Hello all,

Continuing my experimentations with oils I decided to give this excellent bust a try and paint it in black and white. I always liked the idea to paint something in grey tones, since this way I think one can focus on volume and not color (and because I suck on colors...;-p). On the other hand I always bring to my mind's eye the famous black and white photograph of him. Also, following the advice of other painters I had a dry box built, but perhaps it's small, since it's 20cmx20cmx20cm and the distance from the resin bust and the lamp is close to 5-6cm. PF member megroot gave me some advice on this matter and I thank him for his time. Fearing that I might damage the bust somehow, I alter the times in and out of the box between perhaps 30' to 45' in and 5' minutes out. I think most of the gloss from the face is gone (it's hard to tell in the following pictures), but for the chest not so much , perhaps due to the fact that I used a medium in the oil paint that improves (says in the label) the flow of the paint.

My approach to the painting was to use photoshop and alter the image of the box art (desaturated it) with a paint dubs filter to give me an idea of the light dark / areas, and added a value string of white-black tones for reference. Having that as a guide I try to match the areas correctly and blend the oils.

A word of caution: If you print this image then some alteration of the greys may occur due to printer settings!. Also depending on the monitor settings the image may seem yellowish. I use it as a refererence and not trying to match exactly the colors on the print.

It is an approach more oriented towards fine-art portrait paintings and is something worth trying I think. I will keep probably the greenish tint on the jacket or a mutated orange for the cigar. And definetely a red star!

I am using Titanium White, Ivory Black (which gives a blue-ish kind of tint) and a touch of Yellow Ochre Pale.

You can see the pictures below. On the value string (with 9 being black and white being one) and starting from dark to light I would say that the images you see fall around 6.

@megroot : This bust marks my 10th figure (yippeee!). A couple of years ago when I joined PF, megroot was kind enough to praise my first figures and he said : 'If this are your first figures, then I wonder how the outcome is of your 10 th.'. So, I hope you like what you see and how it comes along...Stay tuned...

A request: Knowing and having read all the comments and the debate about that particular bust when Historia Miniatures released it, I would appreciate all of you who bother to comment and critique, to please refer to my painting skills and let's not start another political debate on the subject.

Thank you all very much. I will post more pictures soon, since I have already laid the next layers yesterday and I keep going towards the light... ;-p

Looks good, but in MY opinion you give yourself a hard time. Painting with black is very difficult. To vary all the greytones is so extremely difficult.
But, you did a good job on this.
And you 'give me to much credits. Every guy here on the planet will give you the advice you need.

Marc

Thank you megroot. Just so happened to ask you, so credit where credit's due.

That's a big challenge indeed but aiming high is the way to improve.
I dont know what kind of colors u have used for the face bit IMO and judging by the pics (which can sometimes be misleading) i think the hue is kinda blueish.(maybe there is paynes grey in ur mix). I think black and white photos tend more to warm tones so i would personally use something like sepia to warm things up.
Oh and always be carefull with resin and heat(dry box). They dont go along very well!!!espescially when you have small thin parts like the cigar here.
Take care
Keep us posted

Thanx Jimias. As I said, I am using Titanium white and Ivory black, which indeed gives a blue-ish tint...At this point I think I will be going along with these two...oil painters use glazes with transparent oils once the painting is finished, but to tell you the truth I will really really think about something like that once I lay down the brushes and call it finished...will see...

Continuing to the next layer of lights...

Nice try arxo,μαλλον δενβγηκε 100% οπως το ειχες κι εσυ στο μυαλο σου απ'οτι καταλαβα.προσωπικα πιστευω πως θα ηταν καλυτερα να μην ηταν τοσο μεγαλη ητονικγη διαφορα στο χιτωνιο και το δερμα και οπωσδηποτε επρεπε να βαλεις και κανα καφετι λαδι στις μιξεις σου και πολυ ελαχιστο απο τα πραγματικα χρωματα καθε επιφανειας.ετσι νομιζω θα εδινε καλυτερα την αισθηση μιας παλιας φωτογραφιας.

interesting idea......nice job...

Χρήστο σε ευχαριστώ για την κριτική...βασικά όπως είπα είναι ένα πείραμα, σε μαύρο κι άσπρο κι όπως λέει κι ο Μπάμπης είναι μια ενδιαφέρουσα ιδέα...κοιτώντας πάντως τις φωτος και τη φιγούρα θα έλεγα οτι στις φωτος φαίνεται τελικά πιο μπλε απ' ότι είναι στην πραγματικότητα...θα δούμε πως θα βγει...

Thank you for your comments and critique...!

Looking good!
I'm really looking forward to see next stages.

cheers

'eM

interesting work my friend Arxo, i 'm also looking forward to seeing what you'll do next

I'm fond ChrisP's suggestion... Anyway, I do believe it's an interesting attempt

A little update. Face is almost done, I don't think I will go all the way up to pure titanium white, perhaps a few touch ups. Eyes are reserved for last. Cigar, hair, jacket and hat are blocked with acrylics. A touch of blue was added to the black on the hat, a little blue-yellow to the black on the jacket and a little dark brown on the black for the cigar but I suppose that doesn't show in the pics . Now, I must say that the temptation to finish them in acrylics is considerable, but I will go all the way with oils (unless I don't!) . All critics and comments are welcome, thank you.

Great idea and it goes Really well ! his flesh is awesome !! maybe a bit highlight at facial hairs !
I will follow that

Thanx Danis. I haven't touch any hair yet, facial or not...will do though asap!

It was (and still is) in my plans to paint this bust in black and white so I am looking your progress with interest, your work looks fine to me so far. I only have to mention that your colors are too cold, I thing that are missing some warm colors like sepia for example, anyway, I am looking forward for your new pics of the progress

@Christosjager: Thank you Chris and can't wait to see your version. Yes, you are right about the 'cold' feel. Ivory black is considered to be 'cold'. It was never though my intention to do a sepia version. As I said I approached this as a study in black and white and not as an old photograph like ChrisP proposed. Something like a charcoal painting perhaps.

(But then again, maybe I will buy another one and do a sepia version too. And then another one to do a color version too !!! )

Χρήστο σε ευχαριστώ για το χρόνο σου και τα σχόλιά σου. Η φιγούρα είναι εξαιρετική, 'βάφεται' μόνη της, συνεχίστε την πολύ καλή δουλειά που κάνετε.

your paintwork in black is very interesting and lovely...cheers

Thank you fabrizio...

Completed : http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/che-guevara-historia-miniatures-completed.56420/#post-571623