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Hutwarming

a diorama feature by Toni Kysenius
8
Comments

Introductions

I sketched this based-on-a-real-story theme at the summer cottage as I wanted to share the warm feel of Finnish summer and some of the nicest memories from my short time in military service.

Kits Used:

• Two figures, minus heads, from Tamiya German Mortar Team (1:35).
• Heads from Hornet.
• Finnish assault rifle RK62 from Dragon AK47/74 pack 2.
• Axe and kevlar helmet from cfbush2000 (thanks!).
 

The Figures

It took me some time to find these figures as I wanted to pose them upper body naked and there are really not too many figures available of that kind. I also saw this a possibility to try my sculpting skills as the clothing would have to be removed.

I had to do some adjusting to find the wanted pose but it was fairly easy. I used CA glue to build the figures and chopped off the heads. I let it cure for two days and started sculpting with my x-acto knife. Basically I just removed the jacket, trying to spare the plastic in all the right places where the muscles should be.

I applied some correction fluid to fill in small gaps and just some x-acto adjusting was needed after it was dry. I attached Hornet resin heads to the figures and sculpted the difficult neck area with Milliput. I didn't overdo the elevations as I was going to paint figures with oils and thought I could add some depth in details with right kind of colouring. Pants and boots needed little or no work, only things added were some Milliput folds and wrinkles.

I first based the figures with reddish brown Humbrol enamel paint but after the first failed attempt with oils I went back, washed the figures and primed them again, this time with Tamiya acrylics sand colour.

It worked better as primer and in no time I had a nice dark brown oil base on figures. I used Daler-Rowney Georgian oils. The base mixture was Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre and some Light Buff. I removed the excess paint and let it dry for three days. Then I added some shadows with Burnt Sienna and started lightening with mixture of Buff and Burnt Sienna. When I was satisfied with the color I added some details like nipples, hair for chest(!) and dark hairlines in belly bumps and facial features. I let the
sweaty shining surface be as it was to make some contrast to matt pants.

I primed the pants with red brown enamel paint and added dark green enamel and light green acrylic to finish three-color camo scheme. I used thin acrylic wash for wrinkled areas and finished with dry pastel chalks. No coat was needed as the finish was matt.

Copyright ©2002 - Text and Photos by Toni Kysenius. All Rights Reserved.
Project Photos
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About the Author

About Toni Kysenius (Envar)
FROM: UUSIMAA, FINLAND


Comments

KFMagee
Nicely done... unusual subject (i woulda never thought of THAT one!)... and the conversions look excellent!
AUG 27, 2002 - 01:32 PM
Hollowpoint
Great job, Toni! Those conversions are outstanding. You really captured the "topless" look on both of those figures. There is one thing abut this, however, that I just don't get. You guys in the Finnish Army actually WANTED to get hot and sweaty when you went to the field? When I was in the service, I went through a couple summers at Fort McCoy, Wis., with the National Guard. They had to be the hottest, most humid weeks I ever spent in the woods. We spent all of our spare time trying to figure out ways to cool down. The highlight of our day was when we received our ration of ice. If anyone had suggested that we take a sauna ... !?!?! It must be a cultural thing
AUG 27, 2002 - 07:40 PM
Envar
You tell me! I see no point in that either! Maybe it was just too boring to do anything else...so the guys wanted to see how many segments of the exhaust pipe they could make glow red! It was a day when we had one hour (!) of training. We went to throw a live hand grenade 10 am and the rest of the day we just relaxed and enjoyed the summer and mosquitoes! #:-) Toni
AUG 27, 2002 - 07:59 PM
Tin_Can
Toni, more great looking stuff. An original idea a well-great job.
AUG 27, 2002 - 11:26 PM
Envar
Almost forgot. Thanks Jim for putting this up, I´m sure you have your hands full of work! Toni
AUG 29, 2002 - 09:15 PM
D-Cycle
I tried to replicate your technice, using kitchen plasticfoil as tent canvas (or as in my case - rain cover), but it wouldn't take my acrylic paints. I solved this by laminating aluminium foil (the tin one, used in kitchens), and silkpaper from a teabag. I simply glued on the teabag material on the foil, then spraypainted it, and et voilá - i got a wonderful material to use as any kind of canvas for tents, raincovers etc. Easy to fold, but still stiff enough. /Daniel
MAR 31, 2004 - 12:31 PM
animal
Add another great little dio to your list. Bravo Toni..
MAR 31, 2004 - 12:53 PM
druid
It's actually quite refreshing. The short time heavy sweating opens up your pores and after you have washed up you feel great, almost like a new person. During winter we might blow a hole in the ice of a lake or the sea and take a short dip there. Now THAT's invigorating and will make you feel like a new person. I dare you to try it, sounds extreme but is really good for you. I do it whenever it's possible. It's much nicer to crawl in the trenches or slumber...I mean stay alert at the guard post if you have time to clean up every once in a while. Some people like a bath after a hard day, I prefer sauna. HTH, P.S. To stay on topic Toni's dioramas touch some special spot inside me. He truly catches some of the local spirit in them. I wish I could buy it in a bottle.
APR 01, 2004 - 05:16 AM
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