Completed Verdun 1916

[Briggsy]

Looks great already, this is a brilliant project to follow and I can't wait to see it all come together.

Cheers Simon

 

[eppi]

Looks fine!
Waiting for muddy water ...

 

[NigelR]

Thanks everyone, glad you like it. I'm happy with the progress so far.

There probably won't be any updates for a while because painting the groundwork will take a while (as I mostly use oils) and the resin will be poured in layers, so I will need to leave at least 24 hours between each layer. I'll take photos along the way and post a bunch of them together.

I am approaching the water with a bit of trepidation but I am hopeful. I learned a lot the last time I used resin (watching it disappear into holes in the groundwork that I couldn't see!) and I have the AK resin which I hope will be a bit more usable than the crafting stuff I used last time (which had quite a high viscosity).

 

[Briggsy]

Fingers crossed for the resin, a braver man than me.

Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

Fingers crossed for the resin, a braver man than me.

Cheers Simon

....and me !!

Figures look really good suitably weathered ......,,bring on the water

Have fun painting the groundwork

Looking forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[NigelR]

Thanks Kev, hopefully some more updates later next week.

 

[NigelR]

Here's the last update before starting to pour resin. I have added the barbed wire, embedded the figures into the groundwork and painted lots of mud. I have spent days fiddling with many different mud shades and textures, most of it doesn't appear to be visible.... I think I got a bit too obsessed!

The next stage is to build up the resin in layers to fill the shell hole while creating an image of depth and murkiness. I'll be going quite deep, at least up to the level of the casualty's hands. Fingers crossed.....

 

[Briggsy]

Awesome Nigel, it looks great already with the resin in place it'll be just WOW. So good luck with the pouring, I'll keep.my fingers crossed for you.

Cheers Simon

 

[marco14]

very very nice Nigel and euh,,obsessed no no,you wil have it good,maybe perfect like most of
us,it's very beautiful

Mario

 

[Nap]

Hi Nigel

You know you would be happy if the groundwork wasn’t right even under the water !

The details do look very impressive and the figures sit really well into the mud

Looking forward to seeing the pour

Nap

 

[NigelR]

Thanks Simon, Mario and Kev. I'm pleased with the way it's gone so far. I have just laid down a thin coat of AK still water to seal the bottom of the base, will do successive pours of resin over the next 3 to 4 days......

 

[Briggsy]

Looking forward to seeing this, hope all goes well.

Cheers Simon

 

[NigelR]

Bugger (as we say in the UK). I have cocked up at the final stage. My plan was to build an impression of depth in the shell hole which is just visible through the murky water. It started well. I sealed the bottom of the shellhole with still water, did a fairly shallow pour of clear resin and then painted the edges, which creates an impression of depth:

The plan was to then put a final pour of resin over this which would be discoloured to give a murky appearance but allow some of the lower layers to show through. I've done this before and it looks very effective. Sadly I made my final pour too dark and I've ended up with a large muddy puddle with no sense of depth, just what I was trying to avoid.

It's really annoying because I know it could look so much better. Damn and blast!!

I will be adding some surface ripples to give a sense of movement as in Leroux's painting, hopefully that will help. I will post final pictures next week.

 

[Briggsy]

Ah not good, that said it looks pretty darned good to my eyes, there is some of the Germans legs visible and puddles like that aren't very clear. I saw my old Jack Russel disappear beneath the surface of enough on the training areas, she was water obsessed. Annoying for you that you didn't get exactly what you wanted but it's sill a really cracking diorama.

Cheers Simon

 

[eppi]

Hi Nigel,
I agree with Simon, I think that puddle is not bad at all and the whole composition ... sounds good.
Maybe, it would be good if you reduce the contrast between the puddle and the dry terrain all around. Not sure to use the proper words but I'm sure you catch the meaning ...
Cheers, Eros.

 

[MalcC]

I know you're not happy with the puddle, but it looks bloomin good to me.
Look forward to seeing how you create the ripples.

Malc

 

[Ferris]

I see what you mean Nigel, and I agree the first pic is a bit more pleasing, but it still looks great. Like Eros said, if you darken the mud around the edges, and give it a satin sheen, the contrast will look perfectly alright again. The lack of transparancy is actually quite realistic I think.

And the effort on the variations in mud colour was worth it!

Almost there now!

Cheers
Adrian

 

[NigelR]

Thanks guys, I will have to live with it as it is. You know what it's like when you have an image in your mind and the result doesn't match up to it. But I'm glad you think it looks ok. I do wish that with the darker resin I had left the pour a little shallower, but it is what it is.

Hi Nigel,
Maybe, it would be good if you reduce the contrast between the puddle and the dry terrain all around. Not sure to use the proper words but I'm sure you catch the meaning ...

I'm glad you said that, I was thinking the same thing.

I see what you mean Nigel, and I agree the first pic is a bit more pleasing, but it still looks great. Like Eros said, if you darken the mud around the edges, and give it a satin sheen, the contrast will look perfectly alright again.

Adrian, also spot on. I think because I have lost the nice contrasts in the groundwork by covering it with the resin it looks less realistic. If I restore those contrasts and make everything around the edges look a little wetter, that may help.

 

[eppi]

 

[Briggsy]

Go for it Nigel, it can only get better than it already is and it is really good.

Cheers Simon