New Design?

[Glen]

Ah... I see. Not so much a business as a labor of love. Well then, the sky's the limit. Let's bump that Flower-class corvette up to 1/72 scale! It'll be Flat of the Year.


I've been bouncing around the interweb a bit and found a British pinup artist by the name of David Wright. I think he painted in oils, but some of his work has a very watercolor look to it. It might be worth checking out if you want to keep it in the family so to speak. There is also a book of his work (which I will be ordering) called Sirens. Wiki article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wright_(artist)


I've attached the Sirens cover and some samples of his work.


I've also found a contemporary British female pinup artist named Fiona Stephenson. She does Elvgren-esque style pinup work which is quite good. She's from Barnsley in South Yorks. Her site here: http://www.fionastephenson.com/ The link shows a lot of her work, but the gal on the scooter caught my eye. This is all copyrighted of course, but if you ask nicely and mention that you're non-profit(ish)...


Cheers,


Glen

[Brian]

"One last thought (so far), is that I make these suggestions while operating in an information vacuum. I have no idea what your operating budget is, or what the skill sets are of whomever is doing the R&D, drawings, engraving, or casting. Also, beyond the obvious BFFS/IFFS membership and show attendees, I'm also fuzzy on the target market. Whatever the budget is you (et al) have to figure what will bring in the most and fastest return on your money."

I was told a long time ago, before I started making flats and 2D came about, you have to do what you want.
No money in flats and never try a second guess the market, do the figures you want. The bikes I do have been a run away success but I was told there never sell  , there's no budget, there's no target market and there's no guarantee to make a profit let alone get your money back but it's what we do and if they sell that's a bonus        

[Glen]

Wait... there are other subjects beside scantily-clad babes!? 


Civilians and machines - the latter I take to mean planes, trains, vehicles, and watercraft - are also good. Assuming it hasn't been done in 54mm, how about a version of Waterhouse's (sp?) Lady of Shalott? A 1/350th scale side view of a Flower=class Corvette? Or a /48 (or a size matching 30mm) A13 Cruiser Tank in North Africa ca. late 40/early 41? Any fantasy or steampunk vehicle or vessel in whatever scale you're comfortable with. How about a 1/48 or 1/32 scale MG PB? A scantily-clad pinup babe sprawled on an MG PB?


That said, machines will be rife with their own pitfalls. Machines have rigidly defined shapes, details, sizes, proportions, etc. And that's just a straight top, side, or front view. Now add perspective and things get skewed pretty quickly (remember the Hurricane...). Whoever draws/engraves it is going to have to be damn good. I think I would avoid any professionally raced cars, simply because of the myriad colors and sponsor decals on them. I don't think that the logos and lettering could be consistently and accurately engraved over the changing shapes of the cars and asking the customer to hand painting it might be asking to much. Perceived complexity and difficulty can be the enemy of sales. There is also the issue of potential copyright violations. Lawyers are funny that way...


Nose art is also good. There is certainly no shortage of material and it's all pretty much in the public domain. You can stick to historically accurate (regardless of the quality of the original art). Use historical art, but correct any issues with shape, proportion, etc., and paint it as you would a historical piece, or make something up - perhaps nose art on a Klingon Battle Cruiser. I have a WW II style piece already in progress (scratchbuilt). It's a 3/4 rear view of a gal dressed in 1940s lingerie looking back over her shoulder with her head slightly tilted. I'm struggling a bit with getting everything lined up and in proper perspective. When finished, it gets mounted on a backdrop representing a generic aircraft skin - a few panel lines, round head and flush rivets, and some maintenance stenciling or kill markings.


One last thought (so far), is that I make these suggestions while operating in an information vacuum. I have no idea what your operating budget is, or what the skill sets are of whomever is doing the R&D, drawings, engraving, or casting. Also, beyond the obvious BFFS/IFFS membership and show attendees, I'm also fuzzy on the target market. Whatever the budget is you (et al) have to figure what will bring in the most and fastest return on your money.


Glad you liked the 4-piece seasonal pinup idea. Maybe some day...


Glen

[Brian]

I have to say Glens idea's do sound good but how about other subjects, 30mm right up to your 80mm soldiers, civilian and even machines [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Do like the idea of four part seasonal theme with nose art chucked in     
 

[willie]

Sounds all good to me. I am off to Victoria Secrety to see first hand   Color , Size and movement. Good old fashion Pin UPs how about some Nose Art. Willie

[Glen]

Very true Joerg! I think the beauty of the pinup project is that the painter's imagination can run wild. The painter is not locked into any specific palette. Five the of the six Elvgren poses (or similar) I posted below would be suitable. Remove the clothing and strip the piece down to basic lingerie - knickers, suspender belt, bra, stockings, and shoes. The stockings only need to have a raised ridge at the top (no raised seam down the back of the leg; that never looks right). Make the lingerie (and the hair style) period correct if necessary; do the research into design and construction. Make sure the anatomy, proportions, and perspective are right - especially the face. The face will be the window to the soul of the piece. Keep the piece at 54mm at the smallest; it will allow everyone to take advantage of the details and the detail painting, but don't go larger than 80mm to keep the costs down. Let the painter decide on how to depict the material - opaque, sheer, rubber, shiny vinyl, leather, silk, satin, etc.; as well as colors, patterns, and/or any decorative embroidery.


I've also been thinking (dangerous) about my 12-piece calender pinup set idea in 30mm - 54mm. If not 12, then how about four pieces on a seasonal theme - winter, spring, summer, and fall? They don't have to be keyed to holidays (think Xmas), but can be centered around the climate, much like Alphonse Mucha did his art nouveau four seasons set.


Sunny now, taking MGs out!


Cheers,


Glen

[Joerg]

...

I like this Olivia painting as a flat. Maybe if we ask her nicely...
Glen

In any way a painting challenge 

Joerg

[Glen]

Olivia would be great, but... you have to be careful about doing commercial figures using someone else's art due to copyright issues. While no artist has a copyright on the range of the human body's movement (i.e. poses), simply copying art for a figure has any number of legal issues should the copyright owners chooses to pursue them. Case in point: Frank Frazetta went after a figure company for reproducing his Death Dealer several years (70s?) ago. Don Troiani (a US Civil War artist) has a well established reputation for going after people (including figure companies) that use his art for their figures.


Ditto for Game of Thrones - a gaming company already has a license for commercial GoT figures.


X2 on the motorcycle girl. Just make changes to the bike design, costuming, etc.


I like this Olivia painting as a flat. Maybe if we ask her nicely...


Glen

[Salter]

I have to agree with PJ especially about the work of Olivia De berandinis.i have just received American Giesha by olivia the paintings would make fantastic flats.
I do hope somebody will do a John Snow with Direwolf and Raven.Plus more images from Paul Calle.
As for a painting project what about a Hollywood montage.   

[kevind]

Some of the characters  from Game of Thrones. Done in the bust genre ala Jupiter Miniatures...or Suarez, in a Liverpool uniform biting Sir Alex:))

[errant49]

The girl on the bike would be nice
Eric

[PJDeluhery]

Brian, that's from an Olivia De Bernardis painting. She does excellent women, that are  (I think) erotic but tasteful. She has two books w/ her works. Also, I believe she does work for Playboy magazine. Google her name and look at the images. If you look a the models in some of her early work you will notice some familiar faces - like Pamela Anderson. 

Here's another I really like;
http://www.intflatfigures.org/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=1452


Here's one I'd love to see made into a flat:

http://www.lifelounge.com.au/resources/imgdetail/030512101932_pin-detail.jpg

May be some copyright issues, but I'm sure we can build off her work without violating the law. OTOH, lots of her stuff already out there.

What I'd really like to see and paint are figures from the Game of Thrones Series: Cersei, Margaery (I'm totally in love with Nataile Dormer!) Melisandre (the red witch), Tyrion, etc.

In the alternative, I'd vote with Glen.   

[Brian]

Have to agree with you Glen, not many that actually look right

Desire is one I think  [ Guests cannot view attachments ] but then she is not a pinup 

[Glen]

Well, this should come as no surprise, but I'd like to see some Elvgren-esque pinups from the 50-60s in about 80-90mm. Proper perspective, anatomy, detail, no distortions, etc. I've been disappointed in what I've gotten so far and I've stopped buying them. I can't help feeling that the some of the people putting them out figured they would sell simply because they're pinup girls. They didn't seem to pay much attention to lingerie research (always fun  ), facial features, and anatomy (no, not just boobs and butts - but arm and leg shapes and how they change when their positions are altered, how facial features change when the head is turned or tilted, etc). Some of them have a cartoonish look which doesn't do justice to the piece.


There are other artists as well - Harry Ekman, Joyce Ballantyne, Art Frahm, Joe de Mers, and Pearl Frush. The list is huge and there would be no shortage of material.


And I still think a 12-piece set of pinup calendar girls in 30mm to 54mm would be great. They just have to be right.


I've attached some examples - all Elvgren.


My tuppence worth...


Glen

[Brian]

Here's one to get you thinking, if a new figure was to be made what would you like to see, anything you like no restrictions lets play

No contest but you never know it may be made as a flat figure, here's two to start you off