El Markes

by Adrian Hopwood Company – Tales Of War / ForU Price – £14.75 Scale – 120mm Material – White Metal Code – TOW4U7001 Sculpted by – Ivan Santurio When I saw the casting, I’ve got to admit I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure that it looked right somehow, somewhat flattened laterally, and certainly very strange. However, with a closer look, I now “get it”. He’s thin, because he’s either undead or very close to it, and the front brim of the hat draws the eye so much, it gives a visual skinniness that transfers to the whole piece. For a small piece, it’s got a lot of character, and the face will transform once a coat of paint is added. I’m not sure about the chest muscles, the clavicle ( the bone that defines the upper part of the chest and leads onto the shoulder joint at the front of the body ), looks a little odd. It’s in the right position, but it looks odd to me. The rest of the sculpting is very good however. I think the face and clothing will cope very well with a painters attention, and the hat brim, whilst massively caricatured, just cries out for some painted details and possibly, like the painted example on the card that comes with the model, some motif of some kind. There are two ribbons sculpted onto the back of the figure, and they’re the only part that I feel doesn’t work too well. Painted up, they might well be O.K. but I’d be extremely tempted to carve them off and then resculpt something a little thinner out of Magic Sculpt. It’s not a fault from the original sculptor, but perhaps more of a problem with getting around the moulding process that’s caused the sculptor to form the ribbons in this manner. I think it might also be the fact that I could change something like this pretty easily, so would consider doing so. Casting is good, the mould part line isn’t the easiest to find, although if you look carefully on the top of the crutch on his right side, then onto the flat area of the side of the hat, you will get the right area too begin to search for it and clean off anything that will need the attention of a file or scalpel. A good figure, quirky and full of character that can be built on with how you choose to paint him; apparently this piece is to be followed by three more pirates, and this one looks to be a limited edition, the card that comes with him is numbered – in the case of the one I have here, it’s no. 55. Thanks to Matt and Celine at El Greco Miniatures for sending this along for review, the model is available from them at the address below, or by visiting their website. Adrian. El Greco Miniatures 63 Glebe Drive Brackley NN13 7BX United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0)1280 840364 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Home Page: http://www.elgrecominiatures.co.uk