I'm starting this blog to document the building of a small vignette idea not only to discuss some of the techniques used but also to trace the "creative process" of working through a vignette or diorama idea. I'm hoping to get some feedback and maybe inspire someone else.

The idea for this vignette came from the figure below.



I always really liked this figure but it seemed a bit bland to me. It just didn't seem to capture the wonder of Napoleon's armies in Egypt. The figure looks so pensive that I wanted to do something with it. I wanted to capture the spirit of a young man looking that the Pyramids or the Sphinx in wonder. Eventually I settled on the idea of an army surveyor and amateur artist ordered to document the Sphinx. Unfortunately, this required some minor adjustments and the creation of the right mood. To this end, I had to completely sculpt an arm with putty-- and I am a lousy sculptor! I also had to create a number of tools and items that an artist and surveyor might have laying around. Below you see the sculpted arm on the figure and a scratch built artist's portfolio and journal.

Let me know what you think. I welcome any and all comments, positive and negative.
Thanks in advance. I hope to update soon and maybe even submit the finished product as a feature.

Nice stuff! Are those 1/35 scale jerry can necks on the map case?

Chris

Chris,
Good eye! Yea those are the lids on the 1/35 Jerry cans. For the portfolio and journal I just folded up some thin cardboard. I added the 1/35 lids for the portfolio, along with some decorative bridal stuff that came from some 1/16 horses. I cut a few thing strips of polystyrene for the straps and bingo, portfolio. The journal's paper is tracing paper since that's the only thin enough material to look like regular paper at that scale.

I actually just finished paint the journal and it looks pretty good, methinks.

Top job, Tylusfaust
I'd like to be able to do such things when I'll get back to modeling in some years.
One detail might be corrected though: Bonaparte was only a general in Egypt, sent there by the French Republic. Hence, the Imperial crown on the map case is historically wrong.

Vit,
Nice catch on the Imperial Crown! While I'm not a historically accuracy fanatic, it does matter to me when it's so obvious so it looks like I will be removing it since it doesn't make sense. Thanks for catching that. I'll see if I add something it's place or leave it bare.

I hope to paint the portfolio soon so I'll post a follow up.

You're welcome, Tylus.
I don't know if there was a special emblem on such items.

Nice map-case/artist-portfolio.It will look great painted up as leather.
Very interesting concept/conversion. Looking forward to seeing the progress on this...please continue to post often.
Cheers,
Charles

So this is the next installment of my little build blog. I painted some of the items above-- the journal and the "artist's portfolio". I also printed out some sphinx pictures from the internet, reduced them, and printed them out. I don't know if it show in the pics, but the large sphinx picture is actually some sort of survey with depths and contours with numbers to each one. Pretty lucky find, considering what I'm trying to do. I then took some spares and built something that resembles a measuring tape or surveyor's tape with red and white. I didn't use anything as a source. I'm not sure of its accuracy but I just wanted something that conveyed the idea more than anything else. I wanted something that looked sort of "still-lifey" if you know what I mean.

I also included a pic of the converted figure holding the large sphinx; this is what I'm expecting him to look like when he is finished. He will be holding up a sketch board with the large sphinx as his current work. I'm also going to throw some "pencils" around as well as a few charcoals. Colored pastels? Maybe a bit much.

Now I need to shop around for nice wooden base. Comments welcomed and encouraged.

Unpainted measuring tape.

If I'm not mistaken, that looks an awful lot like the part to a German jack from Dragon.
great recourcefulness.

Hi
Great pose, great mood....great work!
Regards
G

Great job.The atmosphere is already set. I'm eager to see the vignette completed.

Guys,
Thanks for all the encouragement. I have had a chance to actually start painting the figure because I've been distracted by a few other projects, but I hope to get this weekend.

And yes, Jon, the surveyor's tape is part of a German jack or winch-- a good spare's box is a modeller's best friend!

I like what you have done with the figure to give it a fresh look, nice work on the surveyors equipment etc. i will follow this one with interest.

Steve