Trench Sections in Progress.

[Guest]

Just back from seeing 1917. I didn’t get my hopes up too much so wasn’t disappointed. I was expecting the historical inaccuracies of our post modern, PC world and tried to ignore them.
You get the confusion of going through trenches. Although some are quite wide or deep they are constructed well. The old battle zone is cleared of all vegetation as usual. Weeds grow very quickly, as any gardener knows.
The continual camera shots are very clever and it’s well worth going to see.

Andy,
Thanks for the mini review on the film, I was wondering what it was like.
Still amazed at your workmanship, stunning.
Mike.

[Andy Belsey]

This is a Daily Mail postcard from WW1. This is a captured German trench, which has obviously gone through bombardment to be captured. There is plenty of vegetation around. There are plenty of other images like this that don't give us the world of grey and brown.
Andy
(Image for discussion purposes only.)

[Andy Belsey]

I found out from my daughter that the pliers that I have converted to bend or crimp spines along laser-cut leaves are called Thwaites nail clippers. Mine have a flat side and a cutting side whereas most on searches seem to have two cutting edges. You can get them from about £5, so they’re not expensive. I just glued a piece of half tube to one side so that the paper is bent into the trough.

[Andy Belsey]

I'm finally doing some figure painting again. I leave it so long, I have to relearn but I'm enjoying it. My 'Impressionist style' will never be up to the standards of my friends Mike Butler or Adrian Bay but looks good enough for the naked eye. I am against the clock at work making models commercially and find it difficult to slow down. But I'm learning to do 'one job well' and reaping the benefits of patience. God has become more real to me than ever, helping me to sort out my damaged self-esteem. I'm no weirder than I was before, just working more efficiently and very much more joyful. I've had a good patch of freedom from pain, but the sorrow has led me to the greater joy. (What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!)

Anyway here's my German so far. Face not painted yet as I wanted to relearn a bit before tackling it. I've also decided to put a smattering of snow on this base.




The snow idea was inspired by my work friend's model. The diorama here is by Craige Hedgecock.

Some of you will have seen his work on Facebook.

Andy

[Guest]

Oooh, bloomin' nice!

[scottie3158]

Very nice.

[Andy Belsey]

A light dusting of snow arrived in my German trench today. Only when I put it back in its box did I notice that my backdrop has snow on it! The snow is the Deluxe Materials flakes applied onto watered-down PVA.
Andy

[Peter Gillson]

Very nice

[scottie3158]

Andy,
The snow looks very good.

[Guest]

Top work on the snow my friend, off to put my coat on feeling a bit chilly.
Pete.

[Steve Jones]

That's a nice change to a common theme. You always seem to see the trenches depicted in a foot of water. Wonderful work as always Andy

[Andy Belsey]

That's a nice change to a common theme. You always seem to see the trenches depicted in a foot of water. Wonderful work as always Andy

Usual stereotypes....mud, mud, mud and more mud with no vegetation.

[Andy Belsey]

Another update. My German is nearly done but still has work to be done, especially to his face. My friend Craig got some Mig mud paint so I had a fiddle with my German bunker, creating some muddy footprints. After creating 'walls' of the mud paint I filled them with coloured glaze medium. I also created a Christmas tree for my German. There's also a photo of the front wall of the bunker with its vegetation and you may notice that the bunker has a name now.

[Guest]

Fantastic work Andy. I love the Christmas tree.

[wotan]

Andy

outstanding vignette. This collection continues to improve with age.

John