Nabopolassar King of Babylon and Daffadar, Skinners Horse by king derelict - Art Girona - 54 mm

[king derelict]

I am getting a bit frustrated with only being able to work on the Flowers for short periods because I forget what I am doing or just don't have time to complete something.

so I thought I would try this as something that can be worked on in short sessions.

I have been amazed by the expertise of the figure painters here and have wanted to try a figure in its own right rather than the 10mm and 1/72 figures in my dioramas

 

Art Girona is a Spanish company making figures across a wide spectrum of subjects and they seem to be superbly sculpted. The prices including shipping from Spain didn't seem too crazy so I ordered three figures to try my hand with

 

The contents of the Nabopolassar box shows some of the great detail\

I was highly impatient and assembled both the Skinners Horse figure and the Nabopolassar one. Nabopolassar went together very easily with everything fitting well. The lancer was harder and even with some careful filing there are some joints that will need filling. I'm not sure what would be the best putty; possibly thick CA or CA with a powder addition to thicken it.

Although the figures are the same scale Nabopolassar is significantly taller than the Bengal lancer.

 

I used CA glue which seems to be holding okay. I'm trying to work out how to hold them for painting. They are heavy so I don't think the usual Blu Tac will work. Both figures come with bases which I had planned to leave until the end thinking it would make painting easier but maybe I should attach them and use the base to hold them while painting.

 

I'm sure I will be back to the community for help as I progress. 

 

Thanks for looking in

 

Alan

 

[Jack12477]

I'm in!

[Jack12477]

36 minutes ago, king derelict said:

I'm trying to work out how to hold them for painting

Would this Universal Clamp from MicroMark work ? 

[Old Collingwood]

Im in Alan,   these do look interesting.

 

OC.

[king derelict]

20 hours ago, Jack12477 said:

I'm in!

Glad you are here, Jack.

I’ll be leaning on your expertise I’m sure 

alan

[king derelict]

20 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

Im in Alan,   these do look interesting.

 

OC.

Glad to see you OC. Your skills are going to be called on to help 

Alan

[king derelict]

21 hours ago, Jack12477 said:

Would this Universal Clamp from MicroMark work ? 

Jack, that could be the answer. I drilled a hole in the underside of the figure and I’m thinking I might be able to hold it on the end of a piece of rod or old drill bit. Maybe using a pin vise or a cork. Another sacrifice to modeling, the need to drink a bottle of wine 

Alan

[Old Collingwood]

24 minutes ago, king derelict said:

Glad to see you OC. Your skills are going to be called on to help 

Alan

If I can  help in anyway  pleased to do so.

 

OC.

[Jack12477]

1 hour ago, king derelict said:

Glad you are here, Jack.

I’ll be leaning on your expertise I’m sure 

alan

I'm a neophyte like you but will be happy to share what I've learned so far.  

[Canute]

It'll be interesting to follow along.

[king derelict]

21 hours ago, king derelict said:

Jack, that could be the answer. I drilled a hole in the underside of the figure and I’m thinking I might be able to hold it on the end of a piece of rod or old drill bit. Maybe using a pin vise or a cork. Another sacrifice to modeling, the need to drink a bottle of wine 

Alan

Well holding the figures on a piece of rod didn't work so well. Nabopolassar fell off while I was spraying teh black primer coat. Nothing that can't be fixed and probably better that it failed at an early stage. I'm thinking I should glue the bases on and use them in a fixture going forward.

Alan

[king derelict]

7 hours ago, Canute said:

It'll be interesting to follow along.

Its going to be an interesting experiment fo me!

[Jack12477]

I think the hand vise would work. It comes with a set of metal pins/rods to insert in holes to hold irregular shaped objects. I have that hand vise and another different style both work well for holding small things. Are these figures metal or resin?  Watch the MicroMark demo video on that webpage

Edited April 25 by Jack12477

[king derelict]

56 minutes ago, Jack12477 said:

I think the hand vise would work. It comes with a set of metal pins/rods to insert in holes to hold irregular shaped objects. I have that hand vise and another different style both work well for holding small things. Are these figures metal or resin?  Watch the MicroMark demo video on that webpage

Thanks Jack

I ordered the hand vice from MicroMark and managed to escape their site with only one other item falling into the basket.

Thanks Jack

Alan

[Bob Cleek]

On 4/23/2024 at 6:15 PM, Jack12477 said:

Would this Universal Clamp from MicroMark work ? 

An excellent tool that everybody should have. However, you should shop around on the internet to find the lowest price. As usual, Micro=Mark has more tools for modeling than most any catalog, but nearly always at a considerably higher price. For example, see: Universal Work Holder Peg Clamp Jewelers Engraving Hand Tool for Jewelry Making - Walmart.com

 

This tool has a handle that can be screwed off and the base neck is hexagonally shaped so it can be placed in a bench vise. That's often a more convenient way to use it than holding it in one hand and some tool or paintbrush in the other.

 

 

Fancy articulated bench top holders are made for it, or sold with this vise, but all are of questionable utility (often too weak) and overpriced. The best option is to buy a decent small 2.5" or 3" bench vise with a clamping attachment for $30 or less. E.g.;  $23.50 Clamp-On Swivel Vise - Lee Valley Tools

 

 

Another option that is very handy to have is one of the extremely versatile QuadHands holding platforms. These are heavy iron plates with flexible arms holding heavy duty alligator clips that attach to the base plate with rare earth magnets.  Sold on Amazon and elsewhere. They are really useful for lots of applications, particularly holding parts for painting, gluing, and soldering. This is a commercial grade tool made for and marketed to the electronics assembly industry. Beware of identical-appearing Chinese knock-offs. The quality is not the same. "QuadHands" is the brand you want. See: QuadHands® - Helping Hands  Tool  They come in several sizes and additional "arms" and attachments are available, starting at around $40. Also sold on Amazon.

 

Edited April 26 by Bob Cleek

[Bob Cleek]

Sorry about that. I got interrupted writing the above post. In the meantime, it looks like you "pulled the pin" and ordered a vise from Micro-Mark when you could have ordered it from Walmart for ten bucks less. I won't rub it in, but only to say that it always pays to shop around before buying anything from Micro-Mark. 

[king derelict]

Thank you Bob for the suggestions and you are right I should have looked around first. I am a bit of a mug when it comes to shopping. Walmart even has free shipping Arrg. I never thought of Walmart for this sort of tool but I see they have a comprehensive range of jewellers tools.

I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with Micro Mark. They have some inherently useful things but as you noted; their prices are a bit fierce and sometime the quality isn't the best. I have a handful of their products however and generally I'm pleased with them. I have a small bench vice similar to the one you show which is pretty reliable and a set of the magnetic hands which are definitely useful at times. 

Many Thanks for your help

Alan

[king derelict]

The black primer has been touched up and the dodgy join on the right shoulder of the daffadar looks like its cleaned up with a bit of thickened ca glue. This now sits waiting for MicroMark to send the vice. I plan to try the glazing method used so effectively by @Jack12477 which I seem to recall emanated from the Night Shift guy. I plan to add the bases and then spray the mist coat ready for the glaze coats. I will start with the daffadar because the painting looks simpler and he is by way of being a practice run. My Spanish friend who kindly sent me the Aedes Ars Loarre Castle kit is a professor of Ancient History specialising in the Neo Babylonian  Empire and as we all know Nabopolassar was the first king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. If this turns out well it will be a gift and thus the figure will make a round trip to Girona Spain where, coincidentally she lives

Thanks for looking in

Alan

[Jack12477]

1 hour ago, king derelict said:

which I seem to recall emanated from the Night Shift guy.

Yes, it was Night Shift

[Old Collingwood]

Thats a  Good  start  there  Alan.

 

OC.

[Jack12477]

Alan, you can also use kids brand modeling clay to hold your figures while spraying them. I think it was Crayola brand.

[king derelict]

1 hour ago, Jack12477 said:

Alan, you can also use kids brand modeling clay to hold your figures while spraying them. I think it was Crayola brand.

Thank you very much Jack. I grew up with Plasticine in the UK and have never been able to come up with the US equivalent. Its handy for a bunch of modelling activities. Off to Walmart!

 

Alan

[king derelict]

2 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

Thats a  Good  start  there  Alan.

 

OC.

Thank you OC. Its going to be an interesting project. Lots of new things to master.

Alan

[king derelict]

I wanted to start adding a bit of background to the figures seeing as they are a bit off to the left hand side as you might say.

After the pre shading I will be working on the daffadar first.

 

A daffadar is a sergeant in an Indian cavalry unit. Skinners horse were an irregular cavalry regiment raised in 1803 by James Skinner. They have a long and distinguished history with service ranging through the Boxer Rebellion where they fought alongside US troops, through Flanders and Mesopotamia in the First War and Italy in the Second. They now drive T-72s in teh Indian Army and are one of the oldest regiments.

 

At the time represented by my figure the regiment was mainly made up of Sikhs, Jats, Rajputs and Hindustani Muslims so teh beard on the figure is entirely appropriate.

 

Lets see how this works out

 

Alan

[Jack12477]

2 hours ago, king derelict said:

Thank you very much Jack. I grew up with Plasticine in the UK and have never been able to come up with the US equivalent. Its handy for a bunch of modelling activities. Off to Walmart!

 

Alan

I think it's called Crayola Air Dry clay here. Check out a Michaels store if you can't find it in Walmart. 

[king derelict]

On 4/25/2024 at 6:30 PM, Bob Cleek said:

An excellent tool that everybody should have. However, you should shop around on the internet to find the lowest price. As usual, Micro=Mark has more tools for modeling than most any catalog, but nearly always at a considerably higher price. For example, see: Universal Work Holder Peg Clamp Jewelers Engraving Hand Tool for Jewelry Making - Walmart.com

An entertaining update on getting the work holder. After Bobs email I decided to order the Walmart Vice as well partly to see how a $14 one compares to a $30 one. I got home last night and found two packages waiting for me. Walmart and Micromark stuff arrived on the same day. The Walmart Vice looks fine, not an heirloom tool but entirely serviceable. Inside the Micromark package was ….. a small set of brass clamps. They sent the wrong item. And you can only contact them vis email.. I’m glad I ordered the Wally one, at least I can continue 

alan

[king derelict]

An impressive update. Within two hours of my email, Micromark replied with an apology and the response that the proper vice had been packed and sent out. Excellent and reassuring customer support.

Alan

[Old Collingwood]

1 hour ago, king derelict said:

An impressive update. Within two hours of my email, Micromark replied with an apology and the response that the proper vice had been packed and sent out. Excellent and reassuring customer support.

Alan

Thats  good  news  Alan.

 

OC.

Edited April 30 by Old Collingwood

[king derelict]

30 minutes ago, Old Collingwood said:

Thants  good  news  Alan.

 

OC.

Thanks OC, I always get a bit nervous when you can't talk to the people directly but they are obviously right on top of their email at MM. 

Alan

[Egilman]

4 hours ago, king derelict said:

....but they are obviously right on top of their email at MM. 

 

For the prices they charge they had better be.... (I get their catalogue on a regular basis, but only buy if absolutely needed and they are the only source)