Ellen Stone, Cowgirl: Figure 168 of 265

     This week I completed the Ellen Stone, Cowgirl figure as I begin working on the Chronoscope set.  This figure is notorious for it's missing nose (another Bones I casting error), and I know some folks have painted the figure like an alien for space-cowboy settings because of its almost snake-like facial appearance.  I, however, wanted to see if with generous shadow and highlight, could get her looking more normal in her face, and so decided to paint her like a normal woman.
    As I studied how I wanted to paint her, the fact that she wasn't wearing anything under her shirt was obviously apparent.  I thought about painting the shirt white, and as I thought this it occurred to me that it might be neat opportunity to try and attempt a level of translucency to the shirt, as might occur with a thin white cotton shirt.
       I prepped the figure in the usual way; soaking it in a dish of water with a couple drops of dish- soap added, then giving it a light scrub with a soft toothbrush, and then rinsing and drying.   I then glued the figure to a 1" black-primed fender washer with Aleene's Tacky glue, and glued the washer to a tongue depressor with a couple drops of Elmer's White Glue.

      I began by painting her hands, face, and entire torso with Americana "Shading Flesh". I then painted her shirt with Americana "Dove Grey".  When this was dry, I went back and gave the shirt a wash with some of the "Shading Flesh" heavily thinned with water.  This caused it to flow into the creases that would be laying closer to her skin.  I then mixed a little of the "Dove Grey" and "Shading Flesh" together and painted the shirt where it lay directly on her breasts. I then took some of the "Dove Grey" and retouched up all the raised creases in her shirt, and where the placket ran down each side of the front.

      Next, I painted the pants with Crafters Acrylic "Navy Blue" and then her chaps with Accent "Mustard Seed".  I then painted her duster with Americana "Khaki Tan".  I worked on her hair next, painting that Apple Barrel "Burnt Sienna". Then I did her gun stock and grips with Crafters Edition Spice Brown. Her belt and shoes I painted  Americana "Asphaltum", and her holsters Crafters Acrylic "Cinnamon Brown". I painted her neckerchief with Folk Art "Deep Tomato Red"

    When all the paint had time to dry, I gave the figure a wash with Winsor Newton "Peat Brown" ink using a wet brush, being very careful to not let any get on the white shirt.

     When the ink wash was dry, I began on the highlights.  I did the eyes first, then I worked on the face, hands and chest, using the base "Shading Flesh" first, and then Crafters Acrylic "Flesh" second to do lighter highlights.  I added a little White to do the very tip of the nose and the chest.  I then did the lips by mixing some of the "Shading Flesh" with the "Deep Tomato Red". I mixed in a little white to do the lip highlights. I added eyebrows with the "Burnt Sienna".   Next, I worked on the hair, drybrushing it first with the base "Burnt Sienna", and then with Americana "Georgia Clay", then painting on finer highlights with Americana "Burnt Orange".

   I moved to the shirt next, painting on highlights with "White".  I then highlighted the chaps with Ceramcoat "Raw Sienna", and the duster with Crafters Edition "Taupe". I highlighted the shoes and belt with the "Cinnamon Brown", the holsters with the "Spice Brown", and the gun stock and grips with Americana "Sable Brown". I highlighted the neckerchief with the base "Deep Tomato Red".

    Next, I did the metals; painting the guns' metal parts  with Accent "Princely Pewter". I then painted the belt buckles with Ceramcoat "Metallic Pewter", and then used this color to add highlights to the guns' metal parts.  I wrapped up by painting the white base with Ceramcoat "Walnut".

     After the figure had the afternoon to dry, I gave it a coat of Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish" in the evening.  The next morning I flocked the base, using both a sand mixture and regular green flock; and later that afternoon I sprayed the figure with Testor's Dullcote. 

   

     I'm happy with how she came out; particularly the face, which I think is one of my best to date.   Despite it's casting flaws I'm very pleased with this figure.