Point of Impact

Rebel Sharpshooter finished

2012-01-13T19:57:00.000-08:00

This is the finished Confederate sharpshooter I've been working on. I'm glad to finally have it on the base. I'm pretty happy with the result. I wanted a very weathered character for this piece. I experimented with impasto for the mud and dirt. I think the result looks okay, but could use some refinement. Next up is the Muleskinner I sculpted a while back. I'm hoping to have it for Atlanta, but I may have to cull it from my display of I start pushing it too close to show time.

After I get these projects are done, I have one commission to finish and it's back to my paratrooper diorama.

Pretty Boy Floyd gets away

2011-12-31T06:40:00.000-08:00

Just finishing this project. Pretty Boy Floyd makes a getaway after knocking off a small town bank. The figure is a radical conversion from some old Warriors bits I bought. I used a Hornet head and DML Thompson. I've always wanted to do a gangster using one of the Thompsons with a drum magazine. I like the way this one turned out, especially the blue suit. I struggled with the sign for the bank. I went back and forth on a couple of different design options. I found a source for some plastic letters and this solved the problem for me. I had initially intended to have the sign lay flat against the building, but I could tell that the scene needed some element up high to help frame the figure. I didn't want to create a diorama, so creating the illusion of a downtown bank without modelling the entire building or block was a bit of a challenge. These kinds of things are intended to appear as snap shots in my opinion. I've become interested in depression era history lately, and this little project allowed me explore the clothing style of that time.

Workbench Report;

I've been working on my other two projects that I set out to finish before Atlanta; a mule skinner, and a Confederate sharpshooter. I think both are going to look pretty good when they're finished. After they're done, I've got to get back after a commission that I agreed to do. My next goal will be to finish the paratrooper vignette I started last year. I intend to do an article about the construction of it as well. I've tried to photograph as many steps and as I can break stride to take.

Editorial;

I've written about this before I believe. I've heard it said, "There is nothing more boring than someone else's hobby." I don't give two shits about fishing or hunting, but I find myself listening to lots of stories about both because that's what most of the folks I work with like to do with their spare time. I listen politely and sometimes I'm genuinely interested depending on the story, or storyteller. Just because I don't share their interest doesn't mean that they don't have something interesting to say. To think that what someone else likes to do to relax is a waste of time is pretty judgmental in my opinion. That's why going to shows and participating on discussion boards is so popular. They are places where like minded individuals can meet and discuss their common interest without worrying about whether or not the person you're talking to thinks it's weird that you like to paint miniature figures ("play with toys"). I find this is true regardless of the hobby. Whether it's motorcycles, hunting, fishing, or mumbly pegs, there is an interest group (real, or virtual) somewhere. All that said, don't hate on someone else's game, get one of your own.

On the bench

2011-12-04T14:07:00.001-08:00

The photos are of a couple of projects that are currently on the bench. One is a Confederate sharpshooter, and the other is the bank being robbed by my Pretty Boy Floyd figure. The building is pretty much finished. I need letters for the sign and I'm thinking PE or something raised. I also need to add door hardware, but I'm on the bubble about which way I want Floyd to be running. The door swing will be key in getting it to look right.

Today and last night were spent getting the flesh areas painted on the three pieces I plan to have at Atlanta; A Muleskinner, the Reb Sharpshooter, and Floyd. I had to relearn my technique a bit and even had to strip the face after one failed attempt on the Reb. I think I've got it figured out now. I had to get my Danni Cartacci book out again to get my head around the process.

Scenic Backdrops

2011-11-15T18:14:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of buildings that will be included in some projects I have coming up. One is the scene of a bank robbery that will include a figure of a fleeing Pretty Boy Floyd. The other is a project to be named later. I need to get the figures worked out and finalize the setting before I commit to more than that. Both buildings are made with a substantial amount of plastic. In the case of the barracks, it's all plastic stock. The bank uses some donor parts from a Min-Art kit. The brick to be specific. I'm really amazed at the flexibility of plastic stock for creating these items. I came across this site a while back; http://whatsnew.fotki.com/bendenna// . It's Ben Jakobsen's Fotki account with a wealth of information about detailing and scratch-building. I learned a lot about working with plastic.

I'll post soon with some sculpting work. I've been busy at the bench, but haven't been very good about taking IP photos.

Fighting Top done, MMSI &Creating a Neatness

2011-10-17T16:57:00.000-07:00

I saved the photos of the finished USS Constitution Fighting Top until after the MMSI show, because I wanted the collector to be the first to see the completed work. It turned into quite an impressive model. The buyer was sure to suggest that I show it as there aren't likely to be many of these on display. I was happy to show the fruits of nine months of work. Happier still to have won a silver medal for the piece (so I'm told, I sat out the awards ceremony because I thought I had entered "Exhibit Only"). I got lots of positive comments on my work, but none more than the Top. I showed more than one person the instruction booklet. It was a difficult build, but nothing any builder with a few skills, time and patience can't handle.

I did the Saturday seminar for the club this year. I'm always happy to share techniques and I was flattered when the club invited me to do so. The subject was doing groundwork with an emphasis on outdoor scenery. I discussed some of my techniques with a slideshow SBS. It seemed to be very well received. At least no one fell asleep long enough to fall out of their chair.

There was a lot of nice work on the tables. I'm not going to name names, afraid I'll leave someone out. Suffice to say, the standard was very high and the most of the tables were full. I know I walked away inspired. As always, food and drink were taken in abundance. Over time it really does come around to meeting up with old friends, meeting new ones and sharing stories.

I'm amazed at how empty my studio seems with the Top out of the way. The model itself was big, as was the box it came in. The instruction manual was impressive in its own right, and was always open on my bench. Now I need to give all my brushes a thorough cleaning, change out my thinner, and straighten up. I'm going to need a new light sometime soon too, as I burned one out last week. There's still a lot of junk to clean up and then a good wipe down. I'll probably do some general re-arranging and then think about getting on the next project.

Manning the Top II; Send in the Marines

2011-10-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

This project is starting to really come to completion. The figures aren't really anything challenging or new in their construction. I didn't really do anything groundbreaking to complete them. I did however do the last three in an assembly line fashion. If I had blue on the palette, I painted all the blue I could find on all three figures, same for red, white etc.. It's pretty efficient, but doesn't exactly feed the muse so to speak. I'm pleased with the results. Look for the completed project at the MMSI show if I don't get photos up before then.

What's up next; A commission of Pretty Boy Floyd, and back at my "Surrounded!" diorama. I'm anxious to sculpt something too, just don't know what it will be.

Manning the Top

2011-08-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of the sailors painted. The photo shows the one firing the Cohorn mortar. So far they paint up fairly well. I've struggled with some of the seam lines and molding on these guys. I'll be on a painting marathon until all these figures are painted. I plan to create an assembly line of sorts as I finish the Marines. At this point I have their faces painted. Tomorrow I plan to do all the trousers. Later this week I'll paint all the jackets. So on and so forth. I'm saving the Midshipman for last. There's still a bit of sculpting on this one. I'll be happy to get this one behind me. A large diorama is an endurance event. You have to learn how to appreciate the little successes that add up to a great finished product. Crossing my fingers for a Chicago finish.

Fighting top complete

2011-08-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

Just knocked out the Fighting Top to the USS Constitution. What a project. My hat is off to the designers. I was in way over my head on this thing. If it hadn't been for such a well designed kit and well written instructions, I would have been lost. I'm happy with the final result and I'm ready to move on the the figure portion. I already have one figure painted and the rest undercoated. I'm considering re-sculpting the commander. I already posed him, but I'm thinking it needs a few changes. So, between now and the MMSI show, I'll be painting, painting, painting...

More Rigging

2011-07-20T18:32:00.001-07:00

After I got done sculpting the muleskinner I had to get back to business. This model is over the hump and approaching the clubhouse turn. It's possible that it could be done late July/early August. Then I can get back to painting the figures. I foresee a marathon flesh painting session. Learning to rig a ship has been a real experience. I can see what captivates the ship modeller. It can be tedious at times, but very rewarding when it goes well.

A quick sculpt and WB report

2011-07-05T05:42:00.001-07:00

This is a late 19th century Muleskinner. I'm doing it as a surprise for a friend that has helped me out with several projects over the years. From woodworking to bicycle maintenance he has been a ton of help. He owns a couple of mules that he and his wife ride and enjoy. It's 1/32 with a Wolf head, Verlinden hands and Airfix boots. I'm not thrilled with the boots, but I'm sure they'll look good painted up. I did reshape them some and also added bootstraps.

Workbench Update; Still rigging "Old Ironsides". I painted the pants on one of the figures the other day too. I'm past the halfway point and just about at the avalanche stage. That's where your progress reaches it's apex and you're just knocking out details as you come down the stretch to completion. I just hammer and hammer and things seem to get done. I was reading ahead in the instruction manual and I believe (cross fingers) that I've served my last morope. This is a tedious endeavor and I've done more than a few and thought I was going to go cross-eyed in the process. I'm working on the ground work for my "Surrounded!" diorama. I've been photographing the process too. If it goes well, I'll try to make an article out of it.

Finishing up a side project

2011-06-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

The photo is the continuation of the John Basilone figure I've been working on. I'll be sending it out to it's new owner soon. There are still a few details to add and quick polish and cleaning. It's been a fun and rather quick project. Getting the anatomy right on a mannequin makes for quick sculpting when it comes time to clothe it.

Still hammering away at the USS Constitution. Photos soon. I'm almost to that next step in assembly. I've been giving my airbrush a workout. I don't airbrush often, but this project has kind of demanded it. The patron has asked for light weathering. I've weathered it just enough to give it some dimension. The rigging has been a tedious at times, but I've missed the challenge of it as I work on these other elements.

Post Tulsa bench time

2011-06-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

The Tulsa show is always over too quickly. I had a great time catching up with friends, talking shop and swapping stories. My good friend Anders was voted the new Tulsa Medalist. Well deserved I'd say. Anders is knocking out some excellent work in the last few years. His latest sculpting seminar has set the bar pretty high for any seminars to be shown in the future. Jason Green won BOS with his bust of Cornwallis. Another neat feature this year was a display of collections. Mike Meehan had several busts by Sang Eon Lee, and Anders had several figures by a handful of well recognized artists.

Workbench Update; The photo shows an in progress figure that I'm doing for another painter. It's intended to be John Basilone performing the deed that was key in winning him the CMH. I hope to be finished sculpting by the end of June.

Just in time for Tulsa

2011-05-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

I just got this fellow done for the Tulsa show. I'm calling it "Henry Kept a Journal". When my wife was in Europe last spring, she picked up a graphic novel for me that chronicled a British soldiers experiences during WWI. I thought it was a neat story with an unexpected twist toward the end. I don't know if it's true or not, but it reads true. I used a spare head from JMD and scratchbuilt the book.

Workbench report; I'm still hammering away at the fighting top for the USS Constitution. Nothing terrific to show there. Mostly just rigging that you could barely notice. I'll take some photos soon after another leap has been taken. After Tulsa, that will be my central focus. I also started a John Basilone figure for someone else to paint. I'm pleased with what I have so far.

More rigging and another project

2011-04-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this thing quite a bit. This rigging business is t e d i o u s. It's also a pretty rewarding endeavor. Sometimes that's the way it is with learning a new skill. This thing has definitely handed me a steep learning curve. I'm less enthusiastic about the figures I have to admit. The more I work with them, the more frustrate I become. I know in the end they'll paint up just fine. My good friend and Master cabinet maker Mike made me a very nice oak base for this model. I got the mast and rigging fastened down this evening and I've been lightly weathering the mast.

I've been working JMD Models English soldier too. It's the Painter's Figure for the Tulsa show this year. I really liked the look of this figure, but I've found many things about it lacking. The sculpting is excellent,as is the detail. But the casting is not great. Not poor, but I think breaking it down into more pieces would have yielded a better casting. I decided to convert mine a bit. My wife bought me a really neat graphic novel while she was in Belgium. The character in the book fought at Ypres, and kept a journal. I've decided to model mine with a journal on his knee with a pencil in his hand. I discarded the kit head and used another from JMD. I should have photos of the figure soon.

Workbench update

2011-03-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

Workbench update; I continue on the USS Constitution, but that has stalled a little while I wait for a base to be made. I'll work on the next one or two Marines in the coming days. I knocked out a 1/24 scale Martini/Henry mk.I in plastic for a future Thunderbird Miniatures release. I love building with plastic. In the photo is my "Surrounded!" diorama. I was going to finish the fellow with the m1 to display singly while I finished the rest. I've decided against this and instead I'll forge ahead with finishing it all before I display any of it. As I pointed out on TimeLines, a lot of thought has gone into the composition. Hopefully the viewer will sense the desperate straits these soldiers have found themselves in. The only question I have left regarding setting the scene is whether or not to go ahead with a dead enemy soldier that would be buried in the rubble.

Rigging a ship's mast AMFS show thoughts

2011-02-27T07:05:00.000-08:00

Workbench update; In the photos are a Marine from the War of 1812 period and a portion of the Fighting Top of the USS Constitution. The top is a challenging kit, I have to say. I guess I expected to get a kit that was all resin. I was a little intimidated when I saw all the bags of rope, thread and string. As I progress on this thing I find that I've learned a few new skills along the way. The instructions for the kit are excellent and that puts a beginning ship rigger at ease. It's going together slowly, but it's going well. Since I'm out of my comfort zone and the kit is off the market, caution is the order of the day. A broken part could be a disaster. I did opt to replace some of the kit parts with my own home-made versions as it seemed easier to do that than to suffer trying to manipulate the kit parts. The result is the same. Not photographed, but still on the bench is my paratrooper vignette. I was going to display just one as a single figure while I finished the others. I decided against that and have forged ahead with sculpting the other two. MAYBE I'll have it for Atlanta next year.

The 2011 Atlanta show was last weekend. It was a great time. The AMFS organizes a very fine show. The new venue was very nice. The exhibit room was a little lacking in the lighting department, and the vendor's area was tight with vendors. Not a bad thing really. Lots of vendors is an indication of an excellent show. I knew I didn't have my strongest stuff this year. I considered entering this show as "Exhibit Only". In the end I thought what the heck and entered anyway. I was fortunate to win Best American Civil War with my wading Confederate. I won a silver in Painters and a silver in Open. I was a little disappointed about this. It was a step back for me, as at the last AMFS show I was fortunate to get a couple of golds. It's not a bad thing to under-perform. So, it's time to review techniques and finishes try to figure out how to keep up with the constant rising quality in what I see in the exhibit rooms.

OPINION: Atlanta added a Fantasy category this year. I know some shows have done this recently. I can understand why. If you're going to attract youngsters that are in to figures, this is what they're painting. But outside of marketing the show to this group, I have to ask, what need is there for this category? In my opinion, a figure's a figure. I've seen these types of figures at shows for years. They've been judged along side their more historical cousins until recent years. I think all judges and spectators can spot an excellent or poorly painted/sculpted piece regardless of period or genre. I don't want to sound critical of any clubs decision to add a Fantasy category. I'd hate to see the field get cluttered with too many categories. I think the sparsity of categories is one of the beauties of the system Shep Paine designed. With regard to figures, to me there's no difference in a Grenadier Guard or a Space Ork. I know roughly the same amount about either. But I'm confident I would be able to tell if one or the other was painted/sculpted well. Just my two cents.

Prepping for Atlanta

2011-01-19T17:15:00.000-08:00

Workbench report; This little fellow is a commission that I was able to get done a little bit ahead of time. I did an Airfix conversion of a WWII Australian in the same pose a few years ago. I like the idea that the figure is wading through a nasty backwater. I tried to pick a head that had a facial expression that conveyed a bit of miserable determination. I tried something a little different to simulate the algae. I think this adds to the effect pretty well. I'm still hammering away at the USS Constitution Fighting Top. The focus lately has been on figures. I am at full stop on the top itself until my custom base is completed. I'll be honest and try to be delicate at the same time about these figures. It would seem that the caster is not used to sprueing up figure kits. There are some odd and heavy mold seams on many of the figures. A couple had such significant mold shift that if the company were still in business, I might consider asking for replacements. Luckily, I have enough redundancy in kit pieces that enough good figures can be assembled to complete the top with crew.

A while back on the forums I lamented that I had gotten fed up with trying to use acrylics as undercoats. I decided to give Humbrol enamels another go. I had gotten pretty disgusted with their formula switch to "Super Enamel". I had noticed lately that Humbrol no longer labeled their paint in such a manner. I was hoping this meant that a return to the older formula had also occurred. On a trip to St. Louis I stopped by CRM and grabbed a handful of colors I thought I might use. One of these was still labeled "Super Enamel". I opened it and one of the others and stirred the respective contents. The newer label seemed to have significantly more sludge at the bottom. This could only mean more pigment. I used some of this new paint to undercoat a couple of figures in the queue. I flowed off the brush like a dream and covered in one coat. It dried dead matte. What more could an oil painter ask for? Call me a throwback, but I'm back on enamels.

I'm planning on going to the Atlanta show this year. Last year I skipped in lieu of going to the MFCA show. Perhaps this is how I'll manage the show circuit going forward. The Atlanta show has such a homey atmosphere though. The draw MFCA has for me is an opportunity to see lots of European work and a huge vendor's area.

I'm still recovering from my surgery. I still have some weakness in the right shoulder. PT is helping, but mostly I just have to wait for the nerves to heal. At first it hampered my ability to sculpt and paint. I had rearranged some items in my studio to accommodate. Now I have enough strength that it's become unnecessary.

Convalescing

2010-12-08T17:50:00.000-08:00

I've been getting a few items worked on while I recover from surgery. I feel really good, which is a little deceiving. I have to remind myself that I had neck surgery two weeks ago and I'm still not fully healed.

This figure is the first one ready for paint that will go in my "Surrounded!" vignette. It's scratchbuilt except for the head and some web gear. I enjoy doing details like the cartridge belt even though it's totally frustrating sometime. I would probably choose to do the belt first next time I do one of these. Trying to fit it into the space I allowed was a little bit of a trick. I'm pleased enough with the result that I'm not going to redo it, but it's something to remember.

I took on a sizable commission last month as well. I'll be building the USS Constitution Fighting Top from Meteor Products as well as several figures that go with it. It has been challenging so far for a figure modeler. I read through the instructions and have to say that I find all the rigging a little daunting. I think the result will be pretty satisfying. The casting on the figures is a little hit-or-miss. Luckily, the package I got had an extra set of Marines included. I was able to mix and match some pieces to get the best components. The mold shift on a couple of the copies was so bad that a re-sculpt would have been warranted. Photos later when I get something substantial completed.

2010-12-04T20:02:00.001-08:00

Testing the limits

2010-11-12T05:45:00.000-08:00

Just finished this little guy. I think it turned out pretty good. It was an enjoyable project. There are a couple of things I wish I could have done better. The leggings could be a little cleaner in the sculpting department. I was very pleased with the pose. It's balanced a little precariously. I hope it will hold up to travel. I had to get a little creative to pin the foot to the base. My main goal was a dynamic, action pose. I hope a sense of motion exists.

I have been pretty busy in the studio lately. My shoulder is getting better every day. I go for an EMG soon to see what's up. The doc says my neck isn't bad enough to warrant injections. That works out pretty well, because I don't really want them if they're not going to fix my problem. It's funny, I got back in the studio because I wanted to see if I was going to be able to get some work done if I wind up being off for an extended period for surgery. I'd hate to be off work and not able to enjoy my hobby. Recently, my triathlon training had supplanted this hobby. Being thwarted on my 1/2 marathon training was upsetting to say the least. But, it did get me back to the bench and I think because of this injury, I'll be able to find a better balance between these two pastimes.

WB report and shoulder update

2010-10-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

Workbench report; In the photo is a forest setting that I finished the other day. It's intended to be the setting for the charging Indian that I sculpted a while back. That figure is currently on the workbench and about 75% complete. I think it's going to look pretty good when it's done. I've done this kind of setting before and there isn't anything really groundbreaking about the material I used. The trees are from Bayardi and have been embellished with dried roots and photo-etch items.

While my shoulder situation has improved, it still gives me some difficulty. Some things I used to do automatically take some re-engineering. I moved a small TV tray into my studio to use set my paint palette on. I also created a small lap-desk for my sculpting work. My workbench is rather high as these things go, which is how I like it. I have found that with my shoulder the way it is, I can't reach some things like I used to, so it necessitated these modifications. It has worked pretty well. I'll make improvements as time goes on I guess. I'm hopeful that I won't have to for long and I'll be healed up by December or so. I still don't know what I did. Waiting for results from the MRI.

Chicago 2010 & shoulder injury

2010-10-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

Well by all accounts the most recent Chicago show was a great success. I had a difficult time this year. I developed an injury on Friday morning that only seemed to get worse as the weekend wore on. As a result, I didn't get to enjoy the show as I normally would have. I seem to have all the symptoms of a torn rotator cuff, which means surgery. I'm hopeful that it's a pinched nerve and will heal with time. I'm not overly optimistic though.

I did get to visit with a few folks and had some nice meals with friends. A few highlights for me; My good friend Anders' display, Wendy Rafalski's work especially the ones displaying water effects, Fletcher Clement's display, Mike Blank's display, and the very large Arnhem diorama by Dan Capuano. There was an awful lot of very good work on display, but these are the ones that stood out in my mind.

I'm looking forward to getting back after some projects that are on the bench. Winter is near and it's the off season for triathlon training. I've been able to sculpt, but I haven't tried painting yet. I'm going to have to reconfigure my workspace a bit to accommodate this shoulder problem. I'm hoping that this injury doesn't set me back too much.

Small scale armory

2010-08-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

I've been hacking at plastic these last few days. I'm making some 1/32 ACW muskets intended for Reaper Minis. One Springfield, and one Enfield. I think they're going pretty well. I really enjoy working with plastic stock. It's really a matter of figuring out how to use the medium. I has it's strengths and weaknesses, just as everything else. I have a formula I use to make make muskets that I'm refining. It seems to work pretty well. I plan to challenge myself at making some more modern weapons later on. I'll post some photos after they're completed.

Clear workbench

2010-07-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

I've wrapped up my work I planned to do over the summer. This is the last project I hoped to finish until August. I'll start painting the American Indian I sculpted a while back. I should have it all finished for Chicago. I'll be making some weapons from plastic in the meantime. Just a couple of small projects to fill in the gaps. I need to work out a new sculpting project. I have the beginnings of what I hope will be an ECW cavalryman on the charge. Ambitious for me because it will be mounted. More on that later.

Some painting

2010-07-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been doing a little painting lately. I bought this figure second hand. I really like the coats on these characters. I painted Elite's Royal Horse Artillery a while back and really wanted to try another one of the coats. The figure was a little pitted/pebbled. I didn't find this out until I started to paint it. I thought I could live with the texture, but elected to strip and fix it. I smoothed it all down with scotch-brite pads and steel wool. I gave it a coat of Mr. Surfacer 1000, and reprimed. This seemed to do the trick. It's all painted with oils over acrylic and printer's ink. I found the red hair hard to duplicate. I also had some difficulty getting access to the right side of the figure's face. I generally prefer to have the head as a separate piece. This one is cast in place and practically up against the coat collar. I did my best, but close scrutiny reveals the problems I had. It's still a great character and fun to paint. I did it in just under a month, which is pretty fast for me.

Here's a very good link about the character's history;

Kabul to Gandamak

A little sculpting

2010-06-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

I seem to be getting a little bit of drive left now that I have the Alamo Scouts diorama out of the way. I started this a while back when I was experimenting with some action poses. The mannequin was posed up before it had any identity. I decided on a comfortable subject, a Woodland Indian. Not really identified with a particular tribe, so it's just a generic mid-18th century Eastern Woodland tribe. I've also been working on getting my folds to follow lines of tension. I think I'm making some progress. I'm hoping to get some paint on it soon and get on to the next one.

Tulsa Show

2010-06-15T07:58:00.000-07:00

Well another Tulsa show is in the record books. It was a great weekend. The new Tulsa Medalist was Jason Green. He was also the recipient of the Best of Show, and Outstanding Exhibitor awards. Jason has been turning out Gold Medal work as long as I've known him. Recently he made a flawless transition to acrylics and his output has probably increased by a factor of five. My good friend Rusty Nail was there and won Gold as well for his very well done Boris, the werewolf. Anders Heintz had very nice display of Gold medal work as well. Tulsa local, Bob Davis pulled off a Hat Trick winning Gold Medals in all of the main categories. I was happy to have received a Gold in Open and Painters. My Alamo Scouts diorama was well received it seemed. A good time was had by all, and I can hardly believe the weekend passed so quickly. My show weekend was capped with a visit to Kimmy's across from the hotel for breakfast with the locals and the TX crowd.

Here's a link to a site devoted to the Alamo Scouts for your edification.

Finally finished

2010-05-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to have this one behind me. I painted all the flesh areas this weekend. I can now move on to some other projects. I'm going to avoid vignettes and dioramas for a while. I'm a little disappointed in the composition on this one. I added a third figure because I thought it would help the scene, but what happened is the interaction between the kneeling and seated figure got lost, and I elected to change the pose that suggested interaction. I took a few shortcuts on these guys I won't try again. Sometimes, the long way is best.

Next up; I have a figure posed up that will hopefully turn into an attacking Eastern Woodland Indian.

Paintin' the Camo

2010-05-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Getting through this project is testing my patience. Here are the painted uniforms. I still have all the flesh areas to paint. I'm trying to decide whether or not to use my new method of face painting, or my old comfortable method. I've been trying to learn the method laid out in Cartacci's book. I like the results I'm getting, but I have to take a step-by-step approach with the book nearby. My old method was adequate, but I could mix up a fleshtone palette and finish a face pretty quickly. I'm leaning toward the new way. I think the best way to learn is through repetition. Since I want to use this method in the future, I'll probably stick with it for this project too.

Pushing through to the finish line

2010-05-19T09:58:00.001-07:00

Still struggling through the diorama/vignette pictured below. I took a few shortcuts during the sculpting phase and that is telling on me. Definitely learned a lesson there. The goal however was to take a different approach to drapery and wrinkles. That part was successful. I really want to get this thing finished so I can move on. It amazes me sometimes how a difficult project can be such a motivation sucker. As of last night all that remains is to paint the flesh areas and do a little outlining on the web gear. Then I can place the figures in situ and get on with some other projects. I may have done my last three plus project for a while. Painting the same uniform three times has turned out to be a little too monotonous. I should have this finished in time for the Tulsa show in June.

Next up on the painting bench is Elite's Capt. Souter. I'm looking forward to that one. Those fur coats are fun to paint. The flag around Souter's waist should prove challenging as well. I bought some neat and interesting bases at MFCA and I think I'll pick from one of them. After that, I plan to pick from the archives for a Chicago project. Some ideas in the pipeline; F&I vignette, mounted ECW Roundhead.

I think I'm rounding a corner with regard to my feelings about this hobby. Recently, I've been concentrating on triathlon training and those thoughts are what have occupied my idle mind. Now I find that since returning from MFCA, I'm somewhat back to normal and my idle thoughts return to this hobby. Maybe the Tulsa show will kick in some additional inspiration.

MFCA Post Mortem

2010-05-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

I attended my first MFCA show in Valley Forge last weekend. I've heard a lot about this show over the years and I think that it vies with the MMSI show for "The US Show" to visit. The vendor's area is huge and well stocked. Many of the vendors are toy soldier dealers, but many were book, tool and figure kit dealers. I did find it a bit ironic that at a show focused on the figure painter, there wasn't one vendor that was selling paint in any appreciable quantity. Most of the shows I've attended have had at least one vendor with a rack of Vallejo paints. The awards ceremony was a little bit of a bugaboo. It started about 45 minutes late for one. They were ambitious about getting photos of the Gold medal winners, and it caused a little confusion. I was pleased to see so many Europeans in attendance. I haven't seen so many since Expo in Boston in 2005. BOS was a beautiful mounted knight by Phillipe Gengembre. I was pleased to see Jason Whitman share the MFCA Grand Master award with Jean Pierre Duthielle. One last word on the most imaginative piece at the show; Marijn Van Gils had a mini- shadow box in progress that was absolute genius. It was as if the viewer was looking from a closet into the face of a woman's paramour as her husband is bursting into the room on his surprised wife. The paramour is hold a finger to his mouth in a "ssshhh" gesture. Not many folks could carry out such an ambitious idea so successfully. All in all a great show. I may have visit this one again.

FUNK

2010-03-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

Trying to gain back my enthusiasm. I just finished this dude. I say finished, but it really needs a little more work. I seem to do this a lot. I get a figure about 98% finished and that's when I feel like it's finished enough to share it. I'll still add some pastel weathering and touch up a few details and hit the visible glue spots with some dull coat.

My pace lately has been slow but steady. I'm going to go back through some of my backlog of original projects next and see about getting back into some of those. There's some good stuff in there, but I lost interest for one reason or another. I'm to a point on a couple of those that I just need to hit that tipping point that means completion is inevitable. After I get my first Tri-athlon behind me I expect to gain back the drive for my favorite hobby again.

Balance and beating the winter Blah's

2010-02-18T18:03:00.001-08:00

Getting my scene set. I have the figures for this scene sculpted and I'm getting ready to paint. Looking back, I wish i had composed this scene to have more interaction between the figures. I believe the scene is realistic, I just think it could be more interesting. I'm pretty happy with the scenery itself. I'm ready to move on to something new. I do have at least one figure ahead of these. I got a copy of the Union soldier that I designed for the APG on the paint bench next. Mike did a great job of casting. There are only very slight mold lines to clean up. I expect it to paint up pretty quickly. It's a pretty simple uniform. I think it's going to provide a much needed change of pace before I get into the monotony of olive drab.

I'm missing Atlanta for the first time since I started going. I plan to do MFCA this year instead. The timing for Atlanta was not too good this year. As I blogged earlier, I'm training to do a Tri-athlon or three this year and going to a show at this point was going to cause me to miss three to four days of training. MFCA's timing is better and besides I've never been.

My fears of training have come true. I find that with a lot of my free time used up with working out, I either a) don't have time or b) don't feel like modeling when I do have time. I try to do a little something every day though. That has helped me move ahead in lurches. I'm hoping that the winter gloom over the mid-west will lift in the coming weeks and my energy level will lift along with it.

2010-01-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

In the photo is the completed groundwork for my Alamo Scouts recon vignette. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Most of all I'm pleased that it has helped me to regain my enthusiasm for this project. I had stalled out on the figures. Getting the groundwork finished has helped me to see and end to the project and I'm looking forward to having this scene populated. I did a bit of sculpting on the figures last night. I hope to do some more over the weekend.

The groundwork itself is a multi-media product. The vegetation is made up of paper products, dried flower items, photo-etch leaves, ground foam, and roots. I used epoxy putty for the rocky outcroppings and sculptamold for the earth.

2010-01-16T20:54:00.000-08:00

In the photo is a master that I donated to the APG for their fund raising efforts. I understand it should be on sale at the Atlanta show. Speaking of the Atlanta show. It looks like I'll be missing my first one in about six years (I think). I'm going to try to get to MFCA though. I've never been and I hear it's very good.

I finally had to have a "Come to Jesus" meeting with my studio. It was a sty. I threw out a lot of junk and reorganized some others. I finally got back after my Alamo Scouts vignette. Getting over the hump on a project sometimes means you need to shift gears a little. Normally I finish the sculpting before I move on to the groundwork. But I've gotten a little burnt out on the figures, so decided to start the groundwork at this point. Getting the scene set will hopefully get me re-energized to get back after the figures.

Getting things done during the winter evenings is more difficult than you might think. There are no lawn chores and no lake trips, so you'd think getting in the studio would be easier. I find that in the winter I don't have as much energy and feel less like getting up out of my chair. Training for Tri-Athlons is taking some of my energy but not a lot more of my time, so that's going well enough.

2009-12-22T18:48:00.000-08:00

Getting a few items done before year's end. In the photo is a Metal Modeles French Dragoon from the Franco-Prussian War. It was sculpted by Raul Latorre and as such it's a little less stiff than Metal Modeles usually produces. I had initially bought this figure from a vendor at an AMFS show a couple of years ago. I was excited about painting it, but I lost it somewhere along the way. I bought another because I liked it so well. It was a very nice figure to paint. Painting my own sculptures seems a little tedious times. After you've spent so much time sculpting a thing, you kind of want to get away from it for a while. When I do a stock figure, I try to get the best figures I can afford. I have tried to stay away from WWII stuff too. Branching out of your comfort zone allows you to learn about other periods along the way. I also have a Union Infantryman on the bench. I'll post photos of the finished work when it's done.

Leraning the craft II

2009-12-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

In a post a while back I talked about some of the revelations I've figured out about sculpting proper anatomy. I've started to get a handle on anatomy through some practice. One thing I've gotten over is the fear of starting over. I've started to try to apply those same lessons to proper drapery. When I first started sculpting I noticed the way clothing lay in certain poses. Now when I observe clothing folds and drapery, I envision which tool I would use and how I would approach a certain difficult piece of drapery. I'm struck by the drapery of Taesung Harms and Raul Latorre. There are others that I think have a good handle on it as well, but I think these two fellows excel at getting this part of sculpting right. Lately I've worked out a few techniques of my own that have opened some doors for me. No matter how long you've been at this business, there's always something you can learn to do better.

Project update; The FPW Dragoon is almost done. Basically, the sword straps are all that's left. It's turning out very well. It's one of four or so figures that I think represent personal bests for OOB figures. I have slowed down on the Alamo Scouts dio. Another sculpting project is getting top bill right now. I'm working on a Union Soldier master. I like the face I have going and the figure is sculpted up to the coat tails. I use a bottom up approach, so I'd say it's about halfway completed. I'll be posting some photos after I complete the Dragoon.

Return to Standard time

2009-11-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

Thinking about getting back after this guy. I have a couple of projects ahead of it though. I'm doing a three man vignette of an Alamo Scout recon group in the South Pacific. One using binoculars and some hand signals to communicate to another using a handy-talky, and a third pulling rear security. I intend to create a rocky outcropping with some dense foliage and perhaps some water. Also in the hopper and nearly complete is a Metal Modeles French Dragoon from the Franco Prussian war. It's a beautiful sculpt by Raoul Latorre. Nice detail. I started it when I got back from Chicago. It's going well and I managed to not butcher the white belts. The gold bullion has proven to be a challenge, but I think what I have so far is working. Next up is the face and then the details and groundwork. Not necessarily in that order. I resisted the temptation to place the dragoon in a cigar box. I see a lot of possibilities for this mini-box as I call it, but I don't want to over use the idea.

I keep forgetting to mention that I obtained a copy of Historical Miniature #1 from a very generous Bob Stein. I now have the entire print run of the main English speaking magazine devoted to historical miniature painting and sculpting.

Chicago 2k9 Post mortem

2009-10-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

Just got in from my annual fall trek to Chicago for the MMSI show. The club puts on a very well done show and has since long before my time. This was my tenth, but the club's 35th. Hard to imagine really. It was a great time. Rusty Nail drove up from southern Arkansas on Thrusday and we took out the next day together. It's always good to have a travel companion. The trip across IL is one I really enjoy. The farmland in the fall is really beautiful. This year the trip up was kind of gloomy because of the constant rain. Seeing the sun, appropriately enough on Sunday was a welcome change of pace. It was terrific seeing old friends and meeting some new ones. The amount and quality of work in the exhibit hall was great as usual. I was honored to win a gold in the open and a silver in painters. It was difficult to hear the different awards from the hallway, so I missed hearing what some of my friends got for their displays. Above are the two most recent pieces I completed. They were part of my display at this year's show. I sold the pirate to a collector. I didn't really intend to sell it, I just wanted to show the collector what I had been working on and see if he was looking for anything of that sort. He was rather taken with it and after some reconsideration, he elected to go ahead and purchase it. I sometimes hate to part with my work. It does finance my hobby and besides, I've already had my fun during the creation.

Getting ready for MMSI

2009-09-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to ramp up with getting some projects finished for the Chicago show. I plan to have three pieces ready for the show. The Gumshoe, Light Brigade Dragoon, and a pirate. In the photo is the groundwork for the pirate. I think it comes off pretty convincingly. I think I'll tinker with it some more as time allows. The gumshoe was finished long ago, and the Light Brigade should have been done long ago. I have some time off coming up that I'm hoping will push me over the top to get some of these things finished. I had planned to save the pirate for another show, but my good friend Anders shamed me into at least trying to get it done for Chicago.

I'm Cap'n, and I say you're Cap'n. Cap'n.........

2009-09-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a handful of muskets for various manufacturers and not getting to sculpt lately. So as I was winding up those projects, I posed up several mannequins for future projects. Hoping that the lightning of inspiration to strike, I hammered out a project that I've been wanting to do for a while. It's a pirate inspired by NC Wyeth's illustration of Captain Billy Bones. I didn't want to do an exact copy, but much is borrowed from Wyeth. My character is fatter than Wyeth's and I did the hat differently. If an experiment I have planned goes well, I should have a pretty dynamic setting for this fellow.

We had a great chicken BBQ for family and a few friends from work. It was a great time. BBQing twenty chickens is not for the faint of heart though. I think everyone had a good time. It was unfortunately marred by an accident that required a trip to the ER for my three year old niece. She had to get a stitch in her lip. I'm really hoping that she doesn't get a scar. I bear much of the responsibility for it, I have to admit.

School is in full swing now and I'm bearing the fruit of a driving teenager. I have a bit more free time now that I don't have to get JB after school.

On the Tri front, I bought a new bike from my friend Don and rode it a good twelve miles. I'm looking forward to riding more. Swimming is not really an issue now, but I plan to join a center that has a pool so I can get on that aspect of it. I've increased my runnig distance lately and some success on this front will be great, as I am not fond of running.

Can a man serve two masters?

2009-08-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

I've been bitten by the triathlon bug. Some friends are into this and my curiosity is piqued. I am a regular runner, but far from a fanatic. Swim training for the Bahamas trip I went on with my son added another element to the challenge. A bit of limited success in the pool has led to me questioning if I have a tri in me. I think I can get the biking down eventually. So if I can get over a few hurdles and stay injury free, I intend to begin training for sprint distance triathlons next year. I wonder if I'll be able to balance a busy training schedule with my main hobby. I have always been involved with sports, but nothing that required a regular commitment that I gather triathlons do. So we'll see how it goes. I think it's something I need to do. Hopefully, I'll be able to do the smart thing and take the training time from something other than the studio.

I just got back from Kansas City after a conference at the BOP Regional office. We worked out some issues toward standardizing Crisis Management Training throughout the bureau. It was kind of nice to be in the middle of this type of thing, instead of on the sidelines waiting for these things to be handed down. It was hard work, spent mostly behind a computer screen hashing out details of lesson plans and training courses.

I've been experimenting with plastic as a sculpting medium lately. I've knocked out a handful of scale weapons using mostly, or all plastic. I just finished a 1/24 scale thompson. Add that to the 1/24 garand an the 18th and 19th century muskets I've done. I think I'll be doing this more in the future. I'll be starting a plastic figure out of the box in a day or two. I think it may turn into a two figure vignette actually. We'll see.

Father's day weekend

2009-06-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

The photo is a Confederate Guerrilla intended as a Thunderbird Miniatures future release. I've been wanting to do one of these, and Mark and I had a chance conversation over an Osprey print almost a year ago and I told him I'd see what I could come up with. I hope it's a winner. I like it so far. Just gotta get over the hump and solve a couple of design problems.

I went to the folk's today and helped Dad put up hay. You can't farm without tearing up some gear, and today we broke a tractor and a baler. The baler was repaired, but the tractor was swapped out. I wound up running a tractor that I had only drive once or twice. It was a little intimidating, moving up to twice the tractor as the one I grew up on. It had a cab and a fan though, so I figure it's a trade up. Of course Pops had the one with AC in the cab. Happy Father's Day Dad.

Tulsa anyone?

2009-06-03T18:52:00.001-07:00

It's always exciting when it's time for another exhibit. The Tulsa show is this weekend. I always enjoy seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Viewing what everyone has been working on all year is what brings us together though. Over the fourteen years I've been active in miniature figure artistry I've managed to make quite a few friends and see some incredible work. The shows always come around too slowly and a show weekend is always over too quickly. The photo is my latest. This project was done on commission and still has a couple of small details that the patron has requested. The photo shows how it will look at the upcoming show. I'll have to add those details later. If you're coming to Tulsa, be sure to say hi, if you're not, you're missing out.

Spring has Sprung

2009-05-27T18:25:00.000-07:00

Had a very busy Spring. Now summer is near and marked with the launching of the "Nony", our classic boat. It was a rainy day and we didn't do much more than take it out for a quick ride. The water would have been great to ski on though. The Tulsa show is coming up soon. I should have three pieces to display. The most current piece is a stock figure of Wyatt Earp on the porch of "The Oriental" shooting it out. If I can just manage to get the faces and hands painted, I'll be finished. It would probably take about an hour and a half to finish.

Steady as she goes

2009-04-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't photographed anything to share lately. I'm working on a few things now though. A Wyatt Earp commission, a Crimean War Dragoon are on the painting bench. The only thing on the sculpting bench right now is the Bushwhacker I'm doing for Thunderbird. The painting isn't particularly challenging at this point. The sculpting is presenting a few problems to solve though. For one, it's my first mounted figure. For another, boots are very difficult for me for some dumb reason. Regardless, I'm excited about the project. I've wanted to do a Bushwhacker/Border Ruffian for a while, so when Mark said he was interested in the same thing, I jumped at the chance to do a master. I got copies of the pistols I made for him last week. The copies turned out great.

On the work front, I have to go to Crisis Management training next week. A few of us are heading out early to do a little training, and site prep. CMT this time around is in Ft. Carson CO. I think the facilities will be impressive, but the distance to travel is a little daunting. Being gone for nearly two weeks is not foremost among the things I'd like to do right now, but it will be a good session I'm sure.

On a personal/ family front, we all went to Tulsa to see Bruce Springsteen. It fulfilled a lifelong dream for me. I've been a fan of "The Boss" for over 25 years. I didn't think I'd ever get a viable, affordable chance to do it. It was a terrific show. There were a few songs that I was disappointed didn't make the set list. I heard plenty of favorites though. I'll be looking for him on the next tour. The day after the concert, we headed over to the Philbrook Museum. What a gem. There was too much to see in one day, so we'll be back one day. Art ran from ornamental garden sculpture to classical sculpture and painting to bizarre modern pieces. All of it was very inspirational.

2009-03-16T15:47:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest. I could fiddle with this scene 'til I'm blue. This was one of the most fun projects I've ever done. It will be staying in my own collection.

This past weekend I attended a small charity model building contest in nearby Joplin. There is a terrific little shop down there that has a decent amount of items that would interest me. I stocked up on some Plastruct while I was there. The contest itself was much more diverse than anything I am used to. It was also a 1st, 2nd, 3rd type of affair. I don't really care for that format, but for such a diverse exhibit it makes a certain amount of sense. I enjoyed seeing some of the car and truck models that I don't normally get to see. These guys are very good at painting. The diorama section was pretty well populated. The group I've started visiting in Branson was well represented. I especially liked Nate's "Willy and Joe" inspired vignettes.

When I got back from Atlanta I was turned on to Facebook by some friends at church. I went ahead and registered and immediately was contacted by some folks I hadn't talked to in years. It has turned into one of my favorite places on the web. Social Networking indeed.

I've been on building stuff from plastic stock nearly to the point of obsession. I bought about fifty dollars worth over the last month. I knocked out a couple of muskets for my good friend Anders Heintz at HeLo. I'll be doing some more in the near future, including a shotgun for the Confederate Guerilla I'm doing for Thunderbird.

Post Atlanta Decompression

2009-02-23T17:40:00.000-08:00

I just got in today from Atlanta. What a great job this club does running a show. I had a great time as usual. I hooked up with old friends, checked out some amazing miniature art, and generally had a good time. It was great to see Marion and Alan again. Mike Blank made it over again as well. It's always a treat to see work from across the Atlantic. Everything went great this year even as the club had to recover from an error in the room setup. It seems the wrong risers were delivered for the tables. This caused a two hour delay in setup for the display area. The folks in the club pulled together and rolled with the punches with usual aplomb. There were plenty of excellent displays at this year's show. I was struck by Joe Hudson's work. My good friend Anders Heintz had some excellent scratch-built figures on display. I wish I was as accomplished at such an early age. Rod Curtis had some excellent work as well. Several of the Grand Masters of the Atlanta show were present and displayed some of the best work present I have to say. Jason Greene won this year's Best of Show with his rendition of Elite's Crusader Knight. Jason's display was very impressive, and all of his work was of the highest quality. It's a rare event when a stock painted piece wins BoS. When that happens, it speaks to the quality of the piece. The Atlanta show is also and chance for me to visit with family. My brother and his family live in nearby Woodstock. For the last two years my Mother has made the trek with me and taken the opportunity to see her Granddaughters. All of us went out to dinner on Sunday afternoon to The Gondolier, my local favorite. I only get to see my brother and his family a couple of times a year. We had a terrific time together. The ride home is always about an hour too long, but the trip is worth it. A great weekend. Photos later.

2009-02-15T20:06:00.000-08:00

I went to a HMSNEO meeting the other night. It's always nice to see the gang. It surprises me sometimes that I used to visit about 2/3 of the time. Now it's about once a quarter. Gas has gotten a little more affordable, so the trek isn't such a financial burden lately. It was the annual swap-meet, but I didn't sell anything. I did get to show off some of my work, and look at some of the work brought by other members. We have a talented bunch. Me and another new acquaintance visited the modeling club that meets at Hobbytown in Branson one Sunday a month. This is a promising group. Interests are diverse, and everyone there is enthusiastic. There was a brief show and tell period, and then general discussion. Our hosts are very accommodating and friendly. I'm looking forward to Atlanta in a few days. It will be a good show, and it'll be great to see old friends as well as my brother and his family.

I'm working on some neat stuff right now. I have been building some ACW revolvers to use in an upcoming project for Thunderbird Miniatures. Photos will come along later. They're as accurate as I can get them. And to my knowledge, they are not available from another manufacturer. I'll also be modeling a saddle for the first time in my life. That's a little intimidating I have to admit. I got some great reference material at the meeting last Friday though, thanks Kim. That's it for now.

Gearing up for Atlanta

2009-02-04T18:41:00.000-08:00

The AMFS Atlanta show is coming up soon and I'm looking forward to attending again. They always run a first class show. I should have everything on the bench completed by then. I expect to get the samurai back from my friend, this along with Billy the Kid, the Eldar Ranger, should round out my Painters display. I'll have the detective and my "Recruiting for Dog Co." piece in Open. It's more work than I've had at one show in a while. I just finished off my Frontier/Colonial rifleman. It'll be shipped off to Scott at The Lost Battalion soon.

Quick update

2009-01-15T17:03:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update on the Billy the Kid project. It's done and I wanted to post the final photo.

Another thought; They're building a new housing development nearby my house. I thought it was ironic that they chose to name this new development "The Woods" as the first thing they did was clear the area of all trees. Odd.

Off to a good '09

2009-01-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

I've been able to get in the studio with some regularity these days. Yesterday evening was a good housecleaning session. Things had gotten out of hand lately as I began to wind up my Billy the Kid commission. I had plastic, paint palettes, and groundwork material all over the place. I spent about half an hour just managing the trash and sweeping off the bench.

We got HD programming last week on DISH network. It is excellent. I watched a basketball game on ESPN, it was like there was a game being played on my patio and I was watching it through a window. I find myself watching stuff I wouldn't normally watch in standard definition. My programming is a little jacked up and they're straightening it out as I type.

Most of the folks I know in this hobby have come to it through plastic modeling. With that in mind I find it a little odd that I don't often work with plastic. Lately, I've been rediscovering this extremely versatile medium. I have gathered quite a collection of strip, rod and sheet. It would be nice to own an entire display rack of Evergreen plastic. It has become my medium of choice for many figure and vignette accessories. With rulers, knives, gauges and some imagination, the possibilities are endless.

I'm hoping to be pushing some putty soon, but I have a couple of things to finish up before I can. One thing I'm excited to be getting back to is a Bushwhacker from the American Civil War. It's my first mounted piece. I am enthusiastic about it though. I'll be doing some reviews on TimeLines in the next few days. I got a couple of samples from Military Miniature Warehouse that included some printed matter from Reality in Scale, and a set of laser cut leaves from Kamizukuri. There are many very nice scenic items for the modeler these days. Some of this stuff is truly incredible.

Christmas D+1

2008-12-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

Well another Christmas past. We had family at our house Christmas eve, then went to my in-laws for Christmas day. We had plenty to eat at both. We decided to make a Turducken this year almost on a whim. It was delicious. If you've never had one, it's a turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken, with layers of dressing between each layer. It was huge, about 20 pounds. There are leftovers, in case you're wondering.

On the modeling front, I have several projects underway. I'm still hacking away at the Gunshoe vignette. I touched up the face a bit to give it a harder look. I'm about 80-85% through a commission of Andrea's Billy the Kid. I'm getting ready to add a bit to the building backdrop at the patron's request. Both projects are on schedule to be finished before Atlanta.

Finishing up some commissions

2008-11-30T17:33:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of commissions that I've been sitting on for nearly a year. The Samurai is for someone I work with, and the OIF Marine is for a friend of my Mother. Getting both of these done should have happened about six months ago.

I've gotten a bit done on the cigar box gumshoe. I have the setting nearly complete. It's now down to painting the figure. I took on a commission to paint Andrea's Billy the Kid. My goal is to have it done for Atlanta. The Gumshoe should be done by then as well. I should have a fair display for Atlanta this year, providing I can get the Samurai's owner to allow me to take it with me.

I've been reading "Kill Bin Laden" by Dalton Fury. I saw his interview on 60 minutes and decided that it would be worth reading. It's a first person account of the SF operations on Tora-Bora by the Delta operator that was the commander of all Special Forces in the region during that period. It's written in pretty plain language and you get an inkling of an idea of what these fellows are made of. I may sculpt/convert a Delta operator in 54mm soon if the inspiration lasts long enough.

Getting some work done

2008-11-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

You can see above the cigar box gumshoe I have going. I want to create an Edward Hopper mood with my Raymond Chandler style character. I have a couple of other ideas for this dude that I may or may not use. It's my goal to have this done in time for Atlanta. I should get some time off from work soon that will facilitate the studio time.

I have a commission that is coming to a close. I'm painting one of the Pegaso Samurai for someone at work. It's going pretty well. I find painting the lace a challenge in meticulous detail. Some of the lace isn't well molded and a bit of knowledge and imagination is required. I'll post photos when it's completed.

If you read the comments on this blog, you'll see my Mother is on my a** to get a piece finished for her. I've had it in progress for a long time (too long, sorry Maude). It's a modern Marine. She intends it as a gift for a friend whose son is serving in Iraq. I completed the flesh portions yesterday. I hope to have it finished in about four weeks. I'm not looking forward to painting the digital camouflage though.

Post Chicago Enthusiasm

2008-10-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

Actually, I had gotten over the modeling blahs just before the Chicago show. But, going to a show always inspires one to do more and better work. To encapsulate the show; there were many nice shadow-boxes and a few large dioramas that were ambitious to say the least. They were all very well executed. Also this year the Chicago show broke out a separate Fantasy category. I personally don't see a need for a separate Fantasy category, but I suppose that marketing such a thing will draw painters from the fantasy/sci-fi ranks. I entered a fantasy piece this year, but chose to leave it where it was. I suppose I should have entered in Fantasy and perhaps brought home another award. As it stands, I brought home a Silver for my vignette entitled "Recruiting for Dog Co." seen above in BW. I picked up a couple of commissions this weekend, and did a little other business. A well spent weekend, all in all.

I always enjoy the annual trek across the Illinois farm land. There are some very neat farms that, when viewed from the highway, seem to me to be out of a Norman Rockwell painting. In October, you can see the farmers bringing in the corn, soybeans and milo, or prepping the ground for the next crops. Also this time of year the leaves are beginning to turn. This adds to the scenery and the mood. I made the trip by myself this year, and spent a contemplative ride home. The whole process; drive out, attend show and visit with fellow artists, and drive home will hopefully kindle the enthusiasm until February and the Atlanta show.

Getting back in the groove

2008-10-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

I'm just getting through a spell of what I considered lack-luster performance at the workbench. It was a combination of burnout from meeting obligations for others and some difficulty improving on my next figures(which is a personal goal). I think the remedy for this is to get to work on something you really care about. So I got back to a couple of projects that I have in various states of completion. Things that sit on the bench for too long tend to get forgotten. It felt good to get back to these "exiles from the back-burner". I've gotten back to my shadowbox diorama and I did this little project that you see pictured. I want to do something special and different with this one, so watch out for more. I'll be going to Chicago this weekend. I thought I was going to miss this year due to some work conflicts. It should be good as usual, and I'm looking forward to it.

Autumn Eve

2008-09-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I updated. The work in the studio has been slow this summer. The summer itself was very busy. The boy had to have an emergency appendectomy while on vacation in Yellowstone. A few weeks after he got back, he and I went on a week long fifty mile canoe trip in Canada. Like I said, busy.

I did manage to get some painting done and also some sculpting. I tried my hand at some 1/72 scale figures. It was a frustrating experience. I was able to get a convincing face, but getting convincing poses and anatomy was difficult at best.

I finished the figure in the featured photo last weekend. I will have this and the paratrooper figure at the Chicago show in the next few weeks.

I have a couple of commissions to work on next. One is more of a favor. They are an original OIF Marine, and the other is a Samurai from Pegaso.

Happy birthday

2008-07-19T07:23:00.001-07:00

2008-07-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

I call this one "Recruiting for Dog Company". I tried a couple of dogs before I settled on converting the one in the scene. I had to do some surgery on this dog to get the pose I wanted. He was posed as marking his territory, which didn't fit the scene.

I've got a fantasy figure in the works now. I don't really understand the background of the guy, but it looks cool. Hopefully, I'll have a completed work soon.

Time in the studio is scarce lately. This week and next the rest of the family is in Yellowstone, so I've been able to get in there more frequently.

It looks like the Expo in Girona was a terrific success based on all the on line galleries I've seen. I wish I could have gone.

2008-03-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of photos to show what's been going on in the studio. I finished the Continental Marine. It was sold to John Gossage and the proceeds given to the Artist's Preservation Group. John has bought some of my best work over the years. I have started painting the figure for a small vignette I've had going for a while. I had the idea in mind, but the composition was a little evasive. I finally worked out the right backdrop and can proceed. In the photo is the head for the project. It's from Hornet and they really are the best out there. I have used the technique outlined in Danillo Cartacci's book. I really like the results from this technique and will continue to improve at it. I have noticed that it's difficult for me to adapt it to anything other than a perfectly sculpted face though.

Getting over the hump & AMFS thoughts

2008-03-02T15:22:00.000-08:00

The Atlanta show is a week old as of this writing. The club there really does a class A job with organizing a show. The hospitality suite was a busy good time this year. This is a bit in contrast with years past. At times in the past the AMFS hospitality suite has been a little quiet for my taste. I suppose I'm used to the Tulsa way of doing things, where we have two big parties around the show. At any rate, I had a great time, had several drinks with friends and just as many laughs. I had buy some reading glasses to view the figures properly. I paint with an opti-visor so glasses aren't a necessity for modeling. I noticed that in regular situations that I couldn't focus on figures at a distance that allowed me to see detail properly. So, I gave in to aging and bought some off the shelf reading glasses. I guess I'll keep them packed in my show box to wear at shows. I noticed this happening somewhat at the last MMSI show. So, that was my last show without glasses.

I got back with a pocketful of inspiration. I got out a handful of in progress work and tried to figure out what I could get done for Tulsa in June. I have a nice little scene of a US paratrooper(a favorite subject) sharing a snack with a timid shell-shocked dog. I've had this project going for a few months but wasn't really able to progress appreciably. The other night I finally worked out a viable composition. It got me to thinking about what puts a project over the hump. I think for some it may be getting the face painted properly. Or for another, getting that one reference work that fulfills the last bit of curiosity. I think for me it's getting the final composition to the point that I can see the final work in my head. Once I get to this point, a project gains the proper momentum and I find that I even become somewhat obsessive about getting it finished. So this week, I'll be making some progress on that particular piece of work and hopefully have some photos to share by next week.

Valentine's date

2008-02-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

Saturday night and our plans to go out with a group from work kind of melted. We decided to go out on our own for some early drinks and appetizers. We have wanted to try Touch since it reopened under the new name (formerly Chardonnay). It turned out to be an excellent choice. The drinks were potent and generous. The food however, was off the hook delicious! Some of the best we've had in Springfield, or anywhere for that matter. We chose a Mediterranean sampler platter and the baked goat cheese. The sampler had some bacon wrapped dates that were terrific. The dates were so good, you didn't really want to swallow them. We like to go out and try different places that we read about in the paper and local magazines. We've been disappointed by some of our choices. It seems like when the food is good, the service is poor, or the atmosphere isn't what we would like. Touch had it all. Live music that wasn't in-your-face loud, an excellent waitress that helped with recommendations, and very nice furnishings. It is now our new favorite.

Atlanta is this weekend and I'm still working on the Marine. Watch this space, I gotta get it done today if at all possible. I'm going to try to get back to at least semi-weekly entries. We'll see.

Winter Saturday

2008-02-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

In the middle of the Saturday routine. I just dropped off the dog to get a haircut and tuned in to Bob Ross. He usually puts me in a relaxed and creative mood. We had an ice storm this week that was almost as bad as last year's. I think there was actually more ice than the last one, but the damage was not nearly as bad because most of the trees that were a problem had already been broken and trimmed back. Tornadoes a couple of weeks ago and an ice storm right on its heels has created a bit of mess in most of the yards around the neighborhood.

If you look at the photo above and compare it to the last installment you'll notice that the coat is markedly different. After posting to Timelines on the progress on this dude, I was advised privately by Gary Dombrowski that the Continental Marines of the period wore green coats instead of blue. If I had done the slightest research on this guy beforehand instead of relying on the boxart for a painting guide I could have saved myself the embarrassment and trouble of repainting. I considered leaving it blue as the whole reason that I chose this figure from the gray army was because I wanted to experiment with some blues. The more I thought about it, the more I decided that it should be changed. This figure is to be donated to the Artist's Preservation Group and I felt I owed it to the group to do it right. Of course a change in title of the piece would have worked as well, it didn't ring true to me. I was able to create a mix using the shadow colors of the blue to create the green. The result was very pleasing and I'm glad I went to the effort. It really is a better figure after the repaint.

I'll be attending the AFMS show this coming weekend in Atlanta. It's always a good time and I look forward this show every year. It kicks off the season nicely and provides the inspiration to get work done for my second show of the year in Tulsa. If you've never attended a show, you should. Viewing the work of others is one of the best tools to get better yourself.

A new year

2008-01-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

Well another year gone. A lot has happened this year. I have several projects on the bench right now. I'm kind of having a hard time concentrating on any one thing. The picture is of the Art Girona Continental Marine. It's a fairly nice figure. Fit and cleanup were a bit of an issue. I plan on using the harbor elements from Romeo for a setting. I hope it turns out well. It will be my donation to the Artist's Preservation Group. It should be done in time for the Atlanta show. I have a few other things in the hopper. The sculpting is wrapping up on my shadowbox. I've hit an engineering snag. I hope it's temporary. I'm trying terribly hard to get a master finished. I've had a very difficult time with this one. It's finally turning into what it's supposed to be. I started hammering together a small vignette using some figure bits that I hope will turn into something. More on that another time.

We had a good New Year's Eve party. There were about ten of us here. I had several too many drinks and playing Wii golf was a challenge at 1230.

Vacation work

2007-12-30T19:51:00.000-08:00

One thing I wanted to do over the holiday was redo my studio. I had plans for a new work surface and needed to create a space for my new toy (Taig lathe). I finished up this afternoon. Over the years I've discovered that I cannot work amidst too much chaos. Another goal was to create a space that could be dedicated to photography. Hopefully, I'll be better about taking IP photos with this setup. My wife got me a portable photog studio that is looking very promising. I'm very happy with the way things have come together with the new studio. I think that it's more workable than before, even though the main workbench really didn't change that much. The fact is, that part worked fine anyway.

We're doing a New Year's Eve party this year. Our first in a few years. It should be a good time. We're planning on ten guests, no kids and a little bit of cheer. New Year's day will be spent recovering and eating the traditional black-eyed peas.

Progress continues on a handful of sculpts and one paintjob. I think I've gotten over a hurdle with a master I've been working on for way too long. Hopefully, things will continue positively. Photos next time. I've been looking more and more at Cool Mini or Not. I'm fascinated with the ideas on this site. There are some historical figures there too. I really like the Sci-fi figures and dioramas I see there. I think I'm going to do a few Sci-fi pieces soon. I feel a little odd that the characters I'm considering have no root in any body of work, but there's freedom in that too. I just don't want to have to explain what it it's supposed to be to anyone. More on this in the future.

Holiday Season

2007-12-23T18:51:00.000-08:00

I have good deal of time off over the Christmas break. We plan to enjoy it more than usual this year. For the first time in a long time, we'll be free from visiting obligations this year. I have few projects in the hopper that I hope to spend some quality time with over the break. I'm well into the sculpting the characters for my shadow box of "Big Bad John" as written by Jimmy Dean. This will be my first try at such a project. I hope it measures out to what I see in my head. The figures seem to be going well. I'd like to do some other folk heroes in the future.

If you're not given to sentimentality, you can stop reading here. This season almost always fills me with nostalgia. In Sunday school today we were asked to discuss someone outside of our immediate family that had shown us love, this being the fourth Sunday of advent. I couldn't help being reminded of my Grandpa Crisp. Discussing my Grandma would have been a no-brainer. Her love for me was so simple and unconditional, I could have done little wrong in her eyes. My Grandpa was a different story. Our relationship was somewhat contentious, if not outwardly so. My demands on my Grandma for useless junk at the toy store must have been a constant source of frustration for him. If for no other reason than it was given out of proportion to his other grandkids. After I became older and needed work, I went to work for him is his television repair shop. It was a token job that paid enough to keep a fourteen year old interested. I don't think he expected much from me in the way of initiative. Time went on and I did the best I knew how. He found out I was a quick study and liked to stay busy. Over the next five years my responsibilities grew with my ability. Without any real intention he and I became immeasurably close. He was a Navy veteran of WWII, and was there at Leyte Gulf as well as other engagements. He told me that one of his proudest moments was piping Admiral Halsey aboard the USS Bon Homme Richards.

Well, one of my proudest moments came while I was working for him; It had been a very slow summer for business. Money was tight and I had been told that payday was going to be delayed as there just wasn't money to pay everyone. I could accept that. Then we got a couple of phone calls. A service call for poor reception at an apartment complex, and an install job at another. He needed to stay and run the store and my Uncle was away that day. The work was too good to turn down, and besides, these were faithful customers. I was pretty fresh to be working on my own at that level. My Grandpa had faith in me though. He sent me on both jobs. One I did in the morning and the other that same afternoon. I was dripping wet by the end of that hot July day. I brought in enough money to make payroll. It was my work that did it. I was seventeen years old. I couldn't have done it without knowing what I learned from working there and wouldn't have been sent if one man hadn't had confidence in me. A day rarely passes that I don't think about him and how he shaped me into who I have become. In that spirit, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Learing the craft

2007-11-16T18:52:00.000-08:00

No photos this time around. I just thought I'd share a handful of thoughts I hope to turn into lessons. I'm working on a master that has given me considerable difficulty. It's not a difficult pose, or subject. For some reason it has been a source of frustration and adversity. So far I haven't drawn blood over it. I have learned several things about anatomy and how it applies to this hobby. There's a lot written about proportions and balance and how to pose a figure etc.. I try to apply this as much as possible. Sometimes however no matter how many times you measure and remeasure, there is something visibly wrong. Now, what I've figured out is, the human body is more dynamic than we might imagine. Also, it makes a difference where you take your measurements. Take them the same place every time and take them from the same place as they're taken from your template. Arms and shoulder have been a significant source of trouble for me in the past and I hope to apply some of the lessons of this past few months to something tangible.

I've been digging around on the Cool Mini or Not site lately. The folks that model fantasy sci-fi figures geared toward the gamer are some of the most creative and artistic figure models I believe I've ever seen. Technique notwithstanding, they are visually inspiring. I'm not particularly drawn to this corner of the hobby myself. I find the proportions of these figures a little off-putting. I have to admit that I greatly admire the creativity I see here. I sometimes wonder if this part of the hobby I currently enjoy will be replaced by this genre, much the same way our genre supplanted toy soldier collecting a couple of generations ago. Not that it would be a bad thing. Evolution of the hobby I guess.

Veteran's Day

2007-11-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

Today is Veteran's day. Hat's off to all the veterans of past, present and future. I have the deepest admiration for those in this country who have served in the military. Personally, I never served. It wasn't something that was done by many I grew up with. I can only think of one or two of the guys I went to school with that joined the military. I'm somewhat envious of the feeling of fraternity that veteran's enjoy with one another. Even the friendly rivalry between the services is fraternal. So, hat's off to all you vets and I hope you enjoyed the day the country has set aside to honor your service.

On the model building front, I feel like I've emerged from a hole recently. I've been frustrated with some of my efforts lately. That said, some recent studio time has broken the spell, if you will. I recently received the excellent book by Danillo Cartacci from Colorado Miniatures. This is a great book. I adapted the technique for painting faces to something I'm working on and I'm very pleased with the result.

I also got back to a long term project that I envisioned a couple of years ago. Not gonna reveal the subject yet. Here are two of at least three figure that will be in the diorama. Hopefully the project will build some momentum and it'll actually see light of day before I go gray.

Looking to the fall

2007-10-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite season. I've been able to get back at the bench with more regularity than I have in a long time. I'm working on a pair of GI's for HeLo and a Pawnee scout for Der Bunte Rock. They are both winding down and I'm down to fiddly bits. The GIs are going very well. The Pawnee gave a bit of trouble because of the difficulty I had with creating the Spencer Carbine. That's past now and things are moving ahead.

The MMSI had their Chicago show last weekend. It was a tremendous success. I truly enjoy the trip across Illinois to the show each year. This year, Ron Hilker joined Ander and me for the trip. We had a great time. I was lucky enough to earn two golds this year. The best I've ever done at Chicago. The medals themselves are important only in that it helps me measure where I stand and how much I've improved compared to past years. I also want to keep up with pack. I feel I had some of my best work there this year. I always enjoy getting a critique from fellow modelers. I got my annual advice from Greg Difranco, which I greatly appreciate. Greg displayed my personal favorite in the show with a flat placed in a shadowbox. Tremendous paint job. Two other strong contenders in my eyes were the BOS winner by Mike Blank, and a neat boxcar by Dan Tisoncik. The latter was so packed with action inside it was difficult to take it all in. Probably the highlight of the show was the selling of a major collection of Bill Horan pieces. This was some of Bill's best work. Two or three dioramas, and a handful of ballplayers, and a lot of ACW and British Victorians. He is a true master of the medium. Dand Tisoncik was the newest Chicago Medalist.

Ushering in Autumn

2007-09-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

I'm coming off one of the busiest summers I've ever had. Me and the boy have been busy with many BSA activities. He went to a leadership training week and both of us were inducted into OA. We finally got our boat out of the shop after getting a new steering cable. After that we went to the lake with vengeance. I did manage to slalom for the first time in about twenty years. I had to kick off a ski, but nonetheless. We're leaving the boat in the water until the leaves turn. It's our intention to take a fall boatride and look at the foliage. My wife's birthday is coming up and we're gonna try out a new restaurant on Branson Landing.

On the modelling front. Anders and I finally got HeLo Miniatures off the ground and things seem to be fairly positive. Anders has done the lions share of the work on this and I think he's done a great job. Casting is getting better and there are several masters in the bank. I started a couple of GIs this week myself.

Life is settling down a bit now that we're in the groove of another school year. Kathi has taken on another job to help out a friend who's going through a bout with breast cancer. Hopefully she'll be able to slow down a bit after the Christmas holidays. I hope to update with some more regularity.

Out

Ten days in the backcountry

2007-07-20T09:03:00.001-07:00

Well, this installment has little to do with figure modelling. Our Boy Scout troop just got back from a ten day 60 mile trek in Sangre de Cristo mountains of New Mexico. This is one of the High Adventure destinations for Boy Scouts. It was a very satisfying, rewarding experience. I never describe these types of things as fun. Of course, we did have fun. The fun was punctuated by difficulty and hardship. The challenges of carrying four days food, sleeping on the ground and going to the bathroom outdoors were the day-to-day challenges our crew dealt with. Some of the more difficult things were hiking 8 miles in a day, dealing with daily rain and thunderstorms, and climbing steep inclines toward peaks reaching nearly 12,000 feet. These difficulties are also some of the most rewarding things to have accomplished. Watching the boys dig deep and find something that they didn't know they had was the most rewarding experience of the entire journey. I was terribly proud of my fourteen year old son. Barely old enough to go and the smallest in the crew, he did a great job and overcame a few fears and hardships. We had some emotional times. Some of the fun things we did included, horseback riding, shooting black powder rifles, rock climbing, trapping and tomahawk throwing. I looked forward to this whole trip with some trepidation. After the hike began, I found that I was "in the moment" and rarely missed home. Now that the trip is over, I find that it has become an indellible memory that I'll reflect on fondly for years to come. Hopefully soon I'll have a slideshow of the trip for those of you that are interested.

The picture shows our crew: rear l-r; Austin Whitworth, Robert Mahaffey middle; JD Mahaffey, Nick Vollmar, Ian Loyd, JB Long, myself front; Ken Vollmar.

Overcoming inertia

2007-06-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

There's a phenomenon that we kid each other about at work. We call it severe gravity distress syndrome. The theory behind it goes something like this; there is a microscopic black hole on the seat of everyone's chair and if that person ever sits down the vortex keeps that person orbiting the event horizon for eternity. Practically speaking, when you sit down you don't want to get back up. It takes considerable motivation in order to get up and do any beneficial work. I get that way about the hobby sometimes. The other night I watched a boring ball game knowing I had a few things I could be doing in the studio. At bedtime I went to shut everything down and stopped in the studio to look at a project. Seeing a couple of flaws, I proceeded to take care of business. Before I knew it, I had been in there 45 minutes. How much could I have gotten done if I had sat in my studio chair instead of my easy chair?

I moved all of my figures from two cabinets in the family to one larger one in the office. Thematically it works out better because the office is nearer the studio. The cabinet is nicer and lighter. I can see things a little better. I looked over some of my first dioramas and figures. Oooooh, not good. I keep them out though. I like looking at them no matter how amateurish they look. They remind me of a time when I was most enthusiastic about learning new things. There's a real timeline there.

Workbench update;

I have finished up the basework for the sci-fi dude. I'm about to complete one of the OIF figures I had started a while back. Anders copied a few heads I sculpted and I was very pleased with the results. One 54mm head is particulary good if I say so myself. One of the 1/35 heads is better than the other, but both are pretty good. I'm working on a Pawnee scout for Der Bunte Rock and I expect that it'll be one of those figure that goes on its energy and one day I'll finish it without realizing I've spent much time working on it.

2007-06-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how quickly time passes sometimes. Last weekend was the Tulsa show. It was a bit smaller than in the past, but still high quality as usual. Some key regulars weren't there, but they were offset by a couple of surprises, and several newcomers. The work of Doug Cohen, Fletcher Clement, Chris Mrosko was missed. Bob Bethea, also absent was represented on the table however. I usually go down on Friday afternoon, but didn't make it until Friday evening this time. I felt like I missed so many folks in the short weekend. I judged again and this is a great way to learn and also to insure that you get a very good look at all the displays. The miner I did was well received and earned a Gold medal along with the Royal Horse Artillery. Joe Hudson was elected the newest Tulsa Medalist and Jason Green won his second BOS. Jason's work has to be seen to be appreciated. It looks good in pictures, but in person one can appreciate the smooth finish and subtle but well contrasted color pallette. Hopefully the work Kevin Wheeler and others put in to the photography will show up on the web soon.

I've been trying to train for a 50 mile hike that my son and I will soon take. His Boy Scout troop is sending a handful of us to Philmont Scout Ranch for a ten day trek. I have a nagging knee injury that's dragging me down a lot. I've been eating ibuprofin like candy and icing the thing as much as I can stand.

Workbench update. I finished my part of the joint project with Kreston. I have to say that I enjoyed the bulkheads and deck the most enjoyable. I could fiddle the thing to death and finally had to say enough is enough. I think I'll do something similar to the Sci-Fi piece I worked on earlier. I'm back on the modern figures I started a while back, and the Pawnee I started about the same time. I doubt if I'll get a chance to get anything else ready before Chicago in the fall. We'll see though.

Closing out a hard week

2007-05-27T20:03:00.001-07:00

Just finished a rough week. Our SORT just went through our yearly recertification. It's three days of written, practical and physical testing. I'm always glad when it's over. We have a barbecue at a friend's house and have a few beers. We're having a little get together at our house for family to celebrate Memorial Day. It should be fun. The Tulsa show is very near and I'm as ready as I'll be. I'll have five pieces this year and what I think is one of my best displays ever.

Workbench update; I just finished off the miner I sculpted. I think it could be one of my best pieces ever. I didn't capture the look I wanted, but it's close enough, and I'm very pleased with the result. I can now get back to some sculpting projects. The Pawnee Scout will get top priority, with a couple of modern guys close behind. My collaboration with Kreston Peckham will also get some attention. The deck and bulkheads are what I have left. I have a couple of problems to solve first, but then it should go smoothly.

Been a while

2007-05-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last update. A lot has happened since my last entry. Not much in the miniature arena I'm afraid. I have several projects on the bench in various states of completion.

The last few weeks have seen lots of personal and family activity. I started playing softball again recently and that's been fun. We had our annual Correctional Worker's week activities, lots of good food, booze and fun. The Wednesday night volleyball tourney resulted in an aggrevated knee for me. JB and I went on a 10 mile backpacking trip Mother's day weekend. This was in preparation for our Philmont trek. This week, we're in the middle of recertifying out SORT. We had an awfully physical day today. There are still some difficult events to complete, but basically it's downhill from here.

Workbench update; not much to tell here. My main focus has been the miner. I have painted most of the figure, with only the flesh, helmet and coat collar left to do. I have sculpted intermittantly, but no real results to show. I had a minor mishap with a modern figure. Trying to seperate arm from torso, I destroyed a bit of the finished work. This will be easy enough to fix though. Hopefully, I'll have some pictures to show before the Tulsa show on June 1st.

Spring has sprung

2007-04-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

Well, after some erratic weather here in the midwest I think we might finally have some consistant spring weather. It's been very busy around the household. I started playing coed softball after a long hiatus. It's been fun. It's a church team and everyone is fun to play with. It's been a little hard on my 41 year old body though. We finally got the car licensed. It took a while to get all the paperwork, but now it's done.

Since the last writing we've seen the passing of a couple of fellows that have served the miniature figure hobby well in their lives. Bob Knee passed this past week and Dieter Mattingly the week before. Bob was very active in the hobby with many articles to his credit. Bob could be seen at every Atlanta show. I met him a few years ago and was immediately impressed with his openness and warm nature. Dieter was well known and well collected and had been for many years. He had contagious enthusiasm and was key in getting many folks their start in painting miniatures. He was a key organizer of what would become the HMSNEO, host of the Tulsa show. Both of these fellows will be missed by all who knew them. We're all richer for having experienced their gifts.

Workbench update: It's been a while since my last update. I have been quite busy at the bench. I have moved to the painting of my 1920's miner, and the joint project with Kreston has moved to the backdrop/groundwork stage. I'm looking forward to getting some stuff done for Tulsa. I should have the miner ready by then and I imagine I'll have about four pieces.

Trip to the movie house

2007-04-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

I went to see 300 the ohter day with my son. I had planned to go with friends as well, but jury duty precluded this. I had to go to a later viewing than planned, so it was just my son and me. The film was a lot of fun and very faithful to Frank Miller's comic book vision. I was a bit disappointed that I didn't find it very moving. I was expecting something like Gladiator, or Saving Private Ryan I suppose. I felt the sacrifice of the Spartans and their cohorts at Thermopolae deserved a bit more reverence. That's a small point I think and probably not the vision that the producers had in mind. I love going to the movies and 300 is a prime example of the type of movie that must be seen in the theater. Grindhouse is the next film up for me and my movie buds.

My home show, HMSNEO's Tulsa show, is coming up very soon. HMSNEO INFORMATION HERE Pieces are being gathered up in anticipation for the fund-raising auction. I've donated my ACW Cavalry General to the cause. I'm sure others will be added as we get closer to show time.

My wife bought a used car yesterday. It was a new experience for her as I've always taken care of these things in the past. She did a good job and got one of the best deals we ever got on a used car. It's an '05 Nissan Altima and a nice ride.

Workbench update; I finished the Royal Horse Artillery figure. I've been working a bit on my joint project with Kreston. Sculpting with differnt materials in mind is a little challenging. Leather behaves a little different than wool, wool different than linen etc.. I'm also knee deep in a project for Der Bunte Rock, a Pawnee scout from the Indian wars. I'm returning to the spaceman I started a while back. I'll be trying to come up with a scene for him to occupy. My 1920's miner has stalled a bit because I wasn't happy with the drapery of the denim jacket. I'll get back to it today. I really want to have it completed in time for Tulsa.

Spring Break

2007-03-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

I was reminded this week of a live chat thing that a few of us in the hobby used to be involved with. It was a live chat room in which the participants talked like we were on a party line or conference call. It was a lot of fun. I met and got to know people from as far away as Australia, and Scotland. It was quite a bit of fun, very close to a local club meeting or a show hospitality room.

Workbench Update: The photos are examples of what is going on in the studio lately. I actually have a lot of sculpting going on other than what you see. I only have one painting project going on right now and that is the Royal Horse Artillery by Elite. This is a real cracker jack of a figure. It has been pleasure to paint so far. I've also gotten a little bit of an education along the way as I researched the uniform. The sculpting project in the photo is a joint project I've entered into with Kreston Peckham. I'll reveal the subject after the project has progressed futher.

Art?

2007-03-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

As I sat in church today listening to the music, I thought of how moving "Ode to Joy" was as the young lady played it on the violin. Afterward I thought, "That is the stuff of art." A piece of music, a painting, a sculpture, these can all evoke emotions. Perhaps this is the difference between art and craft. Do we, as miniaturists, create art? The answer, sometimes. I've seen a few pieces that I would consider "moving". Most of them merely recreate in miniature some scene, usually historical. They do require artistic skill, but so do many other things that are not art. I would like to say that what I do is art. I think more accurately, it is artistic. I aspire to art when I create something, but I have to admit to myself, I haven't gotten there yet. I also have to say that the skill, and craftsmanship must be present before art can be accomplished in this medium. I'll continue to hammer away until I get there. I think I've found a new motivating goal.

I have been experimenting with poses this past week and had one of those lightning bolt moments. I had assembled a mannequin and was trying to accomplish that relaxed, weight on one foot pose so common in miniatures. It was not working. The guy was wooden and unnatural. I tried everything I could think of, then as I stood in my studio grinding away with my dremel, I became aware of how I was standing. Then it was clear, tilt the pelvis! I dropped the Dremel, grabbed the figure, tilted the pelvis, the result was like magic. I haven't been able to quit thinking about it and why I didn't get it before. This is why I do this. One of those moments is worth all the frustration and failures of the entire year.

Workbench update: As stated I've been working with poses and anatomy. I have sculpted a Harpooner, and what will become a 1920's miner(see above). I have also embelleished a sci-fi piece. I built a life support backpack and helmet for him. What a hoot. I have undercoated the RHA discussed in the last update. I have started on the sculpting for a joint project with Kreston Peckham. More on that later.

There is nothing as dumb as.....

2007-03-04T05:57:00.000-08:00

someone else's hobby. The Atlanta show is a week old by this writing. It was an excellent time as usual. This was my fifth or sixth trip to Atlanta. I always find it a terrific time. This one was no exception. Shows have become such a social event for me. I used to read on the message boards and in magazine show reports that it wasn't about the awards, it was about meeting up with friends. I used to think that was a lot of BS. In the past three to four years, I've come to realize the truth. It is about the social aspect. I enjoy having the recognition of a medal, but this has really become secondary. Sharing my hobby with others that are just as enthusiastic about it as I am is truly satisfying. Other folks that aren't involved in the hobby may appreciate the work, but unless they have done something like that, they don't really know what it's about. When you go to a figure show, everyone has the same interest. To share with others something that is so enjoyable to yourself is how friendships are made.

Workbench update: I started a sci-fi piece. I plan to convert a Andrea/3d miniatures slightly. I can't imagin that it was a very popular kit, but it is nicely cast. I'm in the process of creating space helmet and life support pack for him. I haven't decided the context for this figure yet, but I'm thinking something like "Outland". I also received the Elite Miniatures "Royal Horse Artillery". Cleanup was minimal, which is the reward for buying a figure while it's relatively new on the scene. The molds haven't begun to age yet. I want to improve my painting and I've found the best way to do that is with a high quality figure, a "painter's figure". Minimal cleanup and filling are two qualities of the "painter's figure", good sculpting casting are two more. A few thing to work on for me are blending, and simulating the direction of light. This figure has some unsculpted details that should be fun too.

Wrapping one up

2007-02-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

I hate to add another entry so soon, but I just took photos of this one and wanted to share. I tried several different things on this one. Some I liked and some I didn't. I tried a few shortcuts that I'm regretful of. Not so regretful that I would redo any of them. More pics here.I'm looking forward to getting back to sculpting. I have a joint project coming up and a shadowbox that I wish to do. I watched 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Saturday night. I think a Ned Land figure poised with harpoon may be my next original piece. We'll see.

Saturday routine

2007-02-10T08:07:00.000-08:00

I love Saturdays. I've come to really appreciate the relaxed mornings and the quiet afternoons of a typical Saturday. Many of my Saturdays are spent in this way; get coffee and breakfast and listen to Weekend Edition on NPR. After that I watch Bob Ross crank out a canvas painting until about 10:30. I try to be at the workbench by this time. These are ingredients to a good day at the workbench. Today is one of those Saturdays, the first for me in a while.

Anders and I made the trek to Tulsa last night for the monthly meeting. February is the club's annual swap-meet. I took several kits and sold a few of them. I managed to walk out without buying anything. The club gained a couple of new members due in large part to painting classes held at The Hussar. I've come to realize what a special situation we have in Tulsa. There is an active club, a unique shop in which we meet and a committed and creative core group of members. The club has a long reach as well, with members in Dallas, OK city, and of course here in Springfield, MO. I don't get to attend meetings as much as in the past. When I do get to go, I'm reminded of what a special situation we have with the partnership of HMSNEO and The Hussar.

Hobby commentary: I got invloved in a discussion on one of the armor modelling boards the other day regarding the difference between a diorama and a vignette. A difficult thing to quantify. My view has always been that I know one when I see it. I think some contest venues exacerbate this pigeon-holing problem when they have different classes for each. How do I enter my piece? Or worse, I need to make the base for my subject X" x Y" and include a vehicle and N figures so I can place my piece in the Dioramas category. I have to say, I'm glad that most figure exhibitions avoid this by having only two categories in the advanced division.

Workbench update: Painting progresses on the 1st SSF diorama. One figure is completed and the other is getting there. A couple of sessions at the bench should see the dioramas completion. I will have to touch up a few areas. I had to make some necessary repairs due to a small accident involving the kneeling figure. Not as bad as it could have been. I'll take photos and post them soon. Atlanta is coming soon and I'm just about ready.............

"The joint's a lonely place after lights out and lock-up"- H.I. McDonough, Raising Arizona

2007-01-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

Got a little cold I'm fighting off and I'm quite tired from back to back out of town trips. Both were interesting in their own way. One was a Scouting trip to the Tulsa Air and Space Museum. The boys had a great time and earned their Aviation Merit Badge. I learned a new respect for aviators. It's a terribly difficult skill, requiring skill, intelligence and perseverance. Fellow miniaturist Kim Jones ins the curator there. If you find yourself in Tulsa, give it a visit. You won't be disappointed. The other trip was work related. The Federal Bureau of Prisons North Central region held its biannual Crisis Management Training at the facility in Marion Illinois. For a number of years I've been involved with SORT, the Bureau of Prison's version of SWAT. For the last three years, I've been involved in training SORT Operators in tactical skills. For this most recent version of CMT I was assigned to the firing range to provide training in advanced weapons handling. The diagram shows an example of my room for the last few days. Here's an ARTICLE that explains it pretty well without getting me in trouble with the management. Hope you find it interesting. The training week certainly was.

Workbench update; As I've been gone there is little to report. I did manage to stop by the Hussar today and pick up the latest HM. I progressed ever so slightly on the 1st SSF fellows and expect to get at them in earnest in the coming days. More pics will follow.

Icy grip

2007-01-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, we've had quite the adventure lately. An ice storm, the worst in memory, came through last weekend. Another winter storm is in progress right now. I've never seen the like of ruined trees. It's as if a large lawn mower came in about 15 feet high and trimmed things down. I have also see several large trees uprooted due to the weight of ice on upper branches. My son and I helped one of my workmates remove trees from their long driveway. At one point 90% of the folks in our county were without power, including us. We were lucky and got our power back within 24 hours. Others are still without a week later. I'm told as many as 50% are still without power. Generators are flying off the shelf. My good friend and fellow figurista, Anders and his girlfriend were without for a few days and came to stay with us. Hopefully, we'll see a break in the weather and folks will get power back soon.

Workbench update; I've finished the groundwork for the ECW Cavalier. I still have to construct and paint the scabard, then attach the figure. I will then add some pastels to tie everything together. I have also progressed a bit on the 1st SSF figures. I'm experimenting with a new(to me) oil painting technique. I apply the undercoat as usual, then I add the midtone in oils. That is allowed to dry for 24 hours. Then I go back and add the shadows and blend. Then the highlights are added and blended. I call it wet-on-damp. Enough blending occurs with the damp/dry midtone that it allows a smooth transition without the worry of muddying the tones. It's experimantal and the jury's out on how well I like it.

January update

2007-01-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

Workbench update; I finished up the ECW figure. There are stil the pistols to add, but I may leave them off. I am planning on doing the figure with a horse at some point in the future. For now he will occupy a base with gabions as if standing near a breached fortification. I have begun painting the uniforms on the 1st SSF fellows. Completing the diorama for AMFS is becoming increasingly less likely. I've pushed through before to make a show and was sorry. I'll just have to see if lightning strikes. I expect to have a three or four pieces anyway.

I wish to improve my photography skills. My biggest problem is when I'm ready to take photos of my work, I'm in somewhat of a hurry. A photo setup is large and somewhat intrusive in my small workspace. I'll work on it in the coming year. Something else I wish to work on is my blending technique. In oil painting, blending makes or breaks the piece. I asked for advice in Timelines, and got some good advice. It's all about improving from figure to figure, to me anyway. If you do what you've always done, expect what you've always gotten.

Christmas Past

2006-12-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

Well another successful Christmas. We managed to get my folks at my house here this year for Christmas eve gift exchange and perpetual Hors D'oeurves bar. Then today we went to my Father-in-Law's house for more of the same. We still have a New Years day event with the Mother-in-Law. This holiday season included dog sitting for my nieces Christmas present- an Chihuahua puppy! What a hoot. I'm off work through New Years day and have high hopes of getting some bench-time.

Workbench update; I'm nearing completion of the groundwork for the diorama. Just a few details to add and I can begin painting in earnest. I imagine it'll be painting from now until AMFS with a short diversion toward groundwork for the ECW cavalry guy. Speaking of the cavalryman, he is mostly assembled and almost ready to finish. Hopefully this week will see his completion.

Chrismas is right 'round the corner

2006-12-17T18:06:00.000-08:00

I finally got busy at the bench. What you see is how far I've gotten on the groundwork project for Timelines. I have also gotten a bit further on detailing and painting the shed. I decided to redo that a bit.

Lots has happened since my last real update. We had a terrific snow here a while back and my son went on a Boy Scout camping trip. They stayed in a cabin and most of the kids brought sleds. I gather that they had a terrific time. I had a long week last week I outlined earlier. 48 hours OT in five days left me a little spent. Motivation and energy is returning slowly. There have been the usual round of holiday partys and other activities. I have a week off over the holidays and I'm looking forward to it. My brother and his family will back this way by then and I look forward to seeing them. My good friend Brian and I have vowed to hit the mountain biking trail if weather permits over the Christmas break. If I remember to, I'll get some photos of that. Until next time, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Interruptions

2006-12-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

Well, life gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it? I have not been able to get much done the last week or so. I had a temporary change in duty at work this week that will extend through Monday. Working noon to midnight leaves very little private time. To add to the frustration, the furnace has been acting up and requires a certain amount of carressing to become operational. I may get in to the nuts and bolts of it after the whole thing is history. I missed our office Christmas party too. Hopefully things will be baack to normal by mid-week.

Workbench update; no pictures to share, but I did get a bit of work done on the ECW figure. I repainted the eyes. I felt like they need a different look. I also added a bit of blood seeping from the cut on the cheek and some also on the lace collar. I found it difficult to create a realistic look. I think I succeded in the end. It did take a couple of tries though. Pictures to follow soon. I made some minor adjustments to the 1st SSF diorama. The figures seemed too far forward and I moved them back slightly. I still intend to have all of this done for the AMFS show in February. I'll have to push some.

A new month

2006-12-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

Well, we are under a blanket of snow and ice here in SW Missouri. It's been a good couple of days to hole up at home. A late night call took me back in to work last night and had me up way past my bed time. Luckily I was off today and able to sleep in and cathc an afternoon nap. I've learned to love all the seasons for what they are. Even the bitter cold of winter has its charm.

Bench update; More painting on the ECW Rounhead. I had a Bob Ross "happy accident" with this guy. I wanted to accentuate the highlights on the sash. I added some more white to my highlights and as I was hitting the tops of all the folds. I started in the middle, and in the progress noticed that was all that was needed. In fact it was a case where less is more. The extreme highlight in key places was just the thing to create some shine and dimension.

The diorama is progressing nicely. It is the subject of tutorial/group project on Timelines forum. Groundwork Tutorial I hope everyone gets a little something out of it.

Post Thanksgiving reflections

2006-11-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

I've been bust at the bench actually. Painting on the Roundhead is going well. I have started the painting on the 1st SSF fellows. I will be leading a portion of a group project on Timelines. The subject is groundwork and I will be doing an urban scene. Inspired by the work of Greg Difranco, I am considering painting my 1st SSF diorama as if it were happening by moonlight. It's a bold move for me and I may abandon the idea if a step doesn't go well. We shall see. Expect a couple of figure reviews soon also for Timelines.

This is the first Thanksgiving in the last several years that my wife hasn't had to work. During this period, as a family, we would eat dinner at the hospital where she worked. She's in a new postion now and we were able to have Thanksgiving dinner with my family. It was a blessing. My cousins and I also divided my late Aunt's Christmas ornaments. That brought back many memories and several laughs.

November already!

2006-11-13T14:24:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted.

Veteran's day has passed, happy Veteran's day to all the Vets out there.

Folks, I'm told our WWII Vets are leaving us at the rate of 1000/day. I went to the visitation of an old friend's Grandfather. This kind of drove the point home to me. He was a WWII veteran. The funeral was to include an Honor Guard. I was sorry that I couldn't attend.

Workbench update. I have finished the sculpting on the victim of a knife attack for my diorama of the Devil's Brigade. I have resculpted an ECW Roundhead. Painting has begun on the ECW and the 1st SSF figures. My friend Paul Kernan sent me a link the other day regarding a reality show they're broadcasting in Cananda. It's about the 1st SSF. I gather it's a lot like our PBS reality shows. Modern folks are plugged into situations of the past. What a great show that'll be. Maybe we'll get some version of it.

Back to the bench

2006-10-29T19:49:00.000-08:00

Usually I return from a show ready to crank out many inspired pieces. While I have plans, life gets in the way. A very busy week and fatigue have precluded any model building. I've packed away most of the stuff I bought at the MMSI show.

The Cards won the World Series this week and I could have peed my pants. I watched the last 1 1/2 innings standing up. The first world Championship since I was a Junior in high school. Awesome! I know noone outside of middle America cared, but here it was incredible.

The other day I was walking down the hall at work and had one of those episodes when certain smells trigger memories. I don't know what the aroma was, but it was distinctly like the one I used to smell at my Grampa Long's when he lived near our house. I used to get off the bus at there and stay there until my folks got home. The aroma was a potpouri of supper cooking, oak smoldering in the wood stove and plug tobacco. If I could I'd bottle the stuff and then I'd self medicate with this nostalgic elixir. Because for an all too brief instant I was seven years old again and sitting in his living room with a tv tray of after-school snacks in front of me and a quiet old man behind me. How could a boy feel more secure?

Back fom Chicago

2006-10-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

My good friend Anders and I returned from the MMSI show late last night. The trip home seemed a long one this time. The show was an excellent experience again. I'm truly amazed at the openness of figure modellers to help one another attain another level of achievement. It was great to see old friends and meet some new ones this year. I was able to make face-to-face contact with a very nice gentleman for whom I had sculpted a couple of masters. Michael Von Kolpinski, the owner of Der Bunte Rocke had travelled from Germany to Chicago for the first time and I believe had a terrific time. It was very enjoyable to discuss past and future projects with him. I was also fortunate enough to get some very helpful advice from one of America's most talented painters. Greg Difranco was very complimentary of my work in general while at the same time providing some excellent advice on what to do to improve my work. There was some truly inspirational work on display. I used to read the show coverage in the magazines with slight disbelief when I read that the shows were about meeting old and new friends. I always thought they were about seeing the excellent work of other artists. After I had the opportunity to visit a few shows, I found that what the reporter said in their articles was true. The work becomes a medium for coming together. These are truly social events, where much fun is had.

I do have a few minor negatives. The hotel, while very nice and accomodating was like all hotels geared toward the business traveller. Extra charges for local calls and internet access was unfortunate in my opinion. This is obviously geared toward the business person on expense account, and not the casual weekender on a budget. The hospitaliuty suite would have been better if it could have been housed in one room instead of spread between two or three. The room where the awards were given out was a bit too small and it was difficult for the crowd in the hall to hear. A page of the awards was left out for about the third time that I know of. This seems to be a recurring event at the Chicago show. Not major things, but I felt they were worth mentioning.

Overall this was one of the best figure events I have attended. The new hotel was nice, the club was accomodating, the attendees were friendly and open, I sold a piece and obtained a couple of future deals, and bought a handful of useful items. What more could a person ask for. Advice for other figure modellers...Get thee to a Show!

Finished Australian

2006-10-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the last piece that I wanted to finish for Chicago. It included many experiments not the least of which was making the figure submersed in water. I used a new product for the water. Vallejo has released several new products for simulating water. The one I used is "Still Water". It is a crystal clear, medium viscosity fluid. You basically squeeze it from the bottle and usher it into place with brush. I am very pleased with the final piece.

2006-10-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

Here's the completed Chasseur. I'm pleased with the finished work, but not so much with the photography. I guess I need better lighting. I am nearly finished with my last piece for Chicago. If all goes well, I should have two (maybe three) painters pieces, and two open pieces.

2006-10-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

Here's the groundwork for the Chasseur in the last upate. I used a kit piece for the post and created a wrought iron fence from brass rod and tube. I topped it with some beads from the bead section at Hobby Lobby. I like this part of figure modelling as much as anything. I also have gotten quite a bit done on my Aussie in the swamp. Lots to do in the coming days before Chicago.

2006-10-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

I'm well in to the process of finishing this figure to the left. It's actually further along than the photo shows. I'll post some new ones soon. I have the basework completed. The base was damaged by the tap I used and had to be refinished. I decided to have our Chasseur here standing on a sidewalk near the corner of an iron fence. I have to admit to knowing little about the subject. It is one of the Napoleonic uniforms I thought might be interesting to paint. I'm looking forward to getting this one done. I have another project in the works that needs to be finished before the 2006 Chicago Show October 20th.

2006-09-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

Day One: Following another's lead.