Garden Railway Forum

Having recently completed the interiors for some of my coaches (http://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic. ... c91b772beb), I needed to find some 1930s figures to populate them. As space was tight inside the coaches, I decided to use some of those cheap 1:25 figures which incessantly come up on eBay and which are also extremely cheap. As they would by only glimpsed through the windows, I wasn't too worried if they were a bit lacking in detail - but I still felt they needed to be 'thirtified'. I ordered two different sorts - one batch was fairly lacking in detail but the other was much better detailed. Anyway, following a request on the other thread, I put together a blog post showing how I went about modifying the figures to make them more appropriate for the 1930s - https://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2017 ... s-for.html. Here's a little taster of what they've ended up like. Rik

You could easily sell these Rik as a business, great effort!

Hi Rik,

Tom is right, these are really high quality. Your choice and use of colours is very good. I love 'em.

Andrew

Rik, reading through you blog about transforming the figures reminded me of the time I spent on mine. I too used slightly smaller figures to populate my passenger coaches, which are based on ones identical to yours but without raised roof lines, so the people appear to look more in scale inside the compartments. Not being in clear view means less work is needed to make them presentable. Because my railway is based in the present day it wasn't necessary to alter their clothing styles but with your research you have captured the look of the period perfectly. You have made them even more believable by giving them individual characteristics and 'titles'.
Your paintwork also helps with the limited fashion colours of the time, I always thing of the 30's as being drab for the masses.
When modifying the science fiction/fantasy figures I used Milliput, much the same as Green Stuff I imagine.
Superb work!

Great job Rik, your paint work, specially the robust farmer, the creases and folds in his jacket looks very lifelike. The free form of figure work, I find quite relaxing to work on. Interesting that your using epoxy which gives you plenty of time to do the forming. I recently used auto filler, and of course had to carve and file detail afterwards. Shall go back to epoxy as you have next time.
Grant.
PS I find the use of aluminium foil for hat brims bonnets and peaks works well and takes the odd bump or two.

Hey, thanks chaps. It's really encouraging to get feedback like that.

I have a friend who is a wargamer and so he alerted me to Green Stuff - and he's also a dab hand at dry-brushing. Something I learned from him is to work from dark to light - applying a darker base-coat and then a couple of lighter shades dry-brushed over it to highlight the raised features - the final very light shade which is very lightly applied just picks out the uppermost of the folds and features. I was looking at a contestant on 'Pointless' the other evening who was wearing light-coloured trousers. It was remarkable how much lighter the folds on his trousers were than the rest. I'm particularly pleased by how some of the figures have come out - but all the credit is due to my wargaming chum.

Thanks for the tip about foil, Grant. I might make some experiments with the next batch of figures.

I'd imagine Milliput would do a similar job, Peter, but not given that a try as yet. I followed your advice of using better quality acrylics BTW. I was finding some of the cheaper colours which I got from The Works were too translucent.

Rik

Great transformation Rik.

Brilliant Rik - as one of the people who asked you to expand on your approach, thank you. As others have said, they are really good - the colours and adaptions are great

Loads of ideas there which I'll be looking to use - my box arrived from China the other day - now just need to find some time to have a go!

great looking figures