Renault Taxi de la Marne - "A la gloire c'est parti, le modèle est fini!"

[Grandboof]

A very enjoyable build and narrative . Well done on both counts 

Martin H

[Bertie McBoatface]

2 hours ago, Grandboof said:

A very enjoyable build and narrative . Well done on both counts 

Martin H

 

Thank you Martin. I'm happy to hear that you are enjoying this.

 

And thanks for taking us into page three!

[Bertie McBoatface]

I'm still slowly assembling the soldiers and their driver. I find figures difficult to build because there are so many possible variations on a pose, and not all of them look right. 

 

 

Take this one for instance, he's perched precariously on the running board, steadying himself with a hand on the spare tyre. Unfortunately I didn't photograph the wrongness but no matter how I set that shoulder joint, he still looked awkward. We are all so practiced at observing humans, we see that something is not right instantly but it takes a while sometimes to figure out what needs changing. In this case it was the angle of the wrist. I had to saw it part way through and bend it back because of the weight that the soldier is applying to it. Now it makes a little more sense. I'm still worried that with a rifle in his right hand he will look as if he should be toppling off the taxi but I can't be sure until I fix the arm and that's got to wait for a few hours while the pretty soggy left shoulder dries hard. 

 

I'm using xylene as cement. It's fierce, and makes a flexible cushion of melted plastic in the joint allowing multiple adjustments. The drawbacks are that it stinks and takes a long time to dry. It's a component of some airbrush cleaners and goes through paint, any paint, like it wasn't there, which is sometimes handy. If you spill it on your model, it's a game-over moment and should you spill more than a few mgs you are in a house evacuation situation! 

 

 

Our flag waving enthusiast has a marvellous pose. He's made of many components but they did go together reasonably well. I think his dangling legs in their heavy boots are just perfect. There will be some filling on all of the figures but only of a minor kind. I was quite critical of the moulding above. I may have been too hasty, I'm more and more impressed each time I work on them.

 

 

These are the parts of the next soldier, below the waist. They are very weird shapes and I was continually dropping them. I was reminded of building Mirage delta aircraft when you can't get a grip on the fuselage and the wings just squidge through your fingers!

 

 

The parts came together like this. More dangling legs and satisfyingly different from the flag guy.

 

 

I was able to press on with this one as the pose, though very dynamic, doesn't have much possibility for variation. As long as that elbow touches the roof, we're fine.

 

 

I kept switching figures while some drying time elapsed. This is running board man and you can just see the stock of his rifle. I'm still not sure that he won't be in the act of falling off but maybe that's going to add to the interest?

 

 

The tools of the trade. I use scalpels these days for slicing and scraping. I don't think I own an X-Acto anymore and since switching to scalpels, I have never cut myself. Craft knives were a different matter as I would be tempted to push too hard, sometimes with disastrous results. I once stabbed myself deep in the leg with a slipping craft knife!

 

There's a small razor saw for bigger cuts like that wrist I mentioned. I find these invaluable for cutting thicker but still delicate parts precisely.

 

The tweezers are for holding the figures in place on the vehicle so I can study them without having my hand in the way. Trying to handle the odd shaped individual pieces with tweezers leads to me spending too much time searching my (stupidly chosen) plastic-grey carpet!

 

Tamiya side cutters are ruinously expensive but the best I've ever had. It's time I bought a new set as they are now a little blunt and not cutting so well. When sharp they hardly leave a mark on the plastic. (I may have ruined them on my toenails. )

 

 

On impulse I put the rubber tyres on. It looks much better and doesn't slide around the desk anymore which makes life a lot easier.

 

 

I'm eager to paint that flag. I roughed out the demarcations with a soft pencil and when happy, engraved them with a needle, just enough to show from under the primer. I will need a guide and if the paint follows the lines, you won't see the lines afterwards.

 

 

TOP TIP!

 

I leave the sprue on the heads until the neck joint is solid. This makes them much easier to hold, see and position properly. Holding a detached head in tweezers is absolutely not something I recommend.

 

 

Running board man. I'm hoping that he will be looking in the direction of travel of the taxi...

 

 

And look at these two!

 

 

I had no idea that they integrated so well. They both looked precarious and a bit silly up there alone but leaning against each other, their pose looks natural and stable. Well done Guys from ICM, your figures are magnifique!

 

And there I had to stop work because I could feel the figures moving slightly in my hands due to all those soggy joints. 'Ew'! and also, 'Risky!'

 

 

[RidgeRunner]

It is turning out beautifully, Bertie

[Bertie McBoatface]

52 minutes ago, RidgeRunner said:

It is turning out beautifully, Bertie

 

Thank you.

 

The tension is rising here as the light at the end of that long tunnel starts to glimmer.

[PlaStix]

Hi Bertie. I've looked in a few times on your build but not had chance to comment. I have been thoroughly impressed throughout by your modelling talents - this is going to be a really stunningly beautiful model.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Bertie McBoatface]

2 hours ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Bertie. I've looked in a few times on your build but not had chance to comment. I have been thoroughly impressed throughout by your modelling talents - this is going to be a really stunningly beautiful model.

Kind regards,

Stix

 

Thank you for your confidence in some sort of successful outcome! And thanks for commenting; I find it very encouraging.

 

I've been tinkering with the figures again tonight and I think I'm about ready to prime them in the morning (too tired now).

 

 

They have come together with few problems. The driver has been the most difficult as, with his hat on, he didn't fit under the canopy. I've ground down his bottom and his hat to achieve the required clearance. I also had to cut the steering column off to get him in for trial fitting and this led to the breakthrough of arranging his arms with the steering wheel in his hands and the column between his toes. Once he's painted I'll glue the wheel and column to him, instead of the taxi, and then glue him to the seat. This was the only way I could think of to line everything up, and honestly, it's so obviously the way to go with ALL my driver figures in future.

 

The running board man has had some heat treatment to his left elbow, to bend it a little. He's also had a few inches shaved from his derriere to help him balance. Think of it as the natural compression of his greatcoat. 

 

The two guys on the roof have had their hats and small packs attached, otherwise they were fine. Then everyone had some gaps filled and I took some photos.

 

 

I couldn't resist posing the Four Musketeers for you. No glue, no blutac, just gravity and friction holding them in place. Doesn't that suggest that the poses are just about right? They will have to be, because I'm not doing any more surgery.

 

I did a little oil washing of the Taxi to pop out the shadows a little, and as you see, knocked off the bonnet (again). There are still a few tiny bits to glue onto the cab but I'll leave them until at least the driver is comfortably seated. 

 

Tomorrow, we prime these four guys and a couple of other figure models which are ready for painting. Then I can temporarily stop assembling stuff, which I'm getting heartily sick of, and do some painting!  Montjoie Saint Denis! (The battle cry of France, I'm told.)

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

I thought things were proceeding a little bit too smoothly. Today hasn't gone well at all.

 

 

I put these in my pocket and took the dog for a walk, mixing the primer and warming it up at the same time. I've got a couple of stainless steel ball bearings in each bottle to help with the stirring. This stuff is the best primer I've found. It is very forgiving if you flood the model, levelling out brilliantly. It dries fast, comes in lots of colours (for them as likes lots of colours), and can be sanded and touched up if you find areas that need seams fixing etc.

 

 

First, dark grey all over.

 

 

Then a few minutes on the dancefloor while they dry.

 

 

Followed by light grey primer sprayed from above. This is supposed to pre-highlight the upwards facing surfaces so, in theory, a thin, translucent layer of oil paints will show a sketch of where the lights and darks are supposed to go. You can see the effect on the flag fairly well.

 

 

Except it looks absolutely awful on the figure. I'm really struggling with these tiny faces. There's no room to work the paint. How can I blend highlights and shades and base colours when the gradient happens in a millimetre! 

 

 

I can make it work on figures like this witch but scaling down to 1/35 seems completely impossible to me at the moment.🙆‍♂️

 

(Cover up my hand and the soldier recedes into the far distance. 😁 )

 

 

Perhaps I'm expecting too much of myself in 1/35. This pilot's head is 1/10 and is the smallest face I've ever done in oils. He could put one of the Frenchmen's heads in his mouth! I want my Frenchies to look as good as the pilot and for that have to use oils because of the smooth blends. Oils are so much better than the standard I can get in acrylics at the larger scales, but now I'm wondering whether I can actually paint that small in either medium. 

 

Figure painting is so flippin' difficult. Aaagh!

 

I'm going away to ponder....

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

I did some YouTube research last night on the subject of painting 1/35 figures with oils. I studied a few of the masters in action and was pleased to note that my methods are pretty much the same. The vast difference is in the way I apply them. I identified SIX mistakes.

 

My first mistake was a character failing. I was in too much of a rush, which is a weakness in all my moddelling endeavours. I was hoping to paint four faces and eight hands in a session. It would appear that one face in a two hour session is a more reasonable expectation. Right then, slow down and enjoy the process. The faces of the figures are the focal point of the whole thing, they deserve my time and patience. (Does anyone know where I can buy some patience wholesale, quickly?)

 

My second mistake was equipment error. I was using the wrong brushes. Since I started using acrylics on figures and models generally, I've been in the habit of using big expensive sable brushes with fine points and big bellies which hold lots of paint so it won't dry on the brush before I can get it onto the model. Rapid drying isn't an issue with oils so I can use those tiny tiny 0000 brushes that I used to paint enamels with back in the day. And which I still own! At least, unlike the patience thing, that's an error I can easily fix.

 

My third mistake was another equipment error, with a bit of expectation overreach too. These ICM figures have very good faces for injection mouldings, but they aren't as crisp and easy to paint as the limited run resin figures which I'm aiming to match. You have to be even better at painting to get top results from a poorer start point. I need to be more forgiving and then to get some resin 1/35 heads to practice on just like I did with the 1/10 heads.

 

My fourth mistake was a combination of laziness, haste and inexperience of the medium. I didn't wick enough of the linseed oil out of the paint. In fact, I didn't wick any of the oil out of the paint. (I was in too much of a rush - see above). The result was that it slid around like melting jelly and was impossible to control. It's also taking ages to dry.

 

My fifth mistake was one of expectations. Not even the masters of YouTube paint eye pupils in 1/35. Because you can't see people's pupils in people that 'far away'. I took a figure with me on my dog walking this morning and asked a friend to stand still while I walked away from him far enough so that he was the same apparent size as the model held at arms length (26 inches from my face came out to about 80 feet away). Curiously, I could see more detail on the model than on my full sized friend - a lifetime of moddelling and reading has made me shortsighted according to my optician. So it's not just impossible to paint 1/35 as if it was 1/10, it would also be unrealistic if it could be done. I will dial back my expectations. [The model I used for my experiment was painted with acrylics, which raises the question of whether the subtle blends of oils are needed on small soldiers anyway. I think probably not, but I will persist with this quartet and a few more, before deciding whether to revert to acrylics for anything smaller than 1/12.]

 

My sixth mistake was a classic perceptual error of Britmodeller (and other on-line forums) MAGNIFICATION! Of course it looks awful on the screen. The head on my monitor is 55mm, collar to top of hat, in the plastic he's 10mm. Of course it looks awful on the screen. That's a linear magnification of 5.5 times or over thirty times larger in area. Of course it looks awful on the screen. On screen he's 1/6 scale, even larger than the resin pilot's head pictured above. Of course it looks awful on the screen. I shall post long shot photographs in future! [Does this phenomenon make modellers reluctant to post their kits? Does it make us as viewers, a little harsh in our judgements?]

 

That's been a heck of a lot of learning for one day at the hobby which I've been enjoying for at least 50 years. And which I thought I knew how to do pretty well. It's astounding how scale moddelling keeps challenging me to get better and stay interested after all that time. I praise the gods of plastic for offering me that first Airfix kit so long ago.

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

And then there's lesson seven - don't ever forget that these things are only toys, so don't take things so seriously, Bertie!

 

I reverted to acrylics to paint the rest of the figures and they came out quite well. I've a few more little touches to do but they are 90% done. And the faces? Well, I think that are good enough as they are, especially if you don't zoom in too much. 😉

 

 

I can't help thinking of the Village People.

 

 

[Grandboof]

Looking awesome 

Martin H

[Bertie McBoatface]

13 minutes ago, Grandboof said:

Looking awesome 

Martin H

 

Merci buckets.

[Bertie McBoatface]

 

The driver has taken his seat.

 

 

And the Runningboard Man is also aboard.

[Bertie McBoatface]

By the way, I'm working on another WWI subject in Work in Prog, Armour. If you like the 1914 taxi, you may enjoy that one too. Please feel free to drop in anytime.

 

 

[2996 Victor]

Looking splendid, Bertie! Excellent work all round

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Bertie McBoatface]

58 minutes ago, 2996 Victor said:

Looking splendid, Bertie! Excellent work all round

 

Thank you Mark. I'm far more than a little chuffed that you like it. 

 

The other two soldiers are on the roof! I have a few details to paint and a couple of rifles to place in their hands and then the model is done. However, I'm afraid I'm not going to show you any more photographs until I've made a suitable base and taken pictures in natural light. I have the clay, I have the frame and I'm thinking of a simple cobblestone road, nothing complicated. It shouldn't take me long.

[2996 Victor]

I'm very much looking forward to seeing the finished vignette and I'm keen to see how you make the base. What do you use for a frame?

 

For the cobbles, please forgive me if I'm presuming too much, but can I recommend looking at Chris Nevard's work? He's a very accomplished railway modeller and has an excellent technique for creating setts around railway tracks. His brewery layout in particular is a great showcase for the technique.

 

I've also heard that there are commercially available cobble/sett making "devices" - effectively a rolling pin with the pattern on it that you roll across DAS or similar clay.

 

As I say, apologies if I'm telling what you probably already know!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Old Man]

This is really a great project, Sir!

 

Wonderful work, and I must say, I like your attitude. A pleasure to read, and quite informative.

[Bertie McBoatface]

2 hours ago, Old Man said:

This is really a great project, Sir!

 

Wonderful work, and I must say, I like your attitude. A pleasure to read, and quite informative.

 

 

Thank you, it delights me to know that you are enjoying it.

 

Your comment reminded me of a funny little story from years ago:

 

I was walking my dog 'Arry in the park the other day when it was dead windy. There was a bloke there wiv an 'at on an the wind took it right off 'is 'ed. Well, my dog 'Arry got 'old of it, you see, an' 'e ripped it all to bits. The bloke was dead annoyed and 'e sez to me, "What ya going to do abaht that then?" an' I sez "Naff all, mate." an' 'e sez, "Oi! I don't like your attitude!" an' I sez, "You got that wrong, pal. It was YOUR 'at 'e chewed."

 

(Best read in a Dick Van Dyke cockney accent)

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

10 hours ago, 2996 Victor said:

I'm very much looking forward to seeing the finished vignette and I'm keen to see how you make the base. What do you use for a frame?

 

For the cobbles, please forgive me if I'm presuming too much, but can I recommend looking at Chris Nevard's work? He's a very accomplished railway modeller and has an excellent technique for creating setts around railway tracks. His brewery layout in particular is a great showcase for the technique.

 

I've also heard that there are commercially available cobble/sett making "devices" - effectively a rolling pin with the pattern on it that you roll across DAS or similar clay.

 

As I say, apologies if I'm telling what you probably already know!

 

Cheers,

Mark

 

I'm pleased that you are enjoying the ride in my taxi and thanks awfully for the tip. 😆

 

I looked up Chris Nevard on YouTube and he had my interest from the deadpan delivery of his opening sentence. (Same to you, mate!). I have subscribed.

 

 

The technique is perfect for rough old cobbles as in a railway yard in HO scale but for 1/35 I'd need a bigger match, I thought 'cook's matches'? I like to think that the streets of Paris would have been a little more finely laid too.

 

AnywayI don't have FIMO to hand and was planning a slightly different approach, so I'm going to try that first. I'll make round indentations in the end of spare sprue sections, cut square, and then press them into some air drying clay that I have in stock. For such a small area I think this will be more time effective than making a special tool for the job from FIMO. The frame is a 50p picture frame from a charity shop.

 

I also have a cobblestone roller, as you suggested. It arrived a couple of days ago and is unfortunately, hugely overscale so no use at all. (I'll give it to someone who ices cakes.)

 

And finally, there's never a need to apologise for telling me useful stuff, Mark, whether I knew it or not. Firstly, I'd rather be told something useful twice than not told something once and secondly I suspect there may be other people reading this! 😉

 

[Pig of the Week]

Just read thru all this, (directed from your tank wreck thread) 

You've done a top job on both taxi and poilus 👍

Reminds me I've got an old Airfix 1910 bus stashed away, the one with the boarded up windows and on board tommies etc 

[Bertie McBoatface]

This didn't take long!

 

 

One of the hundreds of three inch sprue sections that I save for paint stirring. Don't use cocktail sticks, they get fibres in your paints.

 

 

Sawn off square.

 

 

Miniature carving burr in a little home made 9V drill.

 

 

Darned autofocus! But you get the idea.

 

 

Sanded square.

 

 

Polished, well smoothed off a little, with a quick application of Tamiya Extra thin Cement. I use the quick drying version for better control. It's tres useful for removing burrs.

 

 

And this is why it didn't work. My air drying clay is quite wet and sticky and instantly filled up the indent in the tool. Rats!

 

 

However, I carried on regardless, asking myself "How good does it have to be to look like an old worn cobbled road?" It's only a base guys. Lets see what it looks like when it's painted. I've never used this stuff so the painting will also be a learning session. If I do start over, I'll be a lot better informed if I take this to the end.

 

 

Perhaps if I mess around with the lighting, via dry brushing etc, the dents will transform into lumps? Maybe?

 

 

Impatient as ever, I'm going to warp and crack it on top of this stove.

 

It may not be modelling but it's definitely moddelling!

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

10 minutes ago, Pig of the Week said:

Just read thru all this, (directed from your tank wreck thread) 

You've done a top job on both taxi and poilus 👍

Reminds me I've got an old Airfix 1910 bus stashed away, the one with the boarded up windows and on board tommies etc 

 

Welcome, welcome!

[2996 Victor]

That looks like a pretty good effort, I'd say, with a bit of a wash to highlight the pointing between the stones it'd good to go.

 

Glad you found Chris Nevard interesting - he's a very accomplished model maker!

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Bertie McBoatface]

15 minutes ago, 2996 Victor said:

That looks like a pretty good effort, I'd say, with a bit of a wash to highlight the pointing between the stones it'd good to go.

 

Glad you found Chris Nevard interesting - he's a very accomplished model maker!

 

Cheers,

Mark

Then I have managed to fool you.

 

The cobblestones are in fact indented rather than sticking up I will highlight the stones with a wash and then highlight the grouting with dry brushing. 
 

Thanks for proving my concept feasible. 😊