WIP 19th Indiana - Iron Brigade - FeR Miniatures

[Renato]

Hey, here is my first vBench! Not because I do not have projects in progress........actually too many, but mainly because I am lazy taking photographs and when I paint, I am very focused and don't really like interrupting for taking snapshots

Anyway, first steps after a good start.

Primed in Vallejo Black 'cause the overall figure is in dark-ish hues driven by the Union Blue Frock Coat being the prevalent colour and also the black leather of most of the accoutrements (btw, for this reason I moved away from the black haversack and decided to paint it in canvass, to provide a lighter blotch of colour to the backside......although not typical for Union troops).

For the Union Blue I used Flashe (lefranc&bourgeois) Prussian Blue with Scale75 Matt Black (1:1, actually more black...) as base colour.

Shading is easy .....more black!.....but with a tip of Scale75 Artist Acrylics primary red to keep it a bit warmer.

For highlights, I added a tip of Andrea Napoleonic Green and Maimeri Polycolor Navy Blue (beautiful paint, very opaque) to the base and then Scale75 Rainy Grey (a medium grey) for 1st light, then a tip of Scale75 Adriatic Blue (turquoise...) with a hint of Vallejo Dark Sand to 2nd lLight

But Union Blue is so dark that I am not daring to grow any lighter than this!!!!

I also got a first go at all the accoutrements, weathering the black leather (further refinement required) and also did most of the metals (brass for buttons, badges, belt and copper for the bayonet scabbard and frog rivets).

Everything else is basically on base colour or first attempt at positioning lights (trousers).......all in progress...........next in line will be the face which is clearly a focal point of this figurine, so it will be a project within the project.

Any comment is VERY welcome!

Keep you posted

Renato

 

[KenBoyle]

Great start Renato!

Cheers,
Ken

 

[Nap]

Great start Renato!

Cheers,
Ken

Hi Renato ...I agree with Ken a fine start , lovely looking figure as well

Like you I think I like to paint but get carried away forgetting SBS pics until it's too late ...lol

Look forward to seeing more from you on this

Following with interest

Happy benchtine

Nap

 

[Renato]

Some update.

Finished the details of the body that would be covered by the arms and added the arms to make sure that the frock coat blue would be uniform.

Don't dare to raise highlights more than this to avoid union blue to become too light and move to cyan.

First start to the face but I am totally not convinced......can anyone give me a view????

 

[Peter Day]

Hi Renato. The face looks fine to me - a good range of tones and nice highlighting. Good work.

 

[Renato]

Thks Peter, I think I got the volumes right and also the positioning of shadows and highlights.

On the other hand, I am not satisfied by the blending and transitioning.....paint is "dirty" and does not blend like yours in the English Archer........

I have worked a bit more on smoothening the tones without losing the work done.

 

[DaddyO]

Shaping up very nicely.

I had similar difficulties with the predominantly dark tones when I painted my version of this figure last year.
I ended up using a Mike Blank tip for lightening the dark blue without it becoming too bright on the highlights - instead of adding white (or light blue) add a 'pink'. I added a mid flesh colour to the base colour which adds some light highlights without appearing too bright.

Keep it up
Paul

 

[Renato]

Thks, Paul, will try the pink/flesh option for the 3rd lights (on a limited area..... ) and see what happens

 

[Nap]

Good tip from Leggy there about adding a pink , be interested in seeong rusk ths

This is coming along nicely

Look forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap