Lead Adventure Forum

Miniatures Adventure => Age of the Big Battalions => Topic started by: Battle Brush Sigur on 19 September 2017, 02:37:45 PM

Title: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 19 September 2017, 02:37:45 PM: Look what I got! To distract myself from what I SHOULD be doing (paint a whoooole lot of 25mm horses and lancers) I got this kit.

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/boxfront.jpg.3f1e90e60e603e52b100a2b3b18ad391.jpg)

I like that box design. :) The three sprues came in a plastic bag along with a 2-page A4 sized instructions leaflet for painting and assembly. Well, less of an assembly instruction than the picture from the boxfront (plus a back view in the same style. Very, very pretty.) and a bunch of numbers for where the parts go. There are no numbers on the sprues themselves, but if you open the instructions there's pictures of the sprues along with numbering for the parts.

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/contents.jpg.a915ad2f5e173be869611398723697e4.jpg)

Last night I couldn't resist ripping the box open and starting to build the horse. The fit of the two main halves of the body was awful. :D Some filing and shaving with a blade helped that though. The plastic's rather nice. Not too brittle not too soft. Detail looks great.

The little nubbins on the horse halves went bye-bye during all the filing of course. I replaced them with metal pins, mainly to help positioning the parts against each other. Then I applied some plastic cement (Revell Contacta Professional of course), used five rubber bands to tightly keep the parts together and it as off to bed. Me, not the horse. It stayed on the table.

So far the build is going OK. Of course there'll be much fiddlier parts later on, but I think it'll be OK. Painting the chap should be very, very interesting. Never painted such a large figure before (concerning scale of course. I painted larger things like titans and dragon and such. Also not counting the lawn ornament Snowwhite figures a few years ago.)

Some parts with a 28mm Space Marine for scale:

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/size1.jpg.03a5673c4d6418351d482e59431d5a2c.jpg)
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: wolfkarl on 19 September 2017, 04:19:42 PM: Hey, that's a nice find! I'm old enough to remember these types of kits. I built a few of the these in the old days.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 20 September 2017, 01:17:06 PM: Cheers. :) Yeah, Miniart (from Ukraine) have a nice little range of these 1/16th historical figures out now for not too much money. First I wanted to go with Andrea or Pegaso or whatever, but a mounted figure that size (or a bit smaller) costs like €120,00 whereas these plastic one here set me back just under € 30,00. Which is OK for a project I'm not sure I'll ever have the time actually finishing.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 21 September 2017, 08:43:11 AM: I also remember these kits but did never dare to make one...
Knowing your painting prowess, we are waiting something special to come out!
Eager to see the next stages! Cheers!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 22 September 2017, 01:56:35 PM: @DintheDin: Thanks very much. Honestly, I think in terms of painting this may be easier than a smaller scale. You mostly have to take care so colours are where they belong. Shading/highlights to large extents take care of themselves at this scale. The biggest possible problem I see (and the thing where people could spend a LOT of time on this figure is getting the different textures across.

Someone on a Napoleonic FB group posted pictures of his version of the model. I put up mine at the stage it was at back then to compare:

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/pinkie.jpg.018105b571511539a7c5bf56fad8c520.jpg)

...and the night after that most of the chap was put together:

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/built.jpg.764a4fb0bf8e37c7ea46d6a9363b1760.jpg)

Only halfway through I relaized that reigns have to be scratch-built, along with the straps for the stirrups and for the scabbard. Guess I'll use cardboard for that. Also: The basket for the handle of the sabre has to be built for which I plan to use copper wire.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 22 September 2017, 02:08:39 PM: Last night I started slapping paint onto the Cuirassier here and there:

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/wip1.jpg.3be023423d522a01955ec3251d3801be.jpg)

:) Now I have to go back to 25mm Minifigs Polish cavalry. Hope I can get back to painting the big Cuirassier soon.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: wolfkarl on 22 September 2017, 03:24:00 PM: He's looking good so far. Beautiful painting on the face and nice color choice for the horse. Keep it going!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Vanvlak on 22 September 2017, 03:30:07 PM: Good grief, even the moustache on your finger is beautifully done, let alone the face of the real thing! :o :-* 8)
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 22 September 2017, 04:38:26 PM: @wolfkarl: Thanks very much! :) Also: nothing like finding out that there still are gaps after the base colour is applied... (as made evident by the putty i smeared on top)

@Vanvlak: What finger? Corporal Pinkie takes offense to this! ;) Cheers!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 22 September 2017, 06:52:12 PM: Quote from: Battle Brush Sigur on 22 September 2017, 01:56:35 PM
@DintheDin: Thanks very much. Honestly, I think in terms of painting this may be easier than a smaller scale. You mostly have to take care so colours are where they belong. Shading/highlights to large extents take care of themselves at this scale. The biggest possible problem I see (and the thing where people could spend a LOT of time on this figure is getting the different textures across.

Colours where they belong, shading/highlights and different textures! You got the real issues for this scale perfectly well, but I'm sure that in the end we will see a masterpiece! Keep up the good job!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Vanvlak on 23 September 2017, 07:33:42 AM: Quote from: Battle Brush Sigur on 22 September 2017, 04:38:26 PM
@wolfkarl: Thanks very much! :) Also: nothing like finding out that there still are gaps after the base colour is applied... (as made evident by the putty i smeared on top)

@Vanvlak: What finger? Corporal Pinkie takes offense to this! ;) Cheers!
Hasty apologies to the Corporal, before I'm challenged to a duel! :o
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 28 September 2017, 01:57:11 AM: @DintheDin: Well yeah, in theory I got a plan... :P Let's see how and if this translates well to reality.

@Vanvlak: :D

Best thing to wind down after hours and hours of painting Bay horses is painting a Bay horse I say!

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/wip2.jpg.b7f70037d0e64b802c5b7da60a99458c.jpg)
full size picture: http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/wip2.jpg.b7f70037d0e64b802c5b7da60a99458c.jpg (http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_09/wip2.jpg.b7f70037d0e64b802c5b7da60a99458c.jpg)
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 28 September 2017, 06:18:45 AM: It's beutiful! I like the fading you managed between black and brown, well done!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 25 October 2017, 09:52:08 AM: @DintheDin: Thanks very much! :) I'm still not entirely happy with the horse, but I guess I'll get there eventually.

Little update on the fella.

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_10/wip3.jpg.9838853551723e25b6088b3d718610db.jpg)

Here's a pic of the sabre's basket WIP:

(http://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2017_10/WP_20171014_22_35_40_Pro.jpg.50dd060059d3429ff3dfe67bae40b63f.jpg)
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Vanvlak on 25 October 2017, 12:12:23 PM: Good grief, the sabre basket looks terrific. And he's so lifelike it's weird to see his disembodied head floating on the pin vise! :o 8) 8) 8) Nice metal on the cuirass too.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: von Lucky on 25 October 2017, 12:47:44 PM: Lovely stuff! Something I don't see much of, but I can appreciate the conversion and painting.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: wolfkarl on 25 October 2017, 05:24:01 PM: Glad to see your continuing with this project. It's looking great, the detail work on the hilt is a nice addition.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 27 October 2017, 07:01:47 PM: It is coming out slowly, but when finished it will be one of your best gems, for sure!
I love the 5 o'clock shadow on the cuirassier's face! :-* Cheers!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 01 November 2017, 04:18:06 PM: @Vanvlak: Cheers. To be honest I was quite lucky with it. :D First two of the bits fit rather well right away. The third one was a bit of a headache, but it didn't take excruciating hours as I had thought it would. Yeah, I know what you mean about the disembodied head. :D Thanks for the comment on the metal. I wasn't quite sure if it's looking quite right yet. Of course it technically should have some more scratches and the mandatory "bullet dent in the lower left region" (because for some reason they look the best in that spot).

@von Lucky: Thanks very much! Yeah, I didn't have much choice on the conversion. The kit basically says "either you add the basket or you don't [we don't supply parts for it], but if you don't and people will point and laugh at you". ;)

@wolfkarl: Yar, glad I found the time! I had hoped to finish him until the 11th, because I'll attend our annual historical wargames show then and I need new stuff to display at my Battle Brush Studios table. But with all the other projects and now moving house... it may get a bit tight.

@DintheDin: Cheers! I try not to get too hasty on things on this model. Painting the face surely was the most fun and fluent step on this model yet.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 27 February 2018, 09:18:08 AM: Right, shows are coming up, and I better bring stuff to showcase. So I decided to finally finish the Cuirassier!

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/wip5.jpg.841538fddb88768748d2b7f190371178.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/wip6.jpg.8a115f6e10d05d361b72acc60e30f7fa.jpg)

Things aren't proceeding half-bad really. He's not finished yet, but I'm getting there. However, I ran into a very annoying problem - For some reason the scabbard and the rest of the left hand (both of which I hadn't glued on to date) have disappeared from the box I kept them in. That's what you get for not finishing a project for months. Grrrr. Put quite a dent in my motivation...
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: miltiades on 27 February 2018, 01:43:35 PM: There are no words to describe it . This is really awsome
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 27 February 2018, 04:49:51 PM: Horse and rider are stunningly impressive! Really lifelike! And you are one of the few who gives so special attention to the horse! Such details as the different hue of the front and the back hooves the fading of the socks, the eye so well done, I even see traces of sweat on the hind! :) I love this horse! :-*
For the rest of the left hand missing (which I wish with all my heart that you'll find) I may suggest that your ingenuity and craft may find a way to hide this problem, by making the rider holding some object - a captured flag maybe? :P
Already what I see is worth of your effort and I wish you good look until the completion of this great work!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: wolfkarl on 27 February 2018, 05:02:09 PM: Oh No! :( I know how you feel, this has happened to me as well. The model is stunning and WHEN you finish it should take "Pride of Place" in your display.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Plutarch64 on 28 February 2018, 12:49:22 AM: Fantastic work, but very annoying about the hand. With my limited modelling skils I'd probably call it a battle wound and put four rolled up bits of greenstuff on the ground next to the model, but given the outstanding quality of your output I'm sure you will find a better solution than that.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 28 February 2018, 03:22:53 AM: @miltiades: Thank you very much!

@DintheDin: Thanks once more, Sir! I've been harshly taught to pay attention to details on horses by a gentleman I paint a whole lot of horses for. He's been an avid horserider and -painter all his life, so he's got a lot of knowledge (and opinions; and rightly so!) on things to pay attention to when painting horses. The missing fingers on the left hand weren't the big problem - these I could have added with putty (even with my limited sculpting skills, because the way he holds the hand the fingers are barely visible anyway). It was the scabbard missing that would have been the really annoying thing.

@wolfkarl: Yar, it's annoying when that happens, isn't it.

@Plutarch64: :D a bunch of GS sausage'fingers' on the ground? :D Well, that would certainly make the whole model 'tell a story'.

Right, thanks for all the comments and the honest sympathy for my situation. We're all modellers, and I'm sure we all misplaced important parts before. Originally I'd planned to go to bed, but after reading your comments I felt like I must set the record straight about the latest developments. Today I spend a few hours getting stuff from the old flat into the new one again and one of the very first things I found was the sprue with the scabbard and fingers! w00t!

So here's the chap with the scabbard attached:
(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_02/wip7.jpg.adee17ffafa967f4f034bd0c3dec9482.jpg)

Just as with the reigns and straps which hold the stirrups, these are not included in the kit. For the white straps holding the scabbard I just cut up some white cardboard right off my photo background and painted them a little where required. Next on the to-do list is the reigns. Those will be a whole different challenge because these require me to ultimately attach the rider to the horse. And much more challenging than that the reigns will be very delicate and make handling and transporting the model problematic, especially seeing as how I plan to have him with me on at least 4 shows this year.

I'll have to check if I use black photo cardboard again for the reigns or go with more flexible thin strips of plastic. At least that stuff can't really get crumpled up, and moisture won't mess it up. So either that or maybe cardboard/paper with a coat of PVA or varnish at least.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 28 February 2018, 09:00:58 AM: This is great news!!! Cheers!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Ben Waterhouse on 28 February 2018, 09:06:07 AM: Magnificent, well worth the effort.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 05 March 2018, 09:51:43 PM: @DintheDin: Oh yes, I'm quite relieved.

@Ben Waterhouse: Thanks, Sir!

Okay, I recently took a 'what's on the painting table' shot which nicely illustrates the size of the Cuirassier.
(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_03/onthetable3march2018.jpg.67164610152a1f00a4cbde557c797142.jpg)

Today I took the plunge and added the reigns and straps on the stirrups:

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_03/wip8.jpg.996f750a254a99bb1f44a7cea40e2b7e.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_03/wip9.jpg.8450cef9e28a4244330a018d3b32c363.jpg)

That's another important milestone done. Now I still have to neaten up some things, especially on the horse. Preferrably without ruining the reigns again. :D Speaking of which, I made the reigns and stirrup straps from plastic rather than cardboard as I'd planned earlier. I'm rather sure it's a more useful choice (less susceptible to moisture and getting crumpled up). The reigns were cut from the back side of a folder (one of these: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41WofyB%2B33L.jpg (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41WofyB%2B33L.jpg)). Upside: comes with a rather fitting texture, downside: doesn't take paint too well.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Cubs on 05 March 2018, 10:39:03 PM: That really is very beautiful.

I think I saw some Mini-Art 1:16 kits going very cheap in the bazaar earlier on. They'd look lovely after meeting your brush I'm sure.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 06 March 2018, 12:10:54 PM: @Cubs: Thanks for the comment and the heads up! Having recently moved and realized that I just got WAY too much stuff in general I guess I'll have to restrain myself. ;)
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 06 March 2018, 12:29:51 PM: Your cuirassier is a real dude! For the horse i've already spoken! :-*
Admiring the detail of the sword guard, I stumbled on this link, saying how highly prized are the cuirassiers sword in the collectors market:

https://sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/14446/weaponedge-1802-french-cuirassier-sword
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Driscoles on 06 March 2018, 02:52:33 PM: I followed this thread with great interest and the result is fantastic.
Björn
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Plutarch64 on 07 March 2018, 02:37:17 AM: Fantastic work.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: wolfkarl on 07 March 2018, 02:54:09 AM: I'll say it again, FANTASTIC!. I remember the plastic kits would come with a very thin sheet of plastic to cut your own reins and belts. There never seemed to be enough though. Now you just need to get a display case big enough to protect your work.
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: OSHIROmodels on 07 March 2018, 09:21:46 AM: Cracking work 8)

I’ve got an old 1/16 ECW Officer somewhere and it’s very tempting to dig him out :)
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 07 March 2018, 03:19:29 PM: @DintheDin: Thanks! :) funnily enough, several people in other forums also chose the term "dude" to describe him. :D Must be the size. I guess "mini" doesn't really fit in this case. Thanks for the link, I passed it on. Whenever I see such a thing on some level I want one too. But then again I don't fancy myself a 'swords for decorations' kind of person. It's weird.

@Driscoles: Thanks, glad you enjoyed the thread!

@Plutarch64: Thank you for commenting!

@wolfkarl: They do? I must have missed that completely or somehow lost it. :o Good to know though for the inevitable review! Yeah, about protecting the guy.. I think of myself as capable of making figures look pretty, but generally horrible with KEEPING them pretty. I'm better with larger pieces now though, so that's at least something. At home I have no minis on display. I own the old Detolf glass cabinet of course, but seeing as how I take it with me to shows (always a hoot to load and unload. The way it lies in the car got it the nickname "snow white's coffin".) it's always empty. Maybe I'll break with that tradition now and put the cuirassier inside even between shows. Let's see.

@OSHIROmodels: Thanks, Sir! Painting 1/16th stuff is really fun. I'm already aching to do more in that scale.

At this point the guy's still on my painting desk. I just like to look at the finished model in between painting stuff I actually SHOULD be painting at the moment. :D
I also got the next larger scale project lined up as well already. Right before christmas I received this lady here:

(http://www.andreaeurope.com/fotos/andrea/detallegran/UD24-F001-01.jpg)

One copy in 1/32th scale and another one in 1/24th scale. So not as big as the big dude, but in a way even more daunting in terms of painitng. I hope to get the time to work on that figure soon!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 07 March 2018, 07:08:27 PM: Gorgeous! Let us admire the performance of your brushes once more!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Nysse on 08 March 2018, 05:33:36 PM: Impressive work! I've got the same model in my stash waiting for me to put it together and slap some paint on it. Your work will definitely serve as an inspiration and something to aspire to!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Breazer on 14 March 2018, 08:51:22 AM: I really like the rider. He looks so lifelike! great job!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 30 April 2018, 12:59:35 AM: @DintheDin: Cheers, if things work out as planned I will. :)

@Nysse: Thanks muchly!

@Breazer: Thank you, duderino!

Now for something completely different I'm currently working on - Gendarmes d'Élite in their magnificent 1815 helmets!

Here's some WIP shots:
(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_04/wip2.jpg.a93346f10fbf93300ec632a2ec2d8c48.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_04/wip3.jpg.8824cf2f1a86487ee955fcd484aa3f4e.jpg)

If it was socially acceptable I'd wear one of those helmets every single day. :P These are 28mm figures by Perry miniatures. Unfortunately I only get to paint 12 of the chaps for now. But they're pretty already, right? :)

Apart from that I took pictures of another Napoleonic model. I finally got off my lazy arse and took some photos of the finished 1/16th French Cuirassier:

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_04/done2.jpg.8b33387e0310877bd8fd3d0262770412.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_04/done4.jpg.040cf454c06cea15c131489e3f05e00c.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_04/done7.jpg.0b01ecbe3f346b0cce8928a44b7b157c.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_04/done8.jpg.c0ff71186c4d56ba77ce76a6fde5a330.jpg)

hope you like him!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Harry Faversham on 30 April 2018, 02:10:01 AM: I do, I like him very much!

:-*
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: DintheDin on 30 April 2018, 08:16:54 AM: They are superb!
And in one of them you gave us the opportunity to have a look at the cuirassier's eyes, they look as real! Very well done! Congrats!
Title: Re: 1:16 French Cuirassier
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on 02 May 2018, 02:29:43 PM: @Harry Faversham: Thanks! :)

@DintheDin: Cheers! Yeah, the face was much fun to paint indeed.

Right, I noticed an annoying thing when I was about to put the Cuirassier back into his storage box - the plume had fallen off!

So the pictures with the dark background now also feature the red plume on the helmet. :P

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_05/doneblack1.jpg.e2685f7fb7019e22fd4f0b1c7e8cf2db.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_05/doneblack2.jpg.29deb3caed7ac9f8f2575d2dab6537c1.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_05/doneblack3.jpg.52f3493877ba7965b624469668d4ab2d.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_05/doneblack4.jpg.c6e1ceb52ab36a07b8dafb0a21a7de1d.jpg)

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_05/doneblack5.jpg.4422a9e1444955be784848d0522b1796.jpg)

...and another size comparison shot with the 28mm Gendarmes d'Élite I just finished:

(https://www.tabletopwelt.de/uploads/monthly_2018_05/doneblacksize.jpg.eb900407c85449beec7092aeffdb903d.jpg)

Right, that's that! See you when I decide to make a scenic base for the chap. :D