Hi there
Clever painting , nice weathering and leatherwork on him , possibly push the flesh highs a little more ?
Like the weapon painting and the base additions are cracking ideas
Look forward to seeing the final pictures and seeing more form your bench
Why not enter something into FOTM as well
https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/july-fotm-2020-enter-here-ends-31-7-20.258266/
Thanks for sharing
Thanks Nap !
About the skin, there are 2 points I would like to mention, first is that Grasshopper is correct about my low contrast approach, I like my models and painting to be on the realistic level as similar to real life and not "cartoonish" like some high contrast figures, specially with special lighting effects such as strong zenithal light, or areas of higher light source, and also, I don't like the fantasy approach of non-metallic metals and so on. This is my method because some 15 years ago when I started making figures I was placing 1/35th scale figures alongside my AFV's, and that is also a very down to earth finish in realism, not much constrast, not use of old "wash & dry" technique, so for the figure to blend in with the model it had to be toned down (contrast wise) and that was my school.
Which brings me to the second point, that my technique of oils over acrylics, brings a very unique oil sheen to the skin tone, which I find the best for scale purposes. I really don't like figures finished in all matt varnish, or made with a super matt paint like Andrea, AK Figure Series and so many others that brings an almost velvet like finish. I love those paints, But that matt finish is not welcome for me. I like to make all materials in a figure or model have their own sheen, just like real life. Leather has a different sheen from skin, from wood, that has another for fabrics, for metals, and so on.
Sometimes I see figures that even the eyes and lips are the same dead matt finish. Not a single difference in shine, and that approach also covers the non-metallic metal technique, it's great visually, but completely unrealistic.
Said all that, since my photos are taken (so far) withy iPhone under my bench or my window with are not correct light sources for color rendering and shadows, the skin tones which has a unique sheen reflects that light and saturates it. I bring the exposure down, but even so it saturates and that makes it look like it's lacking contrast. You can see my skin tones "glow" a little more that the rest of the figure. So this weekend I am hoping to wrap my build with pro taken photos which I do with natural light and with a good camera. I will post photos then, and skin tones should look a lot more natural, and with a more convincing contrast, which I tend to rely on the sculpture's own curves to provide, under the correct light.
Shooting yellow, white and orange under a bench light with extreme power like mine makes most phone cameras run for their money when It comes to taking photos.
Thanks for the input, hoping to place this baby on the FOTM soon !
Julian
