Bushcraft Betty as a 3D figurine

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Biker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I think it was last year, maybe even the year before, I was on a job up near Honfleur and spotted a flea market there, so during my lunchbreak had a browse. One seller had a box full of resin figurines based on artwork of an artist name Milo Manara. I had a rummage and bought a couple and got them for dirt cheap prices. In fact it was such a bargain that I went back later in the afternoon and nabbed some more for future project just like this. I htnk I got about 8 in total.

I like tinkering with resin and epoxy putty as well as wood. :)

So I stashed these figurines in a box under my bench and sometime last year made a start on one of them adapting her from the regular Erika figurine that rolled out of the factory to someone a bit closer to this forum's heart. Betty.

Here's the before and after collage.
Betty's wearing her signature paraboots and sports a sheath knife (in a PUBLIC place!! :yikes:) as well as a small possibles pouch on her belt. She also has a small daysack at her feet. The John Fenna's here will notice I also increased her lung capacity a bit. :lmao:

I made all of these modifications out of a product called Miliput. It's a two pack epoxy resin/putty and pretty nice to use too. Leaves you some time to model it before gradually setting harder. Something like 20mins working time I'd guess, maybe less. I had my wannabe Dremel tool ready to use but it never got out of the case. Gave the whole thing a lick of acrylic paint and Bob's yer uncle.


Bushcraft-Betty-Figurine1.jpg


And something for scale. She stands just a tad over 6 inches tall (150mm)

Bushcraft-Betty-Figurine2.jpg


Here's just a small sample of the figurines available.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/MickyVs/Resin-Figures-/_i.html?_nkw=manara&_fsub=2671975

The seller on ebay's flogging them for £20 plus £6 P&P. I paid just under £2.50 for mine. See what I mean about them being a bargain?

The long term plan was to make a series of bookends for eventual sale. Who knows, maybe I will get around to actually doing another, it only took me two years to do this one!

Thanks for reading.
 

Biker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
OMG!
WANT,WANT,WANT!
I notice that she is missing her paracord braclet... is that the one I have?

Can you imagine the shrieking that would come from Wales direction if this ever got put up for grabs in the Gift it On thread and John didn't nab it? :lmao:
Wel spotted about her bracelet. I remembered my plan was to actually weave one out of cotton and tie it on her left wrist as a bit of authenticity. Might do that still.

Oh dear.... you better go read the PM I just sent you John...

Aaron... I think you just created the perfect 'name your price' item for the moot ;)

Yup, you could be right Steve. And just like you said in the PM to me :deal:

Thanks for the comments folks
 

plastic-ninja

Full Member
Jan 11, 2011
2,235
262
cumbria
Excellent work Aaron.
She has a great deal of charm and all that bushcrafting certainly seems to have paid off.
She looks very trim and healthy!
Cheers , Simon
 

Biker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Is that newel post ball caps you have used for the waist and hip joints if so top idea

Well spotted. Yes there are, and the shoulder and neck ball joints are curtain pole ball ends. I tried to buy them made in beech but all I could get was pine in the end. I don't have a lathe so couldn't turn them out myself. By tightening the clamps that sandwich the ball joints you can set "Knothead" (that's his name) into a pose and have him stay there.

Bertrand, the artist who commissioned Knothead gave him two coats of linseed oil soon after delivery and he looks great now. I really must get over there and take some newer photos.

I owuld point out that the only thing I didn't make were the hands. I bought those from an artshop in the UK and tenoned them onto the forearms.

Tools I used on this mannequin were my electric chainsaw, rasps, drawknife and spokeshave. He stands about 4' 6"
 

JAG009

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 20, 2010
2,407
1
Under your floor
As a carpenter and bit of a doodler i really appreciate what it takes to make a life sized mannequin to scale ....top job


Jason
 

dave53

On a new journey
Jan 30, 2010
2,993
11
70
wales
hi biker great job on the figurines i see your a fan of clan of the cave bear books I'm trying to get them all so i can start reading them I've got a few i see you have the first one i can't find it anywhere if you want to part with it let me know by pm best regards dave
 

RonW

Native
Nov 29, 2010
1,575
121
Dalarna Sweden
That Betty-figure is really neet!
Maybe I should give it a try, too. Stopped doing scale models a little over 2 years, but still have all the equipment.
 

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