Lovely fleshtones !

I am painting a bust with a winter theme too. This is great stuff

This is clearly on the way to being yet another of your wonderful pieces, Tony.
Nice work so far, mate.
I was surprised to learn when I was researching this retreat just how many poor souls who hadn't yet sucumb to the cold were picked off by wolves, must have been an horrific scene.I can imagine this figure looking off into the distance wondering if a wolf was tracking him.......cheers.

Mirofsoft, Brian, Benjamin and Mark - thanks again guys.

Mark - why can I hear Duran Duran now ? I actually think that's a great bit of context for a solider with a bleeding leg wound in the middle of a blizzard. Looking over your shoulder for hungry Russian wolves, both metaphoric and literal. While I'm on the subject.....

Many Planeteers will have had numerous ocassions to question the sanity of Mark S over the years (I know I have).

Recently Mark has seemed more unhinged than usual, especially when he rambled on incoherently about Creme of Tartar.
It seemed like the raving gibberish of a lunatic . Now I know better!!

Mark sent me a small canister of Creme of Tartar powder several weeks ago and last night I decided to put it to the test and use it for making snow and slush on the base for this figure. Mark, I sincerely apologise to you. You're not a nut job, you're a fricking genius.

A bit of Creme of Tartar mixed with white glue and water and a few small drops of dilute Raw Umber and a few microballoons have created a very realistic snow/ slush base. I'll take some pics in a day or two but I just wanted to acknowledge your brilliance on this forum and start the healing process early.

Great progress Tony,
The weathering looks really fine.
Cheers,
Keith

Tony excellent facial tones and weathering so far also looking forward to seeing the result of Mark's slush recipe .

Cheers Ken

Tony, I'm thrilled to welcome you to the exciting world of Cream of Tartar....otherwise known as "The Enlightenment"
Of course it's been something of a struggle, and indeed a very lonely selfless journey at times, attempting to bring the wondrous advantages of Cream of Tartar to a wider audience in the face of disbelief and ridicule.
But the whole time I've always found solace in the knowledge that I'm not the first to confront ignorance in the face of exceptional brilliance.
They laughed at Edison, they laughed at Marconi and they laughed at that guy that invented the K-Tel record selector so i know I'm in good company.
Cheers....good luck, you'll never turn back now.


P.S. I may have forgotten to mention that in some university tests even the briefest exposure to Cream of Tartar has been found to contribute to some cases of stupidity or mild cretinism but I've been using it for years now without any obvious symptoms.....................

OK, latest WIP pics attached.

Still to do:

Finish painting musket and left hand
Finish painting purple sash around waist
Add lower half of belt that affixes to sabre
Paint and attach sabre
Add bayonet
Add snow effects to figure
Fix figure to base
More snow
Colour and weather the snow
More snow

I hope you like the way its coming

Hi guys,

Still working on this guy. Starting to add the snow effects and the final pieces. Once they are all done, I'll give the figure some overall oil washes and another burst of pastels.

Great work on the weathering task. Snow and mud effects are very realistic

Thanks Gerard, I appreciate your comments. As you can imagine, I don't get much experience with snow here in Western Australia, so I'm gratified you think the snow and mud effects look realistic.

Lovely work, Tony! Very convincing face tones, snow and mud effect.
It's like he's realy there, in extreme wheaterconditions. Well done!
Eddy
http://www.bloggen.be/eddys_painted_figures/

Looks great Tony, wonderful piece..
Beautifully rendered.....and nice snow!

Looking beautifull Tony!!!
Keep on

Regards
Pedro

Great work tony,I love the finish,congratulations

Eddy, Mark, Pedro and Brian, thank you all. It's inspiring to get such positive feedback.

There are still a few tweaks needed before I declare this figure finished.

Great work Tony... not a bad representation of cold and snow from someone probably not used to shovelling it
You've done a great job bringing out the character of this subject.

I picture him listening for the hoofbeats of the Cossacks harrassing the column... nasty buggers, those I'd rather deal with the wolves.

Again, great work

Colin

Great job tony, is it for a collector or your own collection ?

Hi Colin, thanks mate. I was quite taken by Mark S's idea of roving packs of wolves picking off the stragglers as they got left behind on that long march, so I'm sure between the wounded leg, the Cossacks, the wolves and the freezing cold, this poor sod had plenty to fear and good reason to be looking over his shoulder. Thanks for your comments.

Brian, I've never sold any of my figures to a collector for two reasons. Firstly, no one has ever asked to buy them, and secondly because I like to give them away to family and friends, or donate them to charities for fund raising purposes if I don't want them for my own collection. This one is staying in my own collection at home (unless someone wants to make me an offer ).

Sorry I nearly missed this one Tony, looking superb so far look forward to the finish.


Cheers David