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Painting a Samurai from Bonapartes - All advice welcome

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Malcolm, Oct 10, 2020.

  1. Malcolm Active Member

    Hi all,

    Looking on here and various posts on a well known media site, I have been inspired to paint a Samurai bust.
    I have brought the stunning Mounted Samurai bust from Bonapartes and it is lovely, spot on casting, outstanding details, even has a choice of weapons.
    I am cleaning up the various parts, and have primed the major assemblies, but I’m sitting here looking at the wonderful piece thinking where do I start.
    I am relatively new to figure modelling although I have been modelling for the best part of 30 years, I have never attempted a Samurai before.
    Any help and advice would be very appreciated.

    13034806-A4E1-4ECB-B160-269D32BFA43B.jpeg 68F54737-4B85-4FCC-9BAC-B65A7360A1DA.jpeg 7E20D0FB-02A2-47BB-8D14-4FB77010F7F7.jpeg CA2D35BC-6CE4-4D91-A3A5-5A7F09BAF0B0.jpeg 05DF08F4-150B-40E8-A309-2CFEC6CBFBAC.jpeg 685FC90A-903A-4145-88F8-49F3E2AFB02E.jpeg 2C48E8ED-693E-49E7-B96E-F260DE159F79.jpeg BE069829-B0B5-4663-B683-957EEAB90151.jpeg 45223177-28C0-42B3-9C66-0BB9BB414D5C.jpeg 2B9702B2-4947-4147-8B42-49D006B0C3F2.jpeg
    malc, Perseas, No3l and 8 others like this.
  2. Babelfish A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Can't advise on samurai specifics, but that's a lovely-looking piece.

    Steve
    Oda and Malcolm like this.
  3. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
  4. Malcolm Active Member

    Lots of information, thank you
    theBaron and NeilW like this.
  5. Richard Baxter A Fixture

    Country:
    Scotland
    Also, if you are anywhere near Leeds, the Royal Armouries has a great section of samurai armour and weapons (subject to Covid restrictions, of course).
    OldTaff, Nap and Malcolm like this.
  6. Malcolm Active Member

    Yep, going there tomorrow
    OldTaff, Nap and Richard Baxter like this.
  7. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England

    Get lots of pics and share here Malcolm

    Look forward to seeing this progress ...my thought is take your time and dryfit pieces ....and ENJOY

    Richard Bailey sculpt......certainly impressive and good to have weapon option

    if I may some pics from website https://www.bonapartesmilitarymodels.co.uk/

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

    Following with interest

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
    KenBoyle, Ferris, Oda and 2 others like this.
  8. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Lucky you... I used to go to Leeds on business and never quite made it :(

    With this bust one major challenge will be the stencilled leather (egawa) across the chest (to stop the bowstring catching on the armour). The SBS above gives some hints... here are some of the challenges! :nailbiting:
    Egawa-stencils.JPG

    This gives an idea of placement:
    stencilling.JPG


    Also check out: https://pbase.com/joanseeuw/arms_and_armour_

    BTW: if you really want to set yourself a challenge, look at the fabrics on Olga's Japanese figures.
    Nap, Oda and Malcolm like this.
  9. Oda A Fixture

    Yellowcat's (Felix) posts are an essential read if you fancy painting samurai.On my part,being a samurai enthusiast ,modeler and collector for years as well as a healthcare professional,my advice is this,no matter how tempting, do not use benzodiazepines when you need your nerves to calm down.A good scotch will do the trick;).

    Oda.
    OldTaff, Malcolm, grasshopper and 2 others like this.
  10. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Some more refs for egawa and also various lacing patterns (all from the Absolon book- I think Felix published something similar on lacing patterns?):

    click on images to enlarge....
    Egawa1.jpg Egawa2.jpg

    Read the caption ref this old style (it's not one pattern- it's laid out like a sewing pattern or decal sheet):
    Egawa3.jpg

    The finished article:
    Egawa4.jpg Egawa5.jpg

    Lacing patterns (they weren't all plain red!):
    Lacing patterns.jpg
    Perseas, MattMcK., Ferris and 4 others like this.
  11. Oda A Fixture

    Excellent reference!!

    Oda.
    Malcolm and NeilW like this.
  12. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Just a thought, these sort of C14th patterns of egawa are probably easier to paint than the geometric lattice style ones?

    Note how they are stencilled in panels ready to be cut out and applied to the various parts.
    Egawa6.jpg

    Egawa6b.jpg
    (again from Absolon's book)

    Also see: https://sengokudaimyo.com/
    Malcolm, Oda and Nap like this.
  13. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Just loving the references being shown

    This is what PF is all about

    Certainly tempted by this piece ...need to save pennies ...or sell Carole ( all offers considered ....lol )

    Wondering if any rework needs doing on the cords that's been cast ?

    Following this with much interest

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
    Malcolm, NeilW and Oda like this.
  14. grasshopper A Fixture

    Country:
    Canada
    Patterns aside: don’t start out on your good piece unless you accept numerous trips to the dettol bath..find something to play with ..start simple..zero to hero isn’t usually going to work
    Malcolm, Oda and NeilW like this.
  15. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Two good points... I'll second the Scotch (is that a double then... ;) :dead: ).

    I asked ref the build by Bailey how people feel about using home-made transfers for such details (to create a framework if nothing else)?

    Our AFV and aircraft brethren see no problems with that... should we :nailbiting: ?

    Any thoughts?
    Oda, Malcolm and Nap like this.
  16. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England

    Good point there ...the tech is behind producing high quality needed for sure and I wouldn't mind seeing them available ...perhaps they are ?

    We certainly see some incredible decals for WW1 aircraft from the likes of Aviatic

    IMO they are another tool and option for modellers

    Nap
    Oda, Malcolm and NeilW like this.
  17. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Kev, I agree.

    PS: I meant home-made ones using an inkjet printer (I have the transfer paper but never yet actually tried it)... I've seen mon decals for 28mm wargaming figs but never these.
    Malcolm, Oda and Nap like this.
  18. Malcolm Active Member

    l
    Like the idea of the scotch, great information, thank you
    Oda and NeilW like this.
  19. Malcolm Active Member

    fantastic, thank you
    Oda, NeilW and Nap like this.
  20. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom

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