Teardrops On The City

Last night, Clarence Clemons joined Heaven’s All Star Band.

His old pal Danny Federici was at the Gates, welcoming him, and guiding him to the Lounge, where the whole Band was rearranging itself to make room, right at the front of the stage, for the Big Man and his magic sax. Undoubtedly the night was filled with sweet, sweet music.

Back here on Earth, the E Street Band has lost its soul. Charles has subbed ably for Danny up on the riser, but who can replace the Big Man? Will Jungleland ever sound the same? Should it? Or do we just put a frame around the whole catalog, put it up on the wall, and simply say “That’s the best it’s ever going to be”? 

The Beatles are pop music’s yardstick, but they separated way too soon, and except for those lucky few in Liverpool and Hamburg, most of us never got to see their amazing gifts in a live performance. We have the records, and the Sullivan Show clips, but they were, first and foremost, a transcendent live band that most of us never got to witness.

The E Street Band is different – they went thru the craziness, cooled their heels for a while, then came back together as mature, outstanding musicians, and in live show after live show, demonstrated to the world the power and passion of popular music. Night after night, in arenas all over the world, they played their hearts out and their asses off. If you saw them, you know what I mean. If you didn’t, get a video and see what you missed. 

For better or worse, the E Street Band is now a brand, and Bruce is a savy businessman. We have to have faith that when we next see them on stage, he will have figured out how to move on without his Big Man. But we can only guess at how difficult it will be for him, after almost 40 years, to look to his right, and not see the King of the World standing there, larger than life, with his saxophone, as the piano slowly and melodically starts us on the now-familiar story of the Rangers, and their homecoming in Harlem late last night . . .

It’s a beautiful summer Father’s Day here in the Colonies. Dad, I miss you more than words can say. Pop, I miss you too. Trev and Jo, thank you for the unbelievable privilege of being your father. Your mom and I could not be prouder of who you have become. 

Private Jones of the 24th Foot

One of my projects from last year’s MFCA Show was painting a 54mm resin depiction of Private Jones 716, 24th Regt., New South Wales Borderers, as he appeared at Rorke’s Drift, South Africa on January 22-23, 1879, during the defense of the hospital building.

Sculpted by Alan Ball and marketed under the Morningstar label, it is my speculation that these figures were sculpted for, but not purchased by, W. Britains, as they are similar to the many new “Zulu” figures done by Alan for the venerable British figure producer. Or not – maybe he just had some extra putty on the bench, and ideas that HAD to escape thru his fingers after the Britains commission was done! [painted by MBall/Morningstar boxart]

I had found the figure while cruising the Red Lancer tables the previous year. It must have been an early copy, for the “boxart” was a pic of the unpainted resin casting, rather than Marion’s later painted version. (I would love to know how she got the “24” on the shoulder straps to be so clear – I had the devil’s time with this detail!!) 

Regardless, the body and separate arms were flawlessly cast, with very little clean-up needed to get this ready for priming with flat black spray paint in a rattle can from Wal-Mart or Home Depot for about $2. The left arm was glued to the body before priming, while the right arm/rifle/both hands piece was primed and painted separately, and joined the the torso at the end. The figure was painted in acrylics – mostly Vallejo, some Andrea. Painting was greatly assisted by the skill of both sculptor and caster. I used a layering technique to establish shadows, midtones and highlights, all while painting from dark to light.

The posture suggested peeking around a corner, so I built a “wedgie” of sorts with a corner of the hospital building, including a firing hole (with spent shell casings), and a thatch roof. Fiberboard covered with water-putty served as the “building material” of the structure, while an old wallpaper brush gave up some bristles for the greater good. Groundwork was more water-putty, with some Silfor grass/weed tufts. [author images]

Research consisted largely of replaying the “Zulu” DVD multiple times – a daunting task, admittedly, but we must all suffer for our art!

Marion and Alan Ball were at the 2010 MFCA Show, and commented that this was the first Morningstar figure they had seen displayed at a contest. Even if they were just being nice, that is a shame, really, for these are excellent figures from a popular subject/era. Chuck Robinson at Red Lancers still carries these figures, which at less than US$25, represent exceptional value-for-money. 

New Draft Notices To Be Issued

A quick peek at planetFigure and TimeLines today revealed a couple new figures that will undoubtedly find their way onto the Shopping List!

The first is a new ACW Union Cavalryman by Romeo Models. This mounted 54mm white metal kit, no. RM-103, was sculpted by Gianni LaRocca, and the boxart was painted by Francesco Sapienza. The relaxed pose is probably more representative of this trooper’s time than an all-out charge-type pose. The painting looks exceptionally well done, and on that alone, plus the subject matter, I think I’d like to have a go at something like this. [Romeo Models image]

A new poster on the Planet, who seems to know a great deal about horses, has commented that the eyes are too big, the ears are not right, and one or two other things. The eyes do look a bit big, I suppose, but I have no way of knowing if she is right, or not. What I DO know is that if sculptors don’t sculpt, this painter will have nothing to paint! The kit looks GREAT to me, and that’s really all I care about. 

The second apparently was unveiled this past weekend at the Tulsa (Oklahoma) Show by Jason Green, who painted the boxart copy. The bust is of British General Charles Cornwallis, and was sculpted by the talented and speedy Carl Reid. (I’m waiting for the Interweb to ultimately confirm that “Carl” is REALLY a Hong Kong sweatshop full of scrawny sculptors, churning out masters in return for rice and gruel!)   

There is a noticeable lack of busts of AWI British Generals. Only the dated Verlinden bust of Tarleton comes to mind. When I first saw this figure, I immediately assumed this would be a RevWar Cornwallis – alas, no such luck.

Jason’s nameplate contains the date c. 1795, nearly 15 years after the Southern Campaigns and/or Yorktown. The jowls and paunch, plus the facings/collar and the massive award on his breast, all suggest a man much older than the able AWI commander.  [J Green image]

None of which takes one iota away from either the sculpt or the paintjob. Jason paints in acrylics, and his blending is . . . well, perfect. So good that it looks like oils. He says the lighting washed out the reds a bit. They look incredible to me – I can’t imagine how they could be better when viewed in the flesh, but I’ll have to take his word for it, at least until I’m lucky enough to see this for myself!

United Empire will reportedly be bringing this sculpt to market in the near future, presumably cast in resin. I, for one, can’t wait!

AWI Black Watch Highlander

In the best tradition of slight-of-hand magicians, I plan to occasionally feature images of some of my favorite figures. As created by others, that is. Kind of a diversion from my own lack of steady production. However, today’s subject is actually a “two-fer”, as you shall soon see.

At the 2002 MFCA Show, Bill Horan displayed a new AWI piece labeled “Black Watch 1781”, being a rather unkempt Highlander showing the effect of long campaigning in the Southern states with Cornwallis. Unruly hair, partially buttoned non-regulation trousers, patched coat, torn stocking – definitely not some parade ground dandy! The figure hit several of my “like” buttons: AWI; Horan; Highlander. This was the sculptor/painter at his best, creating a unique figure that captured, in miniature, the presumed reality of life in the field. Some lucky collector undoubtedly carried this figure home, where it likely sits today; hopefully, it gets appreciated on a regular basis! [B.Horan image]

Bill Had several RevWar pieces at that show, so I was somewhat giddy already, but I kept coming back to this piece. I noticed the dirt on the bonnet, as well as the faded red coat, the floppy gaiters, the pipe in the right hand, and the fatigue etched in the face. Even the groundwork was impressive. [Author image]

I won’t try to convince anyone of Horan’s preeminent skills and artistry, or his impact upon our hobby/artform. I am an unmitigated fan of his work. I hope you are, as well, but I will certainly allow for differences of opinion. Just do me one favor – disagree somewhere else! 

Fast forward a few years. British sculptor Maurice Corey produced a 75mm figure for Michael Roberts Ltd. in 2007, depicting an AWI Highlander which was, in pose and disordered dress, at least reminiscent of the earlier Horan piece. I’m casting no dispersions here – who can say from where an artist’s inspiration flows?

Having previously acknowledged my preference for AWI subjects, there was little doubt that this figure would get a Draft Notice to join my Grey Army at the earliest opportunity. Eventually made its way to the head of the painting queue in time for the 2010 MFCA Show. [author image]

For my version, I wanted to work on producing white pants with more dramatic highlights and shadows. The sharp, deep folds provided by the sculptor almost begged for a bold treatment. 

I primed with Black (Vallejo), and using a succession of greys, from Grey Black to Deck Tan, blended and layered my way to what I felt was a realistic representation of white heavy cotton breeches and waistcoat. I purposefully stayed away from using washes, preferring to layer/blend to get the desired shading and highlighting. [author image]

Overall, this project was very enjoyable. If I can’t have Bill Horan’s version in my display cabinet, I can at least have a very good facsimile, painted in an acceptable fashion.  If another copy of this figure ever crosses my path, at a reasonable price, I could easily be persuaded to attempt an encore, going for the brown pants this time!  

Piper MacKay, 79th Cameron Highlanders, 1815

In early 2009, a thread on planetFigure showed an image of a new sculpt of a Napoleonic era Highland bagpiper. No size info was given, so I assumed it was a 54mm-size sculpt. The proportions, the face, the uniform details – all were excellent, perhaps the best piper figure I had seen. Hopefully, this would be a future production figure, and not some twisted sculptor’s tantalizing but unobtainable one-off!  

In April 2009, a single image appeared of Danilo Cartacci’s painting of the piper figure, which had been sculpted by Maurizio Bruno. It was . . . superb.

This was the box art for Romeo Models’ soon-to-be-issued 75mm kit of Piper Kenneth MacKay, who stood and played outside the defensive square of the British 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameron Highlanders) to inspire his colleagues during the many French cavalry charges at Waterloo on June 18th, 1815. [Romeo Models image]

I knew that I would buy this figure at my first opportunity. I also knew I would have to push my painting skills very hard to do justice to this miniature.

Fortunately for me, starting in Feb. 2010, Planeteer Ray Farrugia, an excellent painter from Malta, posted a SBS (step-by-step) chronicling his painting of this figure, including several dozen images of the well-planned steps and sub-assemblies. I copied those images, and studied his approach, preparing for the time when I would paint this figure. Ray ultimately showed his version at EuroMilitare 2010. [R Faruggia image]

Notwithstanding Ray’s obvious brush skills, one aspect of his painting of this figure needs to be mentioned – in his (obvious) madness, he created the tartan not with lines of paint (as any normal person would do), but by making thousands of minute diagonal strokes, imitating the actual thread pattern in the cloth!!

I tried to duplicate this (insane) method. I failed. Several times. Intellectually, I accept that, with a brush possessing an abnormally sharp point, and with super-human patience, this method is possible. Emotionally, however, I’m scared to admit this can even be envisioned, let alone accomplished!

Nevertheless, armed with a new Series 7 00000 brush, and a sizable rack of Vallejo acrylic paints, I tackled this figure, with the goal of having it complete for the MFCA (Miniature Figure Collectors of America) Show at Valley Forge in late April.

The head and bonnet, with its diced band, was completed with a minimum of fuss. I painted the tartan on the pipe bag first, figuring I could repaint it as often as needed to get the technique down. Relying heavily on Ray’s SBS, the tartan came together on both bag and kilt (actually the easier of the two) in stages. The red and yellow stripes would need a black wash to tone them down, but I deferred that step as I worked on the diced hose, the coat, and the pack. [author images]

Finally, the show was less than a week away, and with everything else completed, the kilt and bag still needed their black washes. The idea of potentially obliterating days of work in an instant induced a level of terror not often experienced.

I used the “back” of the pipe bag (the side pressed against MacKay’s ribs) as a test area. The first wash was far too strong, with the second and third versions covering less but still too much of the tartan. The fourth mix seemed to be acceptable. Without pausing to think, or even breathe, I flipped the bag over and swiped a brushful of wash over the front of the bag. The stripes were visible, but more in harmony with the background of the tartan. The kilt was next – a few brush strokes, and . . . it worked! Oh joy, oh rapture!!! I would NOT have to repaint the kilt in the hotel room the night before the show!!

In retrospect, the hose could have been executed better, I wish I had been able to replicate the correct lace pattern on the jacket, and I forgot the final hot-spot highlights on the face that Sensei Greg DiFranco had recommended, but overall, I am pleased with my painting of this wonderful figure. It is the best figure I’ve painted to date, and the process was enormously fun and satisfying.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Ray Farrugia for sharing his methods with the readers of planetFigure. The path would have been a LOT more difficult without Ray’s images and descriptions. I hope he travels to a future MFCA Show, so that I may thank him in person for his assistance.

Recent Figures on the Grey Army Draft List

My historical and figure interests run toward the “Horse and Musket” period, being loosely defined as 1700 – 1900, with an emphasis on North America.

In other words, French & Indian War (“FIW” usually, to comply with maximum acronym usage regulations), American Revolution (AWI), Napoleonic Wars and their N. American cousin, the War of 1812, a little Texas Independence and Mexican War thrown in for flavor, and the American Civil War (ACW). Early WW1 gets a look occasionally, as does Vikings and Imperial Romans. Knights in armor are dead to me, as are Samuri, Biblical Wars, and all that crap during the Renaissance (100 Years Wars, 30 Years Wars, Burgundian Wars, League of Ausburg – all that stuff). Also much of the fantasy/GamesWorkshop/40K stuff – please. (But I like the ForgeWorld stuff – why?) Plains Indians are a non-starter, but Woodland Indians are very cool. I don’t try to figure it out, I just know what I like, and what things are bound to catch my eye.

Regarding the FIW, there are three new figures which were “must haves” while at the recent MFCA Show. In addition, I came away with a brand new AWI Hessian Jaeger and the Perry boxes of Hussars and Zouaves, but more about them later.

The first, by the Italian maker Pegaso, is a striking Iroquois Indian wearing a British regimental coat with a Brown Bess over his shoulder. As the Iroquois were generally allies of the British, the possession of the coat and gun does not necessarily suggest spoils of war – at least not to me. (Given the striding pose, one holds out hope that companion figures are planned – a Ranger, perhaps, or a Highlander??) OTOH (on the other hand), more than a few painters will envision this as a Huron with a captured coat, making necessary alterations to hair, feathers, warpaint and weapons as needed.

Staying with the British theme, Romeo Models has produced a Grenadier in the 1751 Warrant uniform. Based on some comments on the forii (in this case, planetFigure and TimeLines), this uniform was standard for the British troops serving in NA in the 1755-63 timeframe. The boxart portrays the 18th Regiment (Royal Irish), with dark blue facings, small clothes and hat, which did not serve in NA according to the fifeanddrum website, but it seems likely that other regiments could be depicted. Some hat details might have to be altered (I always knew these drawings of the grenadier mitres would be useful!), but the uniforms were largely the same until the issuing of the 1768 Warrant.

Both the Grenadier and the Iroquois are in the growing-more-popular 75mm size (approx. 1/xxth scale, but let’s not open that box just yet…), and MIGHT, with some imagination, be posed together. The Iroquois got its Grey Army Draft Notice, and is assembled, pinned and primed, awaiting its place in the Painting Queue. The Grenadier will most likely be a Long Island Show purchase in November.

The third FIW figure is a young George Washington as an officer of the Virginia Regiment, presumably with Braddock at Monongahela during 1755. I am an unabashed fan of Alan Ball’s sculpting, and this 75mm figure is another gem. This version was painted by Rhodes Davis of the National Capital Model Soldier Society (NCMSS). Proceeds from the sale of the figure are being used by the club to support their show. At US$34 a copy ($29+$5 shipping), the figure represents exceptional value-for-money, and would have received a Draft Notice regardless of the price point.