WIP Critique Alpine 16009 German Infantry Officer

[gordy]

Looking great Mark, write it like and article and I can make it one

 

[sarouman]

Hi Mark
Great start pal!
The face is so close to true, really good!!

Alexandros
http://alexminiatures.blogspot.com/

 

[housecarl]

Very smooth highs and lows on the uniform Mark, and the face is splendid.
Carl.

 

[sam b]

Hi Mark , I’m enjoying looking at the progress mate

 

[mil-mart]

Very smooth highs and lows on the uniform Mark, and the face is splendid.
Carl.

Agreed and following.
Cheers Ken

 

[gothicgeek]

Gordy .... Not sure I have enough WIP pictures to make a decent article, but I will check and thanks ....

Alexandros ... Many thanks

Carl ... Thanks Using the AB to lay down those colours is a help

Sam ... Thank you

Ken ..... Again thank you

Lighting set up .....

Not an update as such but I thought it might interest some

I'm playing around with my set-up for shooting final pictures ( box art mainly ) and I'm trying various combinations.

All of these were shot with various positions of the two lights I use, the figure is unaltered only the environment changes and the exposure times....



Which one looks best? I like the second one ( but it requires a white balance tweak )

 

[bonehead]

More painting of the uniform and blocked in the rest

Hey Mark,

I hope you don't mind, but I have a small criticism with the face painting. I know I sculpted the face with a bit of a furrow happening down the cheek area. I did this as you sometimes see this with some of those skinny German dudes as seen in photos of the period.

Although you have toned it down quite a bit from the way it looked at the beginning of this thread, the shading down the cheek just jumps out from his face as the only place which has been given a significant shadow. It looks kind of strange to me.

Why is this the only place on the face given this harsh treatment? For instance, why don't I see this same tone used at the sides of the nose, around the eyes and mouth, under the chin etc. It just seems as if you have picked this one feature to exaggerate and left everything else alone. At the very minimum, the lower edge of this shadow should be softened as it is definitely not a hard edge on the sculpt.

Anyway, my apologies if this criticism is unwelcome. I couldn't help it as the treatment just looks strange to me and, to my mind, is at odds with the way i sculpted it. I am generally a fan of your painting and I looked forward to seeing what you would do with this figure. Hopefully I have not offended you....

Cheers!!

Mike Good

 

[gothicgeek]

Hi Mike!

Thanks for taking the time to post and I'm not offended at all

The line from the corner of the nose to mid jaw is something I struggle with on every face I do I'm trying to give a flushed or ruddy look to the face but it is something I tend to over do

The other one I really struggle with is the line on some faces from the inner corner of the eye down onto the cheek ... I mostly blend it out these days



I'll try softening the effect and see where it goes ...

Thanks again for the input

Mark

 

[sam b]

Hi Mark , the 2nd photo looks the best to me also !!
sam

 

[gothicgeek]

Sam ... Thanks for the input still not happy with the set-up but onwards for now


After Mikes comment on the cheek area I tried to soften the effect ... not sure how much it has altered the look of it, it looks better in real life I think

Anyway some work on the other parts of the head today ... goggles need a darker tint to them and the hat needs some more fiddling with

 

[mil-mart]

Mark, I like it the facial contrasts are more subtle and it works on this figure. Are you going to Huddersfield on Sunday, if so it'll be great to see it in the flesh.

Cheers Ken

 

[unknown01]

Great progress Mark.
I have become very pleasant for completion.

Mitsutaka.

 

[ryall]

Mark
Nice job on this one, I like the face.........well all of it
Nice job

 

[T50]

I'm waiting to see one finished...

 

[gothicgeek]

Ken ... Good to see you last two weekends ..... Sword and Lance next

Mitsutaka ... Many thanks

Paul .... Thank you very much

Taesung .... Almost there



Well I have managed to get a little more done even with managing to attend two shows in the last fortnight and working too .... Phew!

Details often seem to take up the most time ... the chest eagle is rubbish but I just can't seem to get it any better than this, still some tweaking to do overall ( there is quite a bit of blu-tac still hanging on, it's easily removed with a small lump of the same that has been kneaded till it's warm )

 

[T50]

Damn! It's coming along nicely!
I really like the way you handled
the belt! Those spit shined boots
are nice also.

 

[megroot]

I like what you have done so far. The face looks very good.

Marc

 

[housecarl]

I have to agree with Taesung, the boots and the belt are very well done. As is the rest.
Carl.

 

[1969]

Lovely job Mark but then you have got a great canvas to work from

Steve

 

[unknown01]

It's the color of the wonderful uniform, Mark.
I'm charmed by the realism you cross-examine.
Great!

　　　 Mitsutaka.