Patrick's Historical Miniatures

2011-07-24T12:02:00.003-05:00

Here's a quick shot of a Space Marine I am working on in between commission pieces...He's painted in oils over a couple acrylic washes.

I'm really trying to show this guy as a veteran and wanted to show his armor a bit worn, and battle scared. I started with the mid tone which is yellow ochre and cadmium yellow medium. From there, I blocked in the shadow which is the mid tone plus a touch of brown madder alizarin. For the deepest shadows I used brown madder alizarin with just a touch of mars black. Highlights were the mid tone with titanium white added...

For the battle scars, I just drew in the markings using mars black and then blended the highest highlight tone at the edge to give the scar some depth and "age".

I'm not sure how I'll build up the ground work, but am tinkering with a few ideas...may even try to pull off a bit of vignette. I'd like to have something very unique and different in my display this year...

2011-04-17T08:34:00.002-05:00

Everything about done with the exception of the hands. Need to add a little weathering to the knees of the pants and then tighten up some of the shadow lines...on the glide path for having this guy ready for MFCA

Austrian Jager

2011-04-10T10:22:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple quick pictures of my latest work in progress; it's a 54mm beaute from Time Machine Miniatures, Austrian Jager (TMP-32). Cast in white metal, this was a snap to clean up and assemble. A little filler at the shoulders, and a few seam lines, but nothing out of the ordinary. This is my first figure from Time Machine Miniatures, and have to admit, I'm quickly becoming a fan.

Painted in my usual technique of oils over acrylics, I tried to vary the shade of the jacket and trousers. Showing a bit more of a faded tone for the jacket. Still working on bringing out the highest of the highlights on the jacket, the deep shadows are in as are the first highlights. I mixed the grey for both the jacket and pants over pulling a tone straight from the tube. I think it adds a bit more "personality" to the figure.

The belts and the rucksack are roughed in with just the deep shadows and first highlights laid in; I'll go back over them in my next painting session.

Trying to have this guy ready for MFCA; more to follow in the coming weeks...

Officer, 16th Lancers

2010-08-29T07:37:00.005-05:00

Here's the finished 54mm 16th Lancer figure from Elite. He's painted with oils over Reaper acrylic paints and ready for the display case.

I'll tinker a bit more with the metal shutter; I want to deepen the contrast in a couple places. I'll do that before the Atlanta show this year.

16th Lancer

2010-07-11T08:22:00.004-05:00

Here's my latest figure; it's the 16th Lancer, 54mm figure from Elite. Cast in white metal, there's very little clean up; a couple mold lines on the inside of the leg and along the back edge of the sleeve thatwere surprisingly easy to clean up.

He's painted with oils over Reaper acrylic paints; the torso is completed and have just started on the pants and boots...

With the exception of metal button, all other gold lace is painted using a non-metallic metallic method that I adapted from Lou.

He isn't attached yet to the base; I want to get the back of the pants finished. The way he's positioned on the base close to the stone wall doesn't allow for a lot of space to paint.

The stone wall came from my spare parts bin as did the Verlinden gate; the post is craft wood painted with varying shades of sepia, burnt umber and unbleached titanium white. The stone steps are balsa foam painted with Reaper acrylics and washed with a mix of burnt umber and sepia.

U Boot Kommandant

2010-05-16T12:21:00.003-05:00

Just finished this guy; he's the Andrea U-Boat Commander Bust. Cast in beige resin, there are a few mold lines to clean up, but nothing too extreme. He's painted with oils over acrylics using the wet on wet technique.

All the gold with the exception of the buttons and silver dolphin pin are painted in non-metallic metallics manner. I used a bit more burnt umber for the base color for the trim along the brim of the hat and for the oak leaves to show a contrast between the gilded thread of those items and the emblems on his chest and top of the hat.

I decided to go with a very pale flesh tone since I thought it would represent life under the water a bit more than my traditional rudy tone. The only thing I did differently with my flesh mix was to add a bit more titanium white than cadmium yellow to the highlight mixture and grey out the basic flesh tone a bit more than usual.

The binoculars are painted in oils and at the wear points, dabbed some grey tones for contrast.

2010-04-04T12:31:00.001-05:00

Finished Krasinski today...tremendous figure from Le Cimier are amazing! He's painted with oils over acrylics in my usual method of wet on wet.

This is a commission piece and am hoping I can find this figure for myself...

Krasinski Update

2010-03-27T11:14:00.014-05:00

Krasinski is just about finished...all that is left is the lace work at the collar and atop the scarlet facing, his boots, some ground work and the final metallic highlights. There are some buckles I need to address, but I'll wait to do those last since I want to make sure all the oils around them are pretty dried.

I need to touch up the lines and add the highest highlights to the white jacket, but for the most part he's about 85% complete.

I've tried to mix a combination of metallic and nonmetallic effects on this figure to give a little contrast and to make the metallic effects pop a bit more.

Karsinski

2010-03-20T13:59:00.007-05:00

He's coming along nicely; I have finished the metal parts today, and started to work on the cartridge belt. I chose to go with a white belt vs. a silver one mostly because there's so much silver on this figure already, I wanted a bit more contrast. I've gone with a cooler tone for the belt so it would contrast against the white of the jacket.

I finished the "weave" of crimson through the sash, and will touch it up before I hand it off to the collector.

I started the white lace embroidery at the collar, turn backs and at the lapel. I haven't decided if I'll use oils or acrylics for the pattern. It's an intriguing pattern and I really have to think through how I'll pull it off free-hand at the 54mm scale...

Krasinski in progress

2010-03-13T13:11:00.002-05:00

Here is where I am with my latest; the crimson pants and white parts of the jacket are finished. All is left is to bring out the highest highlights on both the pants and jacket. I've also finished the cartridge belt and need to outline it once I have the facings finished.

For the crimson tone of the pants I mixed alizarin crimson with a touch of viridian. I highlighted with cadmium red light and shaded with alizarin crimson and a touch of purple.

For the white part of the jacket I mixed yellow ochre, mars black and titanium white for the base color. For the shadows I mixed less of the titanium white and for the highlights, mixed titanium white and flake white.

Up next are the gloves and boots...

2010-03-12T04:11:00.002-05:00

Here's my latest...I'm working on a tremendous figure from LeCimier; it's a 54mm of Krasinski.

He's painted in the traditional manner of oils over acrylics (he's a commission piece, and haven't gotten to the point where I am comfortable enough with painting a commission piece with the black undercoat...), and using the wet on wet technique. I've finished the pants and have the first shadows and highlights done on the fleshtones. I'll deepen the shading and apply the highest highlights later today to the face. I'm using the non-metallic metallic technique that Lou Masses developed for acrylics, but I've adapted it to oils. I'll use printers ink on a the buttons and some of them metal inserts of the scabbard, but for the most part, I prefer the effect of the non-metallic metallics.

More to follow!

Venetian Archer Part II

2010-02-14T10:19:00.003-05:00

Here's the finished archer ready for the trip to Atlanta on Friday...

As I said earlier, this is one of the best figures from the I&E line. I highly recommend it for your gray army.

I used the Reaper range of acrylics on this figure, and am very impressed as well with the smooth finish they provide. Although he's painted with oils over a black acrylic undercoat, the bow, arrows, quiver, and scabbard were painted with oils over a red undercoat from Reaper. I'm very impressed with the Reaper acrylic paints, and have already started to purge my Andrea and Vallejo brands and replace them with Reaper paints.

Venetian Archer

2010-02-06T11:55:00.003-05:00

I've started this I&E 75mm Venetian Archer as I am winding down on a commission piece; it's cast in white metal, and is probably the best cast I&E ever produced. Exquisite detail and attention to detail echos throughout this figure, I believe this was sculpted by Randall Patton, but I may be mistaken. Nonetheless, it's an amazing figure.

He's painted using oils over a black acrylic base; the metal helmet and breastplate are simply buffed out from the white metal casting washed with burnt umber and lamp black. I've highlighted with a touch of silver printers ink to a mix of burnt umber and sepia.

The boots have the oil base color applied, which is burnt umber and lamp black for the dark leather, and mars orange and burnt umber for the light leather at the top of the boots. The pants are painted with a mix of cinnabar green and viridian; I shaded with a touch of lamp black to the base color and highlighted using the base plus a touch of cadmium green light and cadmium yellow. The leather jerkin is painted with a mix of burnt umber and lamp black, and then shaded using lamp black and a touch of purple. Highlights are achieved with mars orange and the highest highlights are achieved with a touch of yellow ochre (thanks Bob!) to the mars orange.

He's a work in progress at this stage...

After The Jump

2009-11-24T08:22:00.003-05:00

Here's my latest...

This is the 1/16th US Paratrooper from Alpine; it's an amazing canvas and frankly, it's what is making Alpine a leader in the industry. Tremendous sculpting!

For this figure, I tried something completely different, I undercoated in black acrylic instead of the traditional matching acrylic color. I really liked this technique, since it enables me to see the shadows and highlights much more effectively. Not to mention adds a dramatic feel to the figure. He's painted in my traditional manner of "wet on wet", and the only difference is that I added a touch of grey to the base color to compensate for the transparency of the oil paints.

There's still a couple finishing touches to do, like adding just a touch of a mud and dirt along the bottom of the pants, the jacket and at the elbows. I'll go over the figure one last time and he's ready for the display case.

I enjoyed this figure, and for me, doing something a little out of the ordinary helps me to learn and grow.

I can't wait to start my next figure!

Creole Guide

2009-08-23T10:57:00.005-05:00

Just finished up this tremendous figure from Thunderbird Historical Miniatures; it’s a slight conversion from the original release. The figure is cast in gray resin and comes in eight pieces. Each piece is cast wonderfully. Clean up is minimal, and there are a few seam lines, and they are so faint that they can be easily missed on each of the arms.

I wanted to make this a more “original” figure, and after reading Mark’s article (www.qtm-magazine.it/guidacreola.htm) I decided to go with a swampier feel to the figure. I cut off the moccasins and replaced them with bare feet from the Historex line, and instead of having the rifle over his right shoulder, I replaced the hand and rifle with a spare hand with a cigarette from the spares box.

He’s painted with artist oils over an acrylic base in my traditional manner of wet on wet.

This is my first figure from Thunderbird Historical Miniatures, and am looking forward to many more….

APG Auction Figure

2009-07-12T09:37:00.006-05:00

He's finished!

I put the finishing touches on him this morning and he's ready for the auction block come August. I can not tell you how excited I am for this show and how much this will mean to our project this year and the future of the APG.

He's painted in my traditional manner of oils over acrylics...

I tried to capture the essence of a soldier during the Vicksburg Campaign in 1863. I weathered his pants with a mixture of earth tones and ochre's; I feathered into the blue base color while both were wet.

The blue jacket is a mixture of Indigo and a touch of Prussian Blue; highlights were achieved by adding Misty Blue to the base mix. I shaded with a touch of ivory black and purple to the base mix. The light blue pants were mixed using Cerulean Blue and Misty Blue with just a touch of grey to cut the blue tone. I added Titanium White to the base color for the highlights and for the shadows, added just a touch of Prussian Blue to base color.

11th Indiana

2009-06-28T11:31:00.008-05:00

I'm making some progress on my auction figure for this year's APG Project. This is a 100mm Michael Roberts 11th Indiana NCO conversion; I've added a different head and tinkered a touch with his left shoulder just a little bit.

Our Project this year is the conservation and restoration of the Colors of the 5th Alabama Battalion. This flag was captured at Picketts Charge on July 3rd 1863. They came into the possession of Joshua Chamberlain and were returned to Alabama in 1943. Here's our website:

http://www.artistpreservationgroup.com/ for more information on the project and upcoming show.

I'll post a couple more in-progress pictures as well as the final picture for the auction. This figure will be at the Gettysburg Show August 7th - 9th.

When the Mighty Fall

2009-04-25T08:33:00.003-05:00

I just finished this 54mm Space Marine figure from Games Workshop. I was really inspired by the 120mm Space Marine SBS that appeared on Cool Mini or not, and I did a little research and decided I was going to break from my traditional Napoleonic figures and try something a little different.

He's painted in my traditional manner of oils over acrylics and if you care to see how he all came together, here is a SBS I did on Timelines Forum.

None Shall Pass...

2009-03-21T08:55:00.005-05:00

Just finished this guy last week...

I took an Art Girona figure and pulled a historex head from the spares part box, rotated the arm back and then dropped the shoulder a little in an effort to make him poised for defending an attack. When I saw the stock figure I never imagined it would clean up so nicely.

I was very impressed with the figure; very few mold lines and clean up was a snap. From start to finish, it took me a month to complete.

During MFCA back in 2002, I talked with Adrian Bay and he mentioned that he primes all his figures in black; seven years later, I finally gave it a shot...

This is the first figure I ever primed in black and really like the way it worked out. For me, the black primer helps me to see where the highlights and shadows are at and gives greater depth to the oil paints.

He's painted with acrylics over oils.

1st Regime Prussian Hussar Officer

2008-11-15T10:23:00.013-05:00

I started with Verlinden's Prussian Leiberhessen figure for this project. I wanted something a little different with his pose, so I took the right hand and substituted it with one I had in my spares box and moved it just a little forward on the shoulder. I filled the small gap with A&B Putty and then sanded the shoulder down just a little in order to make the arm look a little more natural. My intent with that small modification is to help with the scene that I am going to put him in...

I also found in my spare parts box a 120mm saber in the scabbard and replaced the one that came with the figure. I needed the right hand to be "open" for the vignette he'll be a part of...

I added a plume atop his shako like that worn by the 1st Regiment and attached it with a small brass rod to the metal flange.

So, after the modifications and the black primer, here's what I started with...

The entire figure was primed in black and this is the first time I've painted fleshtones over a black primer. It took a couple extra layers of my flesh undercoat to make me feel comfortable about starting the fleshtones.

My fleshtone mix is pretty basic for this guy; burnt sienna, titanium white, naples yellow and cadmium red. I added a little of red madder for the shadow tone and more titanium white for the highlights.

For the barrel sash, I started off with the darker tones at the bottom and worked my way to lighter tones at the top. The red cords base tone is simply cadmium red medium with a touch of red madder, and the white barrels are titanium white and sepia. I highlighted the red cords with cadmium red light and the whites with flake white.

Here's what the final figure looks like...I talked with Conny and he suggested that I mix my own black instead of using a something right out of the tube, and instead of undercoating with pure black acrylic I mixed some brown into the color for the pelisse and dolman and added a little blue to the mix for the pants.

I pulled these color mixes directly from Conny's CD "How I Paint" Vol I (by the way, these are incredible references!). Here are the mixes:

The pelisse is alizarin crimson + prussian blue + viridian.

The pants is ivory black + indigo

The dolman is ivory black + burnt sienna to get a brown, then that brown with violet + viridian.

For the highlights, I mixed a little bit of titanium white + prussian blue into the base color and gradually built up on them as I went. For the shading, I added a little bit of lamp black to each of the base colors for a deeper richer color.

I still have a couple tweeks to make; he needs dull coating and then I'll bring out the metal highlights. But I'll wait to do that once the entire vignette is done...

Work in Progress, Chessuer a' Cheval

2008-11-15T10:13:00.005-05:00

Here's where I am on the Chessuer...I haven't had as much time in recent months to dedicate to this guy because of a commission piece and a unique 120mm wedgie I am working on, but had some time today to tinker with the figure.

His deerskin pants are undercoated with a pale yellow acrylic from JoSonya, and the oil base color was mixed with naples yellow (hue) and titanium white. For the highlights, I added a bit more titanium white to the base color and for the shadows, I added raw sienna to the base color.

I started the rope and barrel sash along with the green dolman. I'll post some updated pictures this weekend.

Chasseurs a cheval

2008-06-22T08:14:00.010-05:00

Here's a little piece I am working on in between painting a commision piece...

This is a 90mm Poste Militaire Chesseur a' Cheval; I've had this kit for almost two years, and after talking with Bob Snarowski, I decided to give it a try.

His face is just about finished...the midtones are in and are the highlights and shadows. I need to go back in and bring out the highest highlights. I've been talking with Conny and he recommended a mixture of burnt sienna, yellow ochre and vermillion as the base for my fleshtone. The shadows are the base color with a little of viridian added; and the highlights are titanium white and naples yellow light. I've added a touch of cadium red to the cheeks...

June 28th, 2008

After talking with Conny, I went back over my fleshtones and have refined them a little. I have one more application of my fleshtones and then I think I'll be happy. I've also started the powedered hair and the gray mustache. I am trying to get a more "vetern" feel to this guy. I really like the expression and have titled the head just a tad to have him looking up and away as if he looking for someone or something...

SS Tanker

2008-06-22T08:10:00.003-05:00

Here's a tremendous 1/35th figure from John Borneo...we did a figure swap at MFCA this year and John was gracious enough to part with this little beaute!

It's a tremendous figure painted in acrylics and oils...

I'll have John do up a quick little piece on how he pulled off the leather pants; more to follow!

2008-02-12T16:12:00.000-05:00

Un soir à lui...(An evening to himself) Update

Here are a couple updated pictures of where I am with this project...

Un soir à lui...(An evening to himself) Update

2008-01-20T09:05:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple pictures as I work through this project...

Leib Bn Sgt

2008-01-02T15:05:00.000-05:00

This is an amazing sculpted figure from Maurizio Bruno and the folks at Pegaso. Cast in white metal, this guy was a painters figure from the start.

Like always he was painted in acrylics (JoSonya) and finished entirely in artist oils. I wanted to show him as a "seasoned" veteran and really needed to have a difference tone between the blouse and his pants. After talking with John Long, he recommended that I mixed my own color of black using equal parts of thalo green with alizarin crimson for the blouse and mix lamp black with a touch of burnt umber for the pants.

The rich blue for his collar was mixed with cerrelean blue and a touch of prussian blue. I highligted this with titanium white added to the base mix. The lace work was painted with a blue mix that used prussian blue and a touch of cerrelean blue.

I finished him off with a couple dustings of dullcoat and then went back over and brought out the highest highlights on the brass buttons, walking stick, saber and scabboard. I gave the cross belt and brim of the shako a glaze of liquin in order to give them a more leather feel...

Un soir à lui...(An evening to himself)

2007-11-12T08:37:00.000-05:00

For Atlanta this coming year, I really wanted a 120mm figure that would stand out; one that I could pour my heart into in respect to my long time mentor Bob Knee, Jr.

Bob's influence on me not only as a person, but as a painter is something I treasure; Atlanta will have a different feel for me this year, and I'll deeply miss my friend. This 120mm Swiss Grenadier Officer from Verlinden was the last figure that Bob talked with me about, and he was looking forward to working with me to bring him alive... So this winter, I'll bring him to life just as Bob had planned.

I started out working in components, since I've found that with these large 120's the upper and lower torso's when split from one another are a lot easier to paint. I started as I usually do with the fleshtones undercoating with JoSonya acrylic paints (tanner yellow) and then after letting it sit a couple days, I applied the oil base. Using a mix of burnt sienna, mars yellow, cadium red and a touch of titanium white. I mixed this to a flesh tone and added just a touch of green to the mix in order to tone it down just a touch. Once I was happy with the base coat I started to add the highest highlights and lay in the eyes.

I wanted this Officer to have a veteran feel to him, so I decided to go with greying hair. I started with an undercoat from JoSonya that was mixed from brown earth and black. Once it had dried, I mixed a small amount of burnt umber and lamp black together and that became the base color for the figure's hair. I took some titanium white and just worked in the color right on the mustache and eyebrows to get a grey tone. I added some violet to the oil base color and used that for shading and contrast. Once the fleshtones are compeletely finished, I'll go back over and bring out the highest high points on the mustache and eyebrows. Here's a quick shot of the fleshtones after a couple session working the hightlights and shadows:

The plume came from my spares box, and is painted in black and then drybrushed with varying tones of red and white. My technique for the bearskin was to start with a dark tone, much like the mix I used for the base for the hair, and then bring out the contrasting browns as highlights. I shaded with lamp black.

The gold cords are done using Lou's technique for painting non-metallic metallic's adapted to oils. I started with a brown mix of mars yellow and gold ochre with a touch of burnt umber. Once that was on, I let it sit for a day, and then came back with gold ochre and napels yellow (hue) and started to bring out the contrasting gold tone. After the gold tone was laid on, I went back in and deepened the shadows to give the contrast to the colors.

The metal crown and eagle were painted in the same manner of the cords, but I added just a touch of brass and gold printers ink to the mix to simulate a brass plate.

Up next, setting the scene.

Why me..?

2007-08-05T14:55:00.000-05:00

I just finished my second ever 1/35th figure; and I gotta give Tuesung at Alpine his props; this is an amazing figure! Here is the way I started this figure...the tanker straight from the kit. I had a nice talk with John Long, and he suggested that instead of having his head looking out in the distance, that I angle it downward focusing on the ammo crates below him.

I tinkered with the head and was able to cut a tiny notch in the front of his neck and built up just a touch of putty at the back of his neck to fill in a tiny gap from the new angle of the head. Once I had that done, I started with the priming.

I primed him using Tamiya grey spray primer; a couple dusting was sufficient and once that dried for a couple days, I started with the acrylic base.

The late Bob Knee told me about JoSonya acrylics and I am a huge fan of them; they go on incredibly smooth, have great coverage and accept oils very well! I used them exclusively now instead of the Andrea and Vallejo paints. I undercoated all the areas where the shadows were most predominate with a mix of prussian blue and black. I let that dry for a couple days, and then went back and laid in a black undercoat for the tanker jacket and prussian blue for the pants. For the boots, and belt I used a mix of carbon black and earth brown for the undercoat.

I painted the face first using my usual mix of oils and then went to work on the black leather tanker jacket. I used a mix of brunt umber, mars black and indigo to get the base color, and then I worked in just a touch of purple for the deepest shadows. Highlights were worked with a mix of white and prussian blue into the base. The color I wanted for the highlights was a very pale blue since I wanted a cool contrast between the gloves and the jacket. For the pants, I used an oil mix of prussian blue and cobalt blue and shaded with a touch of indigo. Highlights were achieved with just the same pale blue mix for the jacket. The ground work was a blast! John Long supplied me with the crates, and I worked them into the ground work so that it gives the appearance that the crates were left some time ago. I gave the entire base a couple washes of JoSonya's earth brown, let that dry and then washed some burnt umber, sepia and a touch of black. Once that had dried, I added the rocks and winter grass and then dried brushed in the winter highlights using a mix of a pale blue white to give a cold feel to the groundwork as a whole. I painted in the deep crevasse with a mix of sepia and ivory black.

The crates were undercoated with some beige JoSonya and then given a couple washes of burnt sienna and raw umber. I highlighted them with a mix of napels yellow and white and then went back over the wood grain with some black to give a contrast. I still have to dullcoat him, and then one final picture! Here's the final picture...

Celt, 2nd Century

2007-07-01T06:39:00.001-05:00

I've finished my first, and hopefully not my last ancient, figure this weekend...

This is a 90mm Verlinden figure that instead of using the shield provided in the kit, I opted for a Roman Standard I had in my spare parts box. I chose to go with the standard over the shield because the entire left side of the figure was going to be covered by the shield.

The entire figure is painted in oils with the metal and mail being done in printers inks and pigments from Testors metallic range.

I asked for help from Phil Kessling and he worked with me on the stripes for the pants. The key is to do the base color of the pants, all the shading and highlighting first, then go back in and lay the pattern in. It's my first attempt, and I am anxious to try this technique out again.

The ruins are scratchbuilt using Balsa-Foam (http://www.dickblick.com/zz331/11/) and a plaster column. This Balsa-Foam stuff is awesome; it's simple to carve, it accepts acrylic and oil paints extremely well, but make sure you use a water based medium to seal it before you apply the undercoat. I used a white acrylic painting medium...this stuff is excellent!

95th Rifleman

2007-05-25T13:24:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest...

I've just finished the 1/9th scale resin bust of a 95th Rifleman from Wolfe; amazing sculpt!

I painted him using JoSonja acrylics as the undercoat, and oils. The biggest challenge was the green jacket since all the references I had described it as a rifle green or worsted green. I didn't have a clue what that color is, so I mixed a little cinnabar green with a sap green and then toned it down with a touch of white and just worked the midtones from there. I highlighted the jacket with light green and then added a touch more of cinnabar green for the shades.

Here's a close up of the face...

An amazing sculpt makes a for a tremendous canvas...

The scar on his left cheek is painted on...I used Hardy Tempst's technique that he described on Timelines. It adds a unique degree of character to his face...

Crimson Legged Devil

2006-11-25T06:02:00.000-05:00

A tremendous scuplt by Mike Stelzel of MR Ltd. It's a 100mm Private from the 14th Brooklyn Regiment. This is a simple conversion figure; I added a different head, sculpted some hair and a small goatee. He's painted completely in oils, and this is my figure for the Artist Preservation Group (APG) Auction.

GySGT Dan Daley

2006-11-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is a 1/9 scale bust from the Regimental S4 of GySGT Dan Daley. Painted straight from the box in oils, and as box art, this is a wonderful sculpture from Alan Ball. The detail on this bust is amazing and truly captures the spirit and zeal of Dan Daley...

Captain, 4th Hussars

2006-11-25T05:54:00.000-05:00

A tremendous 120mm figure from Verlinden, this Captain, 4th Hussars was built straight from the box. I added a "fuller" plume from my spares box since I thought the kit plume didn't do the figure justice. Painted in oils, this is a tremendous kit and, in my honest opinion really captures the style and aire of confidence of a Napoleonic Hussar.

A little about me...

2006-11-24T19:08:00.000-05:00

Like most figurist, I started out building armor and soon realized my real passion was bringing the figures to life. I enjoyed building the armor kits, but there was something very special about bringing that moment in time alive with a figure.

The biggest thrill so far, for me, is being a part of the Artist Preservation Group. This is a very special team of artists, and I am thrilled to help with battlefield and artifact preservation.

I am a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army; and after 22 years of service, I'll retire in February 2007. I was born in Wurzburg, Federal Republic of Germany, and now reside along with my wife and two kids in Stafford, Virginia.

Traditionally I attend the Atlanta, MFCA and DC figure shows, and have been fortunate to write articles for Historical Miniature Magazine, Military Modeling and Military Modelcraft International Magazine. Also, I've produced box art for I&E Miniatures, Stormtroopers, C&R and most recently, The Regimental S4.

I am primarily interested in the Napoleonic eras and I enjoy the figures of the American Civil War, War for Independence as well.

I accept commission work; please contact me at fourkirks@aol.com if you'd like to discuss a new painting project.