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" And quiet flows the Don "

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Martin Antonenko, Sep 21, 2018.

  1. Joe55 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    Looking forward to your new project, and Happy Birthday!
    cheers.jpg
    Oda, Nap and Martin Rohmann like this.
  2. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    2. Day, October 22, 2018

    Now I start here my Project-Diary!


    From Eindhoven I brought with me the things that I still lacked:

    [IMG]



    A beautiful socle by Dino - pretty heavy by the way, which prevents the two busts that are on it, later fail "top heavy" ...:

    [IMG]


    A round rod of aluminum solid material in diameter 4 mm, not hollow like the ones I have always used. The thing can do something and does not bend so fast ...:

    [IMG]


    And finally from a neighbor who had a child in August, an empty tin of baby-butt cream ...:

    [IMG]



    "WTF you want with an empty cream box?" - I hear you asking formally.


    Well, that's what I'm going to do with the base plate and the base decoration!

    Movies are usually stored on coils in aluminum or tinplate cans like that...:
    [IMG]
    [IMG]

    And I want to make of the cream can later such a miniature tin for film rolls!

    It willl be painted aluminum-colored - and then "backdated" to the year 1957 using the salt / hair spray method, just like these cans here ...:
    [IMG]

    On it I will paste the miniature version of a movie poster of the state soviet distributor "Sow-Film" - either this one ...
    [IMG]
    ...or this one...:
    [IMG]
    As the first steps, the two busts now get matching aluminum pins, with which they are later attached to the base.

    And what was otherwise routine, this time I almost drove the sweat of alarm on the forehead - because I had to drill TWO holes in the socle for two figures, which also interact.

    Adhesive tape protects the socle veneer against chipping under pressure, heat and high speeds...:
    [IMG]

    And after I measured a few times too much, rather than too little, the result is as desired - the dry-set sample ...:

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]


    Meanwhile, I decided to start with the bust of "Grigorij" because I think the painting of "Aksinja" is much more difficult and therefore I want to put it back until I've fumbled with "Grigory" again, or over the summer in the oil sump of my Oldtimers silted up motor skills are back.

    "Aksinja" and her Alu-Pin are put to a dust-proof place - and "Grigorij" gets his pin glued - with two-component adhesive ...:
    [IMG]
    [IMG]
    [IMG]

    The pin is of course only at the bust, but not glued to the base. A toothpick tip secures "Grigory" against unwanted movements, if I accidentally hit at the table - my PC is right next to it!

    Now the glue may cure first ...
    Oda, Old Pete, Ferris and 2 others like this.
  3. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Martín

    Been looking forward to this beginning

    That's a fine looking base

    Like the idea of the film cases for the base

    Following ...of course!

    Nap
    Oda and Martin Rohmann like this.
  4. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    3. Day, October 23, 2018


    As if the weather knew that the craft time had come to me again here is Stormy Sieglinde, so a really fat storm from the northwest on the way.
    Stormy Daniels I'd like much more...!!


    My "Grigorij" just had to take a bath!

    First I rinsed it thoroughly under lukewarm water - then he went into the ultrasonic bath ...:

    [IMG]

    [IMG]



    The turbidity of the previously crystal clear water and the "fishes" swimming around in it clearly show that the ultrasonic has done its job ...:

    [IMG]

    I SWEAR on this cleaning method, because it is completely "non-violent" and you can not - as with mechanical cleaning - accidentally beak off something ...!


    Then I stuck "Grigorij" on a work block - if only with "UHU" adhesive ...:

    [IMG]

    So I make sure that I can easily get the bust off the block after painting.

    So much for today...
    Oda, offo and Nap like this.
  5. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Martin

    Nice prep there

    Go and enjoy a well deserved "stormy Daniels"

    Let the fun begin soon

    Nap
    Oda and Martin Rohmann like this.
  6. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    :D
    Nap likes this.
  7. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    4. Day, October 24, 2018

    Today it should start with the painting of "Grigorij" - but it is not!

    And that happened ...:

    I went to the basement before breakfast and sprayed my favorite primer onto the bust ...:

    [IMG]

    This "Army Painter" gray is very dark, more anthracite - and brings thereby every mistake of the surface absolutely mercilessly to the light.

    After breakfast I sit at the painting table, look at "Grigorij" agreeably, can not discover a mistake and meanwhile decide to start at the top, with the fabric cover of the lambskin "Papacha", which our friend wears.

    In order to study the light and shadow course in peace, I switch on the daylight lamp, turn the figure around and ...

    [IMG]

    On the back is a crack!

    [IMG]

    A long crack! Very long!!! Although very fine, which is why I had probably overlooked him so far ...

    [IMG]

    ... but still I decide:

    The painting has to wait, because now the death bells have rung for the crack!

    The crack is first filled with "Jo Sonja's Texture Paste" ...:

    [IMG]


    This stuff has the advantage that it can be diluted with water and made as "flowable" as you need it.

    In addition, you can wipe unwanted residues with a wet kitchen towel - at least as long as the paste is not dry.

    And she is dry - third advantage! - very fast (about 20 minutes), which is very impatient for my impatience.

    Then the repaired area is carefully wet sanded with two fine sandpapers...:

    [IMG]

    In addition, I took the opportunity, with the tip of a nail scissors to optimize the (visible on the photo!) right sleeve seam of the greatcoat a bit ...:

    [IMG]


    Subsequently, the thus repaired bust is rinsed under lukewarm water to remove grinding residue - and again primed after drying.

    Et voilà - no crack left!

    [IMG]

    Tomorrow I'll start with painting ...
    Oda and Nap like this.
  8. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Martín

    Not good finding the crack ...wonder what caused it ?

    Good repair on that crack , the JS texture paste is very good indeed

    Looking forward to the painting being started

    Thanks for sharing

    Nap
    Oda and Martin Rohmann like this.
  9. offo A Fixture

    It may have caused you to work with the original. The original is made of modeling material and is not as hard and durable as a polyurethane copy. It requires more caution. ;).
    Oda and Martin Rohmann like this.
  10. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    No problem, Pavol, such things are for me the cherry on the cake...!

    :facepalm:
    Nap likes this.
  11. Dolf Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Portugal
    Very nice set you have in there, Martin! (y)

    Excellent work on that crack! I wonder if it couldn't have been the "ultrasonic bath" that caused it? Or is it 100% safe?

    Looking forward for the next steps on this very interesting WiP. Keep up the great work, the final vignette should be absolutely stunning!


    Cheers!

    Dolf
  12. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Hi Dolf!

    No, the crack was already there before I put the bust in the ultrasound bath.

    Here's a cutting of a photo I made on October 22 before cleaning - if you look closely, you can see the crack on it ...:

    [IMG]

    Ultrasound is absolutely safe! I clean my rather expensive (unfortunately!) glasses with it, my wife her (still much more expensive ** sigh **) jewelry - and I have cleaned all my figures with it - it has NEVER anything happened!

    And many thanks for your other words!

    :happy:
    Oda, Dolf and Nap like this.
  13. Dolf Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Portugal
    Martin,

    Only not long ago I found out about those ultrasound devices. There's a guy who posts videos on YT who mentions them and in one of the videos shows how they work.

    That is great news that they are absolutely safe. If your wife cleans her expensive jewlery with that device, it sure must be safe :p

    Keep us updated as your work on this beautiful set of busts progresses.

    Cheers!

    Dolf
  14. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    4. Day, October 25, 2018

    So - from today on "Grigory" will be struck with paint!

    I start with the cloth cap of the Lambskin Papacha.

    Of course, "Grigorij" carries them the Cossack way, as far as possible on the ear and as far as possible on the back of the head, which should look "daring".

    [IMG]

    The above picture from the film shows "Grigorij" in the Black Sea port of Novorossijsk, as the remnants of the defeated "white" Don Cossacks are evacuated by the Western Allies over sea after a long escape from the Red Army - and "Grigorij" refuses at the last moment Ship and go into exile!

    Around him we see a lot of cossacks with papachas, all of them showing a red cloth cap, but to be sure of what "Grigory" Papacha looks like, we need a different photo:

    [IMG]

    We see: Black lambskin, red cap - and on top of it the inevitable cross of two thin silver tresses sewn on.

    Means:
    The cap must be like this ...:

    [IMG]

    I paint the red fabric with there oils...

    [IMG]

    ... working with many different mixes with me to avoid the red turning out to be "gaudy" or "candy colored" and the shadows and lights not becoming unrealistically "hard".

    I am quite satisfied with the result ...:

    [IMG]


    Stay the silver tresses!

    From a lunch box, two handkerchiefs and a cut piece of baking paper I make myself a lockable wet palette ...:

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    Then I paint the tresses. Pure white I avoid, instead I take these colors ...:

    [IMG]

    The lights and shadows of the red fabric are of course "taken along" at the tresses - and a super-thin outlining makes them much more vivid ...:

    [IMG]


    Last work for today:

    The brightest parts of the tears (the ones that get the most light) are carefully with silver ...

    [IMG]

    ...drybrushed.

    That gives a nice subtle shimmering effect, actually more to guess than to see ...:

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]


    End of the first day of painting!
    Kevtk135, Oda, offo and 1 other person like this.
  15. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Martín

    Good to see a colour coming onto him , and very timely as I will be painting silver lacework soon but will substitute white for the silver perhaps .

    Interesting also about the wet pallete using tissues ...do they not break up when soaked ?

    Thanks for sharing this great beginning

    Nap
    Oda likes this.
  16. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    What bust (I'm sure, that is a bust!) it will be...?

    That has never happened to me.

    Cheers
  17. Oda A Fixture

    Two great sculpts that interact wonderfully with eachother ,your endless love for the subject (Cossacks) and your extremely patient,systematic approach and meticulous work.A recipe for success!Always fascinating to watch your SBSs.

    Oda.
    Martin Rohmann likes this.
  18. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    6. Day, October 26, 2018



    As an ordinary Cossack Grigorij Melechow moves into the First World War...:

    [IMG]

    He is promoted once during the war - to Prikashnij (= corporal) ...:

    [IMG]

    In both cases he wears the cockade on his cap which ordinary soldiers in the tsarist empire wore ...:

    [IMG]

    Rather:
    Should have worn, because the thing was made of absolutely inferior material, superficially painted tinplate, and after a few weeks field service usually it looked like this ...:

    [IMG]

    It is the same with "Grigorij's" cockade as you can see in the pictures above.

    When the revolution breaks out in Russia and the front collapses, Grigorij, just like tens of thousands of others, simply goes home, and after a short interlude on the side of the Bolsheviks (whose behavior disgusts him) he joins the "white" Cossack army, which tries to liberate the Don area from the "reds".

    Because of his experience and popularity, he is elected Sotnik (Lieutenant /Leader of a Sotnia of 100 men) - and from then he wears the appropriate Officer Epaulettes (But only in the movie! In the book, he must make his rank insignia of cardboard and with ink pen itself!).

    [IMG]

    Why am I telling you this at epic latitude?

    Among the officer's insignia of rank was the corresponding officer's cockade in the Czarist army (and also among the "White"!).

    [IMG]

    It is up to the present day that officers wear other cockades than ordinary soldiers! Not even in Soviet times did one deviate from this "tradition"!

    Whichever cockade it is: The tiny things are enormously difficult to paint because of their oval shape! One can not work with points!

    I spent a whole painting session today for the "Grigorij's" cockade.

    And these colors wre used ...:

    [IMG]

    Here is the result ...:

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]


    What do you mean...?
    Joe55 and Oda like this.
  19. Martin Antonenko A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    7. Day, October 27, 2018

    Today I finish the papacha!

    First of all, the fur cap gets three thin coats of highly diluted pure black ...:

    [IMG]

    This color should "settle" in the wells and later provide plasticity ...:

    [IMG]

    [IMG]


    After the black is dried, the lights and shadows are on.

    If you look at pictures of original papachas you will notice that there is a surprising amount of light and shadow ...:

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]


    So I take these colors ...

    [IMG]

    ... and "brush" with a nearly dry hard border brush the different shades on, from time to time brighter, until I have reached the highest light level.

    Subsequently, where necessary, the transitions are again blinded.


    Well - "Grigorijs" Papacha is finished ...:

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    [IMG]


    Comments - even crtitically ones - welcome!

    Have a nice weekend!
    Kevtk135, Oda, offo and 1 other person like this.
  20. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Martin

    Thanks again for the update and paint details ...nice resuit , I would probably put another dark wash over but that's me you have good highs on this and tge resuit is what you wanted and in keeping with the reference pictures

    Thanks for sharing

    Have a good weekend

    Nap
    Oda and Martin Rohmann like this.

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