Tuesday, 28 May 2019
Saturday, 25 May 2019
US 2nd Armored Div., (Hell On Wheels) Germany 1945
A simple conversion based off Tamiya's US Tankcrew Set (ETO)(35347) inspired by a Young Miniatures bust. The head is taken from Tamiya's Wehrmacht Tankcrew Set(35354) whereas part of the lower arm holding the grease gun is taken from Tamiya's Pioneer Team and Goliath Set (35357).
Cheers,
Calvin
Wednesday, 8 May 2019
58th Shizuoka Hobby Show 2019 - Day 1 Arrival and Naraijuku
Invasion!!! 21st Panzer Division, Normandy 1944
Finally made the finishing touches to this figure just in time for the Shizuoka Show this weekend.
Cheers,
Calvin
Saturday, 4 May 2019
Invasion!!! 21st Panzer Division, Normandy 1944
Trying to complete this piece prior to the exhibition at the 58th Shizuoka Hobby Show next weekend. This is a stock figure that accompanied the Marder III M (Normandy Front) kit from Tamiya replaced a Hornet head to convey a caricatured German response to the D-day landings on the Normandy coast. There are still more work to be done; especially on the boots and trousers.
Friday, 5 April 2019
US 5th Armored Division, Hürtgen, 1944
I have finally made the push to complete the painting of this sombre scene depicting the bitter fight by the US Army forces during the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest in Fall of 1944. Inspiration of this vignette came from literally thinking within the box as I set upon myself the challenge to create a narrative using just only the contents of the kit. With the exception of swapping the stock heads for the more expressive offerings from Hornet Models and the remodelling of the hands of the kneeling figure, no other alterations were made to the stock Tamiya figures.
I initially planned to create a solemn scene of the kneeling tank crew in front of a grave marker, but after seeing the half-figure tank driver in the set I though I would change it to a macabre one. However, I did not want to give that away in an instance and hence I had the kneeling figure hold up a tarpaulin to momentarily shield the viewer from the gory of a corpse sawn in half. I wanted the viewer to piece together the elements and form the story once his eyes went around the scene.
Painting wise, the colour palette consisted of various hues of dark browns and greys to convey the mood and physical condition of the subject. I alternated the colour temperature of the skin tones between the kneeing tank crew and his fallen compatriot for greater visual contrast. Image stills from the movie Fury helped provide references for painting and weathering the uniforms.
In all, this has been another engaging project with a stronger emphasis focused on the narrative. I must say that I am on a roll with these new generation of 3D-scanned injection moulded plastic figures from Tamiya. Onward to the next project....
Cheers,
Calvin