discussion Mike Butler's Painting

[Andy Belsey]

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Mike Butler (known as Mike the Kiwi) is painting this Tommy's War figure that I converted for one of my trench sections. This figure is 54mm!!!! He even has hairy arms! He's still work in progress. Mike's work is astounding! I'll post some more photos of the equipment that I scratch-built for him later. The figure will end up on one of my trench section. Very few can paint as good as Mike. We'll be working on projects together using our strengths - I can built and he can paint.
Andy

 

[Guest]

Just renders me speechless. How does he do it?

 

[Andy Belsey]

I wish I knew???!! Mike paints under magnification. Then photographs it. Studies the enlarged photos and touches up. Most of the paint is applied by dabbing small spots of paint rather than strokes. The down side for me is that my figures will look like a pile of poo next to him! He will probably do a little more adjusting to what you see.
Andy

 

[Guest]

Hi Andy.
Yes I can see that it's done by stippling. Must take the patience of a saint, but I suppose that's dedication for you.

 

[Andy Belsey]

Here's my figure before I sent him to New Zealand. He's a Tommy's War artillery figure. I altered his limbs so that he was seated and played with poses until I came up the idea of shaving. Mike has all these bits to paint, so he'll be busy for a while with his meticulous mastery.

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Mike's painting him up as a Kiwi, which is why he has a brown shirt. I sculpted a Lemon Squeezer hat to also help identify his nationality. I made it from Magicsculpt and then hollowed out the inside very carefully with a Dremmel burr.
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The Billy can was made of lead foil with aluminium foil rims and copper wire handle. The cut throat and shaving brush were carved in styrene. I made the holdall from ali foil. The spoon and fork are Historex spares and I carved the other bits in styrene.
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I made him some webbing from lead foil with copper wire buckles. I used a Tommy's War water bottle and satchel but carved the bayonet scabbard and entrenching tool handle.
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Here's his jacket, which I sculpted from Magicsculpt.
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We are actually moving back into our house tomorrow - 5 months since the flood and almost 4 months since we had to move out. We still have a lot to do. Our belongings come from storage, but we'll have to unpack 70 boxes of things plus furniture we haven't needed for 4 months! (I need to get rid of some of it!) We still have a leaking shower, leaking roof and lots of repairs to sort, but we move into a completely redecorated house! It's been an awful journey, with the original builders chucked off the job because of incompetence. We're exhausted but well. I don't know how people without faith could cope with what we've been through. I guess what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger!
Andy

 

[Richard48]

Some marvellous goings on here.Some nice pieces fabricated by Andrew.Im sure Mike the kiwi is going to be thrilled with the little pieces of wonder.
Jolly nice work Andrew.
Richard

 

[Andy Belsey]

Here's where my figure will eventually return to - an improved shellhole. He would have to stay in the group of connected craters until nightfall. Everything has to be done without exposing where you were to the enemy to avoid getting sniped or shelled. He even has two types of 'en suite' behind him - the alternative to the bucket was to do it on the spade and then catapult it away! Trench warfare is disgusting full stop! The box shows you his original pose.
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Andy

 

[PaulTRose]

outstanding!

 

[Jim R]

Hi Andy.
Beautiful conversion and scratched extra bits of kit. I hope the move back home goes smoothly. It's been too long.
Jim

 

[Steve Jones]

Stunning work all round Andy. This reminded me of people who paint on grains of rice and place models in the eye of needles. I would luv to be able to model and paint through a microscope

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(For discussion purposes only)

 

[Andy Belsey]

Jim and Steve,
Thanks. We are both good at fine detail, but not that small! I too admire that micro, micro work!
I've moved back home. Lots and lots to do and have had to repair things the removals broke. I'm so tired that I can't sleep! The big picture is that we have a lovely home again. I will get some time one day to post some more model work, but not yet!
Andy

 

[rtfoe]

Fantastic collaboration Andy...with your building and Mike's painting, the combination is priceless. Good to know you're moving in.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[SimonT]

Loving the hairy arms - amazing bit of painting

 

[Peter Gillson]

Jim and Steve,
Thanks. We are both good at fine detail, but not that small! I too admire that micro, micro work!
I've moved back home. Lots and lots to do and have had to repair things the removals broke. I'm so tired that I can't sleep! The big picture is that we have a lovely home again. I will get some time one day to post some more model work, but not yet!
Andy

Andy

Great to read that you are back home, at last. Hopefully nothing too precious has been broken, and on the plus side - it will not need decorating for a while.

Peter

 

[Andy Belsey]

Great to read that you are back home, at last. Hopefully nothing too precious has been broken, and on the plus side - it will not need decorating for a while.

Peter[/QUOTE]

Thankfully We stored all the precious things elsewhere! But half of my Timpo Wild West Swappits got crushed to pieces! (about 40)
Andy

 

[Andy Belsey]

Here are Mike's latest photos. Still work in progress, but wonderful! Hard to think this is 54mm!! Our man has his cut throat razor in his hand. Notice details like his wedding ring and how the shaving soap is thinner on the edges, etc. This man manages to create texture on cloth too.
Andy

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[Guest]

Stunning work .
Andy glad to see your back at home at long last .
John.

 

[monica]

wow outstanding work at this scale,lost for words,with such great detail,:smiling::thumb2:

 

[Andy Belsey]

I am constantly amazed at what Mike does and feel very privileged to partner with him. This is our second collaboration and we have two other dioramas in the pipeline, combining the best of each other's skills. Mike has a passion for representing the role of Anzacs, so they will always be Kiwis or Aussies, but I don't have a problem with that.
Andy

 

[Andy Belsey]

Mike's latest photos. Remember this is 54mm!?

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