Work in Progress, Chessuer a' Cheval

Here's where I am on the Chessuer...I haven't had as much time in recent months to dedicate to this guy because of a commission piece and a unique 120mm wedgie I am working on, but had some time today to tinker with the figure.

His deerskin pants are undercoated with a pale yellow acrylic from JoSonya, and the oil base color was mixed with naples yellow (hue) and titanium white.  For the highlights, I added a bit more titanium white to the base color and for the shadows, I added raw sienna to the base color.

I started the rope and barrel sash along with the green dolman. I'll post some updated pictures this weekend.  

Chasseurs a cheval

Here's a little piece I am working on in between painting a commision piece...

This is a 90mm Poste Militaire Chesseur a' Cheval; I've had this kit for almost two years, and after talking with Bob Snarowski, I decided to give it a try.

His face is just about finished...the midtones are in and are the highlights and shadows. I need to go back in and bring out the highest highlights. I've been talking with Conny and he recommended a mixture of burnt sienna, yellow ochre and vermillion as the base for my fleshtone. The shadows are the base color with a little of viridian added; and the highlights are titanium white and naples yellow light. I've added a touch of cadium red to the cheeks...

June 28th, 2008

After talking with Conny, I went back over my fleshtones and have refined them a little. I have one more application of my fleshtones and then I think I'll be happy. I've also started the powedered hair and the gray mustache. I am trying to get a more "vetern" feel to this guy. I really like the expression and have titled the head just a tad to have him looking up and away as if he looking for someone or something...

SS Tanker

Here's a tremendous 1/35th figure from John Borneo...we did a figure swap at MFCA this year and John was gracious enough to part with this little beaute!

It's a tremendous figure painted in acrylics and oils...

I'll have John do up a quick little piece on how he pulled off the leather pants; more to follow!

Un soir à lui...(An evening to himself) Update

Here are a couple updated pictures of where I am with this project...

Un soir à lui...(An evening to himself) Update

Here are a couple pictures as I work through this project...

Leib Bn Sgt

This is an amazing sculpted figure from Maurizio Bruno and the folks at Pegaso. Cast in white metal, this guy was a painters figure from the start.

Like always he was painted in acrylics (JoSonya) and finished entirely in artist oils. I wanted to show him as a "seasoned" veteran and really needed to have a difference tone between the blouse and his pants. After talking with John Long, he recommended that I mixed my own color of black using equal parts of thalo green with alizarin crimson for the blouse and mix lamp black with a touch of burnt umber for the pants.

The rich blue for his collar was mixed with cerrelean blue and a touch of prussian blue. I highligted this with titanium white added to the base mix. The lace work was painted with a blue mix that used prussian blue and a touch of cerrelean blue.

I finished him off with a couple dustings of dullcoat and then went back over and brought out the highest highlights on the brass buttons, walking stick, saber and scabboard. I gave the cross belt and brim of the shako a glaze of liquin in order to give them a more leather feel...

Un soir à lui...(An evening to himself)

For Atlanta this coming year, I really wanted a 120mm figure that would stand out; one that I could pour my heart into in respect to my long time mentor Bob Knee, Jr.

Bob's influence on me not only as a person, but as a painter is something I treasure; Atlanta will have a different feel for me this year, and I'll deeply miss my friend. This 120mm Swiss Grenadier Officer from Verlinden was the last figure that Bob talked with me about, and he was looking forward to working with me to bring him alive... So this winter, I'll bring him to life just as Bob had planned.

I started out working in components, since I've found that with these large 120's the upper and lower torso's when split from one another are a lot easier to paint. I started as I usually do with the fleshtones undercoating with JoSonya acrylic paints (tanner yellow) and then after letting it sit a couple days, I applied the oil base. Using a mix of burnt sienna, mars yellow, cadium red and a touch of titanium white. I mixed this to a flesh tone and added just a touch of green to the mix in order to tone it down just a touch. Once I was happy with the base coat I started to add the highest highlights and lay in the eyes.

I wanted this Officer to have a veteran feel to him, so I decided to go with greying hair. I started with an undercoat from JoSonya that was mixed from brown earth and black. Once it had dried, I mixed a small amount of burnt umber and lamp black together and that became the base color for the figure's hair. I took some titanium white and just worked in the color right on the mustache and eyebrows to get a grey tone. I added some violet to the oil base color and used that for shading and contrast. Once the fleshtones are compeletely finished, I'll go back over and bring out the highest high points on the mustache and eyebrows. Here's a quick shot of the fleshtones after a couple session working the hightlights and shadows:

The plume came from my spares box, and is painted in black and then drybrushed with varying tones of red and white. My technique for the bearskin was to start with a dark tone, much like the mix I used for the base for the hair, and then bring out the contrasting browns as highlights. I shaded with lamp black.

The gold cords are done using Lou's technique for painting non-metallic metallic's adapted to oils. I started with a brown mix of mars yellow and gold ochre with a touch of burnt umber. Once that was on, I let it sit for a day, and then came back with gold ochre and napels yellow (hue) and started to bring out the contrasting gold tone. After the gold tone was laid on, I went back in and deepened the shadows to give the contrast to the colors.

The metal crown and eagle were painted in the same manner of the cords, but I added just a touch of brass and gold printers ink to the mix to simulate a brass plate.

Up next, setting the scene.