

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

2011-06-12T22:32:00.000-05:00

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

2011-06-09T21:38:00.000-05:00

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!"

2011-06-08T22:00:00.001-05:00

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.

Drummer, 2nd West India Regiment, 1815

2010-10-11T21:18:00.000-05:00

Here is the latest figure completed. It's a pretty random subject, and slightly unusual for me. The inspiration came from an osprey book I was flipping through, and decided it make a neat figure, albeit an extremely static and 'dull' one. However, the way I choose to look at it, it is as a challenge to paint a figure which cannot 'hide' behind a dramatic or dynamic pose. With that said, I am not sure as to what success I performed the task. It was a lot of fun either way!

And a couple of images of the sculpt

My friend Dave Harper

2010-10-08T19:44:00.002-05:00

I'd like to say a few words about my friend Dave Harper. As some of you may know, he fought a battle with Cancer for the past couple of years. He got much better for a time and then the cancer returned, stronger then ever. I saw him about 3 weeks ago, he told me that he was back doing the Chemo treatments but he was doing well, just a little tired from the intense treatments. I never saw him down, he never complained, and was his own happy go lucky self. Well, it turns out he was not doing so well after all. His liver had started to give out, and when they realized what was happening Dave went into the hosptial again. There he went into a coma and never woke up. Dave passed on to greener pastures on October 1, 2010.

The first time I met Dave was back in 2003, at the annual VLS competition Mastercon. I went to the regristration table, and inquired about where to enter my figures. Dave showed me where to go and what to do. It was only later that he told me that the first time he saw me, he thought "I was a punk ass kid there to destroy stuff". As weird as that sounds, it is a very fond memory. After Mastercon we stayed in touch and he offered for me to sculpt a few figures for Warriors. As a result I would drive up to their home at least once a month to stay for the weekend and talk shop and sculpt figures. This continued for a couple of years until they moved down to Texas, (where ironically I would end up as well) and we became good friends. I would not be where I am today if it was not for Dave, it is as simple as that. There are a lot of things I am wanting to share, but not really sure how to put it into words. Even though we did not speak every week, we always just picked up where we left off the last time. I concider him a close friend and he will be very much missed. See you on the other side D-Man.

Daaaang! What a summer!

2010-10-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

Wow...has been an intense summer so far. Life on a Ranch during Summer time is busy, busy busy! But in reality, that's no excuse for not being productive and dilligent enough to keep the blog updated. But, things are slowing down and I hope to be able to resume the constantly evolving blog!

Horan figure of the week will also continue, still have hundreds of pictures to share. However, the day of the week has to be moved as Wednesday are the busiest days of the week at the moment. So stay tuned for more updates!

I would also like to pick up where we left off with the sculpting videos. The problem is it is extremely time consuming to go through all the footage and edit it into 10 minute sections. However, it has been very popular and have received many great emails in support so will continue this for sure, just a matter of allocating time to get with it.

As far as what I have managed to accomplish during the blog down time is actually quite substantial. Have several new pieces to post on here and will do so in the coming days. But for now I will post a few pictures of whats to come. Will post several pictures as well as inprogress shots of each piece. Still got a few more up my sleeve and will post them when able!

54mm Original, Officer of the Bavarian Cuirassiers

54mm Original, Private, Närke-Värmland Regiment, Narva 1700

54mm Original, Amos Humiston, APG Auction figure

Legionarius - Young Miniatures

Horan Figure of the Week, 11th Hussars, 1854

2010-06-23T01:10:00.000-05:00

Click images for larger version

"Awaiting a Rank one" Finished Andrea 54mm Conversion

2010-06-17T18:56:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures of the finished cowboy figure. Once again I have to point out what an awesome sculpt the original kit is, another winner by Joaquin Palacios!!
Click images for larger version.

Horan Figure of the Week, The Last Request, Spion Kop, 1899

2010-06-16T13:18:00.000-05:00

Click images for larger version

My other past time...

2010-06-14T16:50:00.000-05:00

Here are some images of my colt Lucero. Was going through some pictures on the hard drive and saw these. Thought it might be interesting to share! He is not yet quite broke, but is in the process of becoming so! As a side note to my fellow equestrian freinds, I would not normally mount a horse by grabbing the saddle horn, but when mounting a colt, with tendencies to pitch, I want to have a chance to get on him and have half a handle incase something goes south. Though the horn is about the last thing you want to hold on to when sitting on the hurricane deck of a rank pitcher, it is a good way to get on fast and have half a hold before getting the right foot in the stirrup. Giddy Up...

Figure of the Week -Van Gils Construction Company-

2010-06-14T13:28:00.000-05:00

As you may have noticed the last two weeks these pages has been blank with regards to the Horan Figure of the week. Some of you may think this is due to no more pieces to show, however, I can gladly discredit that theory! There are plenty more to show, it is just that Summer time on a Ranch is a very busy time! So to make up for lost time it seems appropriate to start off the week with one special piece of modelling! This piece, undoubtedly one of the most creative and spectacular figures of all time, created by Marijn Van Gils a few years back, is probably known by most of you. Marijn brought the piece to MFCA this year and I had the oppertunity to take pictures of it, and with Marijn's permission you will now also be able to look at this magnificant piece in detail. The pictures are big, keep in mind the size of the construction workers, the figure is a 54mm figure! The pictures will show why this piece has received many honors, including best of show at Euro Militaire. Ok, enough babble from your's truly, please do enjoy!

Click images for larger (very large) version.

54mm Cowboy Update

2010-06-01T15:08:00.000-05:00

Here is a bit more progress on the cowboy figure. It's slow going but it is getting there. Still playing around with colors and having a blast doing so. I'm really getting into cowboy figures, a subject which I have always enjoyed, especially since I have actually cowboyed 1867 style as well as in the 'modern' day. In reality, a very romanticized vocation, though I must admit I do miss it from time to time. Cowboys and Ranchers in general sure are a different breed of people as opposed to the city folks, in a positive way, at least in my way of thinking. Either way, here is what we've got so far!

Horan figure of the Week, Algarve Volunteer, 1809

2010-05-26T18:53:00.000-05:00

Click images for larger versions

54mm Cowboy -Painting WIP-

2010-05-25T01:23:00.000-05:00

And the painting has begun! I'm still fumbling around trying to find my 'style' and continue to experiment with various tones and placements etc etc. This time around the face was base coated in a fairly dark mix, darker then what I'd normally use. Had some concerns regarding the ability to bring it up to decent shades of highlights, but it seems like it worked out fairly well, not much different then what the normal mix would behave like. The mix also contains a bit more reds and more greens then what was tried last time with the fifer. Though perhaps a bit too red really. The good thing is that the face is still a work in progress (wip) and that I've got plenty of the base mix left which will stay good for a couple of days at minimum if kept with plenty of water in the well of the palette. The figures left eye needs to be addressed as well as the 'stache needs some squaring off. Anyway, here are some wip pictures. More coming soon!

54mm Cowboy -Andrea Miniatures Conversion-

2010-05-24T14:30:00.001-05:00

Here is the latest figure completed and ready for some paint. It is a simple conversion of Andrea Miniatures recent release of Teddy Rosevelt, one amazing sculpt! The anatomy and the proportions of the figure is just perfect so I knew I had to do something using that figure. I knew I didn't want to do the kit as it comes out of the box, but the choice of making a cowboy out of it was a pretty easy one to make, concidering the pose, and the build of the figure. It just lends itself well to become a cowpuncher!

The saddle is a resin copy of one I made for VLS/Streets of Laredo line a few years back. The bare resin saddle was then detailed with leadfoil, copper wire and stretched plastic.

I hope to start painting tonight!

Click images for larger version

Reaper Miniatures Power Palette

2010-05-21T20:57:00.001-05:00

Thought I would share something rather cool and useful with you all!! Have you ever looked at a picture, drawing, painting or perhaps a figure someone else painted and wondered what colors would produce the same effects and results? I bet we all have done that at one time or other.

Well, now we all have a very cool tool to use to find out the answers to these color questions, for free and it is easy to use!

The folks over at Reaper Miniatures have come up with a program where you can upload any picture and click on an area of that picture and it will give you a color that corresponds to the color on the picture. Of course, the references are for the Reaper paints, but it is a good start if you are using Vallejo or something else. Or you can just get the Reaper paint, it is excellent paint for sure!

Enough talk, go check it out, it is way cool!!

http://www.reapermini.com/PowerPalette

"The Power Palette is a fantastic aid for miniature painting! Upload an image, then click inside it; the Power Palette will give you the Master Series Paint color or colors it thinks are either close matches to the point you chose or colors you can mix together to get a great custom color! While, obviously, pictures of miniatures themselves would be useful, any picture is fair game; find a paint match for your favorite sports team, a skin tone from an alien in your favorite movie, or whatever else you can imagine! After around ten minutes of inactivity the picture will be removed off our server, so if it times out simply re-upload and get back to clicking! Note that all images must be JPEGs, GIFs, or PNGs and under 300KB in size. Further questions may be answered by the handy-dandy FAQ at the bottom of this page."

Horan figure of the Week, Camel Corps, 1885

2010-05-19T15:10:00.000-05:00

Click images for larger version

54mm Celt -Wip #4-

2010-05-17T14:12:00.000-05:00

And this is how far I've gotten with the Latorre 54mm Celt. I probably wont do much more on this piece for a while, though in reality there is not much left to do to finish it. Just wanted to try a few things out, the results were about as expected, though some new techniques were learned. For one thing, the way to use different colored 'glazes' etc and how useful the are to smooth transitions and/or to add effects to an already painted area. Either way, here is the end result for now. If I decide to finish the piece up more pictures of the completed piece will be posted.

Next up is a small conversion of an Andrea figure as well as a new mini two figure vignette. Stay tuned!

Click images for larger version

54mm Celt -WIP#3-

2010-05-16T02:02:00.001-05:00

And some more progress on the Celt.

54mm Celt -WIP #2-

2010-05-15T01:20:00.001-05:00

Some more work done on the celt. The face is closer to being finished now, but will have to see what it looks like once the mustache is painted. It has been one of the hardest faces I've painted in a long time with no real obvious features. I guess it adds to the challange of painting though and makes for a more interesting excersise. A few scrapes and scars were added ro the body and face as well. Hope to do more tomorrow!

54mm Celt -Latorre Models-

2010-05-14T11:29:00.000-05:00

Now for something very different! For the first time in ages I am painting a stock kit. It is a continuation of playing with various tones etc. The figure is obviously way too ripped, but it does look pretty cool in miniature. Here are some pictures of the figure. I am not sure if the figure will ever get finished, but it was a lot of fun to play with some cooler tones mixed with some warmer highlights. The face is not finished yet, and probably not the body either. I like to go back and add things here or there as the process goes along. This is before any 'effects' such as body hair, scars, tats or whatever has been added.
Click Images for larger version

54mm Rev War Fifer -Finished-

2010-05-12T23:16:00.000-05:00

Here is the finished Fifer. The pics didn't come out very well so here are a few until better pics can be taken.

Horan Figure of the Week, General "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne, 1778

2010-05-12T15:01:00.000-05:00

Click images for larger version

54mm Rev War Fifer -Painting Part II-

2010-05-10T23:07:00.000-05:00

Here is some more work on the fifer done. Still playing with some various tones etc, most noticable is the blue violet on the linnen shirt.

54mm Rev War Fifer -Painting-

2010-05-10T12:59:00.000-05:00

After returning from the MFCA show with a lot of inspiration and motivation I sat down and painted this face. It is a bit different from what I'd normally do, aided by the inspiration from my friends Pete Culos and Alan Ball the face mix contains quite a bit of green tones, something very new to me. I am looking forward to continue on with the experimentation and this piece promises to see the results of a few new such experiments!

Here is the face more or less completed. Still need to fix the eyes!

Click images for larger version

54mm Rev War Fifer -The Sculpt-

2010-05-10T12:51:00.001-05:00

Here is one of my latest projects. I did a SBS on how the piece was sculpted on Timelines Forums so if you are interested to see how it was done check it out here: Fifer SBS Link

Here are some shots of the finished sculpt as well as a teaser from the SBS.

Horan Figure of the Week, Jersey Blues, 1778

2010-05-05T15:27:00.000-05:00

Horan Figure of the Week, Officer, U.S. Marine Corps, 1859

2010-04-21T16:08:00.000-05:00

This weeks Horan figure is a great study on how to paint white/light colors! Figure done by Bill in 1993.
Click images for larger version

New Projects and some other news

2010-04-21T12:42:00.004-05:00

Hola one and all!

Wow, it has been a week since the bench was last updated. There are a couple of reasons for this. Mainly, my mother has been here in the States visiting us on the ranch. She was stuck here for a few extra days due to the volcano erruption in Iceland, but she is now home safe and sound. At least she was not stuck at some airport somehwere!

So the limited time for the fun stuff effected the blog a bit as I spent the time I had available trying to catch up with the figure work that has been neglected these past couple of weeks. So even though not much action has taken place here I have managed to get a few things done, or at least close to being done.

At the moment there are three projects on the bench. All are 54mm original one off's. A Revolutionary War Fifer, all tattered and torn which is in stark contrast to a mounted Bavarian Officer from the War of Spanish Succession. The last piece on the bench is the Swedish private from Närke -Värmlands Regiment from the battle of Narva, 1700. Which leads me to some potentially bad news for all the fans of the video series.

Due to the lack of time recently and lack of ability to record any more video I had to make the decision to finish the figure that we have been following through out the video. It is a comission piece and has to be done for the MFCA show which is rapidly approaching! As such I have to use some other project to finish the video series. I am very sorry that this is the way it worked out, but I feel it was the right decision at this time. However...there is one more hour of video on how I sculpted the legs (folds etc) on the same figure that I have yet to edit and post up. Hopefully by the end of next weekend it will be all up and ready to go.

The good news is that this frees us up to cover pretty much anything we want, as opposed to just follow the logical progression of a sculpt. I know many of you want me to do a video on the tools I use and how they are used, this is something that I will do for sure in the near future. I will also do some other 'how to' videos, though I hessitate to call them How To's as all that they are is showing how I personally do it, but I will cover how I go about sculpting various things such as folds etc. Maybe even do one covering some basic theory behind the folds, and what causes what sort of fold etc. This would be very helpful, not only to my self, but to the rest of the video viewers as it helps in determining the type of fold and what should be used when.

So in short, I am sorry that I am unable to complete the video sbs on the same figure. However, we will still cover many more things in the months to come. I am just getting started with the videos so hopefully in a short period of time, we can have a video archive here on "The Bench" as a bit of a reference regarding sculpting.

Anyways, sorry for the long message, just thought I would share what has been going on here and the reasons for no activity as well as what the status is in regards to the videos.

Next up is the Horan figure of the Week!

All the best and Happy sculpting and painting!!

Horan Figure(s) of the Week, Black Watch, 1885, & Highland Clansman, 1745

2010-04-14T18:31:00.002-05:00

Click Images for larger version

Family Pic!

2010-04-13T11:30:00.003-05:00

It's been a bit quiet on here the past week or so as my Mother is on visit from Sweden. I have been doing a little bit of sculpting but nothing too serious. I hope to hit the bench this weekend with renewed fierceness to try to catch up from the past two weeks. I will post some in-progress shots of my current projects here pretty soon. In the mean time here is a shot of the family sans the horses. It's my awesome wife Kate as well as our two dogs which you are already familiar with, Rowan and Porter respectivly, whom by the way doesn't look too thrilled haveing to act somewhat civilized for once!! I also hope to be able to record part IV of the sculpting video series in the next few days.

Video Tutorial - Part Three - Fleshing out the Mannequin

2010-04-08T12:54:00.000-05:00

Here is the next step of our sculpting adventure! These 4 videos covers the fleshing out of the mannequin, in other words we are adding bulk to the mannequin by sculpting a rough naked body on which we will sculpt the rest of the figure. Enjoy!

Horan Figure of the Week, 14th Brooklyn, 1862

2010-04-07T18:24:00.002-05:00

Once again I would like to thank Mr. Joel Glass for allowing us the true pleasure to visit his magnificant collection of Historical Miniatures. Without this generosity these "Horan Figure of the Week" pictures would not be possible.

Also, another reminder of the Bill Horan in Retrospect display that will be featured at this years MFCA show, May 7th and 8th. This will be a great opertunity to get to see some of these masterworks in person. Many of which have not been in public display for several years. It is going to be quite something I think, and I for one am pretty excited about it.

'nuff talking! Here is the Horan piece of the week;14th Brooklyn, 1862.
Click images for larger version

Video Tutorial: Part Two -Conclusion of Posing the Manenquin-

2010-04-04T23:37:00.000-05:00

Here are the final 4 parts of Posing the Mannequin. Like I stated earlier it is about an hour total, but wanted to show it all. Next up will be fleshing out the mannequin, which will be a bit more streamlined. So on to putty work next, but here is the conclusion of the poing stage. Keep an eye out on the credits in the last part for some information as to where to get some of the supplies used in these videos.

Also, I've received a lot of requests for a scale chart here on the blog. It's been real busy around here so havent had a chance to get to it yet, but I will post a scale chart here in the upcoming week.

Video Tutorial: Part Two -Posing The Mannequin-

2010-04-04T10:03:00.001-05:00

Here are the first three videos of part II in the new video tutorial series. In this part we will pose the mannequin. The video is prettty raw and almost unedited except to keep them under 10 minutes each. It is a lot of video, but I wanted to show the entire process. The video really shows everythign I did to the mannequin, but I suspect that only a handful of hardscore sculpting enthusiasts will watch the whole thing, which is fine. There will be more interesting videos to follow. But I wanted to show the entire process withouth cutting it here and there and take an hour long process and cut it into 5 minutes, then you would get frustrated when you tired it at home. So take it for what it is, and hopefully you will find it somewhat interesting!

Sculpting Video Update

2010-04-02T19:57:00.001-05:00

First off, thanks for the great reponse to the first sculpting video!! I have received many emails with suggestions etc and trust me, I take all of them to heart. I really appreciate you guys taking the time to send me a note or email.

The reason that no other videos has been posted is due to some technical issues. I've struggled all week trying to get them to work right, having spent massive amount of time editing and uploading said videos with no good results. Even 'bought' a website/server to host the videos but still to no avail. However the problem seems to have been fixed now. So all that's left is to re edit all of the videos once more...and upload them. I hope to have them all up by the end of the weekend at latest. If anyone out there is a website builder and wouldn't mind lending a hand, please send me an email as I could use some knowledgable advice regarding website building/publishing.

So until the actual videos are ready, here is the new 'intro'. I know, I am having way to much fun with this...

Horan Figure of the Week, 72nd Highlanders, 1857

2010-03-31T23:32:00.000-05:00

Click images for larger version

New Feature - Video Tutorials - Part I

2010-03-28T19:50:00.002-05:00

Here is the first trial at making a video on how I go about sculpting figures. It's a bit rough but decent for not knowing how to use the editing program etc etc. So hopefully as we get deeper and deeper into the sculpt the videos will get better and better.

I would love feedback on these three videos which makes up Part I of the sculpting video series. I had to make them less then 10 minutes long each, otherwise they would not let it upload. I hope to find a 'cure' for this so entire 'chapters' can be uploaded as opposed to breaking it into sections.

You might need to turn up the volume to hear the narrative, which is also a work in progress!

At any rate. Here are the videos. I would love feedback on these so send me an email or post a comment here on the blog.

-Making the Mannequin-

Part I

Part II

Part III

Coming Soon -New Feature to The Bench-

2010-03-28T02:00:00.000-05:00

Finally, after some technical battles I can now announce that there will be a new feature every week (time permitting) here on "The Bench". I won't go into too much detail at this moment, but I'll post some teaser pictures until ready to release more information. I have to say I am pretty excited about this!

Have to give a shout out to my good friend and brother in arms Stephen Ward, he's been part of the initial stages of the upcoming project and his help is very appreciated! Thanks man.
Click images for larger version

Horan Figure of the Week, 24th Regt of Foot, 1800

2010-03-24T18:17:00.002-05:00

Click Images for larger version

Thomas Jefferson, 54mm WIP, - Part 3 -

2010-03-21T23:50:00.000-05:00

Here is a little bit of progress on TJ. Have not had much time at the bench since the last posting, been busy watching hockey...play off's are just around the corner! Go Detroit Redwings!! Anyway...here are some updated pictures. Some clean up of the brass parts and various small details and he is finished.

Horan Figure of the Week: The Prisoner, Tel El Kebir 1882

2010-03-17T13:44:00.002-05:00

Click Images for larger version

Thomas Jefferson, 54mm WIP, - Part 2 -

2010-03-17T00:06:00.000-05:00

Here is some more progress on "TJ". Not a whole lot, just working on the trousers and the socks. It's really hard for me to paint the socks on these sorts of figures, it's the shape of the calf as well as the need for really smooth transitions, especially on a subject like this, which would not get very dirty, especially in the setting that has been chosen for this piece. Up next is the coat! Should proove to be a fun excersise!
Click images for larger views

Thomas Jefferson, 54mm WIP - Part 1 -

2010-03-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Taking a short break from the drummer I decided to start painting this figure, a piece which was sculpted over 10 months ago, so it is about time he gets some paint on him! In these pictures the only thing done is the face and the hair is probably done as well. Though I usually end up tweaking the figure here and there until it is completed on it's base. So still early, but will post more once I get somewhere!
Click images for larger view

Custom Figure Bases

2010-03-12T19:49:00.001-06:00

An aspect a lot of people overlook when creating their figures is the base on which the piece is attached to. All to many just put their passionate figure work on a random piece of wood, sometimes not even wood but some other material. To me, the base is as important as the figure, you should have a base that complements the project you are doing and one that helps the presenatation as a whole.

Recently I came in contact with a gentleman named Gerald Smith, who makes costum bases, he pretty much will do anything you could ever want or need, and probably then some. I first contacted him about an abnormally large base for a vignette/diorama I'm doing. After some back and forth regarding the material the base was completed, and it is a beauty. It is the one in the three picture series below. The top is one piece of Cocobolo wood with gorgeous grain and finish! It is just one example of his excellent craftmanship, the other bases were also made by Gerald.

What is really cool is that if you find a piece of wood you like, Gerald will be happy to make anything you need out of that piece of wood. I love to look for wood online, there are some amazing pieces out there that will help you costumize the perfect base for your projects. Just do a google search for Exotic Hardwood and you will find plenty, and Ebay is a good choice as well. It isn't always cheap, but the figure you are putting on the finished product is well worth it. Most of the time you can get several bases out of one piece of wood as well, so per base it is not that much. I can't think of a way to get more control over your project then that, it is a lot of fun and very rewarding. Really, it is the first time that I've experienced such liberty with the bases, it is awesome not to be limited by the bases you can find that's already finished, now only your imagination will hold you back.

I would highly recommend Gerald to anyone wanting a specific base made or just for a normal single figure base. He is very particular with his work and will work with you until you are happy with the end result. If you need a base send him an email through this link , Email Gerald.

Horan figure of the Week: Officer, 92nd (Gordon) Highlanders, 1879

2010-03-10T09:13:00.001-06:00

Excellent Films

2010-03-09T23:13:00.000-06:00

Lately I have had the good fortune of having watched several really good films. Seems like sometime we get in a movie 'rut' where all we see are mediocre films of little more then slightly entertaining value. Then sometimes we find some really excellent pictures, usually in some random place, or something you normally would not pay any attention to. I'd like to share two of my recent favorites, both are European films, i.e. not Hollywood junk. Don't get me wrong, there is some really cool stuff coming out of California, I for one can't wait for the Pacific and Iron Man 2, but for every really good movie, there usually are a dozen not so good ones, tainted with Hollywood's biases and agendas. Both independent and European films seem to have a certain 'rawness' to them which I find quite appealing. This is especially true in the following two features, both of which are based on true events, and based on true people. Another thing I find fascinating is when watching movies in a different language that one does not know so well it forces one to focus a bit more. These particular ones are in Danish and German, languages I understand a little but far from good enough to able to just listen without subtitles.

The first one I'd like to mention is called Flammen & Citronen (The Flame and The Lemon), which is a Danish film following two members of the Holger Danske resistance group during the German occupation of Denmark. It is an excellent piece of motion picture that is very entailing, raw and suspenseful. Even more so due to it’s historical value and to what some individuals were willing to do to fight fascism in their country.
http://www.flameandcitron.com/

The second film is also a world war two historical account, though completely different from the previous. The movie is called “Eine Frau in Berlin” or “A Woman in Berlin” which is based on a memoir that was written after the war by a woman who endured the Russian attack and initial occupation of Berlin. After the books initial release it met such outrage for telling the truth about the Russian take over of Berlin that the woman who wrote the book swore never to publish another print run while she was still alive, and would never allow her name to be published. As such it is penned by “Anonymous”. Another extremely raw and emotional film, it really conveys the Russian hatred for the Germans and what they did in Russia and to it’s people during the war.

Both are very powerful and intriguing movies very well worth watching.

New Brushes!! - Good Stuff -

2010-03-09T17:23:00.001-06:00

Here is about as a pointless post as there has been yet on this blog. However, it's always exciting to receive packages, especially when they contain new brushes. I have been in dire need for some new ones so this was very timely. Let the good times roll!

Drummer, 7th Regt of Foot -Picture Update-

2010-03-08T23:29:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures of the new paint job on the drummer. Still fairly early in the process and it's a slow process. I've ordered new brushes so I can tackle the lace work as the brushes I have now is simply not good enough for such detail work. Well used for sure, but it's time for a new series of brushes. Winsor Newton Series 7 is my brush of choice though there are many good ones to choose from.

Anyway, here are the pictures, more to follow shortly!
Click images for larger version

Drummer, 7th Regt of Foot Update

2010-03-05T00:30:00.000-06:00

Well well! I guess the normal saying is "one step forward and Two step backward" but I'd like to look at it the other way around, "One step backward and Two steps forward"! So what am I talking about? I started painting the drummer piece, and when painting the face I held the figure it self, rather then holding the painting base, I like to do this to get up and close to the figure, but this time the primer started to peel up, creating 'bunched up' paint in places. I cleaned it up as much as I could and thought it would be ok and as such proceeded to paint the figure. When painting the coat it was just too many rough spots which I wasn'tvery excited about so decided to strip the figure and redo it. While the figure was stripped down to the bare putty I went ahead and changed a few things I should have done in the first place. The pockets were made larger with 4 buttons, added some more hair to the temple areas, and finally added a bit more volume to the bearskin hat. So now the figure is re primed and ready to go again, and the process will be started later tonight.

Here are a couple of pictures of the figure as it was before it was stripped as well as a couple of my 'paint' set up for the workbench.
Click images for larger version

Horan Figure of the week, special edition - Albuhera-

2010-03-03T19:02:00.000-06:00

This week marks the 5000th view of "The Bench"!! As such I thought it appropriate to feature a special piece of Horans work, a 3 figure vignette called Albuhera. Since this is a special occasion many pictures will be added, a few over all shots as well as some very detailed shots from angles you would never see unless you have handled the piece in person. This to me is THE example of how a 3 figure vignette should be executed, it is viewable from all angles and it is just masterful composition hard at work. Thanks for checking out the blog and please enjoy the pictures. A big thanks goes out to Mr. Joel Glass, of whos collection these excellent miniatures belong to, for letting us into his home and allowing these pictures to be taken and shared with all of you. Thanks Joel!
Click images for larger version.

Drummer, 7th Regt of foot -Primed-

2010-03-02T10:41:00.000-06:00

Here are some shots of the primed drummer. Painting can now be started!

Pioneer, 77th Regt. of Foot -Finished-

2010-03-01T12:21:00.000-06:00

Here are some so-so pictures of the finished piece. Hope you enjoyed watching it develop! Up next is the painting of the drummer from the battle of Cowpens that was shown here during the sculpting process.
Click images for larger version

Pioneer, 77th Regt of Foot -Painting Part 3-

2010-02-28T01:28:00.001-06:00

Here are a few more inprogress pictures. It's getting pretty close to being finished now. Details and final clean up left, as well as the ground work. Hope to finish it up tomorrow!
Click images for larger version

Pioneer, 77th Regt. of Foot -Painting Part 2-

2010-02-26T01:16:00.000-06:00

Some more progress on the Pioneer of the 77th regt. The bearskin is about done and the coat has been started. Didn't spend a whole lot of productive time at the bench today, had a grueling day at work! But at least got a little bit done. I've found that if you do a little each day, even if it's only a belt or something, before you know it the project will be done!
Click on images for larger version

Weeeee! I once was lost but now I'm found!

2010-02-24T22:42:00.000-06:00

A super nice lady called us about 20 minutes ago having found our dogs. Thank God for good people! After over 9 hours of worrying we can now relax, and I can get back to the bench with a peaceful mind! The dogs are played out and very muddy, and shall receive a nice bath as a get a way reward.

Pheew, that was close! Thought they were gone for good.

Sad News: Dogs are missing!

2010-02-24T18:40:00.000-06:00

The dogs got out today and have not returned. After spending a couple of hours looking for them still no joy. I hope they return shortly, or someone will call us and let us know they have them, they are like our kids. At least they are micro chipped and have tags on them with our information, lets just hope someone does the right thing. What a crappy day.

At least Rowan is smiling...or something..

And here Porter is being goofy....had to keep it even as to not be partial to one of the goof balls.

Horan Figure of the Week: Dizzy Dean

2010-02-24T10:23:00.001-06:00

And it's Wednesday once more, and another Horan figure of the week installment! Thought I'd change it up a bit and do one of Bill's fantastic ball players. Here is Dizzy Dean, full of motion. This is probably one of the most articulated and successfully dynamic figures I have ever seen. From the gentle twist of the left foot to the perfect angle of the arms, it is such a strong and balanced pose that it is worth studying for a while.

This piece amongst others will be featured at this years MFCA show in the Bill Horan Retrospect display.
Click images for larger version

Pioneer, 77th Regt of Foot 1758 - Painting the Face -

2010-02-24T00:35:00.000-06:00

Here is the next project, and a painting one at that! It is easier to get into the rythm of painting again after such a long hiatus if a few are painted one after another, so as a result I will be painting for the next couple of weeks or so.

First up is the Pioneer of the 77th Regt of Foot, 1758 that was posted earlier on the blog. So far only the face is somewhat completed, it's a great face from the Hornet 1/32nd scale range of heads. He looks kind of sad though, perhaps a long day at the office!

Click image for larger version

Unite or Die -Better Pictures-

2010-02-23T18:26:00.000-06:00

As promised, here are some more and better pictures of the finished piece.
Click images for larger version

Unit or Die -Painting the Horse-

2010-02-23T18:21:00.000-06:00

Here are some in progress pictures of the painting of the horse, which was done in oils. The horse was first base coated with acrylics in a rough manner. This was then painted over with a thin layer of oils which was highlighted and shaded by adding more oiils to the initial layer of paint.

Click image for larger version

Unite or Die, 54mm Original - Finished -

2010-02-19T03:47:00.002-06:00

Here is my latest finished piece. A 54mm Revolutionary War standard bearer, though I feel that term is a bit too defined for what this fella really is intended to portray, as he is not military per say.

Anyway, just a quick picture of the finished piece. Please excuse the poor quality, will post more and better pictures after the weekend.

Click image for larger version

Show Crunch!!

2010-02-17T18:22:00.002-06:00

The Atlanta show is less then 48 hours away now! Still have some things to get done for the show so I'm preparing for a long evening at the bench!

Playlist for tonight:

Flyboys - WWI aviation flick

The War That Made America Disc I - PBS production of the French and Indian War

Sharpe's Waterloo - Heard a lot about this series, yet have never seen an episode, should be interesting!

Looking forward to listen/semi watch these movies! Might be hard to top last nights viewing of the 2001 version of The Count of Montecristo though, an amazing and satisfying movie!

Horan Figure of the Week: General George Custer, 1865

2010-02-17T08:07:00.000-06:00

Click images for larger version

Dog Update

2010-02-16T17:39:00.000-06:00

Yepp...still worthless!

Unite or Die, 54mm Revolutionary War

2010-02-14T14:16:00.001-06:00

Here is the next project on the bench! I have been working on this for the past week or so. It features a Historex horse, which has been slightly altered for a better pose as well as widened just a tad. Not many inprogress pictures of this piece as I'm doing it for the Atlanta show next weekend. The figure represents a farmer or other civilian in 1775 carrying the banner "Unite or Die", which was based on Benjamin Franklins "Join, or Die" political catroon which was published in 1756. The Unite or Die flag was 'adopted' in 1765.

The figure was sculpted with a mix of ProCreate (pC) and Magic Sculpt (MS) . It is a real pleasure to work when soft, it has a bit more body to it then just straight MS. It is also quite good to carve, a lot 'waxier' then when using MS by it self, which is more like a hard soap stone when carving. I prefer this mixture to that of Duro and MS, the color is better and is a bit easier to work and carve once finished. The only issue I have with pC is that it has tendencies to bubble up when speed cured, much more so then other putties. I've also heard this from companies who use vulcanizing rubber molds for metal spin casting, they have had some problems pressing the masters and getting bulges and bubbles when put through the heat of mold making. Luckily this is not a concern I had with this piece, and as long as care is taken when 'spreading out' the initial layer of putty on the figure it is a joy to work with. I would best describe it as very similar to Duro, just a little harder when cured and different color. I will use this mix again, but the next sculpt will be pure MS to see if it's really worth the trouble of mixing two putties together.

Anyway...enough rambling! Here are some pictures of the figure!
Click images for larger version

Here is how the left leg was done, the process was repeated on the right leg

And the painting has begun! I feel very rusty as I have not touched a paint brush since last November or so.

Drummer, 7th Fusiliers, 1781 -Completed Sculpt-

2010-02-12T19:27:00.001-06:00

And finally! Here are some pictures of the finished sculpt. Might need to tweak a thing here or there as it seems like a piece is never really finished. It was a pretty fun sculpt to do, and one of the more dynamic figures I've ever done. I'd like to continue to explore these sorts of figures as it's a fun change up from static figures, which are still my favorites. Dynamic figures offers many challenges which are very different from what I'm used to, and I'm looking forward to learning more about them. I think this will be about as far as I will get with this figure for a while as I have other projects that need to take priority. Until then, here is the finished piece!

Just some thoughts about the materials used for this sculpt. Like stated before, my relationship with Duro has been a rocky one to say the least! Never really liked the stuff, but mainly due to the properties when cured. It is very nice to work with when soft, and takes folds and detail real well. Mixing Duro with Magic Sculpt helped a lot as far as cured putty properties, and found out it takes a lot more MS then it does Duro to make a decent mix. A guestimate of the mix I used was something like 30% Duro of the size of MS mixed, very little Duro goes a long way! At the end of the day, was it worth the trouble mixing both putties? I guess it was, I really need to sculpt a figure out of pure Magic Sculpt again to really be able to decide. The next figure will be another experiment...this time with ProCreate and Magic Sculpt! The problem I've had with ProCreate is that it likes to bubble up a lot when being speed cured, mainly from air trapped under the putty, but for some reason it has tendencies to really bubble up easily where other putties won't. I'll write more on the topic in the coming days, but for now...enough rambling! Here are the pictures of the finished sculpt of the Drummer of the 7th Regt of Foot from the battle of Cowpens, 1781.

Next up is a 54mm mounted Revolutionary War figure carrying the "Unite, or Die" flag, which was the 1765 version of Benjamin Franklin's "Join, or Die" political cartoon that he published in 1756.
Click images for larger versions

Horan Figure of the Week: 24th Regiment of Foot, 1879 Rorke's Drift

2010-02-12T12:23:00.000-06:00

And we are back to the Horan figure of the week! There will be a few updates here in fairly rapid progression as I've got a lot of new stuff to post. In the mean time, enjoy the pictures!
Click on images for larger version

Rainy Day - Lazy dogs!

2010-02-08T12:33:00.000-06:00

Here is a shot of our dogs passed out on their couch. It's funny, they are like an old married couple. The smaller one, Rowan, on the right in the picture, is total boss over her 'brother'. Porter (left) lets her push him around up to a certain point, after which he puts her back in her place. I have yet to figure out whether he is too smart, too dumb, or just too laid back when he let her push him around. It's a pretty funny dynamic to watch. Anyhow, just a rainy day random note.

Drummer, 7th Fusiliers, 1781 - Part Six -

2010-02-07T14:47:00.004-06:00

The figure is about finished now! Did some work on the base, which is something I have not always been paying a lot of attention to, and it's a focus of mine to try to get better at it. Good groundwork can really help set off a figure and add to the effect of the over all piece.

Since the battle of the Cowpens took place in wooded pasture land some sticks and 'branches' were added to the base. It would not work to put a whole tree, or a tree trunk on a small base but wanted to put something to show perhaps branches falling off the trees, just something to tie it in with the battle field. Other materials used on the base were static grass, Hudson and Allan Forrest Litter, Woodland Scenic spunge stuff, and very fine sand. This was glued on with White Glue over a putty 'base'. Might still add a few things here and there such as rocks etc. but for the most part it is finished.

Click on images for larger version

And just for fun, here is a shot of my very messy bench! But trust me, it is a very organized diaster area! After all this blog is called the bench, so periodically I'll post pictures of the bench at it's current state of a harmonious Charlie Foxtrot.

Drummer, 7th Fusiliers, 1781 - Part Five -

2010-02-05T18:42:00.003-06:00

I've been pretty lazy this week, accomplishing little as far as sculpting goes. Need to get back on track as have a few things to do before the Atlanta show which is the weekend of Feb 19th.

Anyhow...here is some more progress! Here is work on the right arm. The hand is a resin casting and the (very crooked) drumsticks are metal wire with the tips acheived by dipping the wire in superglue a couple of times. These will be straightened out before the figure is primed!

Click on images for larger version

And the same procedure on the left arm. The hand was sculpted with individual 'sausages' of duro/MS mix over a resin hand blank. Doing fingers like this is sort of tricky, but this was the first time I've done it so hopefully it will get easier and the results will get better as more experience is gained.

And finally for this progress update we have the bear skin hat. And it was kind of a bear to sculpt...(yes..I know...lame!). The plate was first done in pure Magic Sculpt, the reason for this was so that it could be carved and sanded with no problem. I started out sculpting the design on the plate but decided to try to paint it on, not sure how, but I'm going to try it! If that fails I will end up having to sculpt the plate as on the real thing it was stamped metal so it would have some relief to it. The putty was added for the fur parts and formed into the general shape, though the shape changed a little as the fur texture was sculpted into it. It is just something about the shape of these things that make them hard to do, other then the shape of Mitre Caps this is one of the harder ones to acheive decent results with, at least for me. I feel this one turned out ok, it's not perfect, but then again neither is the rest of the figure, but it's a decent representation of a bearskin hat, now I just have to try to paint the damned front plate...

Oh I forgot to mention the shoulder 'wings' and the shoulder boards. I didn't take any inprogress pictures of those, not sure why, but it just happened that way. I also ended up sculpting the hair out of the same 'blob' of putty that was used for the hat. It was not a planned thing, it just worked out that way, and if the opportunity arrives once more, I will do it this way again! It worked like a charm and saved a lot of time. I'm all for time saving tricks, so there you go!

Figure of the week - Mike Blank - 54mm Danish Infantry 1704

2010-02-03T15:41:00.001-06:00

It's been a lot of Horan lately so figured I'd switch it up this week with pictures of an excellent figure by Mike Blank. This is one of my favorite Blank pieces of all time I think, the pictures really doesnt do the piece justice. Anyways hope you will enjoy it!

Click images for larger version

MFCA Figure Show Special

2010-02-03T15:16:00.000-06:00

I got word from one of the organizers of the MFCA figure show to be held on May 7th and 8th this year that there will be a special display featuring figures by Bill Horan that now resides in various collections around the world. The event is called Horan in Retrospect and should be a treat for all of us, especially those of us who have not seen a lot of these older pieces in person.

The MFCA show will be held May 7th and 8th at the Valley Forge Convention Center, which is located on 1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, PA.

For more information about the show, visit their website at http://www.mfcashow.com/

Drummer, 7th Fusiliers, 1781 - Part Four -

2010-02-01T14:10:00.001-06:00

This will be a bit of a lengthy post as a bit of progress was made yesterday. I started the day out by changing the eyes on the figure per Mr. Horans suggestion. I wasn't going to do this, but I am happy that I did as it adds a bit more 'fear' in his expression. Basically the eyes were made larger and more open, I tried to show him looking hard to his left. This will be reinforced with the painting as well.

The next step was the waistcoat. The same procedure is followed as pretty much anything I do. A blob of putty is added to the figure, this is then rolled out and bulked out into the shape necessary,this is then smoothed out and folds are sculpted into the putty.

Once the vest was cured, the coat tails were next on the list to get done. This time the putty was rolled out, cut into the deisred dimensions and the corners were folded over. This sheet was then added to the figure and positioned. When doing coat tails like this I don't worry too much about what the upper part of the coat looks like, it will be fixed later, the important part is to get the free hanging parts of the coat in desired position.

Now that we have the coat tails in place we can go ahead and sculpt the rest of the coat. A layer of fresh putty is added and blended in with the previous cured parts and the folds are sculpted.

The lapells and collar were sculpted next. Since this is a one off, and will not go into production, most of the lace detail will be painted on, being a drummer he will have conciderable amounts of lace! The only thing I did here was just a nice flat surface with no raised details. Buttons will be added out of lead foil before finishing up the figure.

Next up will be the arms, bear skin hat, hands and the groundwork.

Drummer, 7th Fusiliers, 1781 - Part Three - Sculpting the legs

2010-01-31T10:24:00.000-06:00

The sculpting continues on the drummer of the 7th Foot! I got inspired by Mr. David Zabrocki, an excellent sculptor, to once more try Duro as a sculpting medium. This time it is mixed with Magic Sculpt rather then just plain Duro, and I have to admit it's pretty nice to work with, though a bit of a pain to mix all the putties together, but well worth it. I have had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Duro the past years, I love to work the stuff when it is freshly mixed as it is great for pushing around creating folds, but have always been frustrated when there was a part that needed sanding or some carving, and was unable to do so due to the sculpting medium. Adding Magic Sculpt to the mix seems to have 'cured' (ha!) this problem though.

Anyway, here are some shots of the legs both in progress and somewhat finished legs. The pictures were taken when the putty was still wet, so might need to go back and sand/carve some areas.

Porter!

2010-01-31T02:20:00.001-06:00

Just found these pictures of one of our dogs. This is Porter, a 2 year old Akita. Just something different from the normal figure posts!

Hard day at the Ranch

Drummer, 7th Fusiliers, 1781 - Part Two - Fleshing out the Mannequin

2010-01-30T16:50:00.001-06:00

Once the pose was finalized it's 'fleshed out' with Aves Apoxie Sculpt. I like to use Aves for the fleshing out part for a couple of reasons. The first being that it is very sticky and soft when freshly mixed, allowing for good grip on the copper wire armature. The second reason is that it is white, a different color then what the rest of the figure will be sculpted in. This allows me to see exactly where the mannequin is, and aids in making the clothing appear in scale and not too bulky.

I like to keep the mannequin fairly skinny at this point, it will be built up in later stages creating the desired bulk. Another thing I like to do is to add as many curves to the body as the pose will allow for. The human body have a lot of curvature to it, and when adding it to the miniature it adds a little extra to the piece. Raul Latorre is a master at this, and his work is something I study every chance I get. As you can see, the curves are somewhat exagerated, but again, this will be toned down a bit when the final layers of clothing is added, but should still be visible in the final sculpt.

I always pay extra attention to the anatomy at this stage, making sure the proportions are correct, that the knees and elbows are in the correct place on the body etc. It is not a study of human anatomy by any stretch, but rather just a crude body without any real detail. This is fine as long as you have the main proportions in the right places.

Click on images for larger version

And the drum added to the base to check the over all appearance once more

Drummer, 7th Fusiliers, 1781 - Part One - Posing the Mannequin

2010-01-30T16:36:00.002-06:00

After completing several commercial projects in the past few weeks it's time to do another one off. This time it is a drummer of the 7th fusiliers at the battle of Cowpens 1781. The regiment got over run after advancing into what they thought was a defeated army. The drummer depicted here is running for his life trying to avoid capture or death from the bayonet charging Continentals.

Posing the mannequin is one of the most important steps when sculpting a figure, it lays the foundation and sets the tone for the rest of the sculpt. A lot of time is spent bending the copper wire into the desired pose. The figure starts out with pre cast resin torso, pelvis and shoes as well as a head from the Hornet range. The drum is also in place for this stage to see the over all composition of the piece.

Click on images for larger version

Horan Figure of the Week - Corporal, 79th Highlanders, Indian Mutiny 1858

2010-01-27T22:13:00.003-06:00

I thought it boring for you blog visitors to only see my work on this blog. As a result I'd like to start doing "The Bill Horan Figure of the Week". Which means I will post pictures of a selected Horan figure each week until I run out of pictures to show. It might not be posted the same day each week but I will try to be as consistant as possible.

Bill has inspired us all through out the years with his magnificant creations, giving us all something to strive for, and showing us what can be acheived in miniature. So what better way to get excited about doing figures then looking at pictures of the masters work!

Corporal, 79th Highlanders, Indian Mutiny 1858

Tragic News

2010-01-24T22:51:00.005-06:00

turday, January 23rd at around 12:30 pm a Light Sport Aircraft went down in northern Ellis County, Tx. The reason for the accident is still under investigation and it will likely be several months before any real conclusions are drawn. The crash left two people dead, an instructor and a high school flight student.

May they rest in peace and fly in smoother skies.

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=71862
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/012310dnmetplanecrash.a7e9e0fb.html

This really hit a bit too close to home. The day before the accident my instructor and I flew that very same plane.

Private, 28th Mass. Infantry Regiment, 1862. 54mm

2010-01-23T15:45:00.002-06:00

This was the second Fredericksburg figure I sculpted last year. I wasn't very pleased with the first effort but my good friend and awesome figure painter Doug Cohen really liked it, as such he ended up painting the first version. Still wanting to paint one my self, I sculpted this figure. Im still trying to figure out how to sculpt an ACW greatcoat in a manner that I am pleased with, but feel this sculpt turned out a bit better then the first one, but still not quite there yet. One of these days! I love great coats so I'm sure it is a subject I will revisit sometime soon. Sculpted with Magic Sculpt and Duro. Shennandoah rifle, canteen and cartridge pouch. The head is an excellent 1/32nd scale Hornet head.

For larger high resolution pictures go Here

All back to normal...I think!

2010-01-23T12:19:00.000-06:00

Ok, got the links back in order. If you see a link I missed, please let me know and I will get it fixed.

Now onto more figure stuff!

Hm... Minor Issue!

2010-01-22T23:36:00.001-06:00

Well, it looks like all the adjustments and links to other blogs that was on here have disapeared. Must have screwed it up somehow. I hope to have all back to normal tomorrow.

Edit: Getting closer to normal! Will add all the great blogs to the link section tomorrow.

54mm, Pioneer 77th Foot, 1758

2010-01-22T22:47:00.002-06:00

Here is an almost finished figure of a Pioneer of the 77th regt of Foot from the French and Indian War. Still some clean up to do as well as a few more tweaks here and there including all the buttons. This is another figure that was sculpted in late 2009, as matter of fact it was at this stage before starting the 75mm 78th Grenadier figure. I hope to start painting it here in the next week or so. It should be part of my display at the upcoming Atlanta show, pending unforeseen disasters! As always, sculpted with Magic Sculpt with a Hornet head.

For larger pictures click here

78th Foot Grenadiers, Battle of Sillery, Quebec 1760. 75mm Sculpt

2010-01-19T22:08:00.011-06:00

Here is a figure that was completed in late 2009. The material used for this sculpt was Magic Sculpt. The pink parts are also Magic Sculpt with some red Vallejo acrylic paint added when mixing the putty. I find when doing details such as lace etc. it is helpful to use a different color of putty to see whats going on a bit easier. This will be an upcoming release by Thunderbird Miniatures,a US based resin historical miniature company. Check out their website: Thunderbird Miniatures
For more pictures click Here

Some of the figures completed in 2009

2010-01-15T22:14:00.009-06:00

Here are a couple of collages of some of the pieces that was completed during 2009. All of them are original scratch built figures with the exception of the large scale Colonial Ranger bust, which was a boxart paintjob for Thunderbird Minaitures. Click the images for larger view.

Oh, Blog, why oh why are you calling my name? Don't you know I have other stuff to do?

2010-01-15T19:38:00.001-06:00

Sooooo, here we go! Joining the millions before me who have taken the leap to start blogging. I guess the main reason for starting this blog is that I really enjoy reading other peoples blogs, and as such would like to provide the same enjoyment for other people. I mean, c'mon, let's face it, how much fun is it to read your own blog!

So, hopefully this will become something of an online workbench, where new projects will be posted from time to time, in various stages of completion. Some pieces will be sculpted for production, while others will be just for fun. But enough for now, I'm just getting the feet wet, don't want to jump all the way in at one time!