When the Mighty Fall

I just finished this 54mm Space Marine figure from Games Workshop. I was really inspired by the 120mm Space Marine SBS that appeared on Cool Mini or not, and I did a little research and decided I was going to break from my traditional Napoleonic figures and try something a little different.

He's painted in my traditional manner of oils over acrylics and if you care to see how he all came together, here is a SBS I did on Timelines Forum.

None Shall Pass...

Just finished this guy last week...

I took an Art Girona figure and pulled a historex head from the spares part box, rotated the arm back and then dropped the shoulder a little in an effort to make him poised for defending an attack. When I saw the stock figure I never imagined it would clean up so nicely.

I was very impressed with the figure; very few mold lines and clean up was a snap. From start to finish, it took me a month to complete.

During MFCA back in 2002, I talked with Adrian Bay and he mentioned that he primes all his figures in black; seven years later, I finally gave it a shot...

This is the first figure I ever primed in black and really like the way it worked out. For me, the black primer helps me to see where the highlights and shadows are at and gives greater depth to the oil paints.

He's painted with acrylics over oils.

1st Regime Prussian Hussar Officer

I started with Verlinden's Prussian Leiberhessen figure for this project. I wanted something a little different with his pose, so I took the right hand and substituted it with one I had in my spares box and moved it just a little forward on the shoulder. I filled the small gap with A&B Putty and then sanded the shoulder down just a little in order to make the arm look a little more natural. My intent with that small modification is to help with the scene that I am going to put him in...

I also found in my spare parts box a 120mm saber in the scabbard and replaced the one that came with the figure. I needed the right hand to be "open" for the vignette he'll be a part of...

I added a plume atop his shako like that worn by the 1st Regiment and attached it with a small brass rod to the metal flange.

So, after the modifications and the black primer, here's what I started with...

The entire figure was primed in black and this is the first time I've painted fleshtones over a black primer. It took a couple extra layers of my flesh undercoat to make me feel comfortable about starting the fleshtones.

My fleshtone mix is pretty basic for this guy; burnt sienna, titanium white, naples yellow and cadmium red. I added a little of red madder for the shadow tone and more titanium white for the highlights.

For the barrel sash, I started off with the darker tones at the bottom and worked my way to lighter tones at the top. The red cords base tone is simply cadmium red medium with a touch of red madder, and the white barrels are titanium white and sepia. I highlighted the red cords with cadmium red light and the whites with flake white.

Here's what the final figure looks like...I talked with Conny and he suggested that I mix my own black instead of using a something right out of the tube, and instead of undercoating with pure black acrylic I mixed some brown into the color for the pelisse and dolman and added a little blue to the mix for the pants.

I pulled these color mixes directly from Conny's CD "How I Paint" Vol I (by the way, these are incredible references!). Here are the mixes:

The pelisse is alizarin crimson + prussian blue + viridian.

The pants is ivory black + indigo

The dolman is ivory black + burnt sienna to get a brown, then that brown with violet + viridian.

For the highlights, I mixed a little bit of titanium white + prussian blue into the base color and gradually built up on them as I went. For the shading, I added a little bit of lamp black to each of the base colors for a deeper richer color.

I still have a couple tweeks to make; he needs dull coating and then I'll bring out the metal highlights. But I'll wait to do that once the entire vignette is done...

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...