WIP Critique Painting General of Division D'Hautpoul

[Nap]

Colin ,

My goodness this looks great , love he painting of the lacework ..a really tremendous piece and thread to follow..be interested how the curiass goes (I currently have a cuirass to do on the bench ..a conversion of Elan 13 Old Major bust)

Wish this was a commercial piece though ..love your work a very distinctive style and it showsthat you really enjoy the modelling as well .

Nap

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Thanks Colin....good of you. Your ice storm winnings i assume?

Thanks Nap...I have to test the rub n buff more. One thing that occurs to me is to question longevity and durability of finish over many years in various weather conditions as it's a wax-based product. Also I need to see how it takes washes of inks etc as I am trying to replicate polished steel as worn in the field on occasion, not mess silver.

Colin

 

[ChaosCossack]

You assume correctly, sir.
Got something positiveout of that shitstorm

Colin

 

[Blind Pew]

Super stuff in every way.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Here are the base metallics on his helmet. Silver leaf rub 'n buff (thank you Sturmgrenadier!) for the cap and Sargent's brass for the comb. These are just undercoats. I will use inks, and for the comb, chin scales and plume holder, other lighter golds. The rub 'n buff is a mix of carnauba wax and fine grind metallic powders. Very hard to source over the counter in Canada but I am very glad I persisted.

Colin

 

[John Ballard]

Colin
Nice job on the metallic. I wondered how the rub n buff would work and I still wonder how the overpainting will hold up given that it is a wax base. I'm sure you'll produce something great whatever the medium.
John

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Worst case it's easy to take off.....I think!?!?

Thanks

Colin

 

[Colin_Fraser]

John had it. The rub 'n buff created an excellent silver finish but I was looking for steel. Ink washes pill on it due to the wax. Perhaps oil based glazes would work better. You certainly can't beat it for putting a polished metal finish down on paint. Also, it might have been better had I been able to find steel shade locally...I could only find silver leaf.

So I over painted with Sargent's excellent silver and inks now work. The Sargent's paints are very inexpensive and IMO are better than any modelling metallic I gave seen.

A blend of diluted blue, black and sepia is used on the steel...more to come. Started highlighting the gold metallic with gold paint (on base of brass)....washes of sepia ink applied to raise the detail and age the metal.

Colin

 

[Wings5797]

Hi Colin,
Looking fantastic, as I said my first take was to not paint.........I humbly retract that statement.
The base colours on the metallics look fine. I cannot offer anything on the behaviour of rub n buff but hope that you can build up the depth with jnks etc without detriment to the base coat.
Your latest photos really show the flesh tones very well. I like the subtle tone changes you have achieved here Mate. excellent.
Great work with super results.
Keith

 

[Sturm Grenadier]

Hello Colin, Your metallics are looking great. Glad to here you had some success with the rub n' buff. The pewter color probably would have gave you the worn field look to the helmet and armor your looking to portray. When I used to use rub n' buff on my armor models, I would add enamel blacks, greys, browns, and sometimes blues, to the silver leaf color. It helps tone down the bright silver, giving a more worn look to the metal. It made metal track links with raised detail, edges on steel roadwheels, and worn effects on tools, very realistic. Maybe tone it down a bit. And as far as it holding up, It never changed on my models, some are over 20 years old. Following your great thread. Regards, SG

 

[tiberius57]

Cracking job, my friend! Looks great so far! Looking forward to see this beauty!
Cheers mate,
Zeno

Hello Colin, Your metallics are looking great. Glad to here you had some success with the rub n' buff. The pewter color probably would have gave you the worn field look to the helmet and armor your looking to portray. When I used to use rub n' buff on my armor models, I would add enamel blacks, greys, browns, and sometimes blues, to the silver leaf color. It helps tone down the bright silver, giving a more worn look to the metal. It made metal track links with raised detail, edges on steel roadwheels, and worn effects on tools, very realistic. Maybe tone it down a bit. And as far as it holding up, It never changed on my models, some are over 20 years old. Following your great thread. Regards, SG

Did you mixed the enamels with the rub n' buff? Or you applied the rub n' buff first and worked with enamels after?
Thanks SG!
Cheers,
Zeno

 

[Sturm Grenadier]

Hello Zeno, I mixed the rub n' buff with the enamels, and applied it with a brush. I then used a dry brush to buff it to the sheen I wanted. Humbrol satin enamels worked best for me. Regards, SG

 

[Colin_Fraser]

A little more progress today. Haven't been at him in week or so due to work. But this week should be better. Some more shading on the cuirass lining, some more inks on his helmet, under work on plume and epaulettes, more work on the fur helmet band and roughed in the horse hail mane. Still not done his face.

Colin

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

Colin
Great start on the uniform for this guy. I will be interested to see how your Rub n'buff works out. Btw here is what I am experimenting with for rough and ready bases. My local Homehardware sells pre turned wooden table legs for assembling all sorts of tables. They are made of pine but they present a couple of possibilities. I bought an 18'' long version as indicated and it cost me $13. I cut the leg as shown and then sanded and stained each piece. Now these are only pine and they are a bit rough, so nowhere near the quality of say Ron Tamburini's, or Oakwood bases etc etc but for 4 bases or about $3.50 each, they are great for the display cabinet.

Colin
Great start on the uniform for this guy. I will be interested to see how your Rub n'buff works out. Btw here is what I am experimenting with for rough and ready bases. My local Homehardware sells pre turned wooden table legs for assembling all sorts of tables. They are made of pine but they present a couple of possibilities. I bought an 18'' long version as indicated and it cost me $13. I cut the leg as shown and then sanded and stained each piece. Now these are only pine and they are a bit rough, so nowhere near the quality of say Ron Tamburini's, or Oakwood bases etc etc but for 4 bases or about $3.50 each, they are great for the display cabinet.

I'll post a finished one on one of my next bust blogs.

John

Ron

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

A little more progress today. Haven't been at him in week or so due to work. But this week should be better. Some more shading on the cuirass lining, some more inks on his helmet, under work on plume and epaulettes, more work on the fur helmet band and roughed in the horse hail mane. Still not done his face.

Colin


View attachment 153670 View attachment 153671 View attachment 153672

Taking shape nicely Colin .

Used rub and buff in my former modelling life ,still have some but it is over 25years old and a bit dried up now ; alas no longer available here.

Ron

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Progress on cuirass lining trim.

 

[Tonton]

Phew! Museum quality!

Jeff

 

[John Ballard]

No shakey hands there Colin, very nicely done.
John

 

[Ferris]

Just caught up with your thread...excellent work this one.
Must be quite a struggle, decent metallics at this scale. So far so good anyway!

Cheers,
Adrian

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Thanks gents. Undercoated the cuirass with GW middle stone grey; added chin ties; epaulettes well underway; plume has a layer of highlighting (one more to come). Arms need better paint and dull coat.

Colin