rossbach
PlanetFigure Supporter
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
- Messages
- 711
Hello all,
My rendering of Alexandros Models 54 mm Selucid Hipparchos (cavalry commander) 190 BC. Painted in oils over an acrylic base coat. Not counting the silver and gold printer's ink that (mixed with varying amounts of black oil paints to which Liquin Fine Detail Medium was added) was used for the bronze parts, I used only 5 main colours.
White, black, gold ochre, Venetian red and Indigo. These formed the basis for the flesh and clothing. I used Indigo for the blue that is used on the entire figure because it is 'historically safe' to use it.
I spend a lot of time drawing very thin lines to accentuate details and to add depth especially in the face. For this I use black, Sepia and VanDyke brown straight from the tube thinned with white spirit. For glazes W&N light gel was put to good use. I frequently resort to glazes when I want to apply pinpoint washes that go exactly into corners and underneath edges. This can only be achieved on a glossy surface. If done on a flat surface it will be impossible to manipulate the oilpaint wash in what ever direction.
One of the tough parts to paint were the feathers on the helmet. The individual feathers weren't sculpted/cast that well . I realized that simple drybrushing ( a technique that I hardly ever use) would result in a mess. So I decided to paint the feathers in a rather painstakingly slow way by applying little grey stripes as you can see.
My primary aim with a 54 mm figures is to cram as much possible detail in it painted as sharply and precisely as possible. To me painting is colouring a 3d colour plate.
I mainly use Old Holland colours. The reason for this is that they contain less lineseed oil then other brands (which are equally good by the way) and therefore more pigment. The result of that is most colours dry to a mat finish especially if you put the figure under a lamp.
I believe in the scale effect of sheen. In my opninion this means that a 54 mm figure should hardly have any sheen at all. To achieve this most parts of the figure (especially cloth parts) receive a very thin coat of Gunze Sangyo H 20 acrylic varnish. This is applied by airbrush at low psi and at very close distance to the object. In this case I decided to give the blue helmet parts a mat/flat finish. When I do want sheen I use thin coats of Vallejo mat varnish (gives a slight sheen) and satin (slightly more then slight) if I want a more glossy effect. Talking about varnishes: I know many people swear by Model Masters flat. I can't understand why. Well if everything goes according to plan it turns out flat. More often then not things seem to go wrong however. This varnish is very unstable (fogging) and it is difficult to control. The h20 I use is stable and always gives the same consistent results without the dreaded fogging. I can be bought in spraycans I think however I apply it with an airbrush as this gives me greater control. Also mixing and thinning acrylic paints preparing them for airbrush use seems to be much easier then with enamels.
The metal parts might look shiny. But that's a bit deceptive. Because I mix printers inks with oilpaint maetallic surfaces nearly always turn out flat. When I am finished with painting I mix for the bronze parts for instance gold with silver and standard Liquin as a binder. With this mix I touch the highest parts that I magine would catch the most light. I did this with the beard on the face helmet, the fasteners on the cuirass and the decoration of the cuirass fastener. Since the mix dries to a high gloss it has a sparkling eeffect and makes the detail stand out. Ocassionally I give a metal surface a thin coat of satin varnish.
Difficult parts of the figure? You will have to build as you paint or the other way around. I always paint the head seperate because the detail is easier to reach with the brush. The figure can be assemled and painted except for the left arm and helmet. These have to be painted and assembled seperately and then attatched to the torso. And you have to make many dry runs in order to achieve a good fit afterwards. In theory at least.....
If you are going to do this figure pay special attention to the point where the lower edge of the helmet touches the cuirass. A shallow recess is provided but the helmet won't fit without some filing. After discovering that I thought I had ensured a perfect fit. Well ...... I hadn't When the moment came to finally attach the painted arm & helmet to the painted main body I ended up with a 1mm gap at the back of tunic sleeve. I had to fill it with A&B and repaint the area. I hate having to do that. But eventually the last thing to go on was the plume.
I will let the pics speak for themselves.The figure you are looking at is 5,8 cm high. The pics can be enlarged to idiotic proportions by clicking on the arrows in the righthand corner of the photoviewer. So you can see exactly what I did. What is next? I started Alexandros models 54 mm Legatus Legionis. Cheers Paul
My rendering of Alexandros Models 54 mm Selucid Hipparchos (cavalry commander) 190 BC. Painted in oils over an acrylic base coat. Not counting the silver and gold printer's ink that (mixed with varying amounts of black oil paints to which Liquin Fine Detail Medium was added) was used for the bronze parts, I used only 5 main colours.
White, black, gold ochre, Venetian red and Indigo. These formed the basis for the flesh and clothing. I used Indigo for the blue that is used on the entire figure because it is 'historically safe' to use it.
I spend a lot of time drawing very thin lines to accentuate details and to add depth especially in the face. For this I use black, Sepia and VanDyke brown straight from the tube thinned with white spirit. For glazes W&N light gel was put to good use. I frequently resort to glazes when I want to apply pinpoint washes that go exactly into corners and underneath edges. This can only be achieved on a glossy surface. If done on a flat surface it will be impossible to manipulate the oilpaint wash in what ever direction.
One of the tough parts to paint were the feathers on the helmet. The individual feathers weren't sculpted/cast that well . I realized that simple drybrushing ( a technique that I hardly ever use) would result in a mess. So I decided to paint the feathers in a rather painstakingly slow way by applying little grey stripes as you can see.
My primary aim with a 54 mm figures is to cram as much possible detail in it painted as sharply and precisely as possible. To me painting is colouring a 3d colour plate.
I mainly use Old Holland colours. The reason for this is that they contain less lineseed oil then other brands (which are equally good by the way) and therefore more pigment. The result of that is most colours dry to a mat finish especially if you put the figure under a lamp.
I believe in the scale effect of sheen. In my opninion this means that a 54 mm figure should hardly have any sheen at all. To achieve this most parts of the figure (especially cloth parts) receive a very thin coat of Gunze Sangyo H 20 acrylic varnish. This is applied by airbrush at low psi and at very close distance to the object. In this case I decided to give the blue helmet parts a mat/flat finish. When I do want sheen I use thin coats of Vallejo mat varnish (gives a slight sheen) and satin (slightly more then slight) if I want a more glossy effect. Talking about varnishes: I know many people swear by Model Masters flat. I can't understand why. Well if everything goes according to plan it turns out flat. More often then not things seem to go wrong however. This varnish is very unstable (fogging) and it is difficult to control. The h20 I use is stable and always gives the same consistent results without the dreaded fogging. I can be bought in spraycans I think however I apply it with an airbrush as this gives me greater control. Also mixing and thinning acrylic paints preparing them for airbrush use seems to be much easier then with enamels.
The metal parts might look shiny. But that's a bit deceptive. Because I mix printers inks with oilpaint maetallic surfaces nearly always turn out flat. When I am finished with painting I mix for the bronze parts for instance gold with silver and standard Liquin as a binder. With this mix I touch the highest parts that I magine would catch the most light. I did this with the beard on the face helmet, the fasteners on the cuirass and the decoration of the cuirass fastener. Since the mix dries to a high gloss it has a sparkling eeffect and makes the detail stand out. Ocassionally I give a metal surface a thin coat of satin varnish.
Difficult parts of the figure? You will have to build as you paint or the other way around. I always paint the head seperate because the detail is easier to reach with the brush. The figure can be assemled and painted except for the left arm and helmet. These have to be painted and assembled seperately and then attatched to the torso. And you have to make many dry runs in order to achieve a good fit afterwards. In theory at least.....
If you are going to do this figure pay special attention to the point where the lower edge of the helmet touches the cuirass. A shallow recess is provided but the helmet won't fit without some filing. After discovering that I thought I had ensured a perfect fit. Well ...... I hadn't When the moment came to finally attach the painted arm & helmet to the painted main body I ended up with a 1mm gap at the back of tunic sleeve. I had to fill it with A&B and repaint the area. I hate having to do that. But eventually the last thing to go on was the plume.
I will let the pics speak for themselves.The figure you are looking at is 5,8 cm high. The pics can be enlarged to idiotic proportions by clicking on the arrows in the righthand corner of the photoviewer. So you can see exactly what I did. What is next? I started Alexandros models 54 mm Legatus Legionis. Cheers Paul
