From the Middle Ages to Greece during WW1

[Kostis Ornerakis]

The 2 forage caps, haversack, rifle (with a new bore) are from WD models.
The small rucksack and the helmet are Pegasus.
Here to say that no Alex's figure has harmed, as I have worked on copies which I have recast.
There are slight modifications on the kids figures.
The IDEA, hands and head (saved) of the male figure are Alex's of course, and the body is worked by me. I hope Alex will be gentle with me.

[Susofrick]

They look nice!

[Cryns]

I was already wondering what our man in Crete is doing.
This looks like a scene from the Tintin comics.
They seem to watch a plane. A Turkish one? Or did Greece have planes too?

Now I suppose you made the reproductions in cylindrical moulds.
But the man looks much more detailed than the children. Is that a copy too?
And the boys on top of each other look like a complicated shape for a single piece mould. Is your mould rubber that soft and flexible to get the casted figure out again?

[Kostis Ornerakis]

Thank you both for the replies.

Or did Greece have planes too?

Mr. Cryns do I distinguish irony in your words?
Well, I am not here to prove my little country's culture, but I found this: https://stefanosskarmintzos.wordpress.c ... 2-to-1962/
As I already mentioned the boys are modifications of Alex figures:
http://www.fredericus-rex.eu/en/Scale-1 ... -1-72.html
and I just tried to look as WW1 civilians. The rubber has the properties you refer though it's not a single piece mould, as the shape is tricky.
The idea of the man is from Alex too:
http://www.fredericus-rex.eu/en/Scale-1 ... -1-72.html
but I used only the head, without his beard and with sorter hair and the arms. The uniform is made from epoxy putty. I still use the old faithfull Verlinden's.
So no planes in this dio.

[Cryns]

do I distinguish irony in your words?

Yes hahaha that is right but this is only because you asked for it: using medieval figures to depict a 20th century setting: that must have been a retarded culture!

But yes, of course I know the Greek people had some very advantaged ideas for that time. I have seen some of that in the Piraeus maritime museum and the Athens war museum. And the article you show us makes clear Greece had an airforce before Turkey had!

Respect to the Greek progression.

but I used only the head, without his beard and with sorter hair and the arms.

I must say this is a rather unusual way to make a conversion. But the result is very good. Will you paint them?

And the Verlinden putty, is that a bit like magic sculpt (which can be sanded or scraped after curing)?

[Kostis Ornerakis]

Yes hahaha that is right but this is only because you asked for it

I have not been reported with irony in none, so I am more than sure I didn't ask for it.

using medieval figures to depict a 20th century setting

I didn't use medieval figures, I used Alex's figures as a base to start my project.

that must have been a retarded culture!

I have meet many Europians, visiting my country, mostly because they see some more in Greece than the majority of the press or the politicians present.
Obviusly, as you also mentioned we are not able to cover your taste.
This is no irony and I am not going to engage in verbal battle with you for any reason.
I really admire your modeling skills and thank you for any comment I have received in my posts.
By the way I don't mind if we or Turcs had airforce first, and last but not least: I love comics and Tintin ofcourse.

[Cryns]

Did I say anything wrong? I hope not!

But I think somehow I mis-interpretated your title completely. Sorry for that.

Obviusly, as you also mentioned we are not able to cover your taste.

Kostis I do not understand this at all. But anyhow, I am one of your biggest fans on this forum, because of your work and because of your personality, and a different sense of humor or a misunderstanding of any kind will not change that. No way.

[Alex]

Hi , Kostis !
I really like the results of your work! Just great !
I am also pleased that my figures continue to live in another epohe.
.ih second out of 9 possible lives ...

[Wiking]

Very well made.
I like the small girl.
Looking forward for your work.

[Kostis Ornerakis]

Wiking and Alex Thank you for your kind words.

But anyhow, I am one of your biggest fans on this forum, because of your work and because of your personality, and a different sense of humor or a misunderstanding of any kind will not change that. No way.

Dear mr. Cryns THANK YOU for these words.
If I was a wise man I sould wait for my son to be back from his work and write instead of me and for my behalf, as his English are far better than mine, but it is a challenge to resolve this misunderstanding by myself.
In this difficult era for Greece trying to find a place under the sun, I had the idea to show some different angles of our newer history, which make me at least, proud.
My grandpa participaded in WW1 and was awarded with an iron cross. Since I don't like battle scenes, I want to make a dio of his return to his village.
Being a little lazy, I took the shortcut: To use existing figures and convert them.
Alex's figures are a safe choise because of their quality, but the themes are mostly medieval.
I didn't want to discover the theme of the dio at this time, so I used this title.
I AM SORRY I didn't recognize the humorous angle of your words but as politicians has make me (and the rest Greeks, I suppose) feel a beggar for Europian funds and I ensure you that I AM NOT, it was a punch in the stomach to hear from a man you consider as a friend that my culture is outdated.

[Peter]

Real great conversions and I can't wait to see these painted and placed on a dio! So Kostis, go on and don't let us wait to long!

[Cryns]

Dear Kostis,

I am glad to read your reply. Today it is gaming day with mr. Bos so I have no time to write a proper reply. Tomorrow or monday I will respond to that punch in your stomach that I was not aware of at all. I hope it doesn't hurt anymore today.

[Cryns]

Now I understand what you tried to achieve and why.
The memory of your grandfather is involved.
Probably for that reason you were looking for the best figures available and a figure depicting grandpa's face, even when the beard had to be removed. Looking for good faces, you ended up with Alex' work. That does not surprise me of course.

Were are the hands holding the binoculars? Still working on those?
And which of the two boys is your own father?

I think your modeling skills are excellent. Beside rebuilding existing figures you should start making at least one complete figure in the 1/72 scale as well.

[Kostis Ornerakis]

Dear Mr.Cryns,
The male figure holds in his hands a small child.
The story is like a tale so:
When my father passed away some years ago, I found in the attic an old chest with old personal things of him. Among them there was a framed document which verified that my grandpa was honoured with the "war cross". He have never told me nothing about this, though he loved and respected his father even more than I did with mine. He didn't like to praise.
Now after restoring the frame the document is in my livingroom.
My grandfather had 5 children (2 daughters and 3 sons ), my father to be the younger. Only one of my aunts is in life now but she can't tell any story about anything any more. So by asking the birth dates of my uncles and aunts from their children I realized only the 3 older of his children were in life when he was back at his village. My father and one of my other uncles weren't born yet.
So my scene exist only in my imagination. The 2 gamins are followers of my grandpa from the square of the village ( wanted to play war ) and the use of them is necessary as I wanted somebody to carry the haversack. You see I wanted my grandpa without leather strips and having unbuttoned collar, but wanted to include the Mannlicher rifle.

Beside rebuilding existing figures you should start making at least one complete figure in the 1/72 scale as well.

[Kostis Ornerakis]

I have replaced the head scarf with hairs to the little girl ( IMEX ). The little baby is the one in the hands of the male figure of the fotos in the former post. The hands of the male figure are sculpted on the baby.

The animals: Goat, little lamb and cat are Preisers, the dogs are Mertens, guinea fowl and sheep ( but with havier fur ) are IMEX and finally half barell used for corn storage, henn(laying) and rooster are mine.
I added legs to the rooster as per phersu article.

[stenfalk]

I am a great friend of civilian figures and your work touches my senses. But I think you should use other dogs...

[Kostis Ornerakis]

But I think you should use other dogs

Dear Stenfalk, I like your work very much also, but you haven't produced your dogs yet. Please correct me if I am wrong. As a matter of fact most of the dogs in our villages are not from a spesific race.
I would really like to hear your idea.

[Cryns]

your work touches my senses.

I could not say it any better than Stenfalk does.

Asking myself why these tiny plastic and resin figures touch me emotionally I come up with some thoughts:
It depicts peaceful everyday life including children and animals.
There is a lot of love and precision and attention payed to the detail by the maker.
We know a little bit about the man behind this project.
And we know his family backstory since he shared it with us, I think that is the most touching.

Again and again I am asking my self: what are we doing and why? And what is the point of working in such a small scale? Why are we spending our time on building micro-objects while there are so many interesting larger things in life?

When some one makes a mass battle with thousands of 15mm or 20mm figures, its tiny scale makes sense since larger figures would occupy a table too big to fit into any ones house.
When some one makes figures as an addition to a ship or town model it makes sense too since the figures have to fit the size of the model.

Kostis, your newest work is not any of that. You are making a very personal, emotional diorama. You are looking all the time for the best, most beautiful figures. And you add details on a professional level. So this is all top notch. But do you ever ask yourself why you (and I and many of us) are working in this microscopic scale while so many bigger scales are possible too?

finally half barell used for corn storage, henn(laying) and rooster are mine.
I added legs to the rooster as per phersu article.

I love it and I can see no difference in style or quality with the other models. My compliments.

[Kostis Ornerakis]

Mr. Cryns thank you for your reply. I am afraid you judge my work from a very friendly angle.
Why 1/72? Never asked myself before so it may be α superficial answer. My first contact with modelling was Airfix many years ago. In my modelling course, I loved dioramas in 1/35 and ships. But I couldn't bear ships without crew. So I never built any in 1/700 or even 1/350. At the end I focused in 1/72 ships. Meeting Benno's forum often, when I was searching internet, inspired me in 1/72 vignettes.
But the strongest reason is that working with 1/72 is challenging.
Not just my hobby but I hope that I have lived a challenging life. (It means not at all me to compete the people around me ).
In former posts I had use your name after other members did and after fotos of you were published here. Calling you Mr. Cryns does not mean at all there is distance between us.

[Kostis Ornerakis]

No more excuses, I have to start painting