Scottish Bust

[Andrew Craft]

Hi all,
I'm posting these shots here because I havent been happy with the last couple of figures I've tried to start and it was making me lose enthusiasm . I'm hoping that you guys help with some critique to help get back on track. So far I think I have finished with the face. The hair is still in progress. My issue with my last few figure attempts has been skin tones so thats the area I'm looking for critique on. I'm aiming for the subtle highlight/shadow look (trying for realism). Any help would be great. the little brown spots are the start at my weathering I was going to paint him dirty and sweaty. I think its a 200mm not sure on manufacturer or even what the guy is (i know some of you like to have that info included).
Thanks,
Andrew.

 

[brian]

The face is looking good Andrew.Maybe a hint of a 5 o'clock shadow would make him more realistic.A bit of paynes grey into your flesh mix will do the trick.A more darker shadow around the nostril ,under the lower lip and in the deepest crevices where the eyes meet the upper nose.That is not to say that you haven't got a very good face already but just tips in enhancing what you've already achieved.Don't lose your enthusiasm as i've been there many times but when you hit the sweet spot you'l get that buzz again.There's many people who would give their eye teeth to paint a face like yours,very smooth.I believe the bust was sculpted by Raul Latorre and he's a highlander from Culloden 1746
Brian

 

[Mark S]

I reckon it looks great Andrew. I agree with Brian about the hint of 5 o'clock shadow.
I thought smaller pics might make it a little easier to get a feel for the overall effect. Hope that's ok.

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

Got to agree with the Snad plenty to be happy about in you painting Andrew and some good tips from him also.
Another carrot heided Scot or Ranga in your part of the world
It would be nice to see a dark haired one for a change ,then again everyone would complain saying his hair is wrong.
Perhaps the whole world is under the impression we are a bunch of kilt wearing rid hied claymore waving lunatics.
Just stay out of Glasgow in a Saturday Nicht

Keep up the good work. there will always be troughs and highs ,and the odd level plain where everything is hunky dori
Ron

 

[bagelman1952]

I think you have done a very good job.

 

[Andrew Craft]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll add the 5:00 shadow and some darker shading. Thanks for the smaller pics Mark Im not sure what happened with mine they came out huge. Ron I did have him painted with darker hair but like you guessed everyone would be shouting that it wasn't geographically correct so he's now a ranga

 

[housecarl]

Stick with it Andrew, you're definitely heading it the right direction.
Carl.

 

[Gellso]

Brilliant skin tones so far. I agree with the advice of a 5 oclock shadow and darker bits as advised. Also darken the area of his forehead where it meets the hat as there will be a shadow cast here also.

 

[Einion]

I think the skin colour and shadowing looks great so far. Overall I think the freckles look good too, kudos for being brave enough to add them! But I would suggest they need a bit of tweaking as freckling tends to be heavier on upwards-facing planes - the upper cheeks, over the bridge of the nose and upper forehead - and lighter (or absent) on the vertical planes and downwards-facing planes like under the jawline.

If this were mine, except for on the neck there aren't any freckles I'd feel I had to remove but I would increase the density along the upper cheeks and across the bridge of the nose.

I'll add the 5:00 shadow and some darker shading.

Given the scale I don't think any darker shading is necessary. A few touches of additional highlighting here and there, that I would recommend. Looking at it again, I might add a bit more shadowing under the brim of the cap though.

On beard shadow, remember this is related to hair colour so it wouldn't be appropriate to do this quite the same as if he had brown hair or darker. For this reason I'd avoid Payne's Grey (which is essentially a very dark blue) and stick to adding a dark brown, and maybe just a touch of black, to your flesh mixture.

Thanks for the smaller pics Mark Im not sure what happened with mine they came out huge.

They're 1100 pixels wide, there's yer problem right there

Ron I did have him painted with darker hair but like you guessed everyone would be shouting that it wasn't geographically correct so he's now a ranga

More common than now but red hair was still a minority colour.

Einion

 

[mertens peter]

I have the same bust on the shelf for some years now, now that i see this one meaby i start on it ;-)
I always postponed it for the tartan i gues.

Peter

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Andrew,

For what it's worth mate, I think this face is fantastic.

However if I'm brutally honest I think you could push the highlights on the bridge of the nose and the tops of the cheek bones a little more and make the skin tone slightly paler. I also think the furrow in the brow could be accentuated a bit more with the addition of a few small creases and lines, so he has a real scowl. I like the red around the base of the nose, but perhaps you could add a red wash along the sides of the nose and under the eyes too.

The exposed flesh on the front of the chest and neck could perhaps be slightly paler than the face, reflecting the fact that its less exposed to the sun (such as it is in the Scottish Highlands).

As I said, the overall flesh tone doesn't seem pale enough to my eyes. A red haired Scotsman, even in summer is likely to be quite pale of skin. I agree with Einion's comments re: freckles.

 

[FigureLover]

Hi Andrew, glad to see you back at it, we have missed you around here. I personally love the flesh tones and really wouldnt change much at all, what Tony said about the reddish wash around the nose and brow would be about it. The eyes are fantastic. Definately dont use a slight greyish tone for the beard it will be too much for the hair colour, do as Einion has suggested. I actually like it as it is as it gives the impession that he is still quite young and suits the sculpt. The splatted mud looks a bit much at present but as you said, its in the early stages and with subsequent washes etc, will probably look the part.
Great so far
Ben

 

[Andrew Craft]

Thanks for all the input guys,
I gave him a new skin tone today. Tried to give him a more Scottish complexion if there is such a thing.
I tried a few new techniques and colours in the flesh I don't normally use.
The hair is just blocked in at the moment I plan to make him a light brown/dirty blonde colour.
Let me know what you think (I'm not sure if I should dirty him up a touch he looks a bit squeaky clean to me)

Andrew.

 

[Einion]

(I'm not sure if I should dirty him up a touch he looks a bit squeaky clean to me)

He can certainly be grubbied up a bit, maybe have a few flecks of mud and/or blood on the face, but I wouldn't go too far*. For this I think the bulk of the weathering should be confined to the neck opening of the shirt, assuming you're imagining it not having been donned clean that morning.

On the cap, duller blue more than likely - woad on wool.

*On busts as a whole I think one should just visualise the weathering you would normally paint on this portion of a full figure and do that, not introduce a sort of new standard for dirt just because of the large scale (very easy to take it too far this way, which we see a lot in the hobby).

Einion