Cheers Chris I’m pleased with support so far.
Hoping people can use it to practically to adapt & improve their own approach.
MikeTheKiwi

Hi Mike and Andy,
I just bought both your books together. Both are just amazing and chokeful of gorgeous pics and info. I really look forward to enjoying both these books.
Rgds Victor

Wonderful news Victor & am sure they will be a perfect complement to your modelling. Trust each are practical references you can put to good use straight away.
Please do s send me details so I can enter you in draw to have a chance of winning “Henry” - NZMR bust

Thanks Victor,
We've enjoyed making the models and then putting it all into books. Few of us get the chance to do that so I, for one, feel blessed. ENJOY!
Andy

Mike, the book arrived yesterday. I was pretty giddy when I got it, reminded me of the old days, a book in hand, not online, and clearly a page turner, every page!

Just a cursory skim through the pages of the tables and charts with the step-by-step process tells me this is right up there with “how-to” books from Verlinden and Paine. That is impressive.

I'd say you've bloody well done it, Mate. Like a true School Master leading his pupils in the direct he wants them to go, you make a guy want to pull out a fresh bust and get to work, right away. I like how this is laid out, and it flows very nicely. This isn’t just for beginners, even those of us who have “sniffed a bit of paint” can clearly see, we got some fun painting ahead of us.

“Painting Busts” has great examples of how to work the eyes and facial features, etc. You’ve parted with your technique in detail, just as you said you would. I can see I’ll be wearing out the cover of this book, Mike. Page 39 is an area I’m very interested in, so this lesson plan will be worked in with future projects. Needless to say, this book will be in the bunker and on the bench for quick reference.

There is one complaint, Mike. Some of the ref pics are not big enough, but you do have the main pics large. I know, ya can’t have very photo enlarged, the book would be pretty hefty in that case.

I’ll be going through this beauty page by page starting this weekend, in the bunker, making notes, tagging pages, etc. It’s more like a college level text book in a sense. Not that it’s hard to read, only in that it’s got a boat load of information pertinent to figure painting in depth, and that is what I was expecting.

I will be learning quite a lot from this “edition”, hint, hint. You’re on a roll, Buddy, no sense in stopping now.


Congratulations, Mike, you’ve done it! Cheers, Ski.

Wow! You laid it out there Ski mate!
Thanks heaps for all the honest, frank comments & welcome you sharing this on an open thread for others to consider. So pleasing to hear overall it landed for you & will be a practical reference with well worn pages. That’s exactly what I was hoping to achieve. Not a one off read, instead something you’ll keep coming back to use time and again - like the “old masters”.

Ref a couple of photos aren’t ‘big enough’.
This is an area we had to compromise with.
I wanted to include so much content & pushed Crowood’s designer boundaries with an extra 25 photos plus Ed’s Illustrations, not to mention max’ed out their text recommendations with tips & tables. This saw it bump up into a hefty 208 pages, well over original guide I was given. I feel they did a great job to squeeze in all my content, even adding extra photos during our final draft review earlier this year. Upside for those with eBook is all images are high resolution & should be as zoomable into to study all the nitty, gritty details.

Ref “edition” this was a slog mate, took a lot of energy & time.
Some more feature articles are real possibility , but another book. Hmmm…
Never say never though
And I’ve begun stashing bits for a potential followup.
No promises…

Again thank you for kind comments & enthusiasm for this project.
MikeTheKiwi

P.S. Ordered custom ‘Thank You’ postcards last night for those keen on an autographed & personal note to bookmark their books too.
These are due end of this month.

Ski,
Its Crowood who lay out what you give to them and you get little chance to change what they’ve done when you eventually see it. I was prepared for this and was I also frustrated by the size of some of the photos in my book. There was nothing that Mike or I can do about it.
Mike has written a wonderful book.
Andy

If any of you guys have bought either of our books through Amazon them please put a short review of your feelings about the books.
Andy

Andrew, I gots da prior, HA! But, don't I remember where I gotz it from, that is the question. I understand the complications and the parameters when publishing, seen it myself with my "Knock and Talk" dio in Scale Model Addicts #4, and two others in MMI. My articles and pics were butchered, but that's business. I completely understand. I like having the book in hand, regardless! I can pick it up any time, regardless of the snow storm outside that just took out the power, HA!

Mike, you are very welcome, and thank you for a great book, indeed. It’s not difficult to see the labor intensity you exerted in getting this done, it shows right up front. You hit the mark, that’s all I can say, you nailed it!

I’m already mulling over the issue of definition in presentation of the figures painted, as in, the depth of the subject has to be intensified on my part with paint application. I hate to state the obvious, but I’m seeing it with your examples. I feel the need to evolve to the next step.

What I really like is your explanation of the processes involved. I’m a not just a how-to kinda guy, but why, and you are covering that. Excellent, just what I’m looking for. Lol, and I even gotz me a college edumication, go figure.

I’m looking forward to that bookmark, very fitting for a soon to be “classic modelers library book” on perfecting the art of figure painting, while……… “sniffing paint and gluing our fingers together”.


¡Gran trabajo, mi Hermano! Cheers, Ski.

I just bought a copy of this. It's really rather spiffing. It's also tremendously inspiring. Every page I turned I thought "I want to have a go at doing that!". Thanks for doing this for us. Mr. Kiwi!

Last Cavalry’s Dave Youngquist tells us he has just had stock of my book arrive https://shop.lastcavalry.com/crowood-press-modelling-and-painting-wwi-allied-figures/

Thanks Bundook & Nap, very reassuring knowing you’re finding my book of practical use & educational, as well as inspiration. That’s what I was trying to write something that lots of folk would be able to apply to their own approach.

Grateful for comments Steve & added one in this graphic update for Dave at Last Cav with stock in time for MMSI.
Check PMs mate ref a USA call tomorrow.
MikeTheKiwi

Hi Mike,
I know I have the slimmest of chances in the draw, (and that was by default thanks to Dennis) but if I was lucky enough could you and I do a swop!
Honestly I would settle for an A4 print of this bad boy so I coud frame it and you donate the bust to
an appropriate museum so it could be admired by many not just one lucky winner.
cheers
Richie

Hi Richie,
Nice idea mate & very kind thought.
Lots of others seem interested in ‘Henry’ too.
Let’s see how draw works out - do need your email.

More than happy for you to grab a photo of ‘Haane’.
He was a very special project & considering another big guy next year. I took some photos before he left me to his new home.
Here’s one of those I thought captured detail of his face.
MikeTheKiwi

Hi Mike,
I have shared this with you personally and I will do so publically.

Haane is probably my favourite non Zulu war piece that I personally have ever seen.
For me it is perfection personified in the modelling world. It just resonates with me.
I cannot bestow enough adjectives on you for this piece. It's like looking at Vermeer's painting Girl with the pearl earring in the modelling community.
cheers
Richie

This really is stunning, the apex of our hobby/art IMO.

I've been waving Mike's book at my brushes but they have yet to respond so far......

Got your PM, Mike, good to go, thx

Hi, Mike!

I just got your book from the Last Cavalry this past week and I have to honestly say that out of the many books I have concerning the painting of figures, yours is the easiest for me to follow along with and I am looking forward to trying out some of your techniques. Your work is very inspiring and I am sure this book will be utilized and referenced often. I am getting another copy of your book for my grandson who is really getting into painting figures.

Cheers,
James