Ancient Temple

[Cryns]

Phersu and Kostis, thanks for all this additional information. I think all of my many questions are answered by now. At least for this moment.

Our webmaster Peter once explained me about the pleasant effect of short written messages at Benno's Forum.

SO PETER, HOW DO YOU LIKE PHERSU'S REPLIES?

Ain't it great?

Today, going all the way back to where this topic started, a reconstruction I found in one of my countless history books:



I post this picture because it UNDERLINES Phersu's opinion about Etruscan and Greek architecture melting together in Italy. Of course this temple does not have the same number of columns and two side walls instead, but it shows clearly how a typical Etruscan proportioned building also has a typical Greek fronton, just like Phersu and sberry show us with their scale temples.

[Phersu]

That's another of possible examples of similar and simpler kind of temple, and despite the austere look it's one that I like most!
And I suppose probably was even more common than the others... and I guess such sheltered colonnade must have been appreciated from priests and who ever had to stand there, especially in winter and in colder climates!

Perhaps I could even tray to assemble my temple in a very similar way of this different version...
That's a good idea to exploit the versatility of a model...
And I could make available too!

Two more side walls would replace 4 side columns, to make the longer side walls... the rest of the assembly would remain the same, and the assembly joints eventually can be easyly hidden with some putty...
For the rest I just need to cut off the side beams of the upper frame of the colonnade.



Concerning the accessories...
I've dome a Pegasus (about the same Chimera size, 9 mm)... and a larger altar, big enough to fit also figures, braziers and other eventual stuff... both in the mold now... and ready for next week.
Then I think I'll make also a Zeus on the throne, and some small statues for the roof, but probably it will take longer because I have to give priority to another more urgent work... others will follow a bit at time.

After this, for what concerns accessories related to the temple... remains to do only the alternative fronton and the side roof decorations, and eventually a set of different columns... and some figures of priests and Haruspex...
But then there will be to make some other figures to be placed around, to make a dirorama or some scenery around... we never finish!

However meanwhile I started to paint some resin copies of the figures and pedestalls I already made.
They are painted stuff, so I post them in the gallery... in the painted temple thread!

[Phersu]

That's another of possible examples of similar and simpler kind of temple, and despite the austere look it's one that I like most!
And I suppose probably was even more common than the others... and I guess such sheltered colonnade must have been appreciated from priests and who ever had to stand there, especially in winter and in colder climates!

Perhaps I could even tray to assemble my temple in a very similar way of this different version...
That's a good idea to exploit the versatility of a model...
And I could make available too!

Two more side walls would replace 4 side columns, to make the longer side walls... the rest of the assembly would remain the same, and the assembly joints eventually can be easyly hidden with some putty...
For the rest I just need to cut off the side beams of the upper frame of the colonnade.
And it will become a very similar temple, nearlu identical to that in the last previous image!



Concerning the accessories...
I've dome a Pegasus (about the same Chimera size, 9 mm)... and a larger altar, big enough to fit also figures, braziers and other eventual stuff... both in the mold now... and ready for next week.
Then I think I'll make also a Zeus on the throne, and some small statues for the roof, but probably it will take longer because I have to give priority to another more urgent work... others will follow a bit at time.

After this, for what concerns accessories related to the temple... remains to do only the alternative fronton and the side roof decorations, and eventually a set of different columns... and some figures of priests and Haruspex...
But then there will be to make some other figures to be placed around, to make a dirorama or some scenery around... we never finish!

However meanwhile I started to paint some resin copies of the figures and pedestalls I already made.
They are painted stuff, so I post them in the gallery... in the painted temple thread!

[Phersu]

Despite having to slow down with this project, for other priority works already late on schedule , I keep bringing ahead this project in the little spare time...
And here comes also the 10 mm Pegasus!







Next will be a Zeus on the throne and another larger altar, then following a bit at time, the small statues on the roof, other decorations, Aruspex and priests etc.

[Peter]

Our webmaster Peter once explained me about the pleasant effect of short written messages at Benno's Forum.

SO PETER, HOW DO YOU LIKE PHERSU'S REPLIES?

Ain't it great?

Are you talking to me?

Well sometimes we have someone who wants to write a book on the forum!

BTW Leo real nice small Pegasus!

[Phersu]

Are you talking to me?

Well sometimes we have someone who wants to write a book on the forum!

BTW Leo real nice small Pegasus!

Thanlk you!
And my apologies... I'm too verbous and definitely not keen on being concise... even in Italian, especially when it comes to explain things in all their aspects... and it come out a poem!
And luckily enough... I always notice I forgot something!

[Cryns]

And my apologies... I'm too verbous and definitely not keen on being concise... even in Italian, especially when it comes to explain things in all their aspects

Please do not apologise Phersu!
I asked you a lot of questions and you took all your time to answer them!


DO NOT CHANGE THAT IN THE FUTURE no matter how short Peters replies will be.

[Peter]

Mr Cryns I answer you with a figure from Leo:





And before you ask, here is all the information of the figure:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8584&hilit=I+fart

[Cryns]

Oi knew it, oi knew it, I recognise Monty's French Knight right away!

But Peter, this is sooooo off topic. Its great to see this knight sculpted by Phersu. But Peter the middle ages were after the ancient times of great temples. Well it is never too late to learn something new.

And have a look at that wall.
From the front we say: all right.
But from the back its clear even the knight with chopped off arms and legs would have no problem to scale this low castle wall at all.

[Phersu]

Thanks again my friends!
And sorry, once again I've been too busy to come on the forum and update with the news for quite a while... and still now I don't have much time to reply with long details and explanations of what I've done this time... or for quick and mostly appreciated jokes (so glad to see my French Castle! ) and other enjoyable off-topics!

Now I'm working on another project: new Chinese Ming troops...
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17711

But meanwhile in the pauses I went a bit ahead with this project too... these are the masters, I will post the images of these new things painted in the gallery!

As planned I made a statue of Zeus on throne...



...and a larger altar, large enough to fit the throne and braziers on the sides... and also a smaller squared pedestal for single figures and smaller statues.

[Phersu]

At long last another step ahead in the making of the Etruscan version of my ancient Roman temple!



I took some little pauses while doing so many other things, and finally I finished the 17 mm statues for the roof acroterion!



On the top of the roof there are also the mini Pegasus and the Chimera and an old 6 mm mouted figure I made years ago.




The next step will be the decoration frame for the roof edges, then there will be "just" to do some figures to complete the model scenary... at that point I will have to take another pause from work, to make a bit of diorama aroud the building!

[sberry]

This is getting better and better. And you have already the figures needed to complete this scene in your own portfolio - perhaps you could offer a complete package bulding + etruscan figures.

[Cryns]

It looks wonderfull. These 17mm statues make a big difference. It becomes very gracious.

And I must tell you I like to see some '1:100 scale figures' that have realistic proportions (although these are stone ones) compared to most other 15mm-18mm figures that look like dwarfs most of the time. Well done.

[sberry]

And I must tell you I like to see some '1:100 scale figures' that have realistic proportions (although these are stone ones) compared to most other 15mm-18mm figures that look like dwarfs most of the time. Well done.

Yes, it is quite interesting that in the 1/72 world there was always a strong preference for correct proportions. In scales smaller than this, it may be difficult to achive realistic proportions (although there are examples to the contraray, such as Phersu's shown here). But what always puzzled me is the fact that in the larger 28 mm / 1/56 figures there are also lots of chunky dwarves with oversized heads - and collectors who appreciate this.

[Phersu]

Thank you my friends!
It is a long project that I bring ahead in the pauses while doing other works, I dreamed it for ages, it started almost one year ago, but now is nearly finished!
Hopefully it will be completed with diorama and figures within next summer.

And yes , I'll offer a complete special package with all the characters and accessories, and eventually also variuos combinations just with a part of them.

Concerning the proportions of figures... yes in some other scales it seem to be less important!
In some cases perhaps it's a matter of sculpting style, like in some wargames especially, where the figures are often very nice but with a caricature style, perhaps to enhance some features and make the painting easier...
I don't know, but in some other cases it seem that perhaps some parts like heads and hands are made bigger compared to the rest of the figure, to allow an easier detailing.

After all is not easy to sculpt right proportions, that's why we can find some skeleton dollies already made available... to sculpt the figures all over with putty etc.

Otherwise, since not anybody can sculpt a whole figure from zero and get perfect proportions (me included, very often... )
But any feature of a well proportioned figure can be "erased", on plastic and metal we can get only a rough well proportioned body shape, to be resculpted all over once again with putty... and that I believe is the way most figures are done.

But on some materials like resin is possible to do the same even "stripping undressed" the figure, and carve direcly other shapes, or even the anatomy which is supposed to be under the clothes or under other features that have to be removed.
Is not so easy, resin is easy to work but quite fragile compared to plastic and metal, everything have pros and cons... but I used this different way!

I find some base figures, well proportioned and of the right size (the actually are old 17 mm astronauts I found in the old toy box!)
The proportions were right, but the space suite made the whole body much thicker all around, especially on the heads with helmets and on the backs-packs... which is perfect to be carved!



So I casted resin copies of these plastic figures, and carved directly the body, rather than mold sculpt with putty which I used only for small retouches.



First I removed the useless protruding parts and smoothed the body shape, then I tried to e muscles and joints shapes and heads etc.



So I get these 3 naked base bodies, and casted resin duplicates to put in the position needed and "dress again" in different clothes!

[Cryns]

Thanks for showing your method. I am surprised to see you just used existing figures for these 19mm ones. Looks like these were sculpted in the good old days (1960-1990) when sculptors payed much attention to human proportions.

But what always puzzled me is the fact that in the larger 28 mm / 1/56 figures there are also lots of chunky dwarves with oversized heads - and collectors who appreciate this.

In my opinion this has everything to do with the Lord Of The Rings mania that took over the world of wargaming completely during the late 1980-s. I regret it very much that this LOTR nonsense (I am really sorry for my choice of words) had its repercussion on todays sculpting tradition of historic figures.

[Phersu]

A little update with some of the same characters in 1/72 version... which can be staues 1/1 size for the temple or other sceneries, or just figures!

The military leader


Aule Metele (Aulo Metello) "The Orator"

The original statue


Poseidon


Hermes


And a sitting figure of the Etruscan King Porsenna... which is for another project, and the first figure I made with my new mannequins!

[sberry]

These figures look good! And I have spotted already some must-have candidates which will be included in my next order. But now I am curious: what is this project to which the Porsenna figure belongs?

[Phersu]

These figures look good! And I have spotted already some must-have candidates which will be included in my next order. But now I am curious: what is this project to which the Porsenna figure belongs?

Thank you my friend!
The project is the episode of poor Mutius Scaevola burning his own hand to punish himself for his own silly carelessness, after failed to murder king Porsenna and killing a noble scribe by mistake...
The latin name "scaevola" supposed to mean "left-handed" due to this episode, but I heard also that it's wrong common place... some say it truly meant something like "unhandy" or "ill at ease"

King Porsenna should have been a very charismatic character, is one of the few enemies depicted as honotrable adversary from the Romans... and despite the story tells about his retreat meanwhile we know that curiously Rome had some Etruscan kings, and that Rome started to became a real powerful town only during such period of Etruscan domination.

I would like to represent also another episode of the same story, when Porsenna release free the young Roman lady Clelia... the work doesn't leave much time for these projects, but fortunately these are scenes with few figures, and a bit at time sooner or later I hope to do some of these smaller scenes during the few days pauses!

[Phersu]

Thank you my friend!
The project is the episode of poor Mutius Scaevola burning his own hand to punish himself for his own silly carelessness, after failed to murder king Porsenna and killing a noble scribe by mistake...
The latin name "scaevola" supposed to mean "left-handed" due to this episode, but I heard also that it's wrong common place... some say it truly meant something like "unhandy" or "ill at ease"

King Porsenna should have been a very charismatic character, is one of the few enemies depicted as honotrable adversary from the Romans... and despite the story tells about his retreat meanwhile we know that curiously Rome had some Etruscan kings, and that Rome started to became a real powerful town only during such period of Etruscan domination.

I would like to represent also another episode of the same story, when Porsenna release free the young Roman lady Clelia... the work doesn't leave much time for these projects, but fortunately these are scenes with few figures, and a bit at time sooner or later I hope to do some of these smaller scenes during the few days pauses!

Meanwhile here the painted Porsenna, arms corrected and shortened as wisely suggested... that's why I like critics as well as appreciations (sometimes even more)