forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
Modelers Lounge => Time to relax => Topic started by: Michael Scarborough on September 01, 2015, 11:27:44 AM
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A few years back I was honored to be asked to participate in an exhibition at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, Delaware. DAM is one of those small but important museums we are lucky enough to have quite a few of in this country. It is known for two things; it has the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings anywhere outside Britain. Also, Wilmington was the home of the great illustrator, Howard Pyle, and was where his school was located. He taught many of the great illustrators of the early 20th C., among them, my favorite, N.C. Wyeth.
The exhibition was called Masterpieces in Miniature and all the invited artists were to choose a famous work of art and recreate it in the form of a box diorama. I chose The White Company, the book being by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the cover illustration being by N.C. Wyeth.
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/White%20Company/1_zpsinq5gsd2.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/White%20Company/1_zpsinq5gsd2.jpg.html)
I had never done a box diorama and, at this point, had only completed four figures, but I was game to give it a go. (Notice that I say I had only completed four figures. I will not tell you how many were, and remain, uncompleted.)
Even though it wouldn't be seen in the exhibition space, I decided that I wanted the box itself to give one the feeling that the book was being read by a gent in his oak paneled study in a grand house with a fine cigar and vintage port close at hand. So, I made the box of oak and covered the front with red leather as I imagined a copy of the book might have had when it was first published. Where N.C. had painted the title to appear as if it were written on parchment, as was done in days of old, I decided to use parchment for that purpose.
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/White%20Company/015_zpswcjrxqmd.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/White%20Company/015_zpswcjrxqmd.jpg.html)
The figures themselves began life as Verlinden 120mm figures but were repositioned and denuded of all detail:
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/White%20Company/IMG_0672_zpsuus6c2x2.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/White%20Company/IMG_0672_zpsuus6c2x2.jpg.html)
I got started but very quickly became unhappy with the results, and so, cut the figures into pieces and then reassembled them. (Does this sound like a familiar habit??)
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/White%20Company/IMG_0498_zpsw4lsi9ra.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/White%20Company/IMG_0498_zpsw4lsi9ra.jpg.html)
I used two part epoxy putty and gave them all new tunics and chain mail.
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/eBay%20173_zpsdetlsbpy.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/eBay%20173_zpsdetlsbpy.jpg.html)
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/White%20Company/IMG_0593_zpsoct0xtr1.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/White%20Company/IMG_0593_zpsoct0xtr1.jpg.html)
One of the characters in the novel is described as being rotund so I decided to give one of the figures a pot belly:
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/7_zpsy6tx0p3u.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/7_zpsy6tx0p3u.jpg.html)
The piece was well received and was really lot of fun to do. And I have more planned!
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/White%20Company/IMG_5561_zpsiq4xufow.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/White%20Company/IMG_5561_zpsiq4xufow.jpg.html)
(http://i1371.photobucket.com/albums/ag293/michaelscarborough1/White%20Company/img015_zpsmzq1wsit.jpg) (http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/michaelscarborough1/media/White%20Company/img015_zpsmzq1wsit.jpg.html)
Thanks for having a look.
Cheers from NYC,
Michael
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Michael,
Stunning diorama my old friend. You're a true artist!
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette
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Beautiful work, Michael! Like Gregory says, you're a true artist!
George
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Michael, this is fantastic! It's reminiscent of Shep Paine's work. I'll be watching this with gusto!
Pietro
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I like it a lot - especially the pot belly guy...
Stefan
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Very impressive, Michael, from conception through to realisation.
Best wishes
Nigel
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I simply love it, Michael!
Had the idea for museums here in Germany too, but found that modellers seem to be a species of loners, not quite willing to commit themselves to a certain topic and, even more important, date... - My personal box-diorama-dream is The Beatles' 1969 apple-building-roof-top concert!
Richard
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Superb Dio, Michael ;)
You have skillz and they're multiplying!
Thanks for sharing.
vB
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Many thanks, gents....very empowering to hear all this positive feedback.
Cheers from NYC,
Michael
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ooo cool, wonderfull diorama!
I love the book too, was surprised to see that A. Conan Doyle wrote a knights story :)
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Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful and creative work, Michael! I am just turning my attention to creating and painting figures, so your photo essay on this was both enjoyable and educational. ;D Thanks!
Regards,
Bob
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The 'kindle edition' of The White Company is free! Well, it is for UK buyers.
Link here http://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Company-Arthur-Conan-Doyle-ebook/dp/B0084AVGPG (http://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Company-Arthur-Conan-Doyle-ebook/dp/B0084AVGPG)
vB
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Wow, wow and more wow - that's a beautiful piece, it captures the idea with real art.
You had me at 'N.C.Wyeth'! I'm a huge fan of Andrew Wyeth, but the whole family is fascinating. I'd agree, N.C. is one of the great literary illustrators. I'd urge anyone who likes this and has the means, to visit the Brandywine River Museum at Chadds Ford PA, which is full of gorgeous works by N.C as well as his son and grandson.
If you do any more of these, please show them off! :)
Mark
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That's fantastic!
Drew
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Thanks guys....this is much appreciated.
Mark, we are brothers in this....I just saw Andrew Wyeth's Christina's World at MoMA last Friday. And here's a story that will make you weep: several years ago my wife and I were considering buying a house in Chadd's Ford, PA. It was on Ring Road just past Kuerner's Farm, where A.W. worked as a teen and which he painted many times. The old stone house was built in 1751, but had been modernised and was in terrific shape. It was just a scant mile from the Brandywine museum and had been visited many times by all the Wyeths, the present owners having been long time friends of the family. There were four wooded acres with two ponds and every inch of it looked like a setting for an NC Wyeth illustration...who knows...it may well have been. Sadly, we just couldn't make the numbers work. It's one of those things that I believe will haunt me all my life.
Yes, Mark is right.......by all means, anyone visiting that area ought to go see the Brandywine Museum and Winterthur, an amazing house museum, is nearby. The whole area is gorgeous, full of history and less than an hour from Philly.
Cheers,
Michael
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Thanks guys....this is much appreciated.
Mark, we are brothers in this....I just saw Andrew Wyeth's Christina's World at MoMA last Friday. And here's a story that will make you weep: several years ago my wife and I were considering buying a house in Chadd's Ford, PA. It was on Ring Road just past Kuerner's Farm, where A.W. worked as a teen and which he painted many times. The old stone house was built in 1751, but had been modernised and was in terrific shape. It was just a scant mile from the Brandywine museum and had been visited many times by all the Wyeths, the present owners having been long time friends of the family. There were four wooded acres with two ponds and every inch of it looked like a setting for an NC Wyeth illustration...who knows...it may well have been. Sadly, we just couldn't make the numbers work. It's one of those things that I believe will haunt me all my life.
Yes, Mark is right.......by all means, anyone visiting that area ought to go see the Brandywine Museum and Winterthur, an amazing house museum, is nearby. The whole area is gorgeous, full of history and less than an hour from Philly.
Cheers,
Michael
Ok, now I'm envious! I would love to visit the Brandywine. NC is one of my favorite artists! You finally made me realize, Michael, that I am on the wrong coast!
George
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Michael,
That is truly magnificent! I'm not a big fan of "coffee table books" however my Andrew Wyeth one has been an often browsed one for many, many years, Christina's World being one of my favorite works. I really enjoyed hearing this little "Tale"!
Cheers,
Lance
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A beautiful piece of work Machael! Brilliant to say the least!
RAGIII