My second "figure". I see the other figures and mine looks terrible. Still working on it but don't know which way to turn. Any thoughts?

Nap thanks so much! Your right of course. I did go way to much with the shading. I think that's why it looks so dang "messy". I am only using acrylics. Thanks again Nap! A little windex and I'm re painting! Will post results. Thanks again

Morning Doc.
First off I'd say that that looks pretty good. Are you using Winton oils.
I'm still trying to get the hang of colour mixes,blending etc. so all answers to your question are going to help me as well.High contrast is good but, looking at the standing figure's left sleeve and pouch, there doesn't seem to be any intermediate colour inbetween highlight and shadow.
I think it needs a bit of fine tuning, that's all, to start getting even better results.
Jon

Jon I'm using acrylics and using them poorly. I've just sprayed the whole thing with windex and starting over. I agree with you, I didn't blend at all. I'm so glad you guys help out the beginners.

Billy

Hi Doc, congrats for your start, much better than mine. I agreed with suggestions you got before and also add the follow one.
Pay attentions to the details, some time they are important to get the figure more true, i.e. the blood of the wounded man should be darker, not uniform (darker on boundary and brighter in the middle) and the band covering eyes must be more dirty of blood. This is just to help. Go ahead !
Francesco

I think that you are being pretty hard on yourself. For one thing, it looks like your colors are first either correct or very close. The face needs work but is entirely within reason. Given the advice above, it just takes practice. Put together what the guys have offered and have fun painting. It WILL come together.

Hi doc, like you i am a relative novice at painting but have found the people on this forum to be a fantastic bunch of people.
i have been given loads of help from people and nobody will look down on you. i have also found that no matter how trivial or stupid seeming the question somebody will always provide a sensible answer to it.
i think you have done a really good job of painting what looks a very tricky pair of figures.
keep up the good work.
anstontyke

To me, that is a pretty good effort for your second figure Doc!

Cheer's,
Jeff.

You're clearly being rather tough on yourself ... but that happens quite often with some of us. This forum can boast
many seriously rateable painters and we all have a desire to be one of them. I don't use acrylics - I prefer the
' blendability ' of oils - so I can't be of much practical use. There is however, a highly successful technique with Acrylics
which involves glazing layers - thin washes of colour layered over each other which imparts a sort of glow and real depth
of colour. Someone here pointed me to another forum called Figurementors - have a look..... it'll scare the pants off you
and also inspire you at the same time. Meanwhile go easy old chap and have patience.

Doc
I`m not in a position to criticise m8, what I will say is ,
this is one of my favourite figures and when I think I have reached a level to take it on , I will purchase it, and I think you have done a wonderful job painting it,
that`s my humble
john

I always liked this piece but never purchased it. I think it was called "A bridge too far". I also think you did good job on this piece so keep up the good work.

Wayne

I love this place. I do. I spend hours just reading, absorbing. Thanks all for the tips, etc. John Crawford I will tell you that as a baby paratrooper I was picked to participate in an Arnhem jump etc. Got to hang with these Warriors, jumped with a few. So it's important to get it right. I'm gonna hit it with the old windex/tooth brush.
TM
Billy

As other have already mentioned, not bad at all. Always liked this figure and have it in the stash as well.

Here's some more simple techniques that will enhance any figures look:

- keep things flat/matte. If that doesn't work...finish off with a matte coat. Shine goes against painted highlights and shades and can make a figure look unattractive. Matte makes things look more like fabric and make the painted highlights/shades work.

- outline all major features with thin lines of dark paint. It will make belts, equipment, overlying uniform parts, clothes seams, etc. stand out and create an in-scale look. It will also separate colours nicely. As there are many separation lines on a figure this technique requires patience and a steady hand, but it is easy to do and will enhance any figure. Hardest part is to keep the outlines thin and straight.

Cheers
Adrian

When you paint a denison smock, and I have attached a couple of pics, work out where the panels of cloth are like a dress makers pattern.
Remember each panel contains different sections of the pattern.
That means that the pattern can and does run in different directions on pockets, pocket flaps and so on, and doesn't continue over the seams
So, when you paint the jacket, paint the seams with a slightly darker colour then 'fill in' each panel in a different direction.

Good luck.

Paul.