Completed Another Chindit bust…

[Canoehead]

Stage 2 of the webbing - applying (a lot!) of small dots to simulate the coarse weave of the canvas that these pieces were made from. The print already has a nicely rendered texture but it is so fine it’s hard to see it left as is:








I’ll make a second pass with lighter dots along the edges of the straps and anywhere else they might need a little extra highlighting. Once the dots set up fully, I can decide whether I need to tone them down with glazes.

Thanks for looking in - cheers.

 

[Nap]

Hi Brian

Nice start on the webbing , like the colour variations and the work on the weave .....going to be a really impressive piece

Have FUN @ the bench

Looking forward to seeing more

Nap

 

[Briggsy]

That's really good with the webbing, it looks very realistic already


Cheers Simon

 

[Steve Ski]

The realism is unsurpassed, Brian. This is the kind of work that keeps me motivated. I have yet to pay such close attention to those textures, it leaves me lacking, an area that, “Mike-The Kiwi”, has reiterated numerous times before. My lacking in substance proves my lack of attention to detail, something you are proving here. We can make this happen quite easily in oils, it’s just a matter of finesse, and how we apply it. A Master at work, Me Hermano!

I believe it’s the next evolutionary stage with oils to be explored, by guys like you, and me. The field is wide open. So, time to Ruck Over, or sit on the bench. Change is hard to come by, but it really won’t allow a bench sitter, not with the current stream of incredible work being displayed here today.

This is, once again, phenomenal work, Brian, and I’m proud to say, Ruck Over Bby!


Cheers, Ski.

 

[Canoehead]

Hi Brian

Nice start on the webbing , like the colour variations and the work on the weave .....going to be a really impressive piece

Nap

That's really good with the webbing, it looks very realistic already

Cheers Simon

… I have yet to pay such close attention to those textures… We can make this happen quite easily in oils, it’s just a matter of finesse, and how we apply it…

Cheers, Ski.

Nap, Simon and Ski et al.,

Thanks again all for the continuing support and observations- like every project, this one’s another crap shoot in terms of trying a few “new” things, at least for me. There’s never a time that I feel I’ve got any of this “down”; I suppose that’s why I keep doing it!

Ski, I think that for me, having less time pressure that comes with being retired has given me the opportunity to attempt some of that more finely grained stuff like simulating textures, since it definitely does take extra time and patience to do, even in oils which offer lots of time to blend and manipulate before they set up. And the type of paint is really just a tool; what works with acrylics should also work with oils, the technique is just a bit different. I really dunno how acrylics painters do it but I sure admire their work.

I also “blame” AK for publishing “that Kanaev book” of Kiril’s inspirational work, especially his replication of textures using “just paint” - it’s like waving a red flag in front of a bull to me! I’m not an especially competitive person but his (and others’) work does spur me to take the odd chance on a technique. Luckily with oils, if I screw up, a bit of white spirit can fix a multitude of sins! In fact, my motto tends to be, “It’s not how well you paint it the first time; it’s how well you touch up afterwards”!

Thanks again, all for looking in - cheers.

 

[MalcC]

Excellent work on the webbing.
This is going to be an eyecatcher when its finished.

Malc

 

[Canoehead]

Down to the short strokes on this one;

- the rifle strap:



-a stab at NMM on the buckles and buttons:



- the Lee-Enfield and its metal fittings:



- the ID tags (and a bit of chest hair):



- the badge of the King’s Liverpool Regiment on the slouch hat:



While I wait for the oils to set up well, it’s over to my woodshop (it’s actually just a few tools in a tiny corner of my basement!) to prep up a block of cherry for a base to mount the finished bust on. A shot of dullcoat and some weathering is all that remains - I’ll post up some “glamour photos” of the finished bust in a bit.

Thanks once again for looking in and for all the advice and kind comments -cheers.

 

[Briggsy]

The details are really good as well as the NMM, I like how you have limited the shiny brass just to wear on the buckle as I doubt he'd bother with the brass. Looking forward to the completion pictures.

Cheers Simon

 

[MalcC]

The details are spot on, looking very realistic.

Malc

 

[Nap]

The details are spot on, looking very realistic.

Malc

Fully agree there

This SBS has been a pleasure to follow

QUESTION : what did you use for the weapon ...both wood and metallics ?

Look forward to seeing the final pics in the Completed forum

Nap

 

[Canoehead]

Fully agree there

This SBS has been a pleasure to follow

QUESTION : what did you use for the weapon ...both wood and metallics ?

Look forward to seeing the final pics in the Completed forum

Nap

Thanks Nap - kind of you as always.

To your questions, the wood was undercoated with a mid-brown acrylic tone (a mix of Burnt Umber and Yellow) which was then coated with Burnt Umber oils with the grain pattern made by dragging a coarse-bristled brush along the length of the stock. More shadows were added with Raw Umber and Lamp Black for outlining.

The metal parts were underpainted in an acrylic mix of Silver and Black to get a darkish gunmetal tone. I then coated the pieces with Lamp Black oil paint and used a dry brush to remove the Black from the raised parts, exposing more of the underlying gunmetal tone. More black oil was used for more subtle shadows and outlining.

Cheers

 

[Nap]

Completed pics here

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/british-chindit-in-burma-c-1944.604686/

Great V Bench and result

Thanks Brian

Nap

 

[Steve Ski]

Bringing this in very well, Brian, very well!