WIP 1/6 Duke of Wellington at Waterloo bust

Colin_Fraser · Feb 3, 2015

Pretty dark after lots of inks added. Need to lighten him up a wee bit. Amazing how some paint shows all the faults in the sculpt. Would have been nice had I gotten his eyes level

I really should drill out the right eye and move it up a tad....not sure I have the heart.

bwildfong · Feb 3, 2015

Y'know, the paint is really beginning to show how well sculpted this is - now that the eyes are painted in, he's really looking like Wellington in your research pieces - I say keep going with the painting !

Brian

John Ballard · Feb 3, 2015

I'm with Brian on t5his one, keep it going Colin. The painting is bringing out the life in this sculpt.

John

Colin_Fraser · Feb 3, 2015

Thanks gents....I have an idea on how I can fix him a bit without radical surgery. I think his irises are too large so I will be repainting the eyes, after touching up the sculpt on the eye lids. I need to fill in a little bit of the furrow to the right of his nose too.

ChaosCossack · Feb 3, 2015

Looking awesome!!!
I wouldn't worry about the eyes too much... there's no such thing as a perfectly symetrical face. That wouldn't be natural.

What did use use to base the black hat?... that is a very solid, smooth base.

Colin

Colin_Fraser · Feb 4, 2015

I adjusted (size and shape) and repainted his eyes and the right crease beside his nose with magic sculpt. Happily you can add that material and feather it over paint. I like this better.

Still work to do on his complexion.

Colin - the bicorne is base coated in Vallejo German Grey #70.995 - nice matte paint with great coverage.

From top to bottom, the cockades are Netherlands (orange), Spain (red), and Portugal (red and blue).

arj · Feb 4, 2015

That’s Wellington to a ‘T’!
Superb sculpting and paintwork.

Andrew

Mat Lambert · Feb 4, 2015

Looking excellent - I think the refinements you made we're worth it too (but the original was very good)
Cheers
Mat

ChaosCossack · Feb 4, 2015

keep on keepin' on

garyhiggins · Feb 4, 2015

I' glad you fixed the eye, you wouldn't have been happy with it as it was

. He is really looking good and he reminds me of the Hugh Frazer portrayal in the Sharpe TV series.
Best wishes, Gary.

Colin_Fraser · Feb 4, 2015

garyhiggins said:
I' glad you fixed the eye, you wouldn't have been happy with it as it was. He is really looking good and he reminds me of the Hugh Frazer portrayal in the Sharpe TV series.
Best wishes, Gary.

Funny you said that Gary. I was thinking the same thing. I like Hugh's portrayal a lot, even if he does mis-spell his last name. But no one touches Plummer in in the role in my view. Its a little known fact that Christopher Plummer portrayed Wellington twice. Once in the film Waterloo and the second time in a one hour historical interview series made by Canadian TV called Witness to Yesterday.. That was my favourite portrayal. Plummer was interviewed in full make up as the Duke late in life, with his trade mark nose, on the subject of the Battle of Waterloo. The series was really well done and the interviews were conducted by journalist Patrick Watson. I had the fun of meeting Plummer in an after party at Ontario's Stratford Festival in 2012. A very gracious gent. I wish I had remembered to mention the Witness to Yesterday episode as I am sure he would have expressed surprise at anyone recalling it.

Colin

garyhiggins · Feb 4, 2015

Thanks Colin, I liked Christopher Plummer's Wellington, but my favourite movie of his is still Battle of Britain for which he insisted on wearing the Canadian shoulder flash. On the subject of eyes, a tip someone once gave me is to use a needle to push in at the corners of the eyes and the mouth to give the sculpt just that bit of extra depth.
Best wishes, Gary.

Nap · Feb 4, 2015

Colin,

Looking good mate your flesh tones are great , really like the cockades ..what did you use on the lacework ..really looks the business .

Looking forward to more ..keep at him ..it will be another nice addition to your display cabinet

Thanks for sharing everything both the ups and the downs!..you have nailed this IMO ..wish I had your skill

Nap

Colin_Fraser · Feb 4, 2015

Hi Kev, thanks for the encouragement. If you mean the gold hat retention braid for the cockades, the lace was based in 50:50 black and raw umber, highlighted raw umber and then highlighted again 50:50 raw umber and Naples Yellow. All Liquitex Pro bottle artists' acrylics.

Nap · Feb 4, 2015

crf said:
Hi Kev, thanks for the encouragement. If you mean the gold hat retention braid for the cockades, the lace was based in 50:50 black and raw umber, highlighted raw umber and then highlighted again 50:50 raw umber and Naples Yellow. All Liquitex Pro bottle artists' acrylics.

That's it ..retention braid ..couldn't think of it ..its early here!

Cheers for the mixes

Nap

NickM · Feb 5, 2015

I always enjoy watching your busts come to life, Colin. Great deep flesh tones, and the eyes are incredibly life-like.
Great work, looking forward to seeing him completed.

Tonton · Feb 5, 2015

For what it’s worth, Colin, I think this is your best ﬁgure yet. You just get better and better.

Jeff

Colin_Fraser · Feb 6, 2015

Undercoated his frock coat. This gives a better view of what he will look like once fully painted. Hands and telescope mostly done. Still need to paint his vest in a cream colour.