BLOOD TRAIL Diorama finished Masterbox 1:35 Yankee and Scout

[Peapot]

Hello again to all Here are some pictures of my latest work. More details and pictures on my Blog, thanks for looking and any comments welcome. Michael
http://paintedheroes.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[badger]

looks great. simple but very effective, well done, / badger

 

[John Bowery]

I like it . Well done. Cheers John

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Michael,

The best part about it is the simplicity of the story and the execution. If I'm "brutally honest", the painting and the blending could do with some more work, some of the painting is a bit rough in places and the highlight colours haven't been blended very well. Some of the highlighting on the rider's jacket looks a bit extreme too. The contrast in colours is perhaps a bit extreme. I'd dial it back a couple of tones towards the base colour, making the highlights slightly darker and blue-er.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Very nice. I like your painting style, which is individual. My only crtique is regarding the amount of blood, If their quarry was leaving that much behind the should only have to look a few yards "off camera" to find him.

Colin

 

[Nap]

Hi Badger ,

Nice little diorama , I agree with Tony ref blending but you have obviously enjoyed the modelling ......

One question though You have given him rank on his arm (NCO) what are the "bars" on his shoulders (officers rank perhaps?) haven't seen these before but I might be wrong ..just intrigued !!!

Thanks for sharing

Nap

 

[bagelman1952]

Nice concept well executed. Have to agree with others about the blending. Looks like your paint was too thick.

 

[Funky50]

Really like this ...nice execution of this kit......

 

[badger]

the whole concept of modelling is to create something and enjoy doing it, as long as you enjoy building it and painting it, it doesnt really matter if the blending is not perfect or the uniform details are wrong, as long as the modeller got some satisfaction from doing it.

 

[Funky50]

Hi Michael,

The best part about it is the simplicity of the story and the execution. If I'm "brutally honest", the painting and the blending could do with some more work, some of the painting is a bit rough in places and the highlight colours haven't been blended very well. Some of the highlighting on the rider's jacket looks a bit extreme too. The contrast in colours is perhaps a bit extreme. I'd dial it back a couple of tones towards the base colour, making the highlights slightly darker and blue-er.

Dont forget this is a 54mm kit and photography can be very unforgiving when enlarged like this ...I bet this looks much better to the eye when looking at it in normal light ......I like it

 

[JasonB]

Overall I like it. It tells a story that you can understand very quickly and the figures work together very well. The blending, etc... is up to each persons taste and experience level. I think it does look a bit harsh, but I know how photographs can show more contrast than appears in person. I like the shading on the horse a lot.

I would make the blood on the dirt less red, as if its soaked in a bit. Blood on dirt doesn't stay red very long at all, and along with that amount, I would agree with Colin that it makes it appear the quarry is not out of the scene by very far at all. Then again, the horse is looking in the same direction as well, so maybe the quarry is right there!
I would also make the line of blood a little less straight. It could head in that direction without actually pointing directly that way. Someone losing blood at that rate is likely to be a bit woozy and off balance and leave a less direct/straight trail. Just another opinion. Well done
Cheers
Jason

 

[Peapot]

Thanks for comments, good and bad, I am always up for constructive criticism

The models themselves are not 54mm, they are much smaller, very petit, slim and anatomically correct, plastic models. I might put a comparison picture up to show this.
The pictures I posted are way too large and don't really do the figures any favours, they were also taken by the camera on my phone, not really ideal. The picture of the Indian Scout for example on my PC screen is about 4 times actual height of figure.
The whole thing is painted using Foundry Acrylic paints and were very much watered down and I did try to get a slight dusty dirty look to them, they are out in the Desert after all.
As for the amount of blood, yes I agree there is too much, but when I painted what should have been enough, you could not see it by the naked eye as the diorama is very small, so artistic license was taken.
The Sergeant stripes and the shoulder straps I am not sure, its the way they came on sprue, I probably should have take one set off

Building these plastic figures was unbelievably fiddly, but very gratifying once finished.

Thanks again, Michael

http://paintedheroes.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[DEL]

Very nicely done, the story is clear. The photographs are beautifully clear and as others have said this level of magnification can be very unforgiving on smaller scale figures. I reduced it to approximate scale and the blood is a bit painting style' works.
Only comment relates to the blood. The 'straight' line and 'redness of the blood rather distracts the eye. Given the dry terrain I think it would have soaked in a bit more. Pretty much what others have said but it's a real beauty and a great addition to the running theme.
Cheers
Derek

 

[JasonB]

And I know of some well known and respected figure painters that seem to go out of there way NOT to blend their figures at all, with hard edges on everything. Worn edges and seams look like pinstripes, highlights and shadows like paint by numbers. Everything outlined with hard edges. I think yours is better than that style by far. For figures of this size, in the flesh, it probably works better than subtle blending that, as you pointed out, would likely disappear to the naked eye.

 

[badger]

hi me again, its great that your model has created so much interest. well done/badger

 

[Osebor]

You've found your prize at the end of the trail (That is: a nice vignette and a great fun ). Good work!

 

[housecarl]

I think it has a good narrative,
and looks very well done.
Carl.

 

[Gaudin]

Very nice, cool idea.
IMHO blood trail is too heavy and compacted, very heavy bleed.

Could do with being more subtle - otherwise why do they need a skillfull Indian tracker to follow something that obvious.

 

[Peapot]

Thanks for comments

Michael

http://paintedheroes.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[Richard61]

Hi Michael.
I have to agree with all the comments regarding magnification being unkind to the work. Coming as I do from years of A.F.V modelling, almost exclusively in 1/35, I know that what looks great to the naked eye and even through the optivisor, can look a bit rough on the P.C monitor. Holding an actual figure of the same scale up to the screen alongside the pictures really shows how much magnification there is.
Some top figure modellers use the very high contrast painting method on small scale figures and really force it. It's not a style I like much but have to agree that it works on 1/35 figures to good effect.
I really like your model and it goes to show what can be done with a cheap set of plastic figures and a lot of skill. The only down side for me is that blood trail but I take your point about artistic licence. I do still think it's too red though

Richard.