The Mud March

[floating white bear]

Just to commemorate the legendary Mud March where the mud was so deep the mules were up to their ears.

Started out with a rough card model of the wagon, with the "water line" drawn in and then cut away.  This was used to plan the plastic wagon box and a balsa plug for the canopy. Some brass wire created some underlying hoops for the canopy.

I started the mule ears and rear legs in greenstuff.  And prepped a Perry plastic artilleryman. As I layered in the greenstuff I used the extra that had been mixed up to build up the canopy on the plug. 

[floating white bear]

The individual parts were painted and then using a small bit of basswood as a base, I planned out the locations. The base was given a thick coat of epoxy and the parts located.  I added some floaty-reins out of green stuff. painted in the mud and gave it a couple of gloss coats of Future.


And...I just don't like it.  I think I liked the lighter colour (unpainted) mud as it gave a bit more contrast (?). Also not happy with the way the reins got glued into place but that is a much bigger job to correct than some paint.   Not sure what to do next.  Likely it will sit on my shelf until inspiration hits again and I attempt to repaint it. 

Any suggestions are welcomed.

[warburton]

Nice work!

[von Lucky]

I like it. In regards to what seems wrong about it, it looks more like struggling through a muddy river (I have no idea what consistency and colour it was).

Looked it up:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_March_%28American_Civil_War%29

Sounds like everything was churned up. Images of WWII troops travelling through mud is not pretty - the ground is not flat and the men are covered in it.

However - I think this could be in the river (either just after or just before the riverbank). I think you just need to add more weathering. Contemporary images of the Rappahannock or other rivers swollen/muddy will help with colour (as again, I have no idea of what it could've looked like).

I'm sounding harsh, I don't mean to be - I like the piece.

[floating white bear]

Just a quick update.  Added some "texture" to the mud.  Also need to add some mud to the wheels and the mules shoes! Regards, Rob.

[von Lucky]

Very nice.

[floating white bear]

Probably done here. Added some mud to wheels and hooves. Still not real happy. Maybe not done at all Regards, Rob.

[floating white bear]

Wheels.

[Cherno]

 

[Norm]

Thank you very much for sharing that process - inspiring and helpful.

[von Lucky]

Even better! There's a really sense of that mud now.

[matthais-mouse]

  wow, very nice.

Well done indeed for this piece