Spartan aristocrat and carthagian veteran

[Alex]

I have started both of these 2 projects at the same time. Wood bases were custom made by me. Most of the time, I use the metallic base and glue it in place with epoxy glue. I fill the underside with apoxie sculpt. Terrain will then be built in the future with apoxie sculpt as well around the metallic part.
Figures were pinned with epoxy glue and assembled as much as possible.
Weapons were cut out from hands and replaced with steel ones. The gluing was very difficult to do for the carthaginian veteran since I had to remove the original lance from just 4 fingers, then replace with the steel lance, glue the fingers in place and then glue this part to the shield.
I have removed the original leasch and constructed another one from steel wire and it was glued in place with epoxy glue.

Next : priming with Tamiya fine surface primer.

 

[Nap]

Hi Alex

Great to see your SBS on these pieces , they work well together

Look forward to updates and the painting ...especially that dog !!

Thanks for sharing

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Alex]

About the dog. It came in 3 parts : 2 halves for the body and the head.
The two halves were filled with Apoxie sculpt and glued together at the seams with epoxy glue.
Then the head was glued in place with epoxy glue as well.
However, in order to add more strength to the head, a hole was drilled from the bottom of the dog through the body and then through part of the head.
A steel pin was inserted and glued in place.
Hole was filled and sanded smooth.
Much easier this way.

Please note that I do not use super glue or brass pins. I prefer most of the time to use steel for pins and epoxy glue (24 hours or 5 minutes depending on the parts to be glued).

 

[Nap]

Hi Alex

Wise words there ...better to pin

Look forward to more from these two

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Redcap]

The Carthaginian peace was one of the most enjoyable figures I've ever painted. I'm just really surprised you don't see this piece more often. I'm sure you'll enjoy every minute of it Alex.
Gary

 

[Alex]

Figure parts primed with Tamiya fine surface primer.
Terrain done with Apoxie sculpt and covered with Vallejo brown earth for one base and Golden pumice stone for the other
Bases primed with black automotive primer.

 

[Gooner Mike]

Great start well done

 

[Alex]

Basecoat applied everywhere.
Surcoat will have freehand on the bottom inside and out and will be painted as wool.
Tunic (linen) will have freehand on bottom and on sleeves (like the boxart)

Bronze started. Red undercoat. Vallejo metal colors. Shadows done with inks and NOT matte paints.
Bronze parts will be revisited once everything else is painted.

 

[Redcap]

Excellent progress and the helmet in particular is very well done!
Gary

 

[Alex]

Cloak startedView attachment 375612

 

[Alex]

some progress. Bronze armour has been revisited with matte shadows (not finished yet).
freehand started on tunic but not highlights and shadows yet
two pictures of the shield. the shield was covered with a very thin layer of bronze which was folded back. Hence the black outline where the metallic paint will stop in the back.
I always use red or brown as an undercoat for anything bronze or gold. In the back, it will be red leather and in the front, freehand painting started.
I use a reference (very important) so it will be 100% historically accurate. As you can see, when you start freehand, it is very loose in the beginning so to speak.
Left arm pretty much done (it was fun to paint all those veins in trompe l'oeil)..

 

[Henk]

Very nice.

 

[Jed]

Great work

 

[Marco22]

great work Alex !

 

[Dolf]

Amazing work, Alex! Congratulations!


"Left arm pretty much done (it was fun to paint all those veins in trompe l'oeil).."

How do you do that?!...
Especially on a 75mm (I think) figure!

I'm fighting to paint veins on the arms of a 1/10 bust... and failing miserably!

I see you use acrylics, while I do use oils, but that can't be the reason.

What colors/mix of colors do you use for achieving such a wonderful and perfect effect?
And maybe even more important, which brush size do you use?

Thanks!

Cheers!

 

[Alex]

My main brushes for this figure are Raphael 8404 #1 and #2 for basecoating and general blending
Series 7 #1 for overall detailing including the skin
Roubloff Master #1 and #00 for tiny details on the shield for example

I do not use any special medium with acrylic paint, only water with a little bit of flow aid
The technique with oil paint is a little bit different since you have to dilute the paint with white spirit
while I try to dilute acrylic paint as little as possible

 

[Borek]

Wow, amazing work. Great start on the shield, I very curious about the final result. Good luck!!!

Cheers Borek

 

[Blind Pew]

Excellent

 

[KenBoyle]

Simply amazing work Alex! I also appreciate the information on your techniques.

Cheers,
Ken

 

[Dolf]

Thanks a lot, Alex.

Don't think I can find those Roubloff Master brushes you mention on the national market here. The others, yes.

I don't use white spirit for my oils anymore. Nor other just thinners.

For diluting a bit the oils I do spread them on a sheet of paper with a spatula, and then add if needed a few drops of Matt Effect Thinner and occasionally a drop or two of Fast Dry Thinner, both from Abteilung 502.

What I'm still fighting with, on this case, is the right color/mix of colors I should use. I know it probably depends on the skin color/mix of colors I used for the arms, which is probably not that different from the color on the arm of your Spartan.
I tried mixing some white to the base color, and some blue, but it's not working...

I'll keep trying anyway.


Again many thanks

Cheers!