I had planned to build a Marder IID or a Soviet lee for a Kursk Group Build on the Irish IPMS forum but I'm not going to finish either of those in time so to avoid the ignominy (It's a word!) of not finishing yet another group build I'm doing a figure vignette of a Soviet Scout passing a fallen German soldier.




The scout is a Zvezda figure with a miniart head. The dead German is from master box. The groundwork is meant to represent a drainage ditch or dried stream bed. There are lots of photos of German troops using these as shelter during Kursk




I have to embed the dead german in the ground work and comb out the long grass. The grass is some kind of moss for hanging baskets that I bought years ago and discovered at the back of a press I was clearing out. I stuck it in the coloured plaster while the plaster was wet and when I comb it out it will be sparser. I also used some paper plants from Kamizukuri which again I found while clearing a press. They have to be touched up. I also used some brush bristles for variety.




I decided to enhance the Scout's camo suit by adding some more detailed camo strips from greenstuff.

This is an excerpt from a German report on these suits which were used by both scouts and snipers:

(a) Summer Camouflage Suit

The suit consists of a jacket and hood of green-colored material in which tufts of matting in various shades are woven. In appropriate surroundings, a man in a prone position in this clothing cannot be seen more than a few paces away.


Most of the camo tufts were on the back
I haven't found a photo of it being used at Kursk but since it is a Summer suit and I have seen photos of it in use from 1941 to 45 I'm pretty sure it was in use at Kursk also

Awesome Mate! This will be cool when you're finished. Ground cover looks the part.

Really like the figure w/ a camo-suit being used this way. Some of Zvezda's Figs require a good deal of mods and clean-up, but Bravo Pat, lookin' good. Should paint up nice.

One thing: Didn't notice it except in the 'plan view' pic, but are you perhaps planning any smallish item on the opposite corner to the Soviet Fig?
Not a big deal really but maybe a small embedded stone, tuft of plant, barb wire scrap, stick of wood, German helmet or...?

Will be following this,
Cheers
Dave

Thanks that's a really good idea to balance out the composition

Good work Pat!

Well, I think that you don't need anything else in the vignette! :-) It works well enough like that.

Greets
Claude

Looking good Pat. I really like the way the scout is using the depresion in the ground for movement.
Best regards
Jacob

Looks great can't wait to see it done

Pat- really excellent positioning and detail here- the scene looks completely natural. I must say the pose of both figures is perfect and the extra detail on the Russian uniform is fantastic, it really gives the camo suit an extra edge and makes it look authentic.

Great work! Maybe add an MG-34 with ammo belt or ammo drums by the dead German?

I agree with Claude and the composition is fine as is. The base with the contours is freekin brilliant buddy and it is cool the way the sniper is using the low ground,just like we used to do.
The ground work is very nice as well and I love the gilly suit. I recommend not even placing a weapon by the dead guy as weapons being on or grasped by or even very close to dead guys is not the usual thing in real life believe it or not.
Photogs in the American Civil War used to love "posing"the dead and then placing weapons on them like that for civilian s to get a sense of drama.
Just sayin'
This is going to be very cool.
J

Thanks guys- looking again you are probably right no need for another element.

I learned composition in art college but have forgotten most of it. The rule I use very loosely is the "rule of thirds" as explained to me on a photography course, I divide the base of the dio up into thirds horizontally and vertically and where the lines cross is where the eye is drawn to.

It's never the centre. And you don't need to hit all the spots- I tend to favour the lower left hand side

Cool Pat,
I say again,brilliant concept and execution.
J