I thought I’d drop a line on the situation with Testors for everyone who has been waiting on the Ice &Fire figures. They have had another shake out and the whole project and situation is again uncertain. I don’t think the work I’ve done will be wasted but there is no telling how long it will be before they are produced in some form. Sorry, but I have no influence on the situation.
For all the people who have asked about the Nativity set this could be good news as I will have more time to work on it. Please be aware however that a single 1/32 figure can take more than a week to complete and I still have lots of other commitments.
The pictures today are of a French officer for the French and Indian War line I work on from time to time to amuse myself and hope to one day enjoy with my son. It’s 1/48 or about 35mm tall.
This line will not be made for some time unless I win the lottery, which is highly unlikely as I don’t buy tickets.
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Comments
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Manfred
says:
#1 2006-12-07 11:22 (Reply)Excellent feeling for the period and a craftmanship which makes it hard to recognize the tiny scale without a ruler.
I especially love the way the different kinds of folds indicate the coat, the tight breeches and the leather boots.
Maybe one day you find a bit of spare time to post a few step by step pics ? Not that I would be able to translate them.
Manfred -
Jonas
says:
#2 2006-12-14 03:17 (Reply)Really like that!
I also would be interested in your dollies.
You mentioned they were self-cast, so I think it might be very informative to see where you put accents on. -
Tom
says:
#3 2006-12-15 11:46 (Reply)I’ve never felt the need to make pictures of the process by which I make figures because from what I’ve seen it’s the same as that found on lots of how-to-sculpt articles on the web. The only differences I’ve seen are the emphasis I place on controlling the thickness of the epoxy to the purpose in hand.
That said there are probably lots of small differences which wouldn’t show up in a series of still shots, for example, I get the impression lots of people have trouble smoothing the epoxy and seek to do so by troweling it down, as you would plaster or clay. I only do this very lightly as a last touch on smooth surfaces like plate armor. Everywhere else I ‘pluck’ the epoxy together using it’s stickiness to move and join it without pushing it down until I have the masses where I want them and the surface free of joins. Then, on a surface which is not meant to be perfectly smooth, like cloth, I let the epoxy ‘find’ a surface which is smoother than anything I could force on it, this saves work and let’s me get more done with a single application of epoxy. -
Nik
says:
#4 2006-12-19 01:18 (Reply)Tom,
I LOVE your 1/48 Germans! I read they're for wargames, but have you considered the massive potential for 1/48 armour builders? I know there's a bunch of us who are absolutely starved for figures for our models. One thing I'd like to suggest is tank crews as they always seem to sell well.
Best of luck with the line, and I will follow the development closely. -
Timothy Holly
says:
#5 2006-12-31 15:54 (Reply)Absolutely the finest quality models. To see the native American warrior next to the European dressed officer looks amazing.
Dynamic & Expressive with details that cannot be found anywhere else in the relm of miniatures.
My New Years Resolution is to stop painting typical gaming models of such usual Bulky useless ornamentation and finish my Wood Elves host.
My first Wood elf archer took my a week to paint but the results are beautiful, now only if my new digital camera could capture the details. It takes a little more effort to get the pics to come out right but, I'll figure it out.
Time is harder to come by the older I get, so if im painting, I should paint the best. -
Elio M. García, Jr.
says:
#6 2007-01-05 16:46 (Reply)Gorgeous work.
Regarding the Ice and Fire figures, when you say, 'I don’t think the work I’ve done will be wasted but there is no telling how long it will be before they are produced in some form,' is it right to read this as meaning that it will be produced in some form (i.e., cosmetic changes to deal with intellectual property concerns, re: A Song of Ice and Fire`?) with or without Testors? -
Tom
says:
#7 2007-01-05 19:24 (Reply)It meant I really didn't know what was happening - but just today I was told by Testors they are still expecting to make the 1/48 figures and game at least. I still don't know about the 54mm stuff.
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Elio M. García, Jr.
says:
#8 2007-01-06 03:32 (Reply)That's heartening, at least.
A lot of people have been extremely impressed on the Ice and Fire board by the detail in the Ruby Ford figures ... but Testors just doesn't seem to know how to ship them soundly, which is a real shame. -
Tom
says:
#9 2007-01-06 08:16 (Reply)The problem is in the design of the figures. When Testors asked me to make 1/32 (54mm) figures, I asked them what they were for; did they want a kit for people to assemble and paint, in which case I had a lot of latitude to make the figure technically challenging, or did they want them for production as finished pewter giftware in which case I would make them less elaborate and more robust.
They said unequivocally, kits. They planned to make larger figures in resin for the giftware market.
I made the figures and …you guessed it, they reversed themselves and decided to make them as giftware! -
Ziopoth
says:
#10 2007-01-08 09:58 (Reply)Well, I'm not sure what you have been told Tom, but I can tell you that Testors will not be producing anything. They are completely out of the gaming business. It is ashame to see that wonderful work going to waste, and I hope it does not, but at this point I do not know what can be done with it due to contacts and other potential legal issues.
