Otto Dix's "Krieg", Part 4 *WARNING* GRAPHIC

Here's some more pics of the overall vignette. More groundwork and debris will be added soon.

I'm currently working on the final figure. This one will be of a rookie grunt, new to the front, looking at the scene with horror/disgust.

Otto Dix's "Krieg", Part 3 *WARNING* GRAPHIC

Some of the following pictures maybe too graphic for some. Please view with discretion.

For the outside of the base I textured with a rough stone.

The cat-walk planks are made of plastic card.

The two figures are a hodge podge of pieces. The heads are from Hornet and expressions changed accordingly.
The legs are from Presier (sp?) and were shaved down a little and the toes were re-sculpted. You may note that the legs and torso do not match but the overall height is still 1/35.

It wasn't really that hard to sculpt a figure to a base. Just adjusting to the contours was tricky.

The helmet is a Dragon piece which I carved a little to add more brim to reflect the issue helmet of World War One.

I got a little wild with the "shrouded" figure. Sculpting the folds and wrinkles was actually pretty fun. Not sure if it will be convincing to others but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. The bullet/Shrapnel holes may have gotten out of hand, but hopefully it will add to the harshness of the piece. And my intention of this
piece was to try and stay close to Otto Dix's vision, NOT historical accuracy.

Otto Dix's "Krieg", Part 2

Here's the finished "shrouded" figure after many layers of putty.

The corrugated sheet metal was fairly easy to make. The pictures pretty much show all. As I could not find any pre-made sheet metal on the vendor stands at the Chicago show, I tried this fairly simple technique.

Otto Dix's "Krieg", Part 1

I covered the base with "Cling Wrap" and painters tape. Cutting a perfect circle was a bit tedious.

Then I "blocked" in the base using foam board.

The gas-masked, blanket covered soldier was slowly built up with putty to allow proper curing.

Otto Dix: Germany's "Degenerate Artist"

Otto Dix (1891~1969) said of his paintings of World War One subjects "I did not want to cause fear and panic, but to let people know how dreadful war is and to stimulate people's power of resistance."

After coming home from the Chicago show, I was really inspired to try something totally new. Having recently read an article in MHQ Magazine on the artist Otto Dix, I had found the subject for my new project. Although I'm still wondering on whether this will receive "o.k.'s" from judges at future shows, as this will be pretty graphic.

I picked up a nice round ebony base from one of the vendors in the hopes I would carry this thing out. Once I got home and sat at that clean workbench, I told myself this maybe now or never.

The triptych painting Der Krieg (The War) is the inspiration for the project. Though not as chaotic and dreamy as the painting, it will be in essence true to it's harshness.

Please note the sculpting of this project is 80% done! Yes, I've been working like a madman for a whole week and burned an entire weekend ( up untill 2 a.m. on Friday and 8 hours each Saturday and Sunday) on this piece! Lets say, I'm very fortunate to have an understanding family;)

This post is just a teaser. I'll post pic's every other day so I have time to play with my new camera.

For more on the artist Otto Dix see- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Dix

Hussar, Volontaires etrangers de la Marine, 1781

Horse marines! I just finished painting up this colorful fella, just in time for the Chicago show.
He's a French Hussar, part of a detachment sent to America during the Revolutionary War.

These were mostly German-speaking volunteers, raised by the ministry of the navy for service overseas. The 1st Legion was sent to the West Indies, the 2nd (Lauzen's) sent to the United States; the 3rd served in India. The hussars of the legions
wore sky-blue dolmans, yellow breeches and white braid.

Except for the head (Hornet) he's scratch-built. The sword is brass etched, one side had a blood groove which had to be filled in and then sanded. Painted in acrylics.

16th U.S. Infantry (close up)

Here's a closer image of the figure. Please note the flesh tones look much more blended in person. My pics make the contrast too stark.

With the austere look and long pointy nose, wouldn't this head make a neat Wellington figure?

16th U.S. Infantry, 1812

Here's my latest original. The inspiration for this subject came from Osprey's "The American War 1812-14" plate B-1. I chose this one because of the "unusual" colors for his uniform. One associates the American army, of this period, with the color blue. But there were a variety of uniform colors to be seen in the forts and fields, such as whites, greys, tans, browns and greens.

This soldier is from the 16th Regiment of Infantry were issued a black coatee in typical cut for infantry of the period. I wasn't sure about the green trousers as I could not find more documentation to support the illustration. The unuasual colors is what drew to the subject anyway so I went and painted it likewise.

The head is from Hornet and the musket is a Shenandoah conversion. Everything painted with acrylics.

Sorry for the poor pics. "Black" is a unforgiving color.