WIP Critique Michel Ney bust (~1/6 scale)

Colin_Fraser · Oct 15, 2013

Got a stincker of a cold this weekend so some unexpected sculpting time appeared. I decided to do a 1/6 quickie bust of Michel Ney, inspired by a portrait I have. The face is still being settled.

The portrait is one I got on eBay (if you can believe it) about 10 years ago. Its a copy of Gerard's Ney in the Albany Institute of History and Art, previously owned and donated by Aglae Ney's uncle Citizen Genet.

The bust is in red brown sculpey with the exception of the ears. I always do the outside of the ears in magic sculpt and then dremel them out to take the sculpey interior detail. I find that sculpey cracks if I try using it for this.

Ney is a favourite around here. the first sculpey bust I ever did was of Ney (it doesn't stand up today) and my first 1/6 figure was also of him. Gotta love that brilliant war record and that cool uniform.

Colin

Mike S. · Oct 15, 2013

Lovely portrait Colin. Judging by the likeness in the painting, making the tip of his nose a bit more bulbous is about all you need to nail it.

Wings5797 · Oct 15, 2013

A great subject and a great start Colin.
Looking forward to seeing how you work on those eyes and the aray of gold embroidery.
Following this little masterpiece closely.
All the very best,
Keith

ChaosCossack · Oct 15, 2013

Just a little something you threw together over the weekend when you were feeling crappy, eh?
"Oooooh, Ah hate thet rabbit!"- Yosimite Sam

Seriously though, the bust looks awesome so far. It amazes me how you can throw together a sculpt like this so quickly, with such a good resemblance. I've seen the 1/6 full figure Ney in person and it's spectacular... I have no doubt this one will finish just as strong.

Great start, will be following closely

Colin

Colin_Fraser · Oct 15, 2013

Thanks gents. Mike - I added a bit more material to the end of his nose, worked on the face shape around the nose and opened his eyes a bit with a #11 blade. Keith I haven't decided whether or not to sculpt the lace as he is not being cast....probably will but one can paint it on and still have it in scale.

Colin

Colin_Fraser · Oct 15, 2013

Thanks Colin - your emails are always a hoot.

Colin d'ouest.

Chris Mortimer · Oct 15, 2013

Just brilliant. I can't believe you just 'whiped it up' over the weekend. Very cool. Im very intrested in Michel Ney and your sculpt lookd great. Im also blown away by the pic of the full figure. Keep up the good work.

Colin_Fraser · Oct 16, 2013

Thanks Chris - much appreciated. You can see better pix of the full Ney figure early in my vbench, with some SBS on painting the lace in oils.

His face is pretty much done now. I did some more reshaping of the cheeks and the areas beside his nose, and some work on his hair. Next step is to sculpt the bust and start sculpting the oak leaves etc on his collar. I will use a different colour of sculpey so I can see what I am doing.

Colin

tiberius57 · Oct 16, 2013

Love what you do with this red stuff. Super!
Will follow closely!
Cheers,
Zeno

ChaosCossack · Oct 16, 2013

Looking good Colin
Great likeness
Carry on, MacDuff

Colin

Ron Tamburrini · Oct 16, 2013

This looks nice Colin

Ron

Colin_Fraser · Oct 16, 2013

Thanks Ron....how I wish you were over here. Could use some of your amazing bases but I expect with the cost of post these days they would be an arm and a leg delivered to Canada.

Colin

Ron Tamburrini · Oct 16, 2013

crf said:
Thanks Ron....how I wish you were over here. Could use some of your amazing bases but I expect with the cost of post these days they would be an arm and a leg delivered to Canada.

Colin

To Canada up to 1 kilo £12.60 2 Kilo £23.40 The Elm Burrs are not to heavy 500 Grams 1s £7.20

Ron

Colin_Fraser · Oct 16, 2013

Thanks Ron - less than I thought but more than our neighbours to the south. I will give it some thought.

Started Ney's collar lace in grey sculpey firm.

I think his eyes are too close together so I will likely drill them out and redo them.

Colin

Ron Tamburrini · Oct 16, 2013

Gotta ask how do you do that detail

Colin_Fraser · Oct 16, 2013

Paint on sculpey dilutant to provide adhesion. For the straight lines, I added grey material and flattened it, then cut off the extra leaving the trim line behind. For the edging, I added small ovals, flattened them and cut the central vent with an xacto blade.

The oak leaves are ovals of sculpey laid in, flattened and then textured at the edges with a small ball ended embossing tool and a small rubber, cone shaped clay shaper. Central vent for the leaves are added with a #11 blade. Acorns are small spheres flattened and bisected with a #11 blade.

I have to do more oak leaves and acorns. I can do a SBS on them.

Colin

Ron Tamburrini · Oct 16, 2013

Do an SBS on the whole thing Colin please

Colin_Fraser · Oct 16, 2013

OK...."but watch this very carefully....I shall type it only once......"

Colin

Colin_Fraser · Oct 16, 2013

I had a go at SBS'ing an oak leaf but the pix were out of focus. I will try again when I "embroider" his coatee. I enlarged his eyes with an xacto....haven't decided on a more drastic solution yet.

I didn't sculpt in the twigs of the oak as they can be indicated with paint.

Colin