Standardbearer WIP

[Mariner]

I am really trying to improve my transitions and brush control to get more depth in acrylic painting. My trouble is getting smooth transitions and knowing when I need to add more layers.
As soon as the paint dries, everything seems to disappear!
I also struggle with highlights on small leather straps and belts.
I bought this figure because I really like it and decided to match the cloak to the banner colour.
I posted here because I am committed to mastering figure painting, so don't hesitate to say what you see wrong (and how I fix it).
Would have preferred to shoot in natural light but photos are close to original painting.
Mary

 

[housecarl]

I'd say you could increase the depth of the shadows on the cape. To highlight belts, I use the side of the brush. That way you have more control.
Looking good though Mary,
Carl.

 

[Bailey]

Mary,

Looks like you are off to a good start. I like the dark cape and I think the cross on his chest looks very neat. If possible, you might want to outline the cross with a slightly darker gold (I'd use gold mixed with cam black brown) to make it pop more. I know outlining on that small scale can be tough, but I think it would make it stand out more. Your work on the metals looks great as always. I've liked this figure for a while and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the rest of it.

I'll offer a few more suggestions.... but please remember these are coming from someone who is still learning and definitely not a master, so take what you will from that.

Getting a good dynamic between shadows and highlights is tough. For me, I seem to get the best results when I take what I think is a good light to dark range and double it. Up close it seems like it's too much but when I take a step back it actually looks very nice. For whites you still want dark shadows, but I try to use them sparingly so the overall result still looks white and not grey. For dark blues you still want some nice highlights, but again place them sparingly so you don't turn your dark blue cape into a medium blue cape. Here it looks like your white is more of an off white (which I like). But I'd do more with the shadows on the undersides of the folds. I'd add some brighter highlights on the cape... but keep them small and limit their use so you retain that nice deep dark blue color.

For me, when I work on getting smooth transitions I like to work on smaller regions. So, for example, instead of painting the entire cape, I'd break it up into four or five sections and paint each of those individually. I start with shadows and will do the shadow to mid tone transitions one region at a time until I've painted the entire cape. Then I'll go back and do the mid tone to highlight transitions one region at a time. You have to take care to be consistent from one area to the next. Still, I find my end result looks a lot better when I focus on smaller sections as opposed to trying to paint the entire surcoat or cape or whatever in one go. Of course if you're painting in oils it's another story.

In my opinion, it looks like each of your figures is better than the last and that's what I know I'm striving for. Keep up the good work and good luck with that standard!

 

[Aveleira]

Hi Mary,

I'm certainly not a master and started painting figures just a little while ago, so i'm confronted with the same troubles than you. I'm currently painting a figure which is not very easy for me and when I started I though that maybe this one was too much for me. Well, I restarted the figure and each step it has been carefully planned and the colours well studied in order to know where I start with base, and where I want to go with shadows and highlights as well as everything is done very very slowly.
I also watched over and over and over again a video of danillo cartacci painting a miniature and the tutorials of dave youngquist of michigan toy soldiers, which are a great help. Just watching them do it you will learn something for sure.
To the smooth transitions I advise you to do many layers of paint with colour going more and more lighter, and the paint not very thin to become a wash, just use it like milk consistency.
When you don't see the contrast between the last layer and the previous, maybe just paint again with the same paint over the same places as before, but remind that you don't want great contrast between very layer, the contrast will only be seen in the end.
Watch out with dark blue, don't do a great contrast or it will become a lighter blue than you wanted.

As I said, i'm not a pro but i'm satisfied with my work right now and I think I am improving so, it's all I can try to pass to you

Links for the refered videos:





Good Luck

Pedro

 

[Einion]

First thing I noticed, there's a mould line running right down the surcoat to the right of centre!

I am really trying to improve my transitions and brush control to get more depth in acrylic painting. My trouble is getting smooth transitions and knowing when I need to add more layers.
As soon as the paint dries, everything seems to disappear!

Most of us have experienced that last thing sometime so don't worry, you're not alone. You might be using the paint a little too thin, that's one of the main causes; another would be if the difference between the mix you're using and the colour you're painting onto is too small but that's not as common.

For the finest results you do want to use the paint pretty dilute, and it's normal for the first coat or two to not appear to have much effect as a result. If the dilution level is your main problem you might want to dilute less early on so as not to get put off by how many layers you have to apply, so aim for the consistency of milk rather than skimmed milk or 0%. For most people it's easier to live with this kind of thing if they approach it incrementally instead of diving straight in at the 30-40 coats end of the pool!

I also struggle with highlights on small leather straps and belts.

Is the problem seeing details this small or brush control or a bit of both?

Would have preferred to shoot in natural light but photos are close to original painting.

It looks like there's a slight colour cast on my screen, what colour is your wall?

Einion

 

[Mariner]

Thank you Einion...I guess I missed that mold line!!
I have been using paint about skim milk consistency and progressively thinner as I try to apply layers.
I think I've been confused by different things I've read that say you have some ratios of very thin paint.
Just received Cartacci's wonderful book, too, so that should also help me out

Mary

 

[housecarl]

I don't know if I posted this in one of you previous posts Mary?
http://www.mainlymedieval.com/ozpainters/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=49&sid=e2265359eecb3b29515405b726aa4fc2
Carl.

 

[Einion]

I have been using paint about skim milk consistency and progressively thinner as I try to apply layers.
I think I've been confused by different things I've read that say you have some ratios of very thin paint.

This can actually be a very good way to work (it's sort of the way I paint) but I'm suggesting that you might not want to use ultra-thin paint at this stage because the effects are so subtle and time-consuming.

Better to get a firm handle on the medium first, then strive for smoother and finer results.

BTW, not sure if you've read anything I've posted on dilution ratios before but ditch 'em - the amount of water to add to get to any given consistency will always be different for different paints (including different bottles of the same colour) so you can't rely on them. Better to learn to mix by eye to the desired consistency, with a given coverage level in mind.

Einion

 

[Mariner]

This can actually be a very good way to work (it's sort of the way I paint) but I'm suggesting that you might not want to use ultra-thin paint at this stage because the effects are so subtle and time-consuming.

Better to get a firm handle on the medium first, then strive for smoother and finer results.

BTW, not sure if you've read anything I've posted on dilution ratios before but ditch 'em - the amount of water to add to get to any given consistency will always be different for different paints (including different bottles of the same colour) so you can't rely on them. Better to learn to mix by eye to the desired consistency, with a given coverage level in mind.

Einion

Thanks Einion...I found that out the hard way