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WIP 80th Staffordshire Bust

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Richie, Jan 27, 2013.

  1. Richie A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi All,
    After seeing some of the wonderful busts emerge on here, backed up with numreous advice and tips I have taken the plunge and here is my first ever bust and the first time trying to paint skin tones in oils. The rest of the bust is blocked in acrylics. (Please note the oils are still wet)

    I am sure this will expose my brush work and so with no place to hide here is the first installment.

    The bust is from Paul Blaber Miniatures, pF own blabsy. www.paulblaber1.moonfruit.com
    The lovely driftwood base is from Gordon, pF own chippy. www.thebase2b.co.uk

    One question I would like to ask after putting down the base of oils over acrylics, do I leave to dry totally or would it be better to blend tones on top whilst still wet or tacky! and do I glaze these in thin layers?

    cheers
    Richie
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    crf, Wings5797 and Jamie Stokes like this.
  2. Helm A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    I think (and I've yet to do a face in oils but going on the fur on my Viking bust) It's best/easiest to blend as you go Richie you might as well take advantage of the slow drying of the oils, also when I do a horse I definitely blend as I go even applying paint direct to the figure and literally using the horse as a pallete on occasions but there are much better painters on here than me who can give you a more definite answer mate good luck I will try oils on the next bust I do for the face for sure, will be watching this with interest mate (y)

    Steve
  3. Tecumsea PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    England
    You can do both Richie, blend wet using pure colour but don't use a brush dipped in spirit or it will result in a runny mess and you lose control.............when you are happy let it dry and then you can add highlights and shadows blending wet on dry....hope that helps, I'm sure you will get other replies from much better painters that myself.

    Keith
    Helm likes this.
  4. Richie A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Steve/Keith,
    Thanks for the advice lads and apologies for the late reply. I've had a bit more time on the brushes, I have tried to achieve a shaved sunburnt look on the back of the head and neck, still needs some tweaking and done some more tones and blending on the face. I also want to try and achieve a hot sweaty look with beads of sweat, that should be a challenge.
    Please feel to critique and jump in with help and pointers.
    cheers
    Richie
    CIMG5478.JPG CIMG5479.JPG CIMG5481.JPG CIMG5489.JPG CIMG5492.JPG
    billyturnip likes this.
  5. Tecumsea PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    England
    Hi Richie, coming on well. the 5 o'clock shadow is probably a bit too straight on his cheek, apart from that it is looking great....Keith
  6. Helm A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    Agree with Keith his beard line needs to come more up the cheek area towards the eye a tad, not sure if you've done the eyes yet but the iris looks a little cloudy.... hark at me sounding all professional and stuff after doing one bust :LOL:

    Steve
    housecarl likes this.
  7. Richie A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Keith,
    Thanks for the observation, I will adjust the shadow line up a tad and make it a bit more uneven.

    Hi Steve,
    You're right about the eye mate I must have smudge some oil paint over the iris, will adjust that in the future.
    cheers
    Richie(y)
  8. Richie A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi All,
    After being inspired by our own Steve Kirtley's painting demo on Friday at our club meet, I have decided to pick this one up again. I have put some more coats on the Glengarry and cap badge, adjusted the the five o'clock shadow and line, sorted the eyes out and have put some work into the shirt and braces. All oils over acrylics, the photo's on the shirt look a bit washed out but there is lots of variation to the colours to the eye. I also decided to deface chippy's lovely base and scribe in 80th Staffs as it would be hard to put a plaque on it.
    I hope to get some more work done on this next week especially on the face.
    cheers
    Richie
    CIMG5959.JPG CIMG5960.JPG CIMG5961.JPG CIMG5962.JPG CIMG5963.JPG
    Ventress likes this.
  9. billyturnip A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    That's looking great Richie, I particularly like the eyes, the greying of the sidies and the 5 o clock shadow.
    I was inspired too, stand by for a surprise project!

    Roger.
  10. Richie A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Roger,
    Thanks mate for the comments, I look forward to seeing what you produce. I have laid on the base coat in oils over the acrylics base on the face. I think I will let this dry and then start to bulid the face up.
    cheers
    Richie
    CIMG5968.JPG CIMG5972.JPG CIMG5973.JPG CIMG5974.JPG
    Wings5797 and billyturnip like this.
  11. DEL A Fixture

    Country:
    Scotland
    Hi Ritchie sounds as if Steve's demo has inspired a few to get busy.
    Very smooth finish with some excellent work on the hair and 5 o'clock shadow.
    As you start to build up the depth on the bust it will be very impressive.
    Cheers
    Derek
  12. fabrizio1969 A Fixture

    Country:
    Italy
    Very nice paintwork
  13. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    Nice start.
    Ritchie when you paint in oils I can only advise that you start with laying the shadows and the highlights wet in wet. It will fade the colors amazing.....the benefit of oils.
    When that is dry you will see that you have to go all over again to deepen the shadows and to give more highlight.
    If you will you can outline the eyes (burnt sienna for the undereyelid, and burnt umber for the upper). That will avoid the Popeyed look of the figure.
    When all dry make a wash from your skincolor and red. Paint that into the cornes of the eye.
    Happy painting.
    marc
  14. Wings5797 A Fixture

    Country:
    France
    Looks really good Richie,
    this is heading towards being the best copy of this bust that I have seen.
    If I had to offer any suggestions I would do a little more work on the eyes.
    We had a very good thread started by Steve (Helm) on a figure of his Dad.
    One great tip that came to the fore , from Roger (Billyturnip) I think, was to paint the iris half the right way up and half upside down.
    That is if you are right handed your natural painting arc will be curved to the left = ( . So paint the left side of thr iris first with the figure is the correct way up. Then hold the figure upside down and paint the right side. This will make your curves more closely matched. If I look at you figure I would say that you are right handed because your left side Iris on both eyes is smoother than those on the right side. From my point of view you just need to apply this tip to the right side of thr iris'.
    I hope that this makes some logic to you, the original post explained it far better than I have here......thanks Roger.
    Brilliant brush skills though Mate, I like what you are doing with this little fellow.
    All the very best,
    Keith
    napoleonpeart likes this.
  15. Richie A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Del - Thanks for looking mate, under the optivisor it does not look as smooth as I would like, the main problem is cleaning the brushes after blending I think! I need some lint free cloth or a few extra filberts.

    Hi Fabrizio - Thanks for looking.

    Hi Marc - Thanks for the tips, I have made some slight adjustments to the eyes, does it work better now?

    Hi Keith - Thanks for the tip on the eyes I will carry that forward on the next one. I am ambidextrous - I can't paint with either hand:arghh:. Actually I am a "cuddy wiffer" that will have some of you googling.:smug:

    A few more photo's of the progress.
    cheers
    Richie

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    Tarracus likes this.
  16. Hawk_Uk PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Richie,

    Glad you have persevered with this bust and he s coming along nicely, Paul sculpted plenty of character in the face on this piece and you have brought that to life.

    Look forward to seeing him finished.

    Cheers
  17. Richie A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi John,
    Thanks for looking in mate, yes Paul has certainly got the Victorian character in this one. I thought it was about time I cracked on with this otherwise it will be Telford again. I'm really enjoying this although it's sometimes hard lessons learnt but the boys on here are trying to steer me in right direction.
    cheers
    Richie
  18. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    Very good Ritchie.
    If it is possible for you, make a small black line at the outside of the iris, and fade the red more to. It should be a few tint's on the sclera then in the corber. A thin wash off your eyball color will do the job.
    Marc
  19. smudger1960 PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Richie, bit late catching up with this posting, you are making very good progress, oils take abit of getting used to but you are doing a fine job mate, with regards to shadows and highlights just remember your deep shadow should never reach your high highlight colour, when doing the 5 o'clock shadow I always add some of the flesh colour to it so it doesn't look to harsh,:happy:
  20. Wings5797 A Fixture

    Country:
    France
    Hi Richie'
    He's looking good mate, for your first oils face you have done really well.
    Keep with it, I know you will reap the rewards.
    Good work.
    Cheers
    Keith

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