Hello Folks,
I have just started work on the beautiful 42nd Highlander from Stuart and Alison at Grenadier Miniatures. This superb piece was sculpted by Maurice Corry based on the Roger Fenton circa1854 photograph of Captain R. G. Cunningham.
My plan was to just assemble the kit and have another “forlorn hope” painting with acrylics…….I really don’t know why???
The parts were very nicely cast with minimal blocks of resin to cut off and pretty much no casting flash. Thank you Guys, I hate that job.
That said I did have a problem in getting the kilt to sit down on to the raised knee and after a few attempts I resorted to the scalpel and brought it down a bit with Milliput. I am sure that there is a way of getting it to sit down without such surgery but I couldn’t find it.
Another observation was that on one hose top there are two flashes and on the other just one. When I checked it out there should be two with no bells (loops).
I also; added a brass or gilt bottom to the sword sheath, added a couple of bows to the open edge of the kilt and put a second sword sling ring to the cross belt an…..personal whims.
I hope that you can see where this is going and I will follow up at the next logical step.
All the very best,
Keith

Like this model and it would nice to see an SBS in it. Is that the plan Keith? Your revisions look great so far.

Colin

Hi Colin,
Thank you for your kind comments.
I am not the best guy to do an SBS on Acrylic painting.....the last time I tried it was a complete disaster. I remember somewhere saying never again. But I will post my progress and where possible give a very rough breakdown of colour mixes. I say that with some caution as it is very seldom that I pick up the same colour on my brush twice in a row.
I will do my best for you Mate.
Cheers,
Keith

Thanks Keith...no pressure. Happy to read about your progress.

Colin

Hi Keith,
You certinly have the bit between your teeth. Look forward to you tackling this especially the tartan. Good luck.
cheers
Richie

Off to a good start Keith.
Is this a 120mm? I'm not familiar with this fig but it should look great.
Don't be shy... give us an SBS... dying to see how you work the tartan. Scares the hell out of me but I really want to do a Highlander fig, so any instruction is good instruction.

Dig in

Colin

Hi Richie thanks for looking in Mate.
The Government tartan is one of the easier to paint. Very often it is painted far too light for my liking, almost black throughout with a few pinstripes visible on the highlights. As Shep says paint the pattern rather than the absolute detail.
No painting tomorrow, I am giving trombone lessons. Problem is I have never played a trombone in my life......interesting. So I will get a bit done tonight and maybe able to post something tomorrow.
Cheers Mate,
Keith

Cheers Colin,
Don't be too stressed about tartans. When you have a go get the detail of the set from drawn up internet pictures best paint from a photo of the actual material. Most tartans are of natural dyes and are quite dark to the eye.
I will post my effort on the kilt, it may help you but seeing your stuff you could easily crack it.
Speak soon,
Keith

PS Colin it is 120mm and there are a couple finished on this site.


http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/officer-42nd-black-watch-crimea-1854.62201/

http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/officer-42nd-black-watch-crimea-1854.56733/

Looking good so far Keith. I have this one myself (2 actually, want to try something with the other one) and have been thinking about the kilt on the left knee also. Can't think of any other way to fix it apart from the same way you have.
Will be looking forward to further updates.

Barrie.

I have this one to do. Will be following with interest.

I am pleased that it's not just me Barrie.
Good luck with yours Mate and thank you for your kind comment.
Keith

You Chaps are so keen that I will do a FMWWA (finding my way with acrylics).
I will try to get something up for this evening.
Cheers,
Keith

Nice figure and I'm interested in your additions and changes. Haven't see one of these in person, so...

"That said I did have a problem in getting the kilt to sit down on to the raised knee and after a few attempts I resorted to the scalpel and brought it down a bit with Milliput."

Maybe I'm completely misunderstanding, but it looks to me like there is a bit too much leg above the knee to get the effect you want from the putty. You'd have to remove the part of the casting you want to work on and then re-lay putty to suit.

One more thought... the folds of the kilt themselves should look sharper and more triangular in shape, shouldn't they? They look too smooth. Not all but a lot of that could be corrected by a triangle file.

All the best,
Dan

I think Keith has got the length of the kilt above the knee spot on for the position the left leg is in. Also, the folds are ok IMO as the material would open out with the pose the figure is in. Keith's done his research well and noticed that senior ranks wore the two bows with ribbons on the right hand side of the kilt. When this started i am not too sure but spent a few hours myself last night to find out. Anybody know when this practice was introduced?
Good work Keith
Barrie.

Mmmm....I take your points Dan.
I really did not want to do any sculpting on this piece at all. I have far too many putty pushing pieces on the go. This was just to get a bit of brushwork in to freshen me up but I could not leave the the raised kilt in this position.
I did think about taking more of the upper leg/kilt away but then he would not have anything to be leaning on. So, a complete rework of the pose was not my intention, I have seen a couple that have had no alterations but look very good and that, at the moment anyway, is where I am.
I will take a look at the pleats on the rear of the kilt and address as you suggest.
Thanks for you interest Dan, it is always good for me to get some positive suggestions, that's why I love this site.
Keith

Hi Barrie,
Thank you for your in put Mate.
With the two bows on the kilt, I am not sure when this was first introduced. These embellishments usually derive from a practical piece of kit that served a real purpose in the days of yaw. maybe to secure the yards of material in the great kilt. In the Osprey Men at Arms series 196, The British Army on Campaign 1816 - 1902 The Crimea 1854-56, the colour plate B3 shows an officer of the 42nd Highlanders with the bows on his kilt. I have not seen, though I have not dug too deeply, evidence of these before the Victorian Period. There are lots of illustrations around the time of the 40 year peace when uniforms became very impractical and there is some traces of the bows still being in use.
Cheers
Keith

I really like this figure keith and I'm looking forward to your SBS on it even though I don't paint in acrylics,

Hi Brian,
With just one previous aborted mission I don't paint with acrylics either but I thought that I should give it one last shot. Cannot think why.
Thank you for looking in," this may not be they lived happily ever after".
Cheers,
Keith