1. Copying kits is a crime that hurts original artists & producers. Help support your favorite artists by buying their original works. PlanetFigure will not tolerate any activities related to recasting, and will report recasters to authorities. Thank you for your support!

Wars of the Roses Archer

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by gorgosaurus, Nov 7, 2007.

  1. gorgosaurus Active Member

    Country:
    Denmark
    Here´s my w.i.p. - United Empire Miniatures 120mm resin Yorkist Archer of the Wars of the Roses.

    Sculpted by Alan Ball, this 14 part kit is no longer available (though John Lea at UEM told me it´s not strictly speaking out of production - he may re-mould and sell this figure again if there´s sufficient demand).
    I lost several e-bay auctions before winning mine at way over the old retail price.
    The following images and posts are intended to show why obtaining this figure was so important to me.

    [IMG]

    All parts are finely sculpted and well cast, with minimal flash and just a few small bubble-holes.
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]

    The helmet and head look real good, a real northern lad.
    The chin has a tiny pin-hole to fill on mine.
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]

    Sword, knife and arrow bag will hang from his waistbelts.
    A selection of "piles" is provided for him to be withdrawing whilst eying his target.
    [IMG]

    There´s an optional buckler, too.
    This can be hung at his side or laid down on the ground at his feet.
    [IMG]
    [IMG]

    If I finish just one miniature human figure over this coming winter I´d like it to be this one.
    He should end up looking something like this.
    [IMG]

    Spike.
  2. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    Great figure.
    I hope you finish him soon. For what it is worth: i'm doing also a dio about the War of the Roses: Battle at Towton near the floated river cock beck.
    I'm almost there, but i wish i had this figure......

    Marc
  3. gorgosaurus Active Member

    Country:
    Denmark
    I drilled the "plug-holes" at all joins to give my epoxy glue something extra to bond into. Keying was also scratched into these surfaces with a scalpel tip.
    I usually pin all joins on my Dinosaurs, but am counting on this not being necessary with such a light figure.
    [IMG]

    You may have noticed that one of the nocks was broken from the bow.
    It arrived this way, probably due to a rough ride in the post.
    Some micro-drill bits have been ordered so that this can be pinned on again.
    [IMG]
    Should this repair fail, John Lea has been so kind as to supply me with a replacement arm.

    I´ve re-worked the sword hilt and may tighten up this binding even more at a later stage.
    [IMG]

    Spike.
  4. gorgosaurus Active Member

    Country:
    Denmark
    It was reading "Blood Red Roses" about the archaeology of the Battle of Towton, 1461, that made me want this figure so much, Marc.

    Also this pose seemed much more interesting than the usual "archer shooting his bow" cliché.

    I am CERTAIN that my work on this figure will NOT be finished soon due to my other commitments.
    But I´d rather be patient and produce a figure I can be proud to display than rush to finish it and end up with one I´m ashamed of.

    This is how it looks now, some filling and minor repair work still to do.
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    I have been playing with an old tin and some clay to work out the proportions of the plinth base I want for it and determine the angle of the slope I want to build on it.

    Can anyone recommend a supplier (European?) of burr-elm bases?
    I´m looking for a plinth at least 70mm high and 90mm x 80mm? Preferably with a 5mm foot or lip all around the bottom.

    I am eagerly looking forward to seeing your diorama, Marc.
    What scale is it in?
    Will you post a thread here on it soon?

    Spike.
  5. renarts Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    I did this figure a while ago and it is one of my favorites.
    I made a base for it by cutting some quatrefoils into the face of the base and paitning it to look like stone.

    Here's an older photo of the figure. I'll try and get some more and get a pic of the base for you.
    [IMG]
  6. gorgosaurus Active Member

    Country:
    Denmark
    Nice one, Mike!

    I´d like to see more images, aswell. Thanks.

    Spike.
  7. gorgosaurus Active Member

    Country:
    Denmark
    I thought I was pretty certain of the finished look I was going for on this one.

    Tone things down a bit more than usual and add some rust-spots to the steel.

    Then my research turned these up...

    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]

    Not cycling helmets and nothing to do with some bloke called Darth.

    Get a load of this one...!
    [IMG]

    I´m definitely going to need another of this figure now.

    Spike.
  8. dimgall Active Member

    Country:
    Greece
    nice figure !!!wait to see it painted!!!
  9. vergilius New Member

    Country:
    Belgium
    Great figure!
    Tell us something of the inspiring book too, if you can.
    Very interesting those helmets. I didn"t know they were painted. Where did you find those pictures.
  10. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    Spike,
    I would go for the unpainted. The others are to much for the Hells Angels.
    My dio is almost finished. I'm painting the last figure of the two. The base is ready. So, SBS don't work no more.
    For the base why don't you contact Armstrong base's in the UK I'm pretty sure they have what you want.

    Marc
  11. dinovision79 Active Member

    Hi Spike,

    looks like an interesting project! You can let your fantasy (and nerves) go on the helmet! Why don't you try to recast the head/helmet, then you could paint two or more version only pinned, not glued, so you can change them. Does that make sense (I did this before)?!

    Looking forward seeing him painted
    Denes
  12. georges64 Member

    Country:
    France
    Not my favorite era but interesting to follow the all processus until the final touch,...painting .
    georges
  13. petermh Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    A couple of points that might interest you
    The Yorkist archers that were so successful in the first stage of the battle of Towton were commanded by Lord Fauconberg a former Lancastrian who changed sides the year before ,I believe the were mainly southerners from Kent .Lord Fauconberg's livery was blue and white halves with a fish hook badge.
    The helmets posted look more german or italian than english I think the archer is more likely to have been wearing a plain metal helmet
    Towton battlefield near York is largely undeveloped and much of the site can be accessed by public footpaths. There are a number of sights relating to the battle the most unusual being the tomb of Lord Dacre the Lancastrian who was buried in Saxton churchyard with his war horse.
    Armstrong Bases can be contacted on armstrong_bases@hotmail.co.uk
  14. gorgosaurus Active Member

    Country:
    Denmark
    That´s right, Peter.
    Those painted sallets are very German in form (I have seen a damaged sallet of the same shape from England, will try and find an illustration).
    I also remember reading contemporary English written references to painted plate armour, but no descriptions of colours or patterns.
    Plain steel is the intent for this chap.
    Had he worn a brigandine, plackart or breast plate I would be tempted to paint some white roses or sunbursts on that helmet.
    May do so on another figure in the future.

    Modelling snowflakes in the air puts me off placing him at Towton!

    "Blood Red Roses", edited by Veronica Fiorato, Anthea Boylston and Christopher Knusel.
    Describes archaeological finds and conclusions drawn from the mass grave found at Towton in 1996.
    Chapter headings include "Battle related trauma", "Activity-related skeletal change", "Weapons", "Archery", "Armour", "Combat techniques", "How has the Towton project contributed to our knowledge of medieval and later warfare".
    There are detailed descriptions of skeletal evidence for injuries received and their probable cause.
    Soft tissue injuries have ofcourse left no trace.
    However unhealed knife marks on one skull indicate that his ears were deliberately sliced off shortly before, at, or just after his demise!
    Gruesome, fascinating, harrowing reading.
    [IMG]

    Spike.
  15. renarts Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    The one that always impressed me was the forensic evidence on the body labeled as Towton 16. The guy had his face cut in half from just below the orbital socket, across the upper mandible and deep into the lower jaw....and it healed! They figured he must have been someones household sergeant or something and that he was worth saving. The one that killed him was the multiple bec de corbin blows to the eye socket. I guess they were going to make sure he stayed dead this time. I figure I would have just given up figuring I was facing Jason from Friday the 13th across the field. "He won't die...he just won't die!!!"
  16. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    I find body nr 25 most "interesting. He had a blow in his face, and when he felt down giving a blown at the back of his head.
    I think it was one of the bloodest battle's ever happened.

    Marc

    Attached Files:

  17. gorgosaurus Active Member

    Country:
    Denmark
    Here´s an image I found of some WotR re-enactors.
    One´s wearing a City of York applique livery badge looking as raised as the detail Alan Ball sculpted.
    Maybe I won´t be removing this to paint a white boar instead...
    [IMG]

    The grass tussocks I ordered have arrived and look good.
    They´ll seem more realistic when I blend several types together.
    [IMG]

    Several top-quality bases ordered over the i´net have arrived, too.
    None of them looks quite right.
    Try and try again.

    Spike.

Share This Page

planetFigure Links

Reviews & Open Box
Buy. Sell & trade
Articles
Link Directory
Events
Advertising

Popular Sections

Figure & Minis News
vBench - Works in Progress
Painting Talk
Sculpting Talk
Digital Sculpting Talk
The Lounge
Report Piracy

Who we are

planetFigure is a community built around miniature painters, sculptors and collectors, We are here to exchange support, Information & Resources.

© planetFigure 2003 - 2022.