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Native Indian Flesh SBS

Discussion in 'Post Your Own Articles & SBS' started by SRP, Aug 6, 2011.

  1. SRP Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    My only reservations in providing an SBS on any of my work are 1...becoming boring..2...teaching Grandma to suck eggs.
    There are far better painters than me out there, so this is just a quick rundown on how I achieve a passable flesh finish.

    fig 1

    View attachment 72938 1 OCHRE UNDERCOAT.jpg

    1 I start with undercoating the figure with an OCHRE COLOR, acrylic or enamel, which is then left to dry overnight.



    View attachment 72939 2 OIL COAT.jpg

    2... Mix RAW UMBER with BURNT UMBER (50/50) oil paint and brush over flesh areas..not too thick..just enough to cover u/coat. This takes a little nerve as it looks terrible..but a little patience pays off.
    View attachment 72940 3 WIPE OFF.jpg

    3...After letting this coat 'bite' into the u/coat for around 20-30 minutes..using several large SOFT brushes...gently wipe off the oil..changing your brush regularly for a clean DRY one..until you have exposed the u/coat and left a little of the dark in the shadows.
    You are really just staining the u/coat at this stage.
    View attachment 72941 View attachment 72942 4 SOFTEN SHADOWS.jpg 4b SOFTEN SHADOWS.jpg

    4...Take a smaller soft brush and gently work over the dark oils in the shadows..not removing it..just blending the edges.
    View attachment 72943 5 FIRST WET ON WET HIGHLIGHTS.jpg

    5...Whilst it is still wet...mix YELLOW OCHRE with a little VENETIAN RED to make a slight ORANGE color...and gently brush this on to the large highlights..this is mainly a dry brush technique..and the difference won't look that obvious at this stage.
    It is important to leave the painting at this stage to dry overnight before any more highlights/shadows are added. This enables future paint additions to sit on top and not dissapear into the dark brown oil.
    View attachment 72944 View attachment 72945
    6 FIRST DRY HIGHLIGHTS.jpg 6b  FIRST DRY HIGHLIGHTS.jpg
    6...Now mix NAPLES YELLOW with a little YELLOW OCHRE and VENETIAN RED ..then add this in small dots and streaks to the flesh highlight points.
    View attachment 72946

    7...Gently blend this with a small soft brush..I use a number 1...at this stage you can add a little of the RAW UMBER/VENETIAN RED mix to the shadows..also carefully blending in. Oil in paint is a little like engine oil...runs better when warm...so keep going over with the brush and as it warms..it will blend more easily.
    View attachment 72947 7 BLEND HIGHLIGHTS.jpg
    8 PAINT DETAILS.jpg
    8...At this stage..leave the flesh to dry a little. I usually move on to painting the rest of the figure details..as this will help 'see' the flesh better.
    9  LIGHTEN AND SHADE DRY FLESH.jpg 10 LIGHTEN AND SHADE DRY FLESH.jpg

    9/10...The flesh stands out more when all around it is painted...so now you can see where more highs and shades are needed.
    Add extra highs by adding more NAPLES YELLOW and WHITE to your highlight mix.
    11 STILL ROOM FOR SHADES AND HIGHS.jpg

    11...Figure appears almost finished..but there is always room for a few extra highs using NAPLES YELLOW and WHITE.
    12 SAMPLE  CLEAR COAT.jpg 12b SAMPLE  CLEAR COAT.jpg

    12/12b...These two figures were painted using the same method described above...you can add a 'sweaty' appearance to the flesh by brushing on one or two THINNED coats of FUTURE FLOOR POLISH. This is ideal for Gladiators or figures in hot climates.
    Hope this is of some use...and please get in touch if you require any more info regarding this method.
    Steve.
    Edorta, Mariner, Richie and 1 other person like this.
  2. housecarl Moderator

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Simples!:cautious: I've tried this and it looks like somebody has painted on oils, then wiped it off. I'll stick to my acrylics, but an excellent SBS all the same Steve.
    Cheers mate,(y)
    Carl.
  3. Steve Ski PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-States
    Well that definitely helps Steve. I have the first few steps right, I must have quit too soon before. I'll crank it up again and let ya know how it goes. Oilers ROCK!

    Thx for the posting, Ski.
  4. SRP Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Keep at it Steve...it comes in the end..!!
    Steve
  5. gordy Well-Known Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Thanks for sharing Steve (y) I'm tagging this thread for a future article :D
  6. SRP Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Cheers Gordy..if you need any more info let me know...
    Steve
  7. Richie A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Steve,
    I knew with a bit of prompting you would deliver the goods. Great SBS mate,very easy to follow and very effective. I want to find and try my hand a couple of figures now - may be Michael Roberts "The Pursuit" or "Bushy Run".
    Thanks for the post.
    cheers
    Richie
  8. SRP Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Richard...I have seen the pieces you mentioned..'The Persuit'.looks the best to me..
    ..full of action and great painting possibilities...plus you could listen to the soundtrack of The Last of the Mohicans while painting it to set the mood which is something I do a lot when painting..weird...but it really works for me...!!
    Steve
  9. 1969 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Well you cant argue with the results, three excellent looking figures mate, I have picked up some valuable points from your SBS and really enjoyed reading through it, many thanks mate.

    Steve
  10. Gary D PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    Canada
    Thanks Steve!! Nice presentation. Just the kind of SBS's we've been craving. These SBS's inject enthusiasum into the hobby just when we need it most. Hopefully we'll see more of these. (y)(y)

    Gary
  11. John Bowery A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    Steve,
    Thanks for posting. Very nice SBS
    Cheers
    John
  12. chippy Well-Known Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Thanks for posting that great SBS , Native American Indians are among my favourite subjects but I don't paint as many as I would like to due to getting the flesh colour right . I'll save this sbs and have a go again , THANKS.
    chippy
  13. SRP Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Just practice on a few old figures first Gordon. It's really a matter of getting the timing right before wiping off..and be sure to let it dry before adding highlights..which you can add even when you think the fig might be finished.
    Steve
  14. DaveG Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    I really like how your Indian figures turn out Steve and appreciate this SBS. I am starting a new figure tonight and going to try adapting this approach using acrylics so will make a few adjustments where necessary. Thanks for sharing the knowledge.

    DG
  15. Ron Tamburrini A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Steve had a second look at this ,I think the important part is the use of many fresh brushes to make this technique work.
    I use it on leathers over a humbrol sand base it seems too work better on the humbrols if they are applied with an air brush as they come up totally matt which gives the oils somtehing to bite into. i am also trying this technique with other colours with a little success .
    Great SBS Steve , do do more.

    Ron (y)
  16. Steve Well-Known Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Good end result. I was married to a Comanche woman for about a hundred years and those tones are very close to her brother's skin. Just a reminder to all that there are all sorts of Native American skin tones just as there are all sorts of the rest of us. One size does not fit all.--
  17. Tecumsea PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    England
    Hi Steve, don't be shy about posting, your work is up there with the best, always superbly painted and in imaginative settings. Thanks for the SBS, for average painters like myself these are an invaluable source of reference.

    Keith
  18. housecarl Moderator

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Very effective Steve.
    Thanks for going to the trouble,
    Carl.(y)

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