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Prussian Liebhusaren, Waterloo - Finished 24/09/14


nimrod54

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This project has been ongoing for about three years and is only visited between other builds for a bit of something different. That said, I am determined to complete it this year so that I can then make a start on the French drummer that I have.

It is only the second 120mm figure that I have painted, so my flesh tones need a lot of improvement. The figure also needs a matt finish applied to the uniform and the ancillary parts adding. I have sprayed the top of the base black to hopefully help with shadows, I don't know if this is the usual way but that is the way I have gone. The lower part has white primer on so in preparation for a wood effect.

Anyway this is my progress to date

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Close-up of Pelisse (rear)

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Thanks for looking, I hope to post more progress soon.

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Good work so far. I look forward to seeing the completed figure.

Andrew

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 months later...

That's a brilliant figure that you have painted there. I am struggling with a Grenadier drummer in 54 mm... Maybe I should try 120 mm? Better for the eyes, if nothing else!

JR

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That's a brilliant figure that you have painted there. I am struggling with a Grenadier drummer in 54 mm... Maybe I should try 120 mm? Better for the eyes, if nothing else!

JR

Sorry for the delay in replying to your post Jean. I have only just picked it up. I am in awe at the level of detail people are able to achieve with the 54mm figures I have seen at shows. You are right about the detail being easier to see on these 120mm figures and I don't envy you trying to paint the eyes on a 54mm figure.

I decided from the outset that if I was going to do any figure painting then they would have to be large scale and I have always been drawn to Napoleonic stuff there seems to be something about the colour and choice of uniforms from that era. This is only the second large figure that I have done the first being a Private of the 5th Battalion 60th Foot, the largest scale that I had worked in prior to this was 1/48 and that was aircraft crew figures. The base to this figure is a tiny model in itself with a broken wheel and a wine carafe that has a wicker basket cast around it so that will need some careful detailing along with the rest of the groundwork.

I must get back to this soon it has been going on far too long and then I can make a start on the French Drummer that I have to make.

Thanks for taking an interest.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Sorry for the delay in replying to your post Jean. I have only just picked it up. I am in awe at the level of detail people are able to achieve with the 54mm figures I have seen at shows. You are right about the detail being easier to see on these 120mm figures and I don't envy you trying to paint the eyes on a 54mm figure.

I decided from the outset that if I was going to do any figure painting then they would have to be large scale and I have always been drawn to Napoleonic stuff there seems to be something about the colour and choice of uniforms from that era. This is only the second large figure that I have done the first being a Private of the 5th Battalion 60th Foot, the largest scale that I had worked in prior to this was 1/48 and that was aircraft crew figures. The base to this figure is a tiny model in itself with a broken wheel and a wine carafe that has a wicker basket cast around it so that will need some careful detailing along with the rest of the groundwork.

I must get back to this soon it has been going on far too long and then I can make a start on the French Drummer that I have to make.

Thanks for taking an interest.

I agree with you re the uniforms of the Napoleonic era. They have something never equaled before or since. But they are a nightmare to get right as there have been so many changes, often subtle, over a 15 years period or so. My first regiment grenadier drummer has got me stumped until now as I want to portray him from the 1804-1807 period. And everything I have found portrays the 1808-1815 time frame... Not good! Only today did I get some valuable info, so will start painting at long last. It is an Historex figure so the building alone is time consuming with all those tiny details to glue. But it's fun nonetheless, otherwise I would not bother. What French drummer are you making? Is the end in sight for your Hussard?

Cheers

JR

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What French drummer are you making? Is the end in sight for your Hussard?

Jean, the drummer I have is another 120mm figure by Verlinden of an Imperial Guard Drummer. Here is a link https://www.verlindenonline.com/120mm-imperial-guard-drummer-913.html

As for the Hussar I should be able to do a bit more soon. I am just finishing off a Sea Harrier FA2 for the STGB and the next Group Build I am involved in doesn't start until October, so there should be time to get some long standing projects finished and hopefully this will be one of them.

Thanks for showing an interest.

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Yes, it is the same drummer I am busy with, but mine is half the size... A really lovely subject.

Have fun with yours.

Cheers

JR

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The Harrier STGB having ended on Sunday I now find I have some time to try and complete some of my builds that have been dragging on for far too long.

Now you expert figure painters out there have to bear in mind that this is only the second large figure that I have painted and I am making up my own rules as I go along. That said if there is something wrong with my technique or if you think that you have a better way of approaching this then please let me know and I can try that out if it is not too late.

My original intention for the base was to try and create a dark wood effect on the lower portion, but for ease I have decided to paint it black. So out came a rattle can of Citadels Chaos Black and I gave the whole of the base a spray with that. This dries leaving a lovely satin sheen and I thought it would be a nice foundation for the next stages. Next job last night was to make a start on adding some base colours so the first thing I did was paint the Olive Green on the broken wheel and spokes and Grass Green on the bottle, though I think that this may be a bit bright. That said I do intend to add Clear Green over the top of this to try and recreate a glass look to it so this might darken it. This afternoon I brushed some Dark Earth over the main part of the base and picked out the detail on the Shako by dry-brushing Brass over it which I will leave overnight to dry.

The plan I have for the next step is to add some patches of Light Earth and Grass Green over the Dark Earth. I then thought about adding a dark oil wash to this area and to highlighting everthing with a very thin coat of white oil paint, after completing the detail painting. Any better suggestions are more than welcome.

Here are a couple of photos showing my progress so far.

CIMG2719_zps8b683369.jpg

CIMG2720_zps83957d50.jpg

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Thanks for that Anthony, I'm not familiar with the Zenithal Lighting technique so have looked it up on t'internet and found a couple of videos. I think I'll explore that method a little further and make a decision after that. As I understand it I would need to add a highlight to the upper surfaces and darken the lower edges. There is some further detail painting to do on the Shako yet but it may also be a good area to try this out.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have been adding some highlights to the shako I did in the last update (gold on the brass) allowing it to gradually fade back to the original brass at the lower edges. I am not sure how sucessful this has been, I think that I need to try this technique a few more times before I get the results right.

I've also added some earth tones using oil paints over the colours that I added to the base last time, they are not as bright as they appear in the photos and once they have dried and I add a matt coat I think that they will blend nicely. There is still quite a bit to do but it is starting to come together now.

Photo of the progress on the base.

CIMG2731_zps79866e1b.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have finally got this to the stage where I can call it finished. I glued the figure to the base before adding the final details earlier this afternoon, I had to do it this way so that I could have the scabbard for the sabre resting on the base too.

I know there are some things that I could have done better, but for a second crack at putting one of these together I am happy with what I've achieved, even if it has taken me a while to complete it.

Sorry for the delay in posting photos I have had some problems with Photobucket.

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Thanks for looking.

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This really looks stunning! The detailed painting is fantastic and the overall appearance is spot on.

What a wonderful period for the richness and variety of uniforms.

Fantastic job

JR

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