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WIP Critique WWI Stormtrooper bust by Young WIP

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Meehan34, Mar 30, 2010.

  1. Meehan34 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    (first posted in painting forum) Here are the second steps towards my attempt to paint this incredible bust by Young Miniatures. I Have added some more highlites to the face to give him that ghostly, defeated, malnourished, living with rats in a wet muddy trench look. I have also finished the helmet and attached it to the head. The helmet was done adding multiple stippled on layers of thick paint in various colors, I am trying to imitate a real one I saw at the Hussar last weekend. I am super pleased with the helmet almost to being surprised. Please post any comments and suggestions to help me do justice to this terrific bust.

    ww4.JPG ww5.JPG

    ww3.JPG ww2.JPG

    ww.JPG
    gordy, mil-mart, Hardy and 4 others like this.
  2. Sambaman Well-Known Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Nice work here Mike. I would look closely at the lips. They feel too dark to me. Look at the B&W image this is taken from again and look closely at the lips. They are lit as such that the lower lip is much lighter, and over all they don't appear this dark. I understand you may not be trying to achieve the look of the image, I think they are too dark regardless.

    I really like the weathered look you got on the helmet, however, I would take one to step back from that for a minute agian as well. At this point, it looks like a relic to me, and not a nicely weahtered "current" article that this individual would be wearing. For me, it could stand more in the way of "natural" weathering (mud, small bits of rust (read small), chipping and wear and tear). The way it looks now it appears to me as a relic from a dig and not a battle worn helm still on the front.

    Mike, I know you know I'm not being critical, just trying to advise and encourage. Your flesh tones have come a very long way! Just a thought here as well. Darker circles under his eyes, and just a bit deeper shadows under the cheek bones would lend a more guant, weary look to this fellow. Now, that is not a sugestion of what needs to be improved, just a thought on my part that might add to this poor souls trench-weary look!

    Jay H.
  3. Meehan34 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    Jay; first and foremost I am thankful that you have taken the time to point these things out and thankful to others who have done the same in the past. That said.

    I am really weak on doing lips and your suggestions are exactly what he needs. I added too much brown I think and then got stumpped on what to do next. This tip is perfect and what I was hoping for.

    The helmet, you know I really didn't even think about it when I was looking at 100 year old helmet, that it wasn't always 100 years old! That's almost like painting a dinosaur as a collection of bones because I went to the museum and that's what they looked like. Ok I admit I can be an idiot sometimes. I sure hate to strip this helmet I have because it looks so awesome. Is there a salvage to it besides stripping it?

    Flesh: I thought about adding some Payne's gray to the areas you suggested but got a little scared this would be too extreme and lead to a second strip of the face (yes I stripped him once already). is this the color you had in mind?

    Let me know if you have time and thank you very much for the honest and insightful advice.
  4. Ulrich A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Mike. First of all that is a beautiful painted helmet, but as Jay mentioned it is a kind of helmet you will find today in a museum after they have dig it out of the ground and have clean it.

    As I have seen the first time the original photo I thought that the young guy was looking tired, wasted, frustrated and had that what Jay calles a "trench-weary look"

    I have the figure from Jon Smith depending on the same photo and I will buy the bust from Young too. But I will try to paint him pale with a light grey tone, not with a fresh skin tone.

    For me the photo is a symbol for the youth of that period, which was sacrificed for a useless war

    Ulrich
  5. rheath Active Member

    Country:
    South-Africa
    Nice start sir, yes the skin tones are a liitle lively but you can tone down with
    some darker colours as medium brown or even some leather. A liitle green added will also work in shadow areas around the nose.:)
  6. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    Mike it's a great start on a great figure.
    But i have to agree with Jay and Ulrich about the helmet, he is digged out of a trench.
    The skintone's are a bit to red for a trenchlook.

    Marc
  7. housecarl Moderator

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Looking good Mike, I would take the comments for what they are. Constructive criticism, that will only help you improve on this great start.
    Carl.
  8. Michael Tse Active Member

    Country:
    HongKong
    Hi Mike,

    How does it feel to be the first guy to make the post ons a new hot bust? :)

    I can see Lee's influence of your work here from your decisions on area of highlight. I don't want to make any further comment at this stage as you obviously have taken in a lot of advices and are in the middle of refining painted areas.

    Look fwd to updates!
  9. Meehan34 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    Thank you everyone for the honest advice and trust me this is what I want to hear to make my painting better. I would rather get these kinds of comments than a half hearted "great work" when it really isn't great. I slapped a little paint on him (using your advice as a guide) last night and will do a little more at lunch. Hopefully I will post some updated pics at that time. I am still unsure of how to tackle the helmet problem. Any suggestions or photo's for reference?
  10. 1969 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Mike are you using Oils ?
    I have to say mate evn though the helmet is wrong for the period it is the best painted relic helmet i have seen, the texture and colours are exellent mate.
    As to what to do to make it more appropriate you may have to strip it and paint it again. If you used oils for the helmet once it is fully dry you should be able to peel the whole coating of in one piece , bit like a piece of Latex, this will prevent any damage to the face.

    I like where you are going with this one and with soem subtle hints of maybe blue, violet and green into selected areas of the fleah, under eyes, cheeks etc it will give a more dramatic effect.

    I like you am just learning with painting and i am leaning more toward oils for faces as you can get some very nice effects for different moods which i just cant get with acrylics.

    look forward to seeing more of this one mate.

    Steve(y)
  11. housecarl Moderator

    Country:
    United-Kingdom

    Attached Files:

  12. Ulrich A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Hi Mike

    here some other examples. If you want to paint it with camouflage I can send you photos from such helmets too. But the camouflage was use first 1918. And if you need some higher resolution photos, no problem

    Attached Files:

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    • helm02.jpg
      helm02.jpg
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    • 03.jpg
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  13. Meehan34 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    Steve; thanks alot for the compliment on the relic helmet. I hate to strip it but I know that is probably my only shot at getting it right. So I will just suck it up and do it.

    Carl; Thanks for the pictures, I saw that camo pattern on another helmet and was not a fan of it so I am going to go with the solid version.

    Ulrich; yes that's it, those are perfect! Thank you!

    Thanks again all, hopefully an update at lunch.

    Mike
  14. Meehan34 A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    worked a little on hiim at lunch and came up with this. I haven't touched the helm yet. I think he is looking more like he has spent years in the trenches. Please post your thoughts.


    ww2.JPG ww1.JPG
  15. housecarl Moderator

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Looking good Mike, he's got that gaunt haunted look that I think that you were aiming for.
    Carl.
  16. Chris Oldfield A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    Mike,
    Yes, you've got the malnourished haunted look now. Remember that by 1917 Germany was seriously suffering the effects of naval blockade, & this impacted on her frontline troops too. I'm still sold on the idea of the dazzle-painted helmet, because the stormtroops' uniform & kit didn't change that much between 1916 & 1918 so some artistic licence is still possible.
    I received my Stormtrooper in the mail today, & he's a stunning figure which I can't wait to get started on. The texture of the Stahlhelm is especially noteworthy, you obviously picked up on this too because of the amount of care & time you're devoting to it.
    Can't wait to see more!
    Cheers,
    Chris(y)
  17. Ulrich A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Mike

    much better. I like it

    Ulrich
  18. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    Mike,
    You succeed to give him the TrenchWarfare look. The guy is suffering from the endless sound of shells, mine's exploding, hunger, and dead all around him.
    He is going over the top within a few minutes.
    I think you give him that look.
    Great work so far.
  19. rheath Active Member

    Country:
    South-Africa
    GOOD ! GOOD ! GOOD !, now your into the trenches, I like it mate, look forward to further progress, in my opinion I would leave the helmet, IMHO.(y)
  20. unknown01 New Member

    Country:
    Japan
    Excellent progress Mike!
    I liked it very much.
    The color of the helmet and the skin is very good.

    Mitsutaka

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