200mm 82nd Airborne Vietnam Bust

[Deleted member 6559]

Further work on the jacket:



I worked on the puckered seams, trying to make them look more irregular, and then added more general wrinkling.

 

[JR]

Peter.Oh that's good to read, a trip out should clear the mind. Always makes me realise there is another world beside modelling. Not too sure I like all of it though.
Enjoy.

Didn't see the latest post until I'd posted, he's looking fine

 

[adt70hk]

Hi Peter

That second bust and new head is looking very good. Although as someone whose figure painting is £@#-£_## awful, I have to say I couldn't see anything wrong with the first version.

Keep up the good work.

Andrew

 

[Deleted member 6559]

John - Christmas shopping today may destroy the mood!

Andrew - Thank you. I still find it so b****y difficult. No point doing it if it was easy I suppose.

 

[SteveH]

Morning Peter

Did you enjoy your Christmas shopping and drive in the country?

As much as you possibly didn't, I envy you as I haven't been outside for 3 weeks and am going slightly stir crazy!

Standing at the patio door and looking out is NOT the same !

At least I am getting a little building done.

Looks like another grim and grey day, but we are past Midwinter, so it should all get brighter inch by inch, day by day!

Have a good day with the paints, and embrace the joys of the season

Merry Christmas

Regards

Steve H

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Hi Steve

Sorry to hear that you're going stir-crazy. Believe me though, it's mad out there. Just written an angry e.mail to Waterstones for the fact that we were followed around like a pair of thieves by the staff, obviously under suspicion as shoplifters. The whole thing was deeply offensive and downright intimidating. Also, my son is on his way home after having split up with his girlfriend overnight. Christmas cheer? Bah, humbug! I guess the new adaptation of A Christmas Carol has got under my skin.

Hopefully I'll get time to do a bit more on the bust today, the equipment at least. The helmet will need a session on it's own - it's got the lot: insect repellent, Malboros, two books of matches, face flannel(?) and ace of spades.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

A bit more done:



Just the M16 and helmet to do.

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Coming along well Peter .

 

[Richard48]

Nice one Mon ami.
My oh my how this time of year brings fraut and short fuses and stress aplenty.So much hullabaloo for a few days of festivities.Thankfully i keep away from big towns like Colchester and Ipswich as its mania.Id rather hibernate from today and wake me up say 6th January.Id like one year to go to Austria to see covered markets as i like sampling cheeses etc.I cant switch on to sculpting this side of Christmas.Its time to take stock and a company.AGM to discuss how we proceed after many costly disasters this year of my doing.
Try and keep your sanity mate.Ive treated myself to a small gordons gin in a tin,Oh what a rascal and drunkard i be.
Rich.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Ralph - Thank you.

Richard - I'd hibernate if I could. The problem with Canterbury is that you'd imagine something special from the seat of the Anglian faith and that dirty great pointy building that dominates the town, but instead it's the same old commercial rubbish overwhelming everything. I usually try to go to the cathedral just before Christmas, but have not managed to get through the crowds of shoppers with enough enthusiasm.

Bloody awful day today. Son arrived home in floods of tears from his girlfriend's. It looks like it's all over between them. Great timing, as my wife is off the New Zealand on Monday for six weeks.

 

[Richard48]

Very sorry to hear about your son my friend.Not a nice feeling,I was somewhat of a shrinking violet and recluse which stopped me chasing ladies im my formative years.I dont get involved much with the ecumenical stuff and enjoy carols on the t.v and dont visit churches.The commercial ness has ruined much of this time of year.I dont think you could beat the festive time in the 70s in my youth.Its not the same anymore and a lot of the idiots around here need a great kick up the episcopals me thinks!!!!.
Our warmest wishes to you and yours and a hug to your son from us and our furry purry friends.
Rich.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Cheers Richard - Son has been hugged to death. He fell into my arms coming through the door and sobbed his heart out. I don't think we've touched each other for at least five years.

The vast majority of the population of Canterbury has never been inside the cathedral, which says it all. Reminds me of sitting on a 159 bus in London sometime in the 1980s - two old ladies sitting in front of me. One mutters to the other ''Houses of Parliament.'' The other replies '' Oh is that what that is? Do you know I've lived in London all my life and never knew what that place was.''

 

[SteveH]

Morning Peter

Sounds like you have had one hell of a day already.

I guess the bust will happen when it does, as family is always first.

Just one thing, now you have reintroduced a hug with your son, don't stop.

My father and I have never hugged, which is a shame, probably as he never did with his father.

Though my son is 30, we still hug when we meet and part every month.

It does feel right, and is worth making the effort.

I guess like every other household in the UK, you will be caught up in the whirlwind of Christmas preparation, no matter how big or small.

I shall be spud and sprout bashing today!

With a good film on the TV, it isn't a chore but part of the tradition.

Everything else is done and has been for sometime.

Enjoy all your family and have a lovely break

See you after the feast

Best regards

Steve H

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Morning Steve.

Owen was going through his manly 'to grown up to hug' stage before this all happened. We're having a hell of a time with him - he's totally devastated. Fortunately we have our granddaughter here, who, utterly oblivious to it all, is really stoking up the Christmas spirit - seems to especially like kissing 'Gan-ga' for some reason (the tickly beard has something to do with it)..

The girls are doing the dinner tomorrow, so I'll be on baby minding duty while Katherine gets slowly drunk on the sofa.

Have a great day.

 

[Deleted member 4539]

Hi Peter.
Sorry to hear about you son and the experience in Waterstones.
So here is a tale of Christmas woes
My mum for some reason hated me so much that I ended up in social services care.Four months later it was Christmas and I was devastated that I would not be at home for Christmas( I had not seen my mum dad brother and sister for four months).

The next Christmas after my mum agreed to let me come home for a few days was another nightmare.I arrived home on Christmas eve and all my mum could say is that she did not really want me at home as it would spoil Christmas for everyone.8am on Christmas day police came to the house after my mum had rung them to say she did not want me there.I was carted off back to the childrens home in a police car.I did not get to open any presents that day.
I was put in a boarding school and basically forgotten about by social services.Come Christmas time and the two week holiday the school was pissed off because Social services had nowhere to put me and my mum did not want me at home,so yes I spent two weeks in freezing cold school reporting hourly to a teacher in the staff room who was pissed off because it had ruined his holiday and other staff members who took it in turns to be in the school with me.This is where it gets worse,all I had to eat for two weeks was tea and toast and on Christmas day the teacher who was at the school had his family and friends bring him Christmas dinner and I was told not to bother reporting to him until nightime.No presents again that year.

The next Christmas I was homeless and it was so cold I tried to sleep in a freshly dug grave to keep the wind off me.

Tell your son from me that no matter how low he is things will get better one day and give him a hug from me and tell him I know how shit life can be.
All the best.
Ralph.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Oh Ralph. I don't know what to say. You poor, poor man. What a life you've had. I can only hope that things have got considerably better for you and that life is dealing you a fairer hand. Thanks for sharing your story.

My son seems to have resolved a few things in his mind and appears less distraught today. He's much closer to his mum, and she put the work in for hours last night (the fact that she's a psychiatrist is something I think he appreciates - ie that she knows what she's talking about).

I think we'll be OK for tomorrow, especially with the baby around.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

I've managed to get this one done:



I found the knife in the spares box last night and thought it was just the thing needed to balance up the front of the jacket.

I next painted the helmet, which was time-consuming given the camo and all of the attachments. I haven't bothered with the lettering on the Marboros, as it's mostly hidden by the helmet band and I couldn't do it well enough anyway. Similarly, I've not done the lettering on the shoulder patch - I'll wait until I find a better solution than trying to hand paint it. I did add some serial numbers to the insect repellent bottle using Tamiya vehicle decals.

I then painted and added the M16, which consists of the just barrel, then made a rifle strap and straps for the helmet.

 

[scottie3158]

Peter,
Sorry to hear about your Christmas woes. The bust looks excellent you should be well happy with it. Have a great Christmas.

 

[Richard48]

Stunning Peter.Really is a cracker my friend.Definately the style of bust i think i must rejig my range to me thinks.The M16 really sets him off and the head really pushes him to another level.
Top notch buddy.Now take it easy and see if Santa brings you some modelling goodies if you have been a good lad.
Rich.

 

[Deleted member 6559]

Scottie - And a Happy Christmas to you and yours. Things have settled down at Day Towers - son has 'sorted a few things out' with the offending young lady and seems a but happier.

Richard - Yes, actually quite pleased with this one. I could have gone on painting more detail on the helmet and gun, but as they're not really the focus of the piece I thought I'd give myself a break. Santa doesn't ever bring me modelling goodies - my family don't know what to ask for. It's all about the nipper this year anyway, which is as it should be.