What would you advise: Using the medium undiluted or mix with some water to mitigate the effect?

Cheers

very nice paint! look look look

19. Day, July 12, 2017

I have just finished the front part of the blue sash!

I painted it like the back part - in two steps. First completely "normal" in blue with lights and shadows and these then blinded.

Second step: painting the "silk effect", whereby I also darken down the lights and shadows.

But this time a third step took place - the tip I got from Kevin (Nap) in this forum.

I bought myself this stuff here...:



This is the one type of "effect varnish".

When you paint this stuff, it dries matt - and creates a kind of mother-of-pearl glow on the painted surface.

You can control this gloss effect (after a few attempts to get used to it!), because the more you dilute the material with water, the less permuttal glow is produced.

I have given so much water until I have reached an average level of gloss, which is very good for the sash, as I mean.

But see for yourself ...:







Thanks a lot, Nap!

Yep, tomorrow I' start!

Cheers

Hi Martin,
just caught up with this thread. i love your sbs and all the historical info.
the work on the sash looks great and i am looking forward to your treatment of the medals and orders.

tony

20. Day, July 13, 2017

Today, I start with the painting of orders and medals that our hero carries around with him.

But before the painting, the gods had set up the research - which was quite difficult: there was an incredible amount of awards in Tsarist Russia since Tsar Peter I!

There is not a single specialist book, which lists them all in full. And I really know a lot of books on this subject.

That means:

Each individual distinction had to be examined for temporal and historical plausibility and then compared with the template painting before it could be painted.

Let's begin with the white cross, which Admiral Alekseev carries around his neck: it is the Order of Saint George 3rd class...:



This rather high order could be conferred only in war, and with it were honored special military merits, special bravery, and outstanding heroic deeds.

The Order of Saint George 3rd class can be compared with the German "knight cross with oak leaves".

With one important difference: this order was only accessible to officers in Tsarist Russia! There were simpler versions for simple soldiers and sub-officers.

The order of my admiral now looks painted - although I can only imply the "St. Georg" in the center.

However, I have managed to paint even the thin golden border of the cross.

Finally, I have overpainted all Emaill parts still with "Gloss Varnish"...:



And now we come to the Medals, which are to be seen on the left side of Alekssev's chest. The three medals (of which there were really countless and very many similar ones!) Took the most time in the research until I could assign them all correctly ...:



Especially since in two cases not even awards, but remembrance or commemorative medallions!

On the far left you can see this medal ...:



It is called with full name: "April 4, 1866 - Aleksandr II."

The medal reminds of the gun assassination of the anarchist Dimitrij Karakasov ...



... Tsar Aleksandr II. (the natural father of our admiral!) was able to escape (the natural father of our admiral!) on 4. April 1866 with great luck and the help of a peasant who overwhelmed the assassin. Karakasov ended on the gallows!

The medal now at the bust ...:



All medals are modeled as smooth discs - to indicate a refief, I proceed like this: With undefined bronze color I put several thick points on top of each other. The points then dry up plastically, and I get so the hint of a head ...

Another medal is the second from the left with the red order ribbon ...:



It recalls the coronation of Tsar Aleksandr III. And his wife Maria Fyodorovna to Czar and Czarina on May 27, 1883 (all dates according to Russian time) ...:



Here it is now - at the red ribbon one can see light and shadow well, which is painted on all the ribbons, but somehow in the photos are not to be seen correctly ...:



The third medal is this one ...:





Alekseev received it for his participation in the "Chinese War" in 1900, better known as "Boxer Rebellion"!

Together with other western countries and Japan, Russia also sent a strong intervention group ...:



Alekseyev, who was still Rear Admiral and not yet a general adjutant, was the deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian troops. Here he sits at the center of the photograph in the middle of his staff...:



All the participants of the campaign, from the last muzhik to the highest commander, got a medal like this!
Such summaries were held not only in the Tsar empire but also in the Soviet Union as well as in today's Russia.

The black and red stripes of this order were a bit tricky to paint - but there is no more to report ...:



Here the whole again as extreme cut-out-enlargement (aarrgghhh - macro is so cruel!) ...



... and the original bust in the size comparison ...:



I workrd with These Color - but if I had to list all the mixtures here now, I would write a book.



So - for today is the end of the painting - I notice how the fingers get restless ...

Tomorrow it will go on!

I'm enjoying this, the latest episode. Excellent work Martin !

Joe

Thank you, Nap and Joe!

So - I have made a few small corrections to the three medals - now I'm satisfied with it ...:

21. Day, July 14, 2017

Today it's all about the "Order of the Holy Vladimir"!



This order was founded in 1782 by Czarina Catherine II. and is a general merit, which in turn gave military merits (with swords since 1856) and civil merits (without swords).

Around 1880, the "fashion", which was contrary to the statutes, was created to cover the red-rimmed crosses instead of enamels with blackish-colored glass, so that they exempted themselves better on the uniform. This "fashion" was tolerated by the authorities ....:



Until 1915 the order was made from pure gold, then until 1917 from gilded copper. After 1917, the old order was no longer lent, and it was estimated that the death of the last bearers was about or after 1960.

Admiral Alekseev has on my template painting two Wladimir orders at the uniform, the 4th and the 3rd class ...:



The transversal band loop also means that the so-called "Vladimir 4th class" was given to him twice.
Alekseyev had both the civilian and military versions!

Since I liked the version with swords better, I had asked Heinz to deviate from the original template and sculpt the swords.

The same with the much larger 3rd class of the "Vladimir", which Alexeyev has fixed at the top of the button board of his uniform!

Like the "Order of Saint George" (the white cross that our admiral is wearing around the Hans), the "Vladimir 3rd class" has to be actually also worn as a neck cross - because the square is already occupied by the white cross The "Wladimir" instead is now fixed in buttonhole ...

Here are the two Wladimir orders finished painted, I have the enamelled parts painted again with "Gloss Varnish" over, so that they shine beautiful ...:

So much for today.

Thanks Kevin!

I think I will make the row on the button bar to the bottom finished ...

Cheers

All these cool looking medals and the background information on them is icing on the cake! Thank you Martin !

Joe

loving the progress and the history lesson, cheers martin

tony