WIP Critique Michel Ney bust (~1/6 scale)

[Colin_Fraser]

As I noted above. I felt the need to redo the eyes as they were too close to the nose. I suspect they may still appear small to some but that is my style.

The method is: 1.drill out the sockets with a dremel and add some clay in the rear to hold the eye balls; 2. Add eye balls from a different colour of clay and bake; 3. Add material around eyeballs to fill gaps; 4. Add eye lids and smooth/shape with brush moistened with dilutant (aka clay softener).

Colin

 

[Tonton]

They look much better to me now, Colin. Far more realistic. Can’t wait to see the finished project.

Jeff

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Here he is undercoated. Always a good way to check accuracy. I am good with this. While not an exact duplicate of the portrait, it does say "Ney" to me. Time to move on to his chest.

Colin

 

[Colin_Fraser]

They look much better to me now, Colin. Far more realistic. Can’t wait to see the finished project.

Jeff

Thanks again for your input Jeff....it truly helped.

Colin

 

[Chris Mortimer]

Jaw on the floor my friend. It's all just beautiful. I thort the face couldnt get any better but it did then you top that with the lace! I love the uniforms of the period but I have never been brave enough to have a serious attempt at sculpting such a figure. I should give it a go. Watching this has been very helpful and motivational. Cheers mate

 

[Chris Mortimer]

Also I saw your sculpt of the whole figure in Russia. Now thats what I aspire to do. Keep up th amazing work and keep posting tips etc.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Glad to hear it Chris. I always worry when I do an SBS that people might think the I see myself as some kind if big shot. I just like to see how others do things and figure if I like to see others's SBSs, I should at least provide my own. I'm glad you found it useful or motivational.

Colin

 

[Nap]

Hi Colin ,

Thanks for posting the SBS ..the one on the lace is great ...can't wait to see this painted ...all that gold lacework ..it would be NMM for me so looking forward to seeing how you deal with it .

With all that lacework I can well imagine that coats were heavy !!!!

Keep us all updated please

Nap

PS ...Working on the bus ..............

 

[ChaosCossack]

Frigging fantastic Colin
I'm with Nap... I just can't form a picture of you sculpting on the Red Rocket. Though I can picture the faces of the other passengers... like, "What the Hell????"

Anyway, your piece looks awesome and the SBS's were very good (although the pics where you had the eyes drilled out were kinda creepy ) and showing your technique isn't being egotistical, it's sharing ideas with people who are interested and respectful of your work. If you said "This is the way I do it and it's right and the only way and you must bow down before me and my sculpting power.." That would be somewhat egotistical

Carry on, I look forward to the next steps in this project. Hopefully you bring him along to Ajax, I'd love to see this in person before you start the paint process.

Cheers

Eastern Front Colin

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Attached his head and starting to fill in the form for the chest area. Rough work only and it will be extended south. At this point I am concentrating on getting the shoulders right -I.e. Thickness, relative size, slope etc.



Colin

 

[fabrizio1969]

excellent work of sculpt

 

[Colin_Fraser]

I have roughly formed the bust shape using magicsculpt over a core of sculpey (cheaper material). I will use a dremel to form the botton more accurately. I have also started to do his epaulettes - so far I have the straps and the fringes done as you can see. The repro photo gives you an idea although I am not following it exactly...using a combination of this, photos of real surviving items, and paintings.

 

[Chris Mortimer]

Speechless. Amazing work mate. Keep it up

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Spent the afternoon putty "embroidering" a marshal's tunic - very relaxing. Half done. Still need to add buttons too. Sculpey firm decoration applied to the magicsculpt base.

Also, I can't believe its snowing here in Stratford.....erg.

Colin

 

[ChaosCossack]

Also, I can't believe its snowing here in Stratford...

WWHHHAAATTTT????
Bite your tongue sir... Way too early for the S-word

 

[ChaosCossack]

Mssr Ney is looking awesome. The fringe on the epaulettes looks so real... right down to the hollow ends. You are a bear for detail.

Ready for paint soon?

Colin

 

[Chris Mortimer]

Hey mate. How did you do the tassels? It's very well done

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Hey mate. How did you do the tassels? It's very well done

Chris = They are just rolls of Magicsculpt. Etched on an angle with a #11 blade and pierced at the end with a scribing tool. Easy but time consuming.

Colin

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Here is a cool find. A French auction catalogue from 2012 for a sale apparently from the Ney family including a really nice copy of Gerard's portrait, other portraits, actual uniforms, and Ney's decorations. Can't get a better research source than these colour pictures.

http://www.binocheetgiquello.com/html/index.jsp?id=12321&np=1&lng=fr&npp=20&ordre=1&aff=1&r=

Colin