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!

WIP Critique French Legionnaire & Spanish Officer, Colonial service

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Briggsy, Aug 31, 2024.

  1. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    Well here we go again. For this thread I will be creating two figures, one a soldier of the French Foreign Legion in the Gulf of Tonkin and a Spanish Officer Regt Principe No 3 in the Philippines.

    An odd pairing I know, both are in the 1890s and both are serving in their respective countries overseas colonies. The similarities don't end there though, both are wearing very similar uniforms, sun helmets, blue tunics and red trousers. After this project I really want to get away from this particular colour scheme for a while.

    I am also starting somewhat differently, rather than a stripped down mannequin I am building both on copies of the same Historex Academy Figures.

    20240807_155645.jpg

    Each is based on an illustration in my collection, here you will see the similarities.

    bf0cf3ec0f14999cc283bd74b7682c3c.jpg f519d2ae8741ae0db1284ebcf99bd969.jpg

    I have wanted to do the FFL figure for a long time now and then I discovered the Spanish Officer on Pintrest and it just seemed to make sense to make them side by side. Though each will be on a separate base, I am also not going to change the basic pose of the Academy Figures, apart from the arms.

    Each has a new head, either Figure in Italy or NCO Historex from France. I added plasticard to the soles of the feet and filed the feet to resemble shoe uppers. The I made a start on the leg wear of both.

    20240831_140546.jpg 20240831_140511.jpg

    The Spanish Officer has a trouser leg made up of Magicsculpt, once cured I will start the other. For the Legionnaire I have another illustration of this figure wearing white gaiters/spats and wanted to incorporate this in my figure.

    20240831_132159.jpg

    Cheers Simon
  2. SUPER ANTO Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Spain
    Very nice choose!!! Both are colorful subjects but my heart is with the spanish officer. If you need info for to sculpt coat and pith helmet, only say me.
    I await updates!
    Oda, Scotty, Babelfish and 3 others like this.
  3. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    Very many thanks for the kind offer, I have very little information on the Spanish Army in general so if you have details on the helmet, in particular the badge and other helmet fittings. Also what the detail is on the back of the tunic is.

    It is a superb illustration and a really attractive uniform that I wanted to make as soon as I spotted it. I'll keep the updates coming as fast as I can, without rushing of course.

    Cheers Simon
    Oda, clubcat, Nap and 1 other person like this.
  4. Warren SMITH A Fixture

    Country:
    Australia
    looking forward to seeing this develop..
    Oda and Briggsy like this.
  5. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    Cheers Warren, I know I'm going to enjoy this project.

    Cheers Simon
    Oda likes this.
  6. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Simon

    What’s this 2 at the same time ...these look really good subjects and you will enjoy both for sure

    Interesting this time your using the Academy basic

    Following this with pleasure

    Will have a look at my references, got a lot on Spanish and the FFL .....hopefully !

    Enjoy and have fun @ the bench

    Nap
    Oda and Briggsy like this.
  7. Merryweather A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Great start Simon, great idea
    Oda and Briggsy like this.
  8. NigelR A Fixture

    Very interesting project, great choice of subjects. I will follow with interest as I plan on using those mannequin figures myself for a project in the not too distant future....
    Oda, Briggsy and Nap like this.
  9. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Look forward to seeing what you do with those figures

    Nap
    Oda and Briggsy like this.
  10. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    Cheers Kev, I have plenty on the FFL but lacking on the Spanish Army, what I do have though is in Spanish, I often struggle with English so another language is really difficult.

    The Academy Figures are just a whim since I had two and not wanting to do ancient Greeks their wasn't much they could be used for. On the plus side ii'm saving on the amount of Magicsculpt I am using!

    Cheers Simon
    Oda and Nap like this.
  11. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    Thanks Neil, I have them every now and then, ideas that is so the law of averages says some of them will be good! Now all I have to do is deliver.

    Cheers Simon
    Oda and Merryweather like this.
  12. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    Thanks Nigel, I'll endeavour to be as informative as I can as I progress, like I mentioned to Kev, so far I'm not using as much Magicsculpt, well I'm mixing the same amount but not using it all so my new putty palette is starting to grow.

    I'll definitely look forward to seeing what you do with them, they really are nice figures in their own right.

    Cheers Simon
    Oda likes this.
  13. clubcat PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    England
    Another interesting subject/s, will be watching your progress.
    Melanie
    Oda and Briggsy like this.
  14. Tommy Atkins A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Simon, look like a colourful pair! I'll be following. Regards Pete
    Oda and Briggsy like this.
  15. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    Melanie, Pete, thank you both I have done more today but won't post till both are at the same stage, only one trouser leg to go.

    Cheers Simon
    Oda and Nap like this.
  16. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    I have got both figures to the same stage now, they have trousers on so no more flashing on my board!

    First up I'd the Legionnaire, nothing fancy just the bottoms of his gaiters and straight trousers, I just forgot to add the side seam, I'll have to carefully etched it into the cured Magicsculpt.

    20240902_172044.jpg 20240902_172052.jpg

    For my Spaniard there is just a pair of straight trousers, no side seams as he has trouser stripes, which will.probably end up being made from post it note paper.

    20240902_172104.jpg 20240902_172112.jpg

    My next job will be starting on the tunic skirts and this is where I'll be able to tell them apart because only the Legionnaire will have a cummerbund and belt.

    Next week my Granddaughter starts school so my grandad duties will be much reduced for a few weeks, half term, so I might be able to pick up the pace a little.

    Cheers Simon
  17. MalcC A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    Nice choice, I'm following.

    Malc
    Briggsy likes this.
  18. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    Many thanks Malc

    Cheers Simon
  19. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Simon

    Nice to see the dual updates , coming on nicely good shaping

    B9548EE4-7A7D-4801-BD81-23231C8D8351.jpeg

    Look forward to seeing more putty pushing

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
    Scotty and Briggsy like this.
  20. Briggsy PlanetFigure Supporter

    A free(ish) day today so I'll get round to some soon.

    Cheers Simon
    Nap likes this.

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.