This figure is based on two of Andrei Karachtchouk's illustrations in the Osprey Russo-Japanese War - F-2 and G-2. Essentially, I'm taking the front view of G-2 and the back view of F-2 and combining them. There - does that make sense? NO? OK - Just to be perverse, I'm going to do it anyway! :lol:

Seriously the 120mm figure is that of a Pioneer of the 14th Infantry Regiment, 12th Division in a summer campaign in 1904-1905. Or he will be when I finish the field equipment. The pick top with cover and pick handle I'm taking from a Jon Smith accessory. Everything else will be putty or one kind or another.

Comments invited - not too rude, please.

All the best,
Dan

Dan, Neat figure from the Russo-Japanese book. I would suggest you work on the left arm some more. The distance from the shoulder to the armpit looks to be too wide, even with a jacket/coat on. Here is your photo with it corrected using photoshop. As for the gaiters, I would do them over. I tried using "green stuff" before and felt like I was sculpting using bubblegum. If possible try try to work the folds on the trousers a bit more.~Gary

Dan,
progress looks good so far. I have to agree with Gary on the arm, I also think maybe the folds are looking a bit "forced" or carved into the materials instead of a natural/flowing kinda fold. Excellent start though to an interesting subject.

BTW the URL for The Complete Sculptor is http://www.sculpt.com/ and not the address you put down. FYI, and keep up the good work!

Jay H.
OKC

The armpit! Ach! You're 100% right, Gary. I'll sand that down and get it under control! And both the trousers and the gaiters! More than one person on this web site has said that when they look at things in the posted photos they see mistakes for the first time. Add me to the list. Off go the trousers and gaiters! Bring on the Magicsculpt!

All the best,
Dan

Dan,

I am very interestd in looking your progress. I have my pencils ready yet!!

Good luck with this soldier

Rafa

Hi Rafa! Since these photos were posted and at Gary's suggestion, I've taken off all the green putty, re-sculpted the gaiters and I'm in the process of working on the trousers. This is the first time I've had to try to convey light fabric and I may be over-doing it with too many folds, etc. I'll get there by trial and error.

What kind of base do you think would work with this one? The one I have is pretty plain.

All the best,
Dan

Not the best pictures and the lighting is certainly strange, but I think you can get an idea of the changes I've made. I see improvements but honestly I'm not sure if I'm overdoing it with the folds or not. It is supposed to be light material, so...

All the best,
Dan

Dan, I think you've made a lot of improvement on this guy! The pants look MUCH better in my opinion and he is not nearly as bow-legged as the first go round. The stance looks better for it! Also the arm is much improved! Get some primer on that kritter and let see him come together! :lol:

Jay H.
OKC

Dan, An improvement over the first version for sure. In regards to overdoing the folds, quite the opposite. I think more work can done on them. A number of them look little more than lines across the fabric of both the trousers and gaiters. You may want to try and carve or file a few sharp folds here and there keeping in mind the fabric you are replicating. Look at photos from your reference(s) in addition to studying any commercial castings you may have. You're on the right track Dan and improvements will come with every project.~Gary

Dan, I did some adjustments in Photoshop for possible reference.

Many thanks guys! That's what I needed to know. Jay - Thanks for the comment and glad it looks better to you! Gary I will go back with my trusty round file and inflict some damage.

Bob - Could you tell me what adjustments you made? Less red? When I loaded the photos on kitpic, I had already done some focus and color corrections using Photoshop, but which ones did you make? Thanks!!

All the best,
Dan

Dan, I shortened the right arm as it was too long and basically thinned the whole figure down. Gaitors are usually pretty taut except at the folds of where the shin and foot meet. The gaitors you have are too thick and consequently you had lost the definition of the calves. The folds on the trousers needed some definition as well so they look more natural. I am not sure if you have the Berne Hogarth book on Dynamic Wrinkles but it is a good reference to understand the physics behind folds in clothing. I consider the book to be a must have for sculpting and illustrating.

If you have Photoshop or equivalent program perhaps you could take the picture I did and compare by overlaying it on the one you did to see where the changes were made.

Dan,

You improve the figure with this new version!!! but I agree with Bob about to correct the gaiters. Also I think the belt must be improved. I think the belt must be more thick in this scale and also I would prefer to model the belt and the buckle with putty instead of to use wire. When you do that you must consider the wrinkles that must appears in the jacket around the belt.

About trousers and jackets I think you must try to increase the number of wrinkles as Gary told you.

About the jacket I suppose this is not finished jet. Isn't it?

Rafa

Rafa - Thanks for your comments. I was debating whether to do the belt and buckle in putty or with tape and brass and I think I'm going to re-do them with putty. I agree it didn't look right. With Bob's comments in mind, I'm going back to re-do everything except the head and hat.

All the best,
Dan

Bob - Your critique is very helpful and exactly what I needed.

As you gathered, I had completely misunderstood what you were talking about. I was trying to see photographic color and focus changes vs. actual changes you'd made in the figure proportions, etc.

The arm
No excuses but the arm is stock from another figure reworked only by adding a hand and the cuff - no length. The other arm was from the same figure - so they were matched and (apparently) the original sculptor missed the fact that one arm was so much longer than the other - just like I did. Anyway - you're right and I didn't notice it until I compared your posted photo with the same pose above and with the figure itself - sort of holding it up to the VDT. But I think it's off both above and below the elbow, not just below the elbow. I think I'll just sculpt the arm myself.

Gaiters
As to the gaiters, I was imagining something in not very thick canvas, hence the wrinkly appearance. Do you think they were leather? I have only one example from a good close-up photo - one that I found AFTER I'd sculpted the original green gaiters. On a British WWI re-enactor site, I found a photo of a set of leather gaiters with 3 straps (no buttons like the Japanese ones).

Bulkiness
I've just remembered one of Gary's (I think) comments on another thread about using resin figures as armatures. He said something about when you sculpt onto them, the figure can become too big. Same issue with pre-cast anatomical armatures, apparently. I used torso and legs from another figure on the Japanese soldier and I believe that's what made all of him too chunky. I used my sander to remove quite a bit of the torso and legs before I sculpted him, but apparently not enough.

I'm going to remove the head and hat and basically start all over on this one. We'll see what happens.

And thanks again for taking the time to explain!

All the best,
Dan

I don't know much about commercial mannequins as I make my own. In any case, I make the mannequins very thin and if I used a Preiser or Airfix torso and pelvis I would file them down considerably. I think using your own mannequins is probably better since you can control everything. You can make a master and then cast copies as you go along with figures. They are easy to make and are cheap this way. The only thing I want out of a mannequin is something to hold the putty on to while keeping the general proportions and animation of the figure intact.

Another thing you might consider and that is doing the folds/wrinkles in sections. It is probably better to form the general shape of the appendage first and let it harden and then work on smaller sections of just folds. You can use a combination of adding putty and shaping and then filing/sanding.

Dan, you are on time for doing that. I think this is a good decision. The face and hat are nice modelled. Good luck!

Rafa

Dan, It's a bold move to start over again and Bob Tavis has given you some great tips that might really make a difference. We're all here to offer siggestion and support, so sculpt away.~Gary

Hi Dan...keep it up...it is a big step to start over, but you go for it...your foray into this era has inspired me to start a figure from this osprey title and I'd love to see you carry on with this fella...with the pointers, you're getting some great suggestions...as Bob says, take it a little at a time and work on small areas...good luck whipping this guy into shape..

All the best.

Roy.

Thanks fellas! Maybe I can finish part of it by this weekend and get you a WIP.

All the best,
Dan