4mm Edwardian figures

[aberdare]

Thank you for the likes and positive comments. When I looked at the enlarged pictures my immediate thought was ‘OMG! They’re rubbish, they look as though I used a 3” brush’. Of course if you scale it down, I did, I’d like to see our other halves apply make-up with a brush that big, it would give similar results I think.

 

I had to walk away for a bit and review them again with the naked eye before I was happy, even so I have made a couple of changes to the ones I was unhappy with – the gent in the grey coat for one.

 

As for colours Chris I did Google them and found most colours were dark up until the Clean Air Act in 1905, however as my layout is set in a rural area I felt I could allow the gentry some bright colours on their visit or return from Exeter or London. I must admit one of the reasons I put a thin coat on first is to check the colour combinations (or ask the wife).

 

I think practice is making it easier especially with the aid of a magnifier now, I can even paint buttons.

 

As a final note the working class girl looking over her right shoulder (2^nd right in post  28) has a crooked face, she does not look at all right face on but OK in profile (the left and right looking completely different), I kept thinking I’d painted her wrongly at first.

All in all though they are superb figures and I’m still amazed at the level of detail.

 

Right, time to get back to finish those handbags, buttons and lace.

 

Hi Mikkel, as you have just appeared I agree that one or two could make good GWR staff as well.

[Penlan]

The problem is finding good sites with colour images, but try this one for 'high fashion' stuff https://www.pinterest.com/mwojdak/edwardian-fashion-1900-1920/ a bit too much indoor clothing but some marvellous colours to copy in the outdoor clothes

Unfortunatly my wife was looking over my shoulder and I've now had to bookmark that page - she's getting ideas for evening wear, looks like it's going to be expensive..

[ChrisN]

Unfortunatly my wife was looking over my shoulder and I've now had to bookmark that page - she's getting ideas for evening wear, looks like it's going to be expensive..

 

All you have to do is tell her that you will buy her whatever she wants but these types of dresses can only be worn with a tight laced corset. 

Edited January 2, 2014 by ChrisN

[shortliner]

The thing i found a little strange is that the Gent has his arm "crooked" and is in exactly the right position to be walking arm in arm with a lady, but not one lady has an arm in a suitable position to join him - perhaps that might be a possibility for a further range from Andrew - I must say that although way out of my era/area they are very nicely done. A gent with a set of "Mutton Chops" would look good

Edited January 2, 2014 by shortliner

[Penlan]

.... (a) Gent has his arm "crooked" and is in exactly the right position to be walking arm in arm with a lady, but not one lady has an arm in a suitable position to join him .....

.... Ah, that's because there isn't a 'Chaperone' available yet to accompany a 'Lady' out walking with a Gentleman....

[shortliner]

Must admit that I had considered that they would be married and therefore not need a chaperone - but if they were "Modern Day" figures I suspect they would be back-to-back with arms folded in that case!  Further thought suggests a gent holding a "bumbershoot" to protect the lady's finery, and possibly a lady with an opened parasol

Edited January 2, 2014 by shortliner

[shortliner]

Gentlefolks - I came across this today - granted they are older than Edwardian, and that they are HO and "Western", some of them might be of use for passengers and for conversions - I was looking particularly at the photo of the mustachioed gent with the two valises http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=34798

[PhilJ W]

Didn't Airfix produce a set of 'Cowboys'.

[robert17649]

Airfix produced cowboys and a wagon train set.

of the two the cowboys set basically has a guy with his hands up wearing a coat, and man on horse with pork pie hat the rest are engaged in a range war and typically 60's TV gunslingers and cowboys.

The wagon train is more useful there is a wagon, which has many posibilities, tw walking chubby ladiestwo seated menwith bowls two children (boy ang girl) bloke with whip on wagonthree or four neutrally useful men. The plastic is loathsome and soapy but I have conerted a few of these one guy with a gun has a rabbit or something over his shoulder the gun can be shortened and broken like a shot gun give him a dog and he is a gamekeeper.I think Esci and a few others alsomade cowboys and wagon trains , but not sure who.They turn up on Ebay usually for not a lot.

Edited January 10, 2014 by robert17649

[ThePurplePrimer]

I have been very jealous watching people paint these. I have had mine for a while but have been too busy with orders to paint one

 

I decided to treat myself in between other jobs and do one

 

I have to say the sculpting on these is really very,very impressive but if I am being honest I found myself challenged - so much tiny detail

 

Anyway enough excuses, here she is ...

 

 

 

 

 

And to get an idea of size ...

 

[Mikkel]

Excellent work again PP, I especially admire how you use highlights with great precision and effect!

[gwrrob]

 

ed1.jpg

 

ed2.jpg

 

ed3.jpg

 

ed4.jpg

 

And to get an idea of size ...

 

Iedsize.jpg

 

 

That's got to be Minnie & Flora Finching's mother surely.

 

Excellent work.

[PhilJ W]

That's got to be Minnie & Flora Finching's mother surely.

 

Excellent work.

I thought it was Maggie Thatchers grandmother.

[ThePurplePrimer]

That's got to be Minnie & Flora Finching's mother surely.

 

Excellent work.

Well she needs a home - good luck to her keeping those two under control

[ChrisN]

This figure is fabulous.  Do you have a thread where you explain how you do it?

 

I have been a bit nervous about painting mine but now I am TERRIFIED!

[ThePurplePrimer]

This figure is fabulous.  Do you have a thread where you explain how you do it?

 

I have been a bit nervous about painting mine but now I am TERRIFIED!

Hi

 

I am not sure if that question was aimed at me or one of the other posters ?

 

Sorry no thread on how to do it - painting figures is my day job and I'm not sure the way I do them is the best way if you are starting out with painting figures.

 

But feel free to ask any specific questions and I will answer as best I can

[ThePurplePrimer]

This figure is fabulous.  Do you have a thread where you explain how you do it?

 

I have been a bit nervous about painting mine but now I am TERRIFIED!

And don't be terrified - the beauty of metal figures is that if you don't like how it's going just strip the paint off and start again

[ChrisN]

Hi

 

I am not sure if that question was aimed at me or one of the other posters ?

 

Sorry no thread on how to do it - painting figures is my day job and I'm not sure the way I do them is the best way if you are starting out with painting figures.

 

But feel free to ask any specific questions and I will answer as best I can

 

Rob,

Yes the comment was aimed at you but I did not see your name in the signature.

 

Thanks for the reply,   I do paint figures and I am collecting methods to improve what I do which is a basic paint job.  Yours however are in a different league, but if it is your day job it would have to be, especially as I assume that you do most for war gamers.

 

The pictures are inspiring.

[ChrisN]

Having painted literally thousands of wargames figures about this scale over the years can I recommend the following

 

1. Glue the figures to a small card base using Copydex oor some other easily peelable glue

2. Once dry spray paint with Halfords Grey Primer.  Lay the figures down and spray each side separately to ensure every part is covered by a thin layer.  This is an excellent base for acrylics and dries in minutes.  If you don't put an undercoat on first then you may well end up putting layer after layer of topcoat on to get the saturation you want and thus end up obscuring the detail.

3. Put your colours on.  I always start with the flesh.

4. Once all the colours are on make a very thin wash of black - I use the black concentrate, well diluted, from Geoscenics.  Using a very small brush line all the separations between the colours.  This will considerably sharpen up the painting and provide shadows.

5. Go over all the colours again to narrow the black lines down.

6.  I don't bother at this scale with overlays of  highlighting etc.  But I strongly recommend using Games Workshop acrylic inks. Red, Green, Blue etc can all go on top of their own colours but the Sepia looks excellent on yellows and browns while the Earthshade adds considerably to all the darker colours like brown even black.  Anything metal should have black ink (now called Nuln, I think) on it and flesh should be inked last of all with one of their flesh coloured inks.  My own favourite is Ogryn Flesh which gives an outdoors look but your ladies may require something lighter.

7. Back into the spray box (a paper box lid outside in my case)  for both sides again to get a blast of good quality varnish.  My preference is for Humbrol matt.

 

Finally can I ask how tall these figures are?

 

1ngram,

May I ask a question please?

 

In point 6 you mentioned Games Workshop inks.  Do you use these to go over what you have already painted?  If so why and do you cover all of it or just the ridges etc?

 

Thanks

[1ngram]

1ngram,

May I ask a question please?

 

In point 6 you mentioned Games Workshop inks.  Do you use these to go over what you have already painted?  If so why and do you cover all of it or just the ridges etc?

 

Thanks

Yes indeed I put the inks on top of the painted areas, and on all of the area.  The inks fall into the crevices etc and make them darker.  Obviously you can vary how much ink you use.

Edited January 27, 2014 by 1ngram

[ChrisN]

Yes indeed I put the inks on top of the painted areas, and on all of the area.  The inks fall into the crevices etc and make them darker.  Obviously you can vary how much ink you use.

 

1ngram,

Thank you for your reply.  I spoke to my son last night as I did not realise Games Workshop inks are what other people call washes.  It is a long time since I have regularly painted Warhammer figures and they did not have inks when I did.  It all makes sense to me now. 

 

I have two sets of figures mostly from Aiden Campbell, although some MMS models, and there are pairs of each.  I will try yours and Jim's methods and see what they both look like.

 

I hope to start a workbench thread soon so I will put them on that.

[1ngram]

Not my best photo but here is the New Aberdour Bowling team on their Spring 1914 outing:

 

At the same time the Ladies Temperence League were "out and about"

 

The figures are the Stadden ones.  Note that they are a mix of both his 00 figures and his H0 figures which, I think, shows the more realistic variety of human heights that were (and are) around at the time.

 

[Penlan]

1ngram, that's a neat idea, mixing 00 and H0 scale to give height variety. 

 

Or at least it neatly works with these figures.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Penlan

[Talltim]

It's lucky the water was so flat, I don't fancy the stability of those rafts

[1ngram]

Stadden's figures in 4mm represent males about 22.5mm to 23mm tall which runs to approx 5 foot seven and a half inches to 5 foot 9 inches.  His H0 figures are about 20mm tall which in 4mm scale represent men about 5 foot tall.  Given that the average height of recruits in 1914 were 5 foot 6 inches to regiments where the minimum was 5 foot 3 inches and that whole divisions of "bantams" were raised of men between 4 foot 10 inches and 5 foot 2 inches its appropriate to mix the two.  The critical thing is the compatibility of the  figures, one set with the other.

 

I model in both H0 (GNSR pre-grouping) and 00 (Aberdeen Trams) so I am constantly looking out for things that can fit both.  The problem with figures hitherto has either been their crudity or, in more recent figures, their unnatural thickness, which has meant it was impossible to mix, say, Monty's large figures with Preiser.  And I wouldn't want to mix most earlier figures with anything!  But the Stadden figures are, finally, anatomically correct, mix well with each other, as the photo shows, and can also be mixed with Preiser so long as neither the 3.5rmm or 4rmm modeller overdoes numbers from the other scale.

 

In fact I am in the process of having a couple of 3.5mm steam age multi-part loco crew cast at present which should (using  two torsos, 4 heads and 6 arms), give a range of possibilities in that scale but which should be compatible with the Stadden figures and like them able to be used as bantams by 4mm modellers on their locos where space is always at a premium.