Simon,
I have no feelings with this painting of Young's bust.
It looks like you smashed alot of mud in a similar pattern all around. It looks to much overall. You didn't muddy up the metal of the granate into the left pocket.
The color of the mud on the base is typical Westernfront.
The barbwire on the base is your artistic freedom.
I hope I sound not to hard, because that is not my intention. I only hope that you can do something with my comments.

Marc

Ok it's not going to be to everyones taste but well done for having the courage to do something different and go your own way.

Roger.

cheers Roger

i like how it has turned out and thats the main thing as this is my project, in terms of the mud i have gone for a effect of dried mud with fresh mud over the top the reason it is splashed about is to show effect from mud splashing on the uniform from running through mud and also from moving through mud

Great job. It is a perfect tribute to the movie of the same title. But since the
film is in black and white, I would add that it also reflects perfectly the
dramatic pictures that Otto Dix painted after his experience as a combatant in
the WWI. Certainly for me this is a work of art.
Congratulations Simon.

http://www.mininet.tv/egminiatures.html

Nice effort m8, the comments on the mud have been made, nice base for the bust to be placed on and great barbed wire.

Hi Simon , i think what Jason says is fair and very well writen ! As you have not asked for crit ill leave it , but i think you could make your well paint bust a very well painted bust with not to much work .
I really like the base and think you have done a good job all round
Sam

Simon,well done mate and congratulations on your completed bust,if you have ever read any of my posts you will know i always weather my subjects because as one of the previous members said all too often we see too many figures as if they have just floated over the battlefield instaed of being on it,i dont mean this to be a critisism because some figure painters manage to pull off minimum weathering very well and it suits their style,for your subject of WW1 i think you have done a good / realistic job mate and if it looks good in your eyes then it is good.
I read an article by bill horan once in which he stated ' paint for yourself and not other people and as long as you have accomplished and achieved what you set out to do and have done your best thats all one can ask.
Please dont be put off by some of the critisism regarding the mud,battles wer'e fought out in very difficult terrains and your busts portrays this very well.

Good Luck - Brian

Very bold and creative presentation - I like it. As I said before I have no issue with the powder burns on his face or with the mud. With respect to colour of the mud or the existence of mud on that date, at that place, leave that to the realism police. The texture of the mud is great. The whole piece says WWI to me.

Colin

thanks Eduardo, Rob, Jason, Sam, Brian and Colin for your kind words

cheers

Simon

I love the mud and think it looks ultra realistic. I also like the monchromatic diversity of the flesh tone.

thanks Grant

Simon,

Nice effort and well done for taking this bust to the next level. As has been said, so long as you're happy with it, the views and opinions of others don't really matter a great deal.

It's funny that we connect World War One with mud, and yet mud has been a feature of every war and military campaign in history, and yet, we only seem to appreciate heavy weathering of figures when they're on the Western Front.

I am so impressed, cracking interpretation, It's also very nice to see somoeone else who knows how much of a mud magnet a soldier in the field is

thanks very much cheers Mate