Cpt Nathan Brittles, U.S. Cavalry, 1876 ** Finished **

[Dazzled]

It looks much better with the modifications you've made John. Looking forward to watching this develop.

[Molly-new]

Looking good John. Having spoken to a few figure painters they all tend to use Oil Paints as they dry really slowly and can be blended in easier. The trouble with acrylics is they dry too quick so you end up with a hard edge to colours.

[JohnRatzenberger]

You're right about oils, but I have read some material on acrylics that suggest the blending is done by thinner and thinner mixes - we shall see.

And, BTW, I have had no time this week; I should be clear by noon Friday, then back to the bench ....

[JohnRatzenberger]

The long week is done. Very little time spent here, but I have been working the face and started the hair.

SWMBO says he looks too orange and hair too light. I have a base coat of brown for hair and now I will try to age that with silver highlights, etc …. Should be interesting. The face has gone through a few iterations of base, shadow, highlight, best I can.





It looks better in real life than in photo, I'm still struggling there for some reason.

And I have got to handle it better, I don't know where the chipping comes from but I'm getting tired of patching paint.

I also think that what I am creating is Tom Selleck (or maybe Sam Elliott) playing John Wayne as Nathan Brittles ….

[fredk]

Its coming along nicely.
If you need to blend acylics; I put the paint on, then go over it with a brush wetted with meths [an alcohol] which softens the acrylic paints and allows them to blend together.

[montessa315]

Coming along great.
Certainly got some character in the face.
Everything can always be darkened with some very very thin dark washes.


Alan............

[JohnRatzenberger]

Thanks, Fred & Alan .... in person it looks weather-beaten and in need of a bath after a day on the dusty trail, which is probably what I want ... Maybe I'll get the camera to show it properly later ....

[iggie]

It looks pretty darned good from here John; very weather-beaten and gnarled, just what I'd expect of an old-time soldier

[JohnRatzenberger]

I used a Model Color 70.826 German Camo Pale Brown for the hair, moustache, and eyebrows, then tried to grey it with Game Color 72.047 Wolf Grey. I think I overdid the wash and it took on a purple hue, kinda like happens with old folks and the overdose of shampoo. I tried to take that out by a very thin wash of black, but am not sure about it.



Since the rule on figures is to work inside out, I figured I was far enough along to start on his undershirt and hat.

The shirt is a mix of Game Color 72.101 Off-White and Model Color 70.976 Buff - trying for the "too stained and too dirty too many times to ever get it really clean again" look. The hat is starting as the same Off-white and we'll see where we go from here.



I do note that, careful as I might be, the thinned paints travel well and I'm going to have to fix the face and hair. And I need to finish the eyes ….

This is an adventure, as is trying to get a good photo - it really does look better on my bench.

[fredk]

In the picture the hair does look a bit blue-ish to me. But what do I know I'm colour blind
When I do eyes I put some flesh colour into the white for the eyeball. It removes the starkness of it.

[JohnRatzenberger]

I used an off-white, maybe need a tad more - thanks.
I figure I'll have plenty of opportunity to repair the white while trying to get a decent iris/pupil painted

[JohnRatzenberger]

Ooops, I have caught myself in an error. The shirt should be blue, but now there is a problem - it is not the correct style, it would not be a V-neck as shown on the figure. The undershirt he wears in the film is actually a very faded red, almost pink.



Perhaps do an undershirt in the Vee, then do the model shirt in blue and add some sort of line down the front to look like top button is unbuttoned. ???

But this is the best capture I have of what I'm trying to achieve from this model ....

[JohnRatzenberger]

I ran some very thin brown through the hair to kill the purple, even did a couple swatches a bit darker - looks OK now.
I dulled down the white of the eyes, but still haven't gotten to pupil/iris yet.
I tried to mix up a red/pink/orange to resemble a faded red undershirt, bit of work to do yet there.

And I made my first pass at the blue shirt and the blue coat - at least now the pix don't look like he's in a white frock.





My plans are to keep playing with the shirt and coat, touching up places where my brush goes astray and go for a last coat on the hat. I think a need just a tad very light grey with the off-white, not sure, maybe a tad very light tan. And I can think about the yellows for the hat band, the ribbon, and the lining of the coat, which must be a satin finish.

[fredk]

Coming on nicely. I think the eyes look better now.

[iggie]

Looking good!