As I looked at this figure and considered how to paint him, there was something about his outfit that struck me as very Napoleonic in appearance. So, I got the idea to paint him in the style of a French soldier from that era.
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 painting by giving the figure a wash with thinned black ink with a tiny pin-point drop of dishsoap added to help it flow into the crevices and help show the sculpting details.
When the ink wash was dry, I painted his pants White, and his jacket with DecoArt "Navy Blue". Next, I painted his cloak and the hanging at his front with DecoArt "Storm Cloud grey".
After these colors had had time to dry, I gave them a wash with GW "Badab Black" wash using a wet brush. When this wash was dry, I then painted his face with DecoArt "Flesh", and his hair with Folk Art "Dark Brown". His staff I painted with DecoArt "Cinnamon Brown", and his gloves with Americana "Buttermilk". The front of his shirt I painted with GW "Blood Red", and his cross belt I painted White. The pack on his back I painted with Accent "Real Umber", and the 3 (what I assumed were) scrolls carried in it I painted with the "Buttermilk", DecoArt "Light Antique White" and Americana "Khaki".
Then, when these colors had had time to dry, I gave them all a wash with GW "Agrax Earthshade" using a wet brush, avoiding those areas I had already given a wash with the "Badab Black".
When the "Agrax Earthshade" wash had dried, I painted his boots, and the assorted pouches and scroll cases he carried with "Black". The two bottles carried in his cross belt I painted Americana "Forest Green", and DecoArt "Dark Turquoise". I then painted corks in the bottles with the "Khaki". The (what I assumed were) scrolls in the front cases I painted with the "Buttermilk" and the "Light Antique White". The handle (sword grip?) carried at his waist I painted with the "Real Umber". I let the scrolls and handle dry, and I then gave them a quick wash with some of the "Agrax Earthshade" using a wet brush.
I then began on the highlights, starting first with his hair and drybrushing it with Americana "Sable Brown". I then did his eyes; Black sockets,White whites, and Black pupils. Next, I highlighted his face with the base "Flesh", and added eyebrows with some of the "Dark Brown". I then highlighted all the black items with Folk Art "Settlers Blue"; then mixed some of the "Settlers Blue" with the "Navy Blue" and highlighted his jacket. After that, I highlighted his pants with White, and while I had the White out I added a small highlight dot to each of the bottles in his crossbelt. The front of his jacket I highlighted with the base "Blood Red". I highlighted his cloak first with the base "Storm Cloud Grey", and then with the lighter Folk Art "Platinum Grey". His staff, and the pack on his back, I highlighted with the Cinnamon Brown", and his gloves with the base "Buttermilk. All the scrolls I highlighted with their original base colors.
I then painted the top of his staff (which I think looks slightly reminiscent of a stylized French Imperial Eagle standard), the end of the handle at his waist, and all his buttons with Ceramcoat "Bronze". I let this dry, and I then gave the top of his staff and the handle end a quick wash with some of the "Agrax Earthshade" using a wet brush. When dry, I highlighted the staff top, handle end and buttons all with Ceramcoat "14K Gold". Lastly I painted the figure's white base with Ceramcoat "Walnut".
After the figure had the overnight to dry, I gave it a coat of Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish" the next morning. That afternoon I flocked the base, and the next morning I sprayed the figure with Testor's Dullcote. That afternoon I gave the bottles in his crossbelt a coat of Americana "DuraClear Gloss" Varnish to help with the glass look.
I'm really pleased how this figure turned out. I think the Napoleonic French infantry color scheme looks very good on him. He would make a good steampunk wizard in the right setting.
Nice work on this knife thrower.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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