Completed French Legionnaire & Spanish Officer, Colonial service

[Briggsy]

After pressing a uniform every night for the next day for 15 years I've had enough of it. Mind you I did send my two eldest to school in uniforms pressed with very military looking creases, they hated it! They are both in their early 30's now and married, I don't think they iron very much either.

Cheers Simon

 

[Steve Ski]

Excellent Simon, excellent. You're crankin on these!

 

[Briggsy]

Excellent Simon, excellent. You're crankin on these!

Cheers Steve, I'll get to the bench today and post up the progress later.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Well the painting process is underway, started with the faces which is never my strong point but these seem to have come out OK.

The boots have been done fading from black through to brown, I think in both cases I need to extend the extent of the black, otherwise they just look worn and uncared for.

I started the trousers on both with Vallejo Dark Vermilion as under painting. I stayed with these tones for the Legionnaire with shade from the Dark Vermillion plus green and highlights from SC75 Aladabaran Red.



The Spanish Officer has a redder/scarlett shade to the trousers using Citadel Air Evil Sunz Scarlett, shaded with Vallejo Xpress Color Cardinal Purple with a touch of green. Highlights have run through SC75 Antares Red and SC75 Aldabaran Red.



All images are thumbnails.

It's only when I look at the pictures I see all the bits that have stuck to the paint, I really need an airtight painting room with no cats!

If you see something that could be improved on let me know please.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

OK so I stuffed up the pictures, here is the Legionnaire on his own.



Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

Hi Simon

Those faces look good , I agree ref the boots , to the uninitiated folk...i.e.......me ! these guys are in something similar to walking out dress so boots would be less worn looking

Liking the difference in the trousers , possibly push the highs a touch more

The future gurus are going to look great once complete

Look forward to seeing more

Happy “cat free” benchtime..LOL !

Nap

 

[Briggsy]

Cheers Kev, just some small high highlights, if I start with that in mind I won't highlight everything, which I sometimes do!

Cheers Simon

 

[David Spencer]

Looking good. Re the bits of fluff, try using a very soft brush to dust them before each paint application.
One suggestion, which is an entirely personal point of view, would be to deepen the shading. Just an opinion, and we all have our own preferences.
I'd have painted their shoes exactly as you did ... but for dress uniform, they're probably a tad worn.
Scruffy ain't always best.

(Yes it is!)

No, it isn't.

 

[Briggsy]

Looking good. Re the bits of fluff, try using a very soft brush to dust them before each paint application.
One suggestion, which is an entirely personal point of view, would be to deepen the shading. Just an opinion, and we all have our own preferences.
I'd have painted their shoes exactly as you did ... but for dress uniform, they're probably a tad worn.
Scruffy ain't always best.

(Yes it is!)

No, it isn't.

Red is a funny colour to shade and highlight the Spainards trousers in particular could do with it and both would be better with a little more highlighting, without going too orange.

Shoes don't look as worn as they do on the picture but still need more dark brown and black.

Don't like scruffy soldiers, that's one of the reasons I never weather my figures these days.

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Right, a short session today but I did a fair amount of glazing on the boots and trousers of both figures. The pictures bring out the brown on the boots but in the flesh they look clean and slightly shiny.

The trouble with painting two figures together like this and using a wet palette is that I cannot guarantee I used the same reds today as yesterday on each figure! I am thinking of bringing the highlights up a bit more then tinting them with reds, which will show up the highlights as more red orange.

So as not to cock.up the pictures again, they are side by side.



Click images for bigger images.

Right off to do the school run in a mo.

Cheers Simon

 

[Przeborz]

The trousers look great to me!
Cheers Przebor

 

[BRAN]

Well done Simon, doing everything from A to Z (the sculpture and the painting) is something that seems exceptional to me, in any case it is rare for a single man.... Good luck and again all my congratulations!!

 

[Briggsy]

The trousers look great to me!
Cheers Przebor

Many thanks Przebor, I'm happier with the trousers than I was yesterday, hopefully they'll still look better tomorrow!

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

Well done Simon, doing everything from A to Z (the sculpture and the painting) is something that seems exceptional to me, in any case it is rare for a single man.... Good luck and again all my congratulations!!

Thank you Bran, I'm pleased you like it. The sculpting is only really dressing the figure, usually a stripped down mannequin so I never call it scratch building. Trouble is I take so long building sometimes my hands forget how to paint!

Cheers Simon

 

[David Spencer]

They're grand
Colour matching looks good from the photos

 

[Briggsy]

Cheers David, the colour matching is because I forgot which reds I used on which figure, oh well it'll do!

Cheers Simon

 

[NigelR]

I think they are coming along well. Trousers look ok to me but it's only when you see them close up you can really decide what needs doing, so over to you.....

 

[Briggsy]

I think they are coming along well. Trousers look ok to me but it's only when you see them close up you can really decide what needs doing, so over to you.....

Cheers Nigel, going to boost the highlights a little then have a reassessment. I'll try and not ruin it all!

Cheers Simon

 

[Briggsy]

I needed a rest from the reds so I have painted the Spaniards trouser stripes, will adjust any additional highlighting when I do the tunic, at the mo it is too slight to see at a casual glance.

The FFL chap has had his sash and belt painted, the belt needs some more work but the sash will have to wait till the tunic is done to gauge what might be needed.

Also just quickly sketched in some shade on both tunics.



Cheers Simon

 

[MalcC]

Oh yes, I'm liking what I see.
Great progress, and can't wait to see more, no pressure.

Malc