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WIP Critique 90mm flat: Crusader

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Magnifier, May 26, 2016.

  1. Magnifier Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Hi, again...

    This is my first big flat. I painted four 30mm knights about ten years ago and got hooked. I was not a big fan of the 30mm scale though. I started buying some of the larger pieces a few years ago. I have some serious eyesight issues now, so this has proven to me a good decision!

    My wife found a very strong magnifier lens for me, and I can now easily see pretty much anything from 90 on up, so I have a whole new world opened up to me! Before this I could never have seen this to paint it.

    For familiar with flats, this will be instantly recognizable as a piece from Andreas Troste. I believe the scale is approximately 90mm.

    I have taken a screen shot (below) of the raw casting from Benedikt Widman (with his permission), as I forgot to take a photo before I cleaned and primed the piece. I also removed part of the base so that I can frame it flat when finished.

    Knight Raw.jpg

    Here is where I am at the moment. As you will see, I am using the light directionally from approximately the 2:00 position (so on his back).

    Knight 1.jpg

    I am trying to keep all the colors warm, so I have used sepia black as part of my base gray for the chainmail coat.

    Skin is so far: yellow ochre, cad red and flake white with a second base coat, first highlights and shadows to follow this evening.

    Chainmail is: flake white and sepia black.

    Thanks for following along and offering advice/support. With autism comes a host of other issues. As a result, I have tended to clean and prime a lot of figures/flats but never finish, as I get discouraged when I make a painting error (thus the piece not reaching the level I have set for it in my mind).

    This must end, and so these threads will make me accountable (at least that's the plan).

    My wife is onboard to keep me accountable on this end, but she doesn't understand what I am trying to do most of the time!

    Comments/criticisms welcome. No one has ever been harder on me than ME, so fire away. :joyful:
    Briank, Jimbo, anstontyke and 7 others like this.
  2. DEL A Fixture

    Country:
    Scotland
    Nice foundation mate. On this scale I always think a nice clean look works well, gradually deepening the shading with washes.
    Are you planning to go exclusively oils, acrylics or both ?
  3. bed172 Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Good start. Andreas Trost is my favorite engraver. I've painted several of his flats now. Even without autism some of my projects don't get finished! So hang in there.;)(y)
    Magnifier likes this.
  4. Rich Sculpts A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    A beautiful engraving by Andreas - I will be following this thread with interest.

    -Rich
    Magnifier likes this.
  5. Ulrich A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Yes. It is a beautiful figure and I can´t wait to see more
    Magnifier likes this.
  6. phil_h A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    This looks really promising, looking forward to seeing more (y)
    Magnifier likes this.
  7. billyturnip A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    That looks like a good start of a very nice figure, looking forward to following your progress with it.
  8. brian A Fixture

    Country:
    Scotland
    Your off to a good start,and i look forward to seeing him progress.
    Brian
    Magnifier likes this.
  9. Magnifier Member

    Country:
    United-States

    Hi, Del...

    I have never had luck with an acrylic base coat. Small areas go on well, but larger issues go on splotchy/patchy. I can never get an even consistent coat. I believe I thin properly (paint covers but does not pool in recesses). I lay down one area and it is fine. I come in with the brush next to the one I just put down and it goes on a bit different. Trying to add a bit to even it out becomes splotchy... if this makes sense? Then I have a mottled mess that I can't fix because it's already dry.

    So this is just oils. Of course then I have to add a coat and dry (repeating), so it takes longer, but I get the even finish I am looking for.

    I looked around for a thread on acrylic base coats but didn't really find anyone talking about this issue. If I can ever figure out how to get a good acrylic base on, I would certainly try again, especially on the darker uniform colors, armor, etc.

    The problem I am working through now is trying to work wet on wet with the oils.

    I put down another base flesh last night then added a much darker shadow... blended a bit... MUD! :( I was able to remove it and will try something else.

    I think in 30mm I just never realized this was happening.

    So the new plan is to let the base dry completely, mix the dark shadow (letting the linseed wick out on some paper), and then apply it to the dry base. I should then be able to use small amounts that I can feather in as needed without making another muddy mess...

    That's the plan anyhow. lol
    anstontyke and DEL like this.
  10. Magnifier Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Thank you, Roger.


    I had posted in a wrong thread and had the comment deleted, so I don't know if you ever saw it, but I wanted to tell you again how nice your version of Albrecht von Wallentstein came out. I have one also and it is my absolute favorite flat. The horse is amazing and a piece of art in its own rights.

    I have, however, never figured out how the sword seems to float just off his waist. Is there some attachment that I can just not see?

    I figure you must know having painted it! :)
  11. billyturnip A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    Thank you very much. :)

    I have absolutely no idea how that sword is attached to anything but this was one of the times where accuracy lost out to a lovely piece of engraving. :D
  12. DEL A Fixture

    Country:
    Scotland

    Sounds like a good plan to me. I normally go for an enamel base and then a finish using oils.
    Always work my oils wet on completely dry and then some washes if required which they usually are.
  13. Rich Sculpts A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    I remember a chat years back with Peter Wilcox (the ancients figure guy) he used casein based paints to undercoat his figures which took the paint better and produced a semi matt finish when dry. He used Plaka paints - these are still readily available.

    -Rich
    DEL likes this.
  14. Gellso A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    That is looking great.
    Following with interest.
    Gells
  15. peedee A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Fantastic engraving !

    Looking forward to more.

    Paul.
    Paul
  16. Briank Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    A great start and sounds like you know what your doing, I'm sure the figure will be finished;)
    But if you do get stuck there's a few BFFS members on this site who will help just ask :D
    or visit the website http://www.intflatfigures.org/
  17. Magnifier Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Hi, Brian...

    I read (a lot) and I have a lot of knowledge, so I talk a good game... but I lack practical experience and fail in execution.

    I know five different ways to undercoat a flat before painting in oils, but when I try one it goes to crapola on me. The knowledge is here but the application that knowledge is where I falter.

    I'm learning now also that 30mm is vastly different than 90mm. The techniques I knew and used before need to be applied differently (even the brush sizes are different).

    I tend to get frustrated easily too, so when something I have read about doesn't work as I expect it... well. :)

    So it's baby steps with this one.
  18. Briank Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Your get there ;)
  19. Briank Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Using oil's I don't put a base colour, shades first, then the colour followed by highlights, Here is shown how the figure is built with paint, no washes!! just paint wet on wet

    Attached Files:

  20. Magnifier Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Thanks, Brian. Might try this on the next one... I tried wet on wet on this and had a poor result. I think there was too much carrier in the paint though in such a small area.

    Still at it. :)

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