Art Girona's Zouave 54mm

[Patrick Kamsma]

Hello Planeteers,

I (almost) finished this mini yesterday. So please take some time to post some pointers.
Main focus on the figure please. The base could use some work too, but is less relevant to me at this point.
I already have seen some tweeks, but I want your opinion as well.
What's good? what part could use some touch up? etc.
The mini is not fixed to the base yet.

Some close-ups:

Grtz
Patrick

 

[captnenglish]

The only thing I see is that where you have "DZ" on the canteen should be "NY" or "NYVI". Other than that I think you did a fine job here. The blue of the jacket is a bit light for my taste, but that is just my opinion.

 

[Blind Pew]

Hello Patrick
well if my opinion is worth anything, what lets it down a little bit is that the blue on the tunic looks really really bright and a bit too vivid. I have to be tentative with such a criticism as I'm acutely aware that it may be down to all of the things that get in the way, such as your camera all the way through to how good my graphics card and monitor are etc.
And so it may look a lot dark in the flesh.
Otherwise.... you've got the reds spot on and that face is a winner, I love those skin tones mate.

 

[Blind Pew]

Plus, I don't know what you're on about when you say the ground work needs something. It's fine. A little bit too country garden rather than battlefield, but very clean, crisp and well executed.
Otherwise mate a very crisply painted, neat, tidy and lovely figure.
Oh, if you do a google search on 5th NY zouave and look at the images, you'll see what I mean about those blues.
Blue can be hard to get right and a lot of painters struggle for years until they're finally happy.
I'm a confirmed oil painter, but for blues, even I've moved onto Vallejo acrylics these days...
I think this might do down to the lustre of oil paint. I always use Konrad Schulte's malmittel zu olfarben as an excellent matting medium, but I've still crossed over into acrylics for blue.
I've said too much now - I'll leave you to it!

 

[Bailey]

Patrick,

Overall it looks really good. I think you've done a great job with the face and I really like how you've done the hair, it gives that nice realistic sheen effect. I'll have to keep that in mind next time I do hair like that. The lettering on the canteen looks great as well (though I can't speak to the historical accuracy). I also like what you've done with the butt of the rifle, you've got some nice variation in the wood.

I agree with the others that the blue coat looks a little light. I'd like to see some deeper shadows on the coat, might bring the overall look down a bit. I'd also like to see some darker shadows on the red around the belt. I think it would help give that area a little more definition.

One thing that keeps bothering me is the left hand. It looks much darker than the skin on his face or what we see of his right hand. While the back of the hand looks like it should be in shadow, the fingers should be exposed to direct sunlight and should have highlights as high as those on the face. The areas between the fingers also looks a little muddy.

And, like Blind Pew said, the groundwork looks very well done. But it doesn't say 'middle of a battle' to me. It's a fine setting, I'm sure a Zouave stood near a fence just like that one at some point. But the same could be said for a lot of other types of people/figures. I think it just needs a little something. Could be a bullet hole or two in the stone wall or maybe a piece or two of equipment strewn about, maybe a kepi that got knocked off someones head. It's a small base so you don't want it to be too busy. I guess I'd like you to do something with the base so it's clear it's for a ACW figure and not just a nice outdoors/country base. (Of course that's all very nit picky and bases are definitely a weak point of mine)

 

[Patrick Kamsma]

The only thing I see is that where you have "DZ" on the canteen should be "NY" or "NYVI". Other than that I think you did a fine job here. The blue of the jacket is a bit light for my taste, but that is just my opinion.

@ Matthew, I just followed the boxart and it says DZ. I don't do a lot of history checks.
I know the guy who painted the boxart and he does do a lot of checks, so I trusted him.
(Don't know if he is wrong though).

Blind Pew and Matthew: The jacket is indeed a bit too blue. I agree it should be darker.
It was the first time painting blue and reds. Difficult colors. Maybe I put on a dark blue wash to cover the brightness.

david. I will highlight the lefthand. I totally forgot to do the right one
That's what you get when staring at one project too long.
I'm plannig to make the wall more attractive with some brown and green washes.
More variation in the overall grey. And some highlights on the grass.

Thank you all for your input.

Grtz
Patrick

 

[Jack1953]

The canteen is probably correct. The "E" stands for Company E of Duryee's Zouaves. Technically they were the 5th New York, but Abram Duryee commanded this unique group and many newspaper articles referred to them as Duryee's Zouaves.

 

[IIICorps]

Add a sling to his musket.