This is a little "stopover" project I have made to complete the knocked out PzIV. A little boy should came out and therefore I had to take care about correct proportions.
Maybe noteworthy - this time I didn't have used any commercial products for any part of this figure so it is made 100% myself.
Starting with making the boots from putty. First have made the sole of shoes, followed by the upper structures. Have carefully sanded them after the putty has set rockhard. This was followed by a skeleton of drilled brass wire whereas hip and torso consist of remainings from other sculpting sessions. Next I have added some putty for making the torso and legs. Not very subtil because this step should provide some body volume only. After another 24h I have sanded the legs and torso into shape like shown on the first pic above. This figure will be of 2/3 of a grownup's body height.
The head is the most difficult part here, not even because of the smaller size in comparison to a normal 1/35 head. Have rolled out a ball of putty with round section at the end (will be the neck later). After this got dry I have roughly sanded the approximately shape and size of a children's head. Finer sandings followed. The area of eyes and nose I have cut out, like shown on this pic. The area of mound and chin I have rasped with my diamond files.
The trousers were made in single steps to prevend damagings each other when working on a single leg. Have applied an appropriate amount of putty and smoothed out. After some time I have pressed in wrinkels and folgs using different tools.
The figure should wear some kind of coat and the lower part I have sculpted first. I've decided to do this in two steps to be able to work the rear fold in. Just put a proper part of putty onto the figure, smooth it out and press in some dents gently.
During the coat is getting dry I have refined the face by sculpting the cheeks and nose like shown in pic above.
The coat I have sculpted in two steps. It is about a 2-row coat like common that time. But exept for the fact it is a children's coat. Upper and lower part were devided by the belt which I have made of putty as well. The buckle is an PE-Part taken out of my spare box.
The head I have finished like shown in the next pic below. Have sculpted the mouth and chin, for me the most difficult part because of it's miniature and the intensive expression which comes into beeing by this. A figure could be look like funny or angrily just because of the way you have sculpted the mouth.
The hair is made of putty as well, the hair structure I have pressed in using a knife. Another difficult topic - the ears. Here a bit to big but difficult to correct - during the putty is still soft and after the putty has set. Anyway - not really satisfied with the result but a good base for future improvements...
Left arm is made like the legs. The figure got gloves without the seperated thumb.
Here you can see the children-figure in comparison to a normal 1/35 figure.
Well, this is the finished figure. Finally I have added the right arm which was quite a challenge for me cause of its offside position when holding a football. The collar and the end cover of the coat's rear walking slit I have added using putty, the buttons are made of thin plastic disks from my Punch&Die Set.
That's all. Stay tuned for the painting in chapter two.
Pat
