Man's Best Friend

[lazyschnauzer]

This little vignette is based on Stanley Wood's illustration, Man's Best Friend, which appeared in the British newspaper, The War Illustrated, on 2 June 1917. The dog is a Jack Russell terrier and the soldier is a Royal East Kent regiment (Buffs) private writing home to loved ones far away. This will be cast as the fourth of The Old Contemptibles kits. The kit will have everything you see in the photos except for the rifle sling and maybe one or two belts. It will be cast by my good friend, John McNenney and painted by Tony Dawe, a good friend from Australia, a fine, accomplished painter and recently very successful (!!) sculptor.

This will take a few posts. Hope you like it!

All the best,

Dan

[lazyschnauzer]

[lazyschnauzer]

Edited September 21, 2008 by lazyschnauzer

[lazyschnauzer]

Hope you like it!

All the best,

Dan

[Guest IMHF]

Another one of them masterpieces..... love the little puppy..

Thank you for sharing

Lorenzo

[lazyschnauzer]

Thanks Lorenzo! It was fun to build! The kit should be cast in about 3 weeks and then the painter will do the box art. If you don't want to wait for the box art, you could place an order for the kit now. The box art will typically take about 2 or 3 months, depending on whether the painter uses oils or acrylics. Acrylics and enamels are much faster drying.

All the best,

Dan

[Guest IMHF]

Thanks Lorenzo! It was fun to build! The kit should be cast in about 3 weeks and then the painter will do the box art. If you don't want to wait for the box art, you could place an order for the kit now. The box art will typically take about 2 or 3 months, depending on whether the painter uses oils or acrylics. Acrylics and enamels are much faster drying.

All the best,

Dan

Thank you how much if you can send me an e-mail of the cost of this piece?

Thank you my brother:

Lorenzo

[lazyschnauzer]

This figure won't be available for about 2 months. I've got two masters ready for casting, but my friend John McNenney won't be able to get to it any sooner. If you'd like to wait for the box art before purchasing, it will be a bit longer. Tony Dawe, an Aussie friend and fine painter, will be doing the honors.

The Old Contemptibles products will be sold online thru Military Miniatures Warehouse, John's company. http://www.milminwh.com/theoldcontemptibles.htm

All the best,

Dan

[Guest IMHF]

Is it better to buy the masters or the production copy of the model???

Thank you

Lorenzo

[lazyschnauzer]

Lorenzo - I think you've asked a kinda philosophical, existential question.

I have friends who are collectors who insist that buying original miniatures is the only way to appreciate military figure miniatures.

I have other friends who enjoy painting the resin cast kits and treasure them just as much. So - I think that is a subject open to dispute.

Me - I just like the sculpting.

So - it's your choice my friend!

As far as possibly selling this master to you, the masters are retained by the caster. Molds only last for maybe 30 or 40 castings and then they have to be re-done using the master.

If you want to commission me to do another Man's Best Friend or some other subject and get it painted for you, I'd certainly consider it. Let me know via e-mail at dpzpmorton@cox.net. Note that it does take time. I spend months of mostly weekends working on a single figure and then I send it to a painter, who can take an equally long time.

I have other figures in the works - a French Chasseur Alpins corporal from the Great War, which will be my first French figure for The Old Contemptibles as well as another figure for a collector - a French Foreign Legionnaire of the 1880s -1890s. Both of the heads and hats and other bits are finished and I'll post them as WIP as soon as I can get decent pictures.

All the best,

Dan

[Guest IMHF]

Lorenzo - I think you've asked a kinda philosophical, existential question.

I have friends who are collectors who insist that buying original miniatures is the only way to appreciate military figure miniatures.

I have other friends who enjoy painting the resin cast kits and treasure them just as much. So - I think that is a subject open to dispute.

Me - I just like the sculpting.

So - it's your choice my friend!

As far as possibly selling this master to you, the masters are retained by the caster. Molds only last for maybe 30 or 40 castings and then they have to be re-done using the master.

If you want to commission me to do another Man's Best Friend or some other subject and get it painted for you, I'd certainly consider it. Let me know via e-mail at dpzpmorton@cox.net. Note that it does take time. I spend months of mostly weekends working on a single figure and then I send it to a painter, who can take an equally long time.

I have other figures in the works - a French Chasseur Alpins corporal from the Great War, which will be my first French figure for The Old Contemptibles as well as another figure for a collector - a French Foreign Legionnaire of the 1880s -1890s. Both of the heads and hats and other bits are finished and I'll post them as WIP as soon as I can get decent pictures.

All the best,

Dan

I love your work and realy look forward to seeing more of your sculptures:

Thank you for your friendship

Lorenzo

[lazyschnauzer]

Thanks Lorenzo! Figure sculpting keeps me out of saloons, off the streets and away from wayward women. Well...almost.

All the best,

Dan