Tropical Groundwork Scene

[rtfoe]

I realised I had stopped short of showing the completion of the telegraph wire pole...

Using guitar string attached through holes drilled through the insulators and fixed with CA. The looped connectors are copper wire bent into shape and also glued with CA.



I then painted them black...



The guitar strings were the only wire I could find that were stiff enough to stay upright.

Cheers,
Richard

[CarolsHusband]

Nice to have an update Richard, I'm looking forward to seeing more.

[minitnkr]

Beautiful job Richard. My son used to go through sets when he played thrash guitar. Still have skads of them. Very useful. He went on to play jazz, so I don't get them any more.

[Airborne01]

Thank you very much Jim, appreciate the kind comment. Glad you like the Asian tour.
Have you tried Satay(barbequed meat on wooden skewers)? I've always wanted to do a satay stall. Having it al-fresco straight from the barbi with peanut sauce and compacted steamed glutinous rice wrapped with palm leaves accompanied with onions and cucumber...yum yum.

Cheers,
Richard

Richard,
Your mention of Satay :smiling6: - who cannot love that? And what about a proper Nasi Goreng or Beef Rendang- my body has just gone into sensory overload!!!!!!! Washed down with a Tiger(s) (or similar!) - and in the company of friends and family (to the beat of the Gamelan)---Sublime!! My wife was a teacher at the BIS in Indonesia and has made me send out for a takeaway! I'll send you the bill
Steve

[rtfoe]

Nice to have an update Richard, I'm looking forward to seeing more.

There's more Dan, I haven't gotten to the figures yet and will get to that soon.

Beautiful job Richard. My son used to go through sets when he played thrash guitar. Still have skads of them. Very useful. He went on to play jazz, so I don't get them any more.

Thanks Paul, what's surprising is that I found the strings not expensive and they're even great for radio antennas.

Richard,
Your mention of Satay :smiling6: - who cannot love that? And what about a proper Nasi Goreng or Beef Rendang- my body has just gone into sensory overload!!!!!!! Washed down with a Tiger(s) (or similar!) - and in the company of friends and family (to the beat of the Gamelan)---Sublime!! My wife was a teacher at the BIS in Indonesia and has made me send out for a takeaway! I'll send you the bill
Steve

Glad I aroused some mouth watering senses and taste buds, Steve. Nice to know you've had our local dishes and remember their names. Which Nasi Goreng is your favorite as there are a few varieties like Kampung with fried anchovies, Sambal Belachan, Kangkung or Ayam. There's even the Thai ones with pineapple or Pattaya encased in an egg omelette. Beef Rendang goes well with Lemang (glutinous rice cooked in a bamboo trunk). Oh man now I'm beginning to salivate...will have to ask for Rendang added to my Nasi Lemak for breakfast.
How long was your wife a teacher in Indonesia? We have a 'Mee Bandung' here and the Indonesians swear there is no such dish in Bandung. :smiling6:

Cheers,
Richard

[Airborne01]

I think the Kangkung , and Lemang evokes great memories - especially my first attempt (failed miserably) at preparing it! Kate taught for some five years - and totally loves her time, friends and fond memories from that time (but what's not to love?)

[rtfoe]

Ok, let's get some figures up...starting with the Uncle with his new honda cup...

I can't remember which figure I chose to carve away the shoes and bottom of his pants but I know I got his arms from the Tamiya Stug IV Commander.



I whittled away until just below the knees and had to detail his foot as he was going to wear sandals.



Rolling flat some two part putty I made his sarong and lengthened his blouse with pockets.



Correcting his blouse to the one worn in the state of Perak I made a three button fold from the straight hard collar and gave a breast pocket. Other states would have a different cut, collar and pockets to their Malay blouse.



More next...

Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

I think the Kangkung , and Lemang evokes great memories - especially my first attempt (failed miserably) at preparing it! Kate taught for some five years - and totally loves her time, friends and fond memories from that time (but what's not to love?)

I bet you've got better at the preparation now. Are the ingredients easily gotten where you're at now? I'm glad she did. Apart from the weather and infrastructure depending where you're posted South East Asians are pretty friendly and food if you're adventurous can be found almost 24/7 at affordable prices. Water though apart from Singapore and Malaysia needs to be consumed from a sealed bottle.

Cheers,
Richard

[Jim R]

Hi Richard
The alterations to the figure are excellent.
Jim

[Airborne01]

I bet you've got better at the preparation now. Are the ingredients easily gotten where you're at now? I'm glad she did. Apart from the weather and infrastructure depending where you're posted South East Asians are pretty friendly and food if you're adventurous can be found almost 24/7 at affordable prices. Water though apart from Singapore and Malaysia needs to be consumed from a sealed bottle.

Cheers,
Richard

Richard,
Agreed! Ingredients can be obtained relatively locally but are generally pricey and patchy in availability - agree with the friendly comment - nothing but smiles and welcomes! We're also lucky in that several of Kate's staff and friends are either native to. or resident in the area, so we have benefited from introductions and welcomes wherever we go!
Steve

[rtfoe]

Hi Richard
The alterations to the figure are excellent.
Jim

Thanks Jim, he still has a bit more to go.

Richard,
Agreed! Ingredients can be obtained relatively locally but are generally pricey and patchy in availability - agree with the friendly comment - nothing but smiles and welcomes! We're also lucky in that several of Kate's staff and friends are either native to. or resident in the area, so we have benefited from introductions and welcomes wherever we go!
Steve

Steve,
It's the same here when shopping for imported ingredients like butter and cheese. I just made Tisha's Malaysian Roti Pratha...easy just pop it onto a non-stick pan with no oil and let it raise. Dahl was homemade with added vege. Actually a lot cheaper eating out. :smiling6:

Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

Hi, back to Pakchik or Tuan Haji...
After the body was done I had to find a suitable head. A friend gave me a whole batch of them and I chose one that had a Mid-Eastern look wearing a Fez.



I soon whittled down the fez into a skull cap



And posed him looking left....



This is him with the Stug Commanders arms...



To add character I fashioned a goatee with putty.Now he really looks like a Tuan Haji (an old Muslim whose done his Haj)...



Cheers,
Richard

[rtfoe]

Next figure modification is the young Chinese guy squatting and enjoying a cigarette. This I know is modified from a Vietcong from Dragon.



I gave him a butterfly collar and his shirt untucked. I didn't have to do much with his face and feet as he was appropriately Asiatic.



I wanted him in short sleeves so I scrapped and carved off just above the elbow.



I would soon give him a 70's hairstyle and replace his stub of a cigarette to a finer one with stretched sprue.



Cheers,
Richard

[scottie3158]

Richard,
The figures are superb mate I am taking notes because one day I will have a go at modifying a figure.

[rtfoe]

Richard,
The figures are superb mate I am taking notes because one day I will have a go at modifying a figure.

Thanks Scottie, modifying figures is fun especially if you come across body parts that click with the pose you want. Also it's a precursor to scratching figures. The other is you're not constrained when composing the scene in your mind. Look forward to your first figure mods.

Cheers,
Richard