My first bust

Morning one and all

Although I pretty much exclusively work and paint 54 mm figures I think it's a good idea to occasionally try something different and outside your comfort zone. IMO this can stimulate and re-invigorate the old artistic juices.
Anyway enough of the pre-amble and especially for Kev (Nap) here's a few pictures of my first attempt at a bust. It's a fabulous figure from H&V (1:12th) I removed all the cast in stand/plinth first and drilled for the brass tube then washed and primed using a Citadel black spray-can and dived in with my usual acrylics starting with the eyes for a change! After getting these done I blocked in the main colours and started to build up the contrasts trying to use the brush strokes to add texture to cloth of the toga. After a few weeks sitting around I decided that I wasn't happy with the smoothness of the skin transitions and used a few coats of oil paint which worked okay apart from adding too much gloss and blurring all the lovely details I'd painted.
Cue another couple of months waiting around to make sure the oil was fully dry and then I was able to go back and redefine some of the lost work.
I emphasised the old scar over the left eye whilst painting (Not sure if this was there on the original casting or I damaged it myself whilst cleaning it up, but I liked it and decided that here was an experienced campaigner who knew his way around a battle)

Anyway although it turned into a bit of a drawn out saga I'd plenty of other stuff to be getting along with so didn't lose any sleep over it and am pleased with the finished result.

C & C welcome
Toodlepip
Paul

Your first bust...?

Outside you comfort zone ? ... I'd never have guessed, if I hadn't known your preference for 54mm figures.
This is a truly excellent bit of work.
The white is spot-on, and what you've achieved with the rendition of the older man's skin is perfect.
I think you've found another comfort zone, of which I hope to see more.
Very well done Paul.

Cheers,
Andrew

Martin Rohmann said:

Your first bust...?

Click to expand...

'Fraid so Martin - Quite strange to be working on something so big, although I missed creating a little scene I did enjoy it and have got a couple more on the cards . . .

Glad you like it (Base was supplied by Richard at Oakwood and really adds some class)
CheersPaul

Excellent work.

marc

Hi Leggy

I am SO PROUD of you ....lovely painting there , like the whites , agree with Andrews comments on the flesh work

Hopefully this won't be your last

What attracted you to choose this bust ?

Thanks for sharing

Happy benchtime

Nap

arj said:

Outside you comfort zone ? ... I'd never have guessed, if I hadn't known your preference for 54mm figures.
This is a truly excellent bit of work.
The white is spot-on, and what you've achieved with the rendition of the older man's skin is perfect.
I think you've found another comfort zone, of which I hope to see more.
Very well done Paul.

Cheers,
Andrew

Click to expand...

Thanks Andrew - Certainly had a lot of pleasure painting this and I've already got a slightly different subject lined up . . .

Nap said:

Hi Leggy

I am SO PROUD of you ....lovely painting there , like the whites , agree with Andrews comments on the flesh work

Hopefully this won't be your last

What attracted you to choose this bust ?

Thanks for sharing

Happy benchtime

Nap

Click to expand...

LOL

You knew I'd try one eventually didn't you K.

Chose this one mainly because it appealed (and that's a pretty good reason in itself), but I figured an old man's skin would be easier and more rewarding to paint than some young whippersnapper in his fancy togs. Nothing really special about the white's, but I think using a black primer does help you make sure you use strong enough contrasts, (because it takes more work to cover), which is something I'm trying to work on.

Pretty sure the initial white was a mix of basalt grey and off-white and I then worked with a very dark grey mixed from very dark blue and brown for the shadows (tilting slightly towards the cool end of the spectrum to make the flesh tones pop a bit more) and there's definitely some white grey in the later highlights because it is quite a transparent white so it helps with the transitions.

My favourite bits are the bracelet and ring which didn't take too long to paint, but I found that working in the larger scale meant you could be more 'painterly' with the brushstrokes.

Cheers for now
Paul

Top job that Paul. Nothing really to add that hasn't already been said.

- Steve

Excellent job, really impressed. Love it.

Bill

Amazing work, I would have never known this is your first bust.

Gary

Fantastic Paul! Beautiful flesh and beautiful white toga. Nuff said.

Cheers,
Ken

Wow Paul, that's a great out of your comfort zone bust, nice.
Flesh and the white, superb.

Beautiful work

Mobo

Many thanks gentlemen

Terrific work.......wonderfully balanced colours. Not easy at that scale.

Mike

Exceptional work. If this piece is outside your comfort zone, I fot one am anxious to see what you produce when you do feel comfortable doing busts.

He looks super Paul, really nice finish, I don't know what oil paints or oil thinners you use but I never get a shiny face on mine. I use W&N Winton, and Daler-Rowney Georgian oil paints and thin with normal white spirit form any DIY shed, I do stipple with a small dry stiffish brush at the very end to make sure the colours are blended.

Nice work mate
Geoff

Thank you folks

Paints were my old W&N ones Geoff using low odour thinners simply because that was a bottle within easy reach (Lazy moi?)
I think the trouble was I did rather lash it on, forgetting everything I used to know about using oils in thin layers. I started off with a thin glaze, but then decided to add a few darker shadows and of course that meant a few extra highlights and you can see where this was going . . .
I certainly feel that they have their place, but I kind've missed the ease with which you can go back and forth with acrylics adding detail and glazes until you got bored pretty much without disturbing what you'd already done.
Now I need to get back to fiddling about with reins
Cheerio
Paul

DaddyO said:

Thank you folks

Paints were my old W&N ones Geoff using low odour thinners simply because that was a bottle within easy reach (Lazy moi?)
I think the trouble was I did rather lash it on, forgetting everything I used to know about using oils in thin layers. I started off with a thin glaze, but then decided to add a few darker shadows and of course that meant a few extra highlights and you can see where this was going . . .
I certainly feel that they have their place, but I kind've missed the ease with which you can go back and forth with acrylics adding detail and glazes until you got bored pretty much without disturbing what you'd already done.
Now I need to get back to fiddling about with reins
Cheerio
Paul

Click to expand...

I tend to apply oils quite neat from the tubed and blend as I go, not by using the acrylic method of layers, which I don't tend to use anyway as I think I seem to have my own method of painting, for oils on faces I go by this info I found on the web.

Geoff

Great job on this Paul. Lovely whites and super skin tones.

Neal