This is amazing and it's always incredible to see that your figures are already alive at the "armature step". This is your big talent for me.
Thanks for sharing
Bye
Jean-Philippe

Bill,
I've known you for over twenty years and I am still in awe!

VERY IMPRESSIVE,Bill !!! looking forward to the completion of the figure. Cheers !
Kenneth.

Bill, you make it look so easy!

Hi Bill-

Awsome stuff- I can't believe you do so much masterful work in 54mm. How about trying a 200mm figure - com'on

Amazing stuff!!

Matt

OOPS! Happy Birthday Too!!!! Matt

Here are the last three photos prior to painting. These show the final details being added and the rework of the rifle.

Bill

200mm??!!! That's for sissies! 54mm - now there's a MANLY scale!

... Photo 2...

Photo 3

Great work !!

This may be a supid question, but from looking at the last few pictures, i'm guessing you modify the weapon attach to the figure, and THEN scuplt the hands?

-Alex

Bill,
Before I ask, I must admit that I couldn't agree with you more - 54mm is a manly scale!!! Anyway, are those rifle slings made out of knead-a-tite? If so, how did you make them? You really do make it look too easy for us mere mortals - thanks for encouraging us to pursue this

Amazing. Just studying the pictures and folowing the text is informative enough. I look forward to more.

Thanks,
Jim Patrick

Hello Bill,

congratulations still on the trumpetter: great paintjob! (I especially liked the subtle weathering of the jacket)

And this is a great step by step! Thanks a lot for posting! The running pose is really working, down to the angling of the feet... Keep those photo's coming please!

I am also interested in the Duro buttons. You never seem to use a punch and die set, even for buttons that are large enough for it. Any specific reason for choosing the Duro route?

best wishes,

Marijn

Answers to a few questions:

From David and Martin, re: Duro buttons):

I have always made buttons from Duro – I roll a small piece of Duro to a point and pull off a tiny piece with a toothpick, roll it gently between my fingers, then apply it with the toothpick. Once its on it is easy to round it off or adjust the size. Sounds a little tedious, I know, but as with anything, once you get the hang of it…

From Pete Herrera: Are those rifle slings made out of knead-a-tite? If so, how did you make them?

Pete, yes, the rifle slings are all now made from rolled out Duro. I am trying to roll out my excess bits of Duro to different thicknesses (extra thin ones were used for the Dreyse bands), The slightly thicker ones, once dry, can easily be cut with scissors and make excellent rifle slings.

Bill

Sorry, Alex. I missed your question...

Exactly right. I like to be able to paint the rifle separately - much easier to paint the woodgrain and the metal details. I add the hands after the rifle is painted and attached (near the end of the painting process).

I suppose I could sculpt the hands onto the rifle and pin them into the sleeves, but that just sounds too much like hard work to a lazy guy like me...

Bill

fantastic work. ciao Luca

Forms individual buttons.
Paints then sculpts and attaches fingers.
All without making a complete mess I'm sure.

Clearly lazy, lazy, lazy... :lol: :lol:

Great SBS and it's wonderful to see the figure come together!

Andy

Bill,

I'm really enjoying this sbs and I'm learning a ton too - thanks for sharing!

A quick question - I notice that on alot of your face resculpts like this one, you fill in the eye sockets with putty. Do you then resculpt the eyes, or do you simply (ha!) paint the eye details on ? I ask this because the weak point of my face painting is rendering convincing looking (pardon the pun) eyes, so any advice would be greatly appreciated !

Thanks again,

Brian

Brian, that's a very good question. The answer is ... both. If the figure will have his eyes about half open, or is squinting, I will sculpt an opening. If the eyes are wide open I will probably just create a smooth, semi-round surface on which I can paint the wide open eyes (this is what I will do with the Jager figure). With wide open eyes, it is always tough to get them matched in size - easier to do it with paint only for me.

The other important thing to remember when adding new eyes is to keep that little gap between the nose bridge and each eye - otherwise the eyes will look too close together. Also, make sure the newly added eye sphere (including the eyelid, eye and "bag" beneath) does not protrude too much. Avoid the Marty Feldman effect!

Bill

Bill, I remember once you said you made eyes by making little footballs of putty and then creating a slit with a toothpick. So I tried it and ended up with footballs with slits in them

Subsequently I have been drilling the socket deeper and then applying the putty and seem to be getting a better effect (less Marty Feldman-ish or looking like a bug eyed Martian). The biggest problem for me has been getting used to how subtle to make these modifications. I tend to oversculpt.