SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Figure painting ... a work in progress 4 new pictures

5441 views
30 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Figure painting ... a work in progress 4 new pictures
Posted by treadwell on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 12:49 PM

Hi guys : )
This is my humble first real attempt at paintinig a figure. He is a 120 mm
Sherman commander that came with the kit I built a couple of years ago.
He is pretty good, but not the quality of moulding you would find in a nice resin figure.
I also looked up what clothes he had on to make sure they were correct and they are.
He is painted completely in Model Master and Vallejo acrylics. Both are excellent and can be mixed with each other to tint to taste.
He is a W.I.P. ... A testbed of sorts so nothing is written in stone. I have all ready stripped him twice with brake fluid . I may strip him again... I don't know yet.... I just wanted to share what I've been trying to do lately.
The inside of the commanders hatch has to be detailed ; I am working on building the periscope,periscope mount and locking mechanisms also.
This will probably be the last thing I work on for a while as I am expecting a third hand surgery to replace at least one metacarpal knuckle soon.
So for better or worse here are some pictures.
thanks for looking,
treadCool

p.s. he is supposed to look like he has about 1 days growth on his beard... don't know how well that shows up

   

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 1:02 PM

I say you did great. I wish I could paint figures, but really haven't tried any since joining the forums.

Good luck friend on the surgery. Hope all goes well with it. Smile

   http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/wing_nut_5o/PANZERJAGERGB.jpg

 Eric 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Nashville, TN area
Posted by bobbaily on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 1:46 PM

I have to agree with Eric-that looks great....very realistic.  And you nailed the eyes.  Great work.

Bob

 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Texas
Posted by wbill76 on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 8:00 PM

That's some nice figure work there brother tread! Beer

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 9:37 PM

Tread, looks great man! Yeah I'll agree the eyes have it, maybe the hardest part of the figure and you nailed them. Funny, sometimes I think the bigger the figure the easier it is to paint. Yes

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Piscataway, NJ!
Posted by wing_nut on Thursday, June 28, 2012 7:39 AM

Real nice work there tread.

I just went through a bunch of tests and was lucky to find out I don't need a similar operation.  Good luck with the surgery. Do everything the doc tells you to so you can back to the madness ASAP.

Marc  

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Thursday, June 28, 2012 8:10 PM

Thanks all you guys : )  Greatly appreciated...it can only get better !

treadCool 

   

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Thursday, June 28, 2012 9:42 PM

Don't be hard on yourself Tread, it looks great.

   http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/wing_nut_5o/PANZERJAGERGB.jpg

 Eric 

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: ON, Canada
Posted by jgeratic on Thursday, June 28, 2012 11:15 PM

I think the execution of the flesh tones is fantastic!  Great job in mixing the various tones.  What exactly is it you are not happy with?

The beard stubble does look feint, but as you say it could be a photo issue.  You can try some black weathering powder.  Just a little dabble is enough, and the stipple method with a brush also adds the look of texture.

For the eyes, you could add a light wash of red, and let the flow accumulate at the inside corners.

regards,

Jack

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in central North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Friday, June 29, 2012 12:51 AM

jgeratic1

I think the execution of the flesh tones is fantastic!  Great job in mixing the various tones.  What exactly is it you are not happy with?

The beard stubble does look feint, but as you say it could be a photo issue.  You can try some black weathering powder.  Just a little dabble is enough, and the stipple method with a brush also adds the look of texture.

For the eyes, you could add a light wash of red, and let the flow accumulate at the inside corners.

regards,

Jack

Hey Bill

  http://files-cdn.formspring.me/profile/20101217/n4d95536e67ffa_medium.jpgI really don't see how this could get any better.....

But then again those suggestions from Jack would really be a way to push it on up.

Beautiful piece of Joe here.

 https://i.imgur.com/LjRRaV1.png

 

 

 
  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Friday, June 29, 2012 8:50 AM

Thanks Jack, :  ) Thanks Steve : )...  He is supposed to look kind of young so I made the stubble on his beard light. It was one of the more sticky points of the paint job causing me to strip the paint last time I tried. Any thing much heavier and it seemed like I was trying to hide the lip color. His eyes are not to bad, but I made the mistake of giving him dark brown eyes and you can't see the pupil...next time , blue or gray/green eyes. In a previous version of him I did do a wash on his face to bring it out better, but it looked crappy under magnification or extreme close up.  I guess I just wanted him to look very clean and sharp in the details for my first one. The close -ups with the camera is a most necessary tool for me.

Thanks so much for the input guys !

treadCool

   

 

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: ON, Canada
Posted by jgeratic on Friday, June 29, 2012 2:02 PM

If you want more detail in the eyes, check out this tutorial:

http://www.planetfigure.com/articles/eye_tutorial-mark_benette/eye-tutorial.html

IMHO the way you have painted the skin tone it does look youthful and is definitely not a veteran of front line combat.   You also have to take into consideration the underlying sculpt, which to me appears the artist has depicted the subject to be older, and this might be the problem.  Remember, youthfulness is not just about lack of wrinkles and healthier skin tone, but there are also structural features that change over time.

Sounds like you are wanting this build to be displayed in a photo-studio setting as opposed to what a viewer sees with the naked eye.  If that is the case, might want to consider painting under some form of magnification.

regards,

Jack

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Hancock, Me USA
Posted by p38jl on Friday, June 29, 2012 2:36 PM

nice job..!

[Photobucket]

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: Democratic Peoples Republic of Illinois
Posted by Hercmech on Friday, June 29, 2012 2:40 PM

I would be super pleased if my figures came out even a quarter as good as that dude!


13151015

  • Member since
    March 2006
  • From: Right Side of a Left State
Posted by Shellback on Friday, June 29, 2012 7:36 PM

Hey man my reaction to this guys face is "fatigue" !!! Looks like he aint slept in days and is tired of being in that cold tank , like durring the Ardennes Offensive . The pale tones and pinkishness around the eyes make that statement . Perhaps he still looks too clean shaven to get the idea of the beard stubble across . Like Jack said try some weathering powders --------lightly , in case you dont like it .

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by redleg12 on Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:46 AM

Tread

On to a new area, figures, and as usual there is no disappointment. Very nice, I so totally inhale at figures, I admire good figure work even more. Great stuff

Rounds Complete!!

"The Moral High Ground....A Great Place to Emplace Artillery."

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: ohio
Posted by vonryan on Saturday, June 30, 2012 9:28 AM

AWESOME WORK treadwell!!

Clay

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Sunday, July 1, 2012 1:59 PM

thanks you guys for taking the time to look and for the suggestions...feed back is important.Yes
Jack, thanks for the link to the eye tutorial..great stuff !
P38JL thank you man !
Hercmech thank you too dude.
Shell ,heya bro'...so my little guy looks tired huh ? probably a reflection of how I felt after stripping and repainting so many times..at least he does have an emotion showing through... I take what I can get ! LOL
DougBrown, thanks man you probably go to Amps in Danbury?
Mike, thanks old buddy for stopping in .. always appreciated : )
VonRyan , Thank you man
Well I know there are some things to make better and I will.. On the figure forum one guy said the straps for the helmet were way out of scale... ( I knew that when I made them... it was just a quicky with tape so I could see where I was goin' ) I am fixing that.
I guess it wasn't to clear from the pictures that only the last 2 pics were finished ( face , not helmet ) most of the pics still had a coat of clear on them and my good buddy Terry Burke told me I should have left it that way... so, alot to think about.
I did finish up the inside of the hatch at least.
Thanks alot guys .. A lot to learn, and I haven't even tried with oils yet !
tread

   

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: San Francisco Bay Area
Posted by bufflehead on Sunday, July 1, 2012 2:20 PM

Wow!  Great work on the figure tread!  Very realistic face and clothing.  With larger figures I guess you don't have to "fake" a lot of the shadows and highlights as much as smaller scales.  I don't do figures myself so I can't provide any suggestions other than keep working on it!  Yes

Ernest

Last Armor Build - 1/35 Dragon M-26A1, 1/35 Emhar Mk.IV Female

     

Last Aircraft Builds - Hobby Boss 1/72 F4F Wildcat & FW-190A8

     

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Monday, July 2, 2012 8:41 PM

Thank you so much Ernest.... I don;t know if bigger is easier though.... LOL

best regards , tread

   

 

  • Member since
    March 2006
  • From: Right Side of a Left State
Posted by Shellback on Monday, July 2, 2012 10:40 PM

Tread man he looks great as is . What would you call the look on his face ? Tired and fed up is what i see . Tones look spot on . Maybe the jacket is little shiny . Details on the turret and hatch look great . Question , what is the round handle  next to the periscope ?Yes

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Amarillo, TX.
Posted by captfue on Monday, July 2, 2012 10:47 PM

Fantastic work

Rules are overrated
  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 8:36 AM

Thank you Captfue !

Hi Shell :  )     I would call the look on his face 'resolve'....he is a young guy who is gonna get it done come hell or high water.  The whole inside of this type hatch is set in a race of bearings and rotates 360 degrees The small nob is the locking nob... just turn it in and it locks by friction..very similar to the nob on the back of the periscope Here is a pic of the real deal I copied to build my latch,periscope holder and the nob. You can see his periscope is rotated in a different position than mine. hope that helps buddy ! ( I am not sure what the other eyelet is on the hatch bottom so I did not model it.)

yer pal,

tread

   

 

  • Member since
    March 2006
  • From: Right Side of a Left State
Posted by Shellback on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 10:41 AM

I can see the "resolve" look Tread Yes I'm glad i asked about the hatch . I had no idea . Thanks man .

Take care of your hand my friend .Toast

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: ON, Canada
Posted by jgeratic on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 2:23 PM

For the look of resolve or steel determination, eyes should be sort of narrower (not necessarily squinting) and eyebrows furrowed very close to the eyes.  Again, you are limited to  a degree by the underlying sculpt as seen in the first set of photos.  Harder to see this on your second set due to the shadow cast by the helmet.

Here are a few pics googled off the net.  You can also look in the mirror and use yourself  as a model to get idea of the expression you are trying for.

Again though, like others have said, it is some great figure painting you have done.

regards,

Jack

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: ohio
Posted by vonryan on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 4:40 PM

really looks GREAT Treadwell. i like eyeing this build.

Clay

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 4:50 PM

Thank you Clay, what do you mean 'eyeing' mmmmmm ?

   

 

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 4:53 PM

Thanks for all the help Jack, I am diggin it !   .... who is that handsome guy ?   you ?.... he has the look of resolve also !

   

 

  • Member since
    March 2006
  • From: Right Side of a Left State
Posted by Shellback on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 6:04 PM

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: beacon falls , Ct.
Posted by treadwell on Tuesday, July 3, 2012 6:26 PM

OH MY GOD  !!!!........ It was Super Shellback !   cleverly concealed as a mild manor-ed  armor aficionado by day, when crimes against styrene may come to play, He fires up his M4 Bulldozer and scrapes them all away !.....Metropolis is again saved !!. Thank you SuperShell once again ;-)

   

 

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.