Just started on this classic figure after 6 months away from painting-just recovering from a total lack of motivation but am enjoying kick starting again.
I'm trying to achieve an on campaign look rather than a clean white-knowing what these guys went through! have I overdone it? comments appreciated....some work to do on the eyes, belts, reds etc.

Keith

I think you started very well... If you ask about the white dirty white I can say that you are about those almost pure whites, I don't think that a guy like this would be clean. However I think you shouldn't paint all the whites in this colour...I mean, leave the top parts more white than the lower. I think that the trousers are nice on this colour, the shirt maybe it is a little dark, even with that idea of dirty all that...maybe, a little difference between both pieces would be nice...just me saying, so you do what you feel
I like the face! It's very well!!

Regards
Pedro

Dropped this down to scale Keith and I have to say it's looking really good.
Agree with Pedro on the whites but I'd be very careful to not overdo it and risk spoiling a really good 'look'
Also I would reconsider the need to 'dirty' it up any. Great face and once the pupils are in the eyes along with a wee catchlight you'll have something really impressive.
Really like it
Cheers
Derek

Keith ,great start on this one. The fleshtones looks really nice too.
As for the whites, i normally do basecoated my withs with slight changes between them so i could play with the different whites when i see them altogether and increase the intensity between the lights and shadows.
Always a good idea to have a different tone between garments ,fo example :
try Vallejo deck tan for the vest and pants, try pale blue for the gaiters,normally they will be "whiter" than the rest of the garments,and try offwhite for the lapels.
It's a lot of fun painting whites ,and a pain in the neck to,very tricky.
Keep up the good work,i'll follow this thread.
Cheers

Hi Keith
Nice to see you painting again.
I dont think there is much wrong with the whites and wouldn't dirty them up much ,better an overall impression of grime than caked on muck.
As suggested perhaps using different tone colours for the white garments . this figure is a copy of the Detaille painting which im sure you will have a copy.
He is in parade dress so paint him that way

Ron

good start,

I post the following pictures only to help you thinking in the right way. the pictures were taken last may in Army museum in Paris and show the subject are you going to paint



looking closely you can see different whites. These whites are different because the tissues are different...

Two main type of tissue were used: cotton and wool.

The coat was in woolen cloth but waistcoat, trousers and gaiters are normally in cotton.

starting from this concept you can paint different colors and dirty them in a different way

Like what you have done so far.
I should leave the white's this way.
Can't see the pictures from Ivo (i'm at work and home PC is crashed).

Marc

A good start Keith and your blending is really nice.Look forward to seeing him progress.May i suggest that you post smaller pictures next time as your showing too much of the figure up that close and there's not many painters about that could get away with such close scrutiny.
Brian

Thanks to everyone for their help, I'll take on board the comments about the different whites. The trousers and leggins are slightly different colours. I did start with the waistcoat in a different colour and it looked really odd so I moved it to look like the trousers, Ivo's picture has made me think again so I'll have to do a bit more work to get the correct look. I wanted to get away from the parade ground look as even in the original portrait he is standing among trees so I assumed he would have been marching through some rough terrain (of course it could have been a park in Paris) I'll try to get a better balance! thanks again for the encouragement and advice as always.
PS. I will be at the Sevres show in December with Steve Kirtley who will be trading (S. K Miniatures) and as big fans of the Napoleonic era we plan to visit the Army Museum. Getting some pics should be a big help in painting pieces from my favourite genre. I just wish I could paint them as well as Steve does

Keith

I think you are off to a fantastic start... as for the whites, it's more of a general day to day grime than the result of prancing through the mud. Cotton, wool, linen and canvas will develope that yellowish tone... road dust, sweat, rain, powder etc will get ground in to the fibres. I think if you bring up the white just a touch it will look just fine.
Look forward to seeing this piece as it progresses

Colin

Very nice keith,this is a classic 90mm figure,probably one of Andrea's best,a very good start mate,i would vary the whites a little so they're not all the same,nice work on the blending and eyes,look forward to see more of this keith .
Hope your'e keeping well mate

Brian

Repost as thumbnails keith to give a more to scale look , as Brian says not many painters stuff stands to that resolution I doubt evan the top guns go to that magnification

Ron

Looks Nice Keith - look forward to seeing it in the flesh soon.
I'm sure our trip to Paris will inspire us both!

Hi Keith
I've taken the liberty to reduce the size of the picture which shows how well he's been painted.
Brian

Thank you Brian, I hope I can keep it up, did a bit more work on the Whites last night, I'll post some more progress in a couple of days.......looks like a wet weekend ahead

Superb painting, Keith. The face is just brilliant and I love the grimy look of his whites.

Look forward to seeing him finished Keith.
Brian