WIP General of Division Edouard de Colbert-Chabanais bust 200mm

[Colin_Fraser]

Thanks

Hi Colin,
Brother, how I have missed watching what you love to do develop.
Everything is looking spot on, my eye keeps getting drawn to the white leather gloves.
A small part but they look fabulous, just the right amount of patina.
You are turning an old grey goose into a peacock mate.
cheers
Richie

Richie. I may play with the gloves a bit more. Appreciate the comments.

 

[Nap]

Hi Colin

I missed the gloves , they certainly look good ....just right on the colour ...imo .... but let’s see if you play more with them

Happy brushwork

Nap

 

[Colin_Fraser]

A bit more progress. Playing with the velvet fur coat.

 

[Nap]

Hi Colin

That coat is going to look awesome , I thought it was fine leather , glad I’m wrong .....being Colbert it could only be velvet !

If you can do share the colours your using

Are you going for inks as well ..intrigued if you try and recreate the velvet material surface

A wonderful V Bench So enjoyable following

Thanks for sharing

Looking forward to seeing more

Happy velvet

Nap

 

[NigelR]

This is looking more awesome every time I see it. Nice start on the coat.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Hi Colin

That coat is going to look awesome , I thought it was fine leather , glad I’m wrong .....being Colbert it could only be velvet !

If you can do share the colours your using

Are you going for inks as well ..intrigued if you try and recreate the velvet material surface

A wonderful V Bench So enjoyable following

Thanks for sharing

Looking forward to seeing more

Happy velvet

Nap

Alexandre’s oils box art is an interesting take on velvet. It inverts the usual treatment of highlights and shadows. Probably because when we view velvet wrinkles and folds, we tend to look directly into the fabric’s pile and see darker shades.

I looked for info on recreating a velvet effect in 2D painting (oil or acrylic) and it’s pretty hard to find anything useful. Most searches on painting velvet yield guidance on how to paint on a velvet fabric support.

Here’s an example of something useful from the world of digital illustration I did find. As I thought, the key appears to be good blending and high contrast.

My paints for the coat - so far at least - are: green/grey (to darken the base), purple, magenta, orange mixed (for the base), flesh added to lighten the base. I have used carmine + sepia ink washes to pull everything together. Still playing with it. I’m trying for a workaday velvet rather than something luxurious that one might see in a Marshal’s or dignitary’s court dress.

Inks are a key part of my tool chest for a challenge like this as they naturally flow into the shadows and pool there and they stain the highlights. This increases contrast between lights and darks, particularly if less diluted than usual. I use a broad clean canvas brush to remove excess ink from the highlight areas, thus aiding in getting the contrast effect.

I like Alexandre’s version but have never seen a rear view online. I suspect getting large areas of velvet to look right might be as challenging as doing an NMM suit or armour, as the lights and shadows will change with lighting and the viewer’s perspective. I’m not up for spending weeks trying to get the coat perfect so I’ll probably settle for something decently blended with higher highlights/shadows contrast than the rest of the model.

BTW I’m still working on the waist sash…it needs its red detailing for General of Division rank. I am also still working on the coat fur and the aiguillette detail.

FYI - His base is the top section of a two-part cylindrical wooden box” I sourced from my local Goodwill for $2 . I always keep my eyes open at Goodwill and I have found many interesting and unique bases for figures or groups there….and they are always obscenely cheap.

 

[MalcC]

He's looking great, excellent work.

Malc

 

[BRAN]

Very nice work Colin and thank you for sharing the velvet technique. Is the face finished? (I would have imagined some more advanced touches of light....)

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Very nice work Colin and thank you for sharing the velvet technique. Is the face finished? (I would have imagined some more advanced touches of light....)

I still want to do a bit more highlighting on his face but my face painting style is my own. I try for something like a well lit period portrait so probably less contrast than you might be used to seeing in scale model busts. And certainly less than the Colbert portrait that inspired the model. Thanks.