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First figure. Please let me know where I can improve.

Discussion in 'Brutal Honesty - Critique Center' started by AlbertD, Sep 23, 2021.

  1. AlbertD PlanetFigure Supporter

    This is an old 200mm Verlinden bust and it was painted in mostly Andrea with some Vallejo for the details. To me the shading transitions in the face are a bit stark. I haven't glued any of the parts together so doing any adjustments will be pretty easy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. IMG_1145.jpg IMG_1146.jpg IMG_1147.jpg IMG_1148.jpg IMG_1149.jpg
    Redcap, oldtrousers and Nap like this.
  2. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Albert

    Been following your WIP on this https://www.planetfigure.com/thread...rst-time-verlinden-us-cavalryman-bust.368015/

    This is your first ....well I reckon you have done well , painting flesh is the hardest but I wouldn't change it and then after the next etc you will see how your learning

    Probably you need to thin the acrylics more to help blending ...a gradual build up .....like I said in the WIP ...I use a blending medium

    You might like to add a 5 o'clock hdow using very diluted washes of dark blue ....or look into it fo not

    You have done a good job on the blues

    All credit to you

    why not enter a piece into the Standard class in FOTM ....msg me if needed .....here is a link https://www.planetfigure.com/thread...ard-class-closes-midnight-bst-30-9-21.359338/

    Look forward to next

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
    AlbertD likes this.
  3. Tecumsea PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    England
    I'm not an acrylic painter so hardly qualified to comment, however l think you have identified the area that you need to work on!. As Kevin has said the blue is fine so ask yourself what did l do differently? The transitions are starker on a light ground than dark so maybe use less colours on the face in your learning process and move slowly from light to dark. If you are using a colour set then mix colours in steps from one bottle to another so a six colour set can give you at least 12 colours. To improve the face and mask the transitions try a medium wash over the whole face and using the wash lighten or darken the colour and build back.

    Alternatively leave this alone, it is a good first piece and modify your approach on the next.

    Hope this helps, as l said l am an oil painter others may be able to give better advice.....above all be patient you will never stop improving.

    Keith
    AlbertD and Nap like this.
  4. AlbertD PlanetFigure Supporter

    Thank you both for the suggestions. I will try them on the next one. I think I will leave this one alone so I can see my progress. I really enjoyed doing this so I'm hooked. I did the face first so I think I took some of what I learned to the uniform. I used wetter paint and put the next layer on while the last layer was still wet. On the face it was wet on top of dry.
    Nap likes this.
  5. dfmoss Member

    Country:
    United-States
    There are some sources to watch on YouTube. One in particular I liked was Painting Buddah working on the Nuts Planet Shieldmaiden bust.

    Books are great, they are how I learned, but actually watching someone paint is time well spent.

    I don't use acrylics for flesh areas, I use oils (I like the extra drying time, I paint slow!). I am constantly amazed at the results acrylic painters are able to achieve!

    Keep it up! And have fun!

    Don
    Nap and AlbertD like this.
  6. AlbertD PlanetFigure Supporter

    Thanks Don, I will look up that video in the morning and watch it with my coffee. The books I have are pretty old. I bought them when I bought the old Verlinden figures I have more than 10 years ago. I also do want to try oils. I see fantastic results from both.
    Nap likes this.
  7. dfmoss Member

    Country:
    United-States
    The video I mention is actually 12 or 13 parts!

    The first book that really helped me was Shep Paine's "How to Build Dioramas." It has a section on figure painting that highlights using oils. The color palette is very simple, maybe too simple, but it does give a good foundation. Paine also did a book devoted to just figures that was also very good, "Building and Painting Scale Figures." The Dioramas book is generally easier to find, we just sold one in our shop a couple of weeks ago. The Scale Figures book is harder to find, and can be expensive. Bll Horan's Masterclass book is also useful. He uses Humbrol enamel paints, mostly, however.

    I am sure there are additional helpful books out there, maybe others will chime in.

    Don
    AlbertD likes this.

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