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Figure Development 3rd Stage

8K views 48 replies 11 participants last post by  Gary Armitstead 
#1 ·

I've completed stage 3 in the developement of Abe. In this stage I test paint the prototype. I do this for a few reasons:
  1. The paint reveals imperfections that I can correct before making a mold
  2. I can determine if the likeness of the subject is close, or if I have additional work to do to get to that point
  3. I can add finer details with layers of paint, such as veins in the hands, wrinkles in the knuckles, seams in the clothing and creases in the shoes

I can also determine if the color scheme works for the figure. Painting also reveals problems with proportion that a divider and a ruler don't always show.
It is important to note that unlike building a scale model, successfully capturing a likeness isn't as simple as transfereing measurements from the subject to the sculpture. 
The fact is, that some exageration of  features is required in order to make the person seem more like themselfs. Its hard to explain, but, the human mind doesn't identify human faces by the size of specific features, but rather by how individual features impress us, or disturb us, or attract us.


During stage 3 I take several photos from different angles. 
Here is a trick that a lot painters used to help see them perfect their master pieces. They would take a mirror and look at their painting in the mirror.
The mirror isn't magic, but the reversed view of the painting was new to the eye, and because it is new, the eye will pick up on more problem areas than it would looking at the normal view. The fact is, that the longer you look at an object, the more your mind makes up for things that are missing and the more bored it gets with the subject matter.
The mirror gives your mind something new to look at, and it treats this percieved new image with greater attention.
Its like waking your mind up. 
Photo images do that for my mind. Wakes it up. Makes me look at the figure in a new way. 

Another advantage of the photo image is the closeness you can get to the subject.
I have magnifying glasses and they can do a pretty good job of getting up close, but they tend to distort what I'm seeing a little.
As you can see from the image above, there is no distortion.
What I can see is that this figure  will require an additional cast before the final piece.
The reason for this is the area around the eyes and ears.
As the photo reveals, they are kind of clumsy and not well defined. Sculpty doesn't hold small detail well, (at least not for me) and tends to crumbly when you get too small. 
The first cast will allow to work the resin, which holds a lot more detail.
 
 
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#27 ·
Posted By rkapuaala on 02/21/2008 9:24 AM
Jack,
You are a movie star too! Cool. How about some pics of you in your civil war costume, standing at rest arms. I would like to see one front, one back and one on each side without the backpack and the same with the backpack.
I left the mole out on purpose. 1. It is one of the finer details that get dimensiones when you paint the figure and needs to be added back on any way. 2. If you put a mole and a beard like that on Alfred E Newman, everyone thinks its Lincoln.
I'm working on the stove pipe hat, but its not going to be easy. I've had a couple of failures because of lack of a clear image of his hat. Most of the images are very small and blurry.
I will release him as is, since he will be good for standing on a coach or in the oval office. He won't be able to go outside till I get the hat finished is all.

Richard -

Here's the best photo I know of Lincoln wearing his top hat:


Taken at Antietam in 1862

If you go to these websites, you can see this and another photo taken at the same time in really high resolution:

http://www.zazzle.com/lincoln_pinkerton_and_mcclernand_1862_print-228931545795186380

http://www.zazzle.com/lincoln_pinkerton_and_mcclernand_at_antietam_1862_print-228859414098925816?ZCMP=ProductPageRecs2
-
As for more pix of me in my Civil War uniform (not "costume" - a point of pride among us reenactors) here are some more screen captures from the movie "Gettysburg":




In addition to portraying a color sergeant in the 124th New York Vol. Infantry (see posting above,) I was also a company commander in the 20th Maine sequences on the second day of the battle.



and here's a good closeup of me as an officer (I was commanding the honor guard for Gen. Colin Powell in G'burg at the time this was taken.)

Hope these are helpful to you, Rich. Keep up the good work.
 
#28 ·
Thanks Jack, I have that image and the rest from that site already, but they just don't tell me much about the hat.
Also, I'm planning on some civil war soldiers and am in the process of researching their uniforms. I found a lot of grainy images from that site you mentioned and others on the internet, but what I lack is good closeups of a civil war soldier in the same pose front, back and sides. If you could take some time to don your uniform and have someone walk around you taking pictures while you are standing at ease with your rifle at rest, with and without a pack, then with a pack, you will be rewarded with a 5 free unpainted copies of the end product.
I have an old 1864 springfield rifle, but no colt side arm or the holster and pouches. Some good shots of that would also be appreciated and some shots of the soles of the boots from the bottom. I've just been making guesses about boot design.
Then I can get that cannon from Ozark minitures and have a great civil war diaorama for my layout. I'll have Lincoln reviewing the troops ;)
 
#30 ·
Richard -

Unfortunately, I have become too much of (what we reenactors call) a "TBG" * to accurately depict a Civil War soldier any more. Fortunately, on the other hand, my son, Steve, is also a reenactor in the 5th New York Duryee Zouaves (I guess the acorn really doesn't fall too far from the tree) and, as a Fairfax County Sheriff's Deputy, he still very much looks the part.


That's him on the right.

I'll get him into his blue uniform, pose him any way you'd like and take some good digital shots of him. If you give me a specific pose you'd like to see, I'll try to get him to do it - he still does what I say (some of the time.)

Meanwhile, here's a few shots I took of my friends in Company K, 1st Pennsylvania Reserves at Gaines Mill a few years ago. They're some of the best in the business.





Once again, hope you find all this useful.

* Tubby, bearded guy
 
#31 ·
Not sure I remember my marshall of arms right, but I think the stance is rest arms?
The soldier has rifle at his side tilted forward,
The muzzle is in his right hand which is extended slightly to hold the weapon,
His feet are apart,
His left hand is held at the small of his back,
His eyes are straight ahead,
Was that a stance used in the civil war?
Wasn't going to do a likeness of anyone on this piece though. For the first time I was going to do a generic face so that it could be modify slightly with paint or putty and give the impression of having a lot of different individuals when in deed it is really just one figure. (Hope that makes sense)
I will be doing some likeness of some of the commissioned officers though, especially my two favorites for the union Sherman and Grant and my one favorite for the south Lee.
 
#34 ·
Right you are, Doug.

The position Richard is describing is the current "Parade Rest" as prescribed by The Landing Party Manual used by the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps. Here's what it looks like:



The closest thing to what I think Richard is looking for, according to Hardee's Light Infantry Tactics (one of the commonly used drill manuals of the period, and the one I used) is the position of "In Place, Rest", shown here in a period photo:



Would something like that work for you, Richard?
 
#40 ·
Richard-

Actually, California was a state by then, too. Admitted to the union in 1850.

In fact, the state fielded some military units for the Union Army. In 1862, five companies of the 2nd Massachusetts Cavalry (also known as "The California 100" ) were raised and mustered into service on behalf of the State of Massachusetts. They left San Francisco by sea to fight "at the seat of the war," as it was termed then. They eventually participated in 51 battles, campaigns, and skirmishes.
 
#42 ·
Thanks Jack, now I'm gona have to start reading up on my Civil War history, can you recommend a good book for someone who has a basic understanding of the war and its principals, but is a little foggy on the dates and battles?
Rich
Thanks for your orders, I found this link that looks interesting
History of American Uniforms Indian wars 1866-1890 
Its a history of American Uniforms dating back to before independence. Man there were a lot of uniforms in the civil war. The above link shows your time period, and it looks like a civil war uniform might fit in there.
 
#45 ·
Richard,

An excellent source for military uniforms that's fairly inexpensive is: Osprey's Men at Arms series. They cover everything from the Seven Years War until today. There are several Civil War titles. Another excellent source is the Company of Military Historians. I have a 3 volume work on the horse soldier 1776-1943 by Randy Steffen.

I, too, used to be a reinactor, but with Company C, 1st U.S. Dragoons, circa 1845-47. They fought in the Battle of San Pasqual down here in San Diego County.

Tom Rey
San Diego
 
#46 ·
Jack,

I just started to read this thread today and was fascinated by the fact that you are a Civil War re-enactor. You strike a great pose!  I am an addict about Civil War history. BTW, I am related to General Lewis Armistead, who as you know, was killed at Gettyburg during Pickett's charge. My son and I visit Civil War re-enactments as often as we can out here. My son has decided to join a re-enactors unit here in Southern California. Thanks for the tip on the book.
 
#47 ·
Gary -

Then you probably already know about how Lewis Armistead and Winfield Scott Hancock (as well as Albert Sidney Johnston) were stationed together at an army post in a small California pueblo called Los Angeles just before the war. They were great friends and accounts say that at a farewell party before leaving to join the Confederate army, Armistead told Hancock that if he should ever lift a hand against him in battle, "May God strike me dead."

Well, eventually, they did meet in battle (figuratively, not literally) in 1863 at Gettysburg.  While at the head of (the so-called) Pickett's Charge, Armistead, a brigade commander in Pickett's division, was mortally wounded just after Hancock ("The Superb" as he was known to his men,) commanding the Second Corps, took a wound in the groin that was serious, but not fatal. Sounds like a Hollywood script, but it's all true.

If your son is serious and would like to get into "hard core" reenacting, then I suggest he contact my old friend Scotty Harrington, commanding Co. C, 5th New York Vol.'s (Duryee's Zouaves) there in SoCal. Here's his particulars:

Phone: (714) 572-2513
E-mail: zouave@adelphia.net

You also might like to check out their website: http://www.5nyzouave.org/  Probably the best Civil War reenacting outfit on the "Left Coast."

Good luck,
 
#49 ·
Jack-

Thank you for the info about the New York Volunteers. My son said he is very interested and will be in touch with Scotty. My great-great aunt who died in 1965, at age 100, used to try to tell me stories about the General when I would stay with her as a kid. She was a history-english teacher. Of course, when you're a kid you never really listen too close. I wish I had known better then! The Los Angeles connection I never heard about before. Small world. My son came over to the house today and I gave him the info and e-mail address of your friend. BTW, he already has McPherson's book. Dad's are the last to know, I guess.:D

Tom-

Thank you for the info about the San Diego connection with the General. We've become a genealogical society. Very cool.:cool:
 
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