Dan Morton Posted 24 June , 2007 Share Posted 24 June , 2007 This will be a mounted figure in 120mm or 1/15th scale. Head from Michael Roberts, One hand from The Lost Battalion, Boots from Jaguar, Canteen from Model Cellar. All of these kit pieces were modified. The horse is from Dragon and will require quite a bit of modification. I wanted to finish the cavalryman first. Uniform markings are for a Sergeant of the Royal Scots Greys in France, 1914. His equipment includes: • M1902 service dress tunic and cavalry breeches in khaki serge • M1905 service dress cap, badge shows the Eagle of the French 45th Line captured at Waterloo • Khaki putties wound bottom to top and blackened ‘ammunition boots’, with spurs (no spurs yet!) • M1903 (I think!) haversack • Leather strapped canteen • Cavalry mess tin • Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) MK III 0.303 caliber rifle • 90 round M1903 leather bandoleer • M1908 sword and holder (not yet!) • Universal pattern saddle (eventually!) The horse will be equipped with a leather rifle wallet, bit and snaffle, reins, bridle, two large leather holster type hold-alls, blanket, wooden horse peg and rope, & canvas horse water bucket As you can tell, this is WIP and very rough. A large piece of pink Super Sculpey is holding him in the sitting position I want temporarily. I need to thoroughly clean the figure and equipment and do some detailing on the equipment. Initially I had thought to have the cavalryman aiming his rifle, but changed my mind when I was fiddling with the arms and rifle alignment. I liked this pre-firing pose better. He's squinting into the distance at something which might be a target. Hope you like it! All the best, Dan This will take several posts to show you all six pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 24 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 24 June , 2007 Next pics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 24 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 24 June , 2007 Last two... All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 25 June , 2007 Share Posted 25 June , 2007 Dan, these are wonderful. You can almost imagine being with him, on that rock - gazing out onto his target.... Susan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 25 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 25 June , 2007 Many thanks, Susan! Actually, he isn't standing on a rock. It's meant to be a well-traveled dirt road, but doesn't look like that without paint. I'm looking forward to adding the horse equipment next weekend. All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Posted 26 June , 2007 Share Posted 26 June , 2007 Fab! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 26 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 26 June , 2007 Thanks Soren! Since taking the photos, I've moved on a bit. The bandoleer fits much more tightly. The hair in the back is thinner and I'm about to add a bit more bulk to the back of the neck to keep his head and neck in proportion. I had carved some out of the back of the neck for another reason and I apparently did a bit too much, so now will replace it. The horseman fits reasonably well and is sitting on the horse the way I want him to be now, but I still need to redo the places where the jodhpurs (?) or riding breeches meet the saddle. After that on with the horse equipment! All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 26 June , 2007 Share Posted 26 June , 2007 Amazing detail, right down to the veins in the horses leg.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 26 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 26 June , 2007 Spike - Uh...in the interests of truth, justice and the rest of that folderol...I confess to not sculpting the horse. That's a Dragon kit horse. But I will be changing his pose a bit to better fit the situation. Probably will move his head left or right a bit and maybe raise one or two hooves from the ground. It's a great casting and sculpture, but a little too stiff for the situation. All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanhemmings Posted 26 June , 2007 Share Posted 26 June , 2007 Dan, sorry. Just could imagine him on a rock as a lookout. Once its painted - will be able to see details more clearly. Whatever, its still a wonderful piece of work. Well done. Susan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 26 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 26 June , 2007 Susan - absolutely no problem! Just wanted to clear up the misunderstanding. And thank you again for your encouragement! All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 26 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 26 June , 2007 GDav - That's interesting. I really thought they had mostly grey horses. I seem to recall a memoir that talked about the RSGs using boot polish or blacking to change their grey horses to other colors, so the Germans couldn't identify the unit easily. Is that not true? Maybe both are true. Maybe their dress uniforms were grey also? Anyway the cavalryman in my figure is wearing 1902 khaki serge "battle dress" tunic and the cavalry jodhpurs or breeches, not the dress uniform. [if I'm wrong with any of this, please correct me!!!] So when it gets painted, you'll see more khaki than grey, I believe. I plan to talk it over with my painter, but I'd prefer to have the horse painted as a grey. Call it artistic license. I know it's possibly historically inaccurate, but it would be what my viewers would expect to see, plus probably make for a more attractive figure. As for painting - I have an extremely good (gold medal winner!) painter in Roger Newsome, from Yorkshire, a regular on this site. He works with me regularly and does a fabulous job. Roger, however, is a little reluctant to do this one, so I'm not entirely sure who will paint it. I have a standing offer from Rod Allison, a very good painter from Australia. I may take him up on it. Maybe ol' Rog will change his mind. We shall see when it is done. All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Hauraki KIA KAHA Posted 27 June , 2007 Share Posted 27 June , 2007 HI Dan Its looking great, I had a MZMR trooper I was working on, that is going nowhere fast using the same horse, I had to thin mine down, that bulky German horse Mine was set in Sinai I take it you will remove the girth strap and bridal. Also your Two Tommie's is a great work aswell . Regards Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 27 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 27 June , 2007 Jonathan - Many thanks!! Yes, the bridal strap will be removed. At least part of the girth strap will be removed. It is in the wrong place for the UP saddle. The issue about the thin vs. bulky horses - that's a good point! It somewhat depends on what year and theater (as you said) are talking about. The poor horses in the desert were particularly unfortunate - short of water and forage for most of the time. Have you seen any good, clear photos of horses in these conditions? Would love to see your model! Post some photos or send me some - maybe I can help you. If you want I can PM you my e-mail address. All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Anderson Posted 30 June , 2007 Share Posted 30 June , 2007 Dan, I have just found this section of the forum and come across your work. Absolutely stunning! Seeing a two dimensional photo/drawing changing into a three dimensional figure step by step is great. I only wish I had a modicum of your skill/talent/patience. Look forward to seeing more in the future. Regards, Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Morton Posted 30 June , 2007 Author Share Posted 30 June , 2007 Donny, Many thanks for your encouragement! I feel very blessed to be able to play around with the putty and make it look like something. Well, most of the time anyways! This afternoon I've been starting to alter the saddle and sculpt the rifle boot and two saddle "wallets". It's a pretty slow process but fun. All the best, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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