discussion PRETTYJOHNS VC

[Peter Gillson]

HI all
I realised that I never posted this finished bust.

It is of PrettyJohns VC who was the first Royal Marine VC, hence the blue ribbon to the VC. he was awarded it for actions during the Crimean War.

The medals were a real pain to sculpt - they took 3 or 4 attempts and a lot of hair being pulled out!

Keep well
PeterView attachment 377475View attachment 377476View attachment 377477View attachment 377478

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Very nice Peter

 

[Peter Gillson]

Cheers Neil
peter

 

[Steve Jones]

Wonderful bust Peter. The medals were worth all the trouble. Lovely work

 

[Guest]

Lovely work Peter. Your work on he medals and insignia in particular is without equal.

 

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
Really fine sculpt. I can well imagine the medals driving you demented but the end result is superb and are such a major part of the bust.
Jim

 

[Guest]

Lovely work all round Peter :smiling3:.

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the compliments. Here is my home made tool for making the medals which I only made after a few failed attempts at the medals.

Made from scrap brass rod, the end is pushed into thin putty, you can just see that it is a sleeve of brass around a brass tube, the groove around the edge where the copper sleeve does not come right to the end of the length of rod is used to make the raised edge of the medal.


The outer, aluminium sleeve has been filed sharp and pushed down to cut the medal


The putty is left to cure before being fixed to the bust. I had about a 1 in 4 success rate with this tool which isn't bad. The key was remembering to dust it with talc after each press.

Peter

 

[rtfoe]

Lovely painting of the medals Peter and what a nifty tool. The home made ones always gives a different perspective of satisfaction. :thumb2: I particularly like the sleeve as a cutter.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Peter Gillson]

Thanks Richard. yes, it is fun making my own tools and jigs, satisfying when they work.

peter

 

[scottie3158]

Peter,
Great work on the bust. Just a quick question why does the marine VC have a blue ribbon?

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Paul

thanks for the compliment.

Good question - up to the creation of the RAF the colour of the ribbon depended of the arm of service - red for the Army and blue for the Navy. Being a Royal Marine he was awarded the blue of the navy.

peter

 

[scottie3158]

Hi Paul

thanks for the compliment.

Good question - up to the creation of the RAF the colour of the ribbon depended of the arm of service - red for the Army and blue for the Navy. Being a Royal Marine he was awarded the blue of the navy.

peter

Thanks mate. I never knew that.