The Figure GB of 2010-2011

Hey guys

Here is my finished Minisoldiers 222 driver. 1/35 scale. Painted with Vallejos:

Minisoldiers are among my favorite resin manufacturers coming out of Russia. The sculpts from these companies are exquisite. Evolution, Stalingrad, Tank, Mantis, Bravo 6. I have many kits from these manufacturers, and hope to, one day, really do them justice.

Thanks Steve!  You are not alone...  I managed to build three and 'half' kits last year and only painted six figures but they were not as good as my American GIs.  I model at very slow rate!   

I noticed better paintbrushes and better paints made a huge difference.  This time I used LifeColor and I am loving it already!  Safe to say that I will not use MM Acrylic paint again...

Well done, Andy. Nice work on the straps, love the boots, too. Faces look great, congratulations on your dude's eyes. They look great.

Jtracing, I can not see your images, bandwidth exceeded... this makes me sad, as I am looking forward to your finished work.

Mine should be complete within the week. I had no idea I'd need the full year to complete 1 / 1:35 figure. Guess I still hold the record for world's slowest modeler. This is a drag, as I have started a 12-figure dio.

Steve

Jtracing- Now you have my attention... would love to see how second figure comes out.  Looks like you prefer to paint the gears glued to the figures.  I started to do this method and noticed it was little easier.  That way glue will not harm the paint while I try to attach them together.

Guys- I am calling those American GIs done... will use them for diomara with M24 Chaffee I have been building for Korea War GB. 

And this is my favorite shot...

Comments are always welcome.  It took me little more than two weeks just to paint those three figures.  But I can see the big differences now.  Worth it...

thanks!, this is the other dude that's patching up his wound

jtracing- I wish my figures were as good as your figures!!!  Beautiful work especially the figure with injured hand.

heres one i finished a few months ago

also another wip, though i  haven't worked on a figure in a few months now

release han solo? After throwing me in a sarlacc? heck no!

I'll get those pics up on page 1. great work!!!!!

Boy, what a night to remember... Osama bin Laden is dead. 

Update on my figures... the tank commander for my Chaffee is finally completed.  Painting eyes were way more difficult because its plastic face lacked details.  But glad it is finally over...

Now I can go back and finish the M24 Chaffee. Thanks for looking... for our US troops oversea and here.

Thanks Boba Fett!  Please release Hans Solo...

Guys, another update... American GIs are completed except for their rifles.   

What do you think?  I am not sure if I should apply another dark wash around the eyes... I am always open for feedback.  Will post the tank commander tonight as soon as the paint is dry.

Very nice!!!!!!! GReat work~!

Steve- Thanks for looking!  I had to put those German figures on hold but the right figures kit has arrived and I have started working on them already.  Will post as soon as I am done with American figures for my Chaffee. 

Greg- Join us... don't be a chicken! 

Guys- Sorry it took me a while... working between my Chaffee and figures.  Here they are...

Figures primed with Mr. Surfacer 1200.  LOVE those stuff!

Base coat painted on flash and uniforms...

I swear I never had to use so many different paint before... Vallejo for flesh and LifeColor for uniforms & gears. 

Highlighting everything...  used two lighter tones... tan then sand.

Then applied W&N Raw Umber oil paint heavily thinned with Mona Lisa Odorless Thinner... love the dark washing part because it really brought out the details at the end. 

The oil paint was still wet when the pictures were taken.  They will look better in the morning... allowing it to dry for 24 hours or longer before I can work on the eyes.  Not exactly my favorite so saved it for last...

Thanks for looking... comments and inputs are always welcome. 

Andy- great work on the figures. Scribing is definitely improving the details of your dudes. It's the way to go, even with lots of resin figures.

Greg- get in here and build you a figure! It feeds the soul

Progress continued, then halted, with my driver figure. Arms attached, then income taxes took over as priority. Touch up needs to happen (figure, not taxes).

Back soon.

                          Great work going on here,almost makes me want to try some figs..

                                                         Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley

Ah, nice improvements there! I am pretty suprised at the lack of  quality... But you seem to be doing a great job with it! I've GOT to get pics of my RAF pilot up...

Stik-Looking good! I like the figure's posture holding his PS.  Looking forward to see it painted.

Steve- Outstanding work! 

I have started working on Marder crew but I have decided to stop because somebody has suggested another figures set that will make a better match to what I have been looking for.

I have ordered this set... hopefully it arrives later this week.  I will replace the heads with resin heads... their uniform is a perfect match.  Wish I found this earlier... I can always save the assembled crew for my future Marder builds.

Here's the Marder II crew I wanted them to look like...

Anyway I have started working on American figures for my M24 Chaffee for Korea War...

I have to admit that I was disappointed with the quality of this especially it was coming from Dragon.  There were excessive seams everywhere that required alot of scraping and sanding.

I scripted all lines and edges to make it look better.  Look at the collars above and below to see the difference.  I probably will do more of this...

Weapons from Dragon set was not too good either that for the first time I stole some from Tamiya set.  Here's the proof...

Guns are not glued... dry fitting only.

I hope to have all figures and Chaffee primed over the weekend. 

Here are some snapshots of the figure I started this week. Have his skin tones nearly finished, and I'm beginning to block in his uniform. Arms off for painting this one, as it would be nearly impossible to do it right if fully assembled:

Hope to have some uniform shading and highlighting done before the end of the weekend.

I got Kruger primed today... but that was just a side task. My main goal was to complete another kit that was near the finish line. Mission acomplished there.

Stik, those figures look awesome!  I always liked Germans weilding those PP machine guns.  Seen those pictures of Battle for Stalingrad often.  Looking forward to your next posting.

I am going to post my WIP of German crew of 3 for my Marder II here.  And I can do same for M24 Chaffee crew after my boys spring break which starts tomorrow.  Wish I can take them with me to Florida...

Lookin good Stik! I'll get everything updated soon... gotta get a buttload of school done first

I am actually finding figure painting to be a nice change of pace and more relaxing than some of the builds I have been doing lately. I have the old Dragon Cross of Iron set that I built years ago with "Steiner" and a few other figures that beg for a diorama...

Keep it up Stik! He will look great. I don't do many 1/35 anymore unless for a dio,, too hard on my old grunt eyes!

I have done a little work while watching the paint dry on a few other builds. Just have to get the camera out now.

Tnaks Tonka! The SEALS are ok..compared to Dragon's newer figures the sure show their age but I am sure I can make them look halfway decent.

I am adding another figure to my part of this GB... Warriors calls him a German Grenadier from Stalingrad, but anyone who has seen Cross of Iron will recognize Kruger...

I built him a few days ago and added a spare PPSH I had since all the figure has is a P-38 tucked into his rear belt and the potato masher he is holding.

Nice work Stik! You have been busy, I haven't got much done on my figs yet. I like the SEALs,, they are well molded and would like great in a dio.

Kevin

Priming touch up on Tuesday and painting begun yesterday. Flesh base color in the AM and then today the different olive greens for his jungle fatigues, patrol cap and the canvas uppers on his jungle boots.

And for S&G I started painting up a set of DML SEALS that I built a few months back. Got the base color of their Tiger fatigues and Jungle cammies started.

And I started up on Tamiya's Famous Generals set on Monty, Ike, and Patton.

I finished up MacArthur (except around his eyes need a bit of work) last year but have had him sitting on the painting table...

Today I added the CAR-15 and LAW to my guy. And added some slings from lead foil. Now I just want to add some more primer where I super glued on the weapons and slings before I begin painting.

This is the China Marine..I finally got the old paint stripped

This is a wonderfullly detailed fig ,,wish I knew who the sculptor was.

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]

OK made some progress on my figures.

This pic is the 1920s Banana Wars Marine with lewis gun, the mold was a little rough. I did some filling at waist as I cut the torso to reflect more of a lean. I also shaved off the molded 'H Harness' straps and replaced with strip styrene.

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]

This one shows the basic priming..still lots of work to do

[View:/themes/fsm/utility/:550:0]

Oh ya... Instant grounds for court-marshal. Looks good stick, I'll get my own figgy up in a few mins...

And paratrooper who looks as you describe Boba should just turn in his wings...

Today I applied a primer coat on my Son Tay raider and his weapons.

Now the fun begins.