 deadhead  | 19 Feb 2020 7:09 a.m. PST |
Less ambitious than the Dong Ba Tower, but much modelling clay left over, so I built a Citadel garden wall. My abiding memory of Tet is UK TV based (Thank God) and of Marines firing over a wall with M16s held aloft and unusually I thought then, in long sleeves. I get the impression that any progress through the Citadel was just a ferocious gun battle at one garden wall after another. I converted two Gringos40 figures to create that here, but mistakenly largely concealed them with the badly placed Bazooka team. Well set now…too late to move. The grenade thrower is a G40 figure with his head rotated 180, but I would be careful if I was standing next to him. Not sure he will clear that wall. Some long sleeves added but no other major conversions. The M60 gunner is my favourite still.
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| Old Wolfman | 19 Feb 2020 10:22 a.m. PST |
Can hear "Surfin' Bird" already. ;^) |
| Colonel Bogey | 19 Feb 2020 11:15 a.m. PST |
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| The Dao | 19 Feb 2020 11:35 a.m. PST |
Spectacular! Love that 60 bipod hanging free to demonstrate he is raising up and down over the wall and firing. Captures the drama. |
| deadhead | 19 Feb 2020 12:00 p.m. PST |
Thanks all. Yes the M60 gunner was based on this chap….great photo;
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| Bismarck | 19 Feb 2020 1:29 p.m. PST |
More nice work, Liam.
Looking back at the posts of Ged's Gringo 40 Vietnam line, it seems that some of the poses are walking right out of or right in the middle of some period photographs. I remember when he did that figure holding the M16 overhead and firing, I thought that was one of the most copied and famous photos of the war. While I am at it, wanted to add another compliment. Jungle Boots! The canvas/nylon diagonal reinforcement strip crossing the sides of the boots was a different shade of green than the rest of the cloth part of the boot. I shook my head seeing that evident in both your work and the guy who also paints for Ged( Andy Singleton?). The canvas always turned the color of the local dirt and stayed that way. Wear and tear on the leather parts have been well done as well.
Hats off to both of you and to Ged for sculpting that much detail on the boots. Off topic, Ged, I knew the grooves on that 81mm mortar had to take some time. Awesome work! best to all Sam Lemonds |
 Legion 4 | 19 Feb 2020 4:56 p.m. PST |
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| Just Jack | 19 Feb 2020 5:16 p.m. PST |
Fantastic, I really love how you take the cinematic photos, then show the models stand alone, really amazing what you're able to accomplish. V/R,
Jack |
| deadhead | 20 Feb 2020 5:02 a.m. PST |
Thanks all. The trick with the background photos is depth of focus. So, a massive tripod, a closed shutter (f27 at least), a very long exposure, the photo almost touching the figures and blinding lighting. The snag then? Reflection off the photo and off even the most matt painted figures. Yes I was impressed by the modelling of the diagonal reinforcement on the boots and had to at least highlight it. I went even dafter on my early figures and painted in the brass "drainage" eyelets. They do not stay shiny brass for long and must be the daftest idea ever. All they do is let ice cold (North York Moors) water pour in and nothing comes out. |
| Frederick | 20 Feb 2020 7:17 a.m. PST |
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| tomrommel1 | 20 Feb 2020 9:06 a.m. PST |
That looks really good indeed |
jammy four  | 20 Feb 2020 5:01 p.m. PST |
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| jammy four | 20 Feb 2020 5:04 p.m. PST |
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| deadhead | 21 Feb 2020 3:31 a.m. PST |
The firing over the wall figures. One I just used the kneeling figure sawed off at the waist and stuck on a pair of legs (chap with bare arms). The other one I sawed the arms off the kneeling figure and transplanted…..not easy if not to break the whole thing. Would love to try one with arms even more raised…straight arms held vertically. Probably means wrist amputations next time and arms from somewhere else. Some great casting on these figures. M16s but esp the M60…detail on that is amazing. Silver dry brushing is all it takes to make one look really skilled as a painter…easy! |
| jammy four | 21 Feb 2020 3:54 a.m. PST |
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asks a painting service to handle a complicated commission: assembling four plastic kits, getting the magnets right, painting and applying decals.
