Modeling a "night" scene???????

I really wish I had that Shep book- it's back home too- my brother has an account on this forum, I'll get him to scan the pages that go over the shadow boxes- I know it sounds kinda so so at first but if you look at the results I think you might go for it- it almost turns the model into a 3D painting, you can get some pretty dramatic effects- and not JUST with the post-photography

I would agree with the box idea.....just paint the walls the color of the night sky and terrain at night and paint maybe a shadow (or, rig a really low power light) to replicate moon light and then do the whole painting him green thing. I think the key would be to set him back far enough inside the box so that the light doesnt fully reach him but still allows the viewer to make out details.

Thats sort of just me rambling about my ideas.

David

Definitly some pretty cool ideas floating around here- now I've got myself wanting to make something like this too! I really like the idea of using some FO for the laser and your idea about painting the face around the eyes a green reflected off his skin.

If you ever do get caught up with the idea of putting him in a box- I think since you'd try and use SternO's  spent casin- you couse use the grain of wheat bulb as the mussle flash and build up cotton flairs from that so it doesn't look just like a bulb at the end of a gun- not sure how NVGs and mussle flashes work out, I've always wondered how bad that would interfear- but that'd be one way to solve the lighting issue for the inside of a box.

I'm not to sure how else you'd be able to pull that off- although I like the ideas of significantly darker shadows or even like agent g said- painting the whole thing up like it's viewed from NVG's- could also explain the presense of the IR laser, unless you were refering to a laser that one can view with the naked eye.

I think the idea of the box would help the spent casings look more realistic as far as hiding the "cat hair" or whatever you'd end up using.

I'm going to follow this and keep an eye on the FO thread you started up in the Sci-Fi end as well- this concept is too cool!

It makes sense to put the figure into a "thought" to help the viewer out. However, I don't like the idea of closing it all up in a box.

I may give this one a whirl and see how it come out. I think that there's some other things I can do to he figure to help create the "night-time" feel. For example, since the figure would be wearing NVGs (that's one) then I should paint a faint green glow around the eye and face. I think that adding green FO to the PQ-4 would help be convincing as well ...

...Anyone know how to many 3-4 inches of FO stick out straight w/o bending?

Lastly, maybe if I put a title to the piece ... something like "Midnight Raid in Mosul" .... that would help bring it across as well. What do you think?

Thanks for all the thoughts guys. Please keep them coming.

Scott,

I think you're over thinking it. There are several painting techniques you can do to achieve the effect of light hitting a subject. Candle light, spot lights, moon light etc. But you have to take into account the context that the subject is viewed in. If you paint your figure to show reflected candle light and the highlights that result as well as the warm reflected light, it only makes sense if you add that candle. With a night scene, it becomes more difficult because by itself, standing out in a room that is well lit, there is no relative environment to help us correctly envsion the scene that puts the figure into context. A shadow box or box diorama can help but if you detract too much by closing it in and not add any light source (after all, all vision, night or day is dependent on reflected light off of an object)and take away from the figure, you "hide" your paint job. Where I have seen a 3 sided "stage" work is where it separates the figure from its universal environment (the exhibit room or living room) and contains it in its proposed environment (jungle, desert, CIC of a sub, alley etc). This becomes an aid for the viewer to see your figure in the context you intended.

As a side note, I have seen some very successful figures and vignettes painted in grey tones to replicate a black and white photo. This works if the figure is separated from external influences and is quite clever even if photographed in color. (In my opinion the only place this "trick" works is in a photograph) but......take away the thing that isolates it and it becomes less of an impact. Afterall, even black and white surfaces (or grey) will reflect the color light that is projected on it. So if I use a blue back surrounding or cool lights the greys and whites (and to some extent blacks) will reflect that color range. Warm those elements up into the yellow and red range and the same is true. Not being truly black and white. A novelty trick at best but IMO outside of a photo to truly trick the eye into believing its a black and white photo rather than color, it fails.

Accion Press publishes a series of figure books that are very nice overviews of sculpting, painting and reference. One in particular that deals specifically with this subject is the Monograph series Euro Modelismo; Painting:Overhead Lighting II that goes into information for painting lighting effects with acrylics.

ajlafleche wrote:

The only real way to depict a night scene and have it come across as wuch in a box diorama where you control the light as well as the viewing angle. I've seen a few bvut I've never tried it.

Like a deep shadow box? Or using dio walls to block out light?

I hear Hans knows a thing or two about shadow boxing ... maybe he'll pick up on this one.

If I had walls "behind" the figure and everything was given multiple dark washes, and the shadows were made really dark ... would that work? Or would the fig just look like, well terrible?

My thought is this .... same as the thought about the ACU pattern in my OIF fig post ... those that "know" how to look at a model should get the idea that the dark washes and shadows are supposed to give the appearance of a dark space, right!?! Or am I way off base. I mean, you're not supposed to get 3in from a model to view it ... unless you're trying to figure out how they did detail .... right!?!

Crap ... am I thinking too much here? I need more coffee.

The only real way to depict a night scene and have it come across as wuch in a box diorama where you control the light as well as the viewing angle. I've seen a few bvut I've never tried it.

Interesting concept....have to think about it. Keep us posted on your thoughts.