Scale 75 Templar Knight

[Knikki]

Well thought I would have ago at a WIP but I'll warn you now that I tend to go at a glacial pace

OK so I have a few figures in my stash and have already painted this one to a point, lost interest, regained interest then removed all the paint off it and started again. I do this a lot with figures.

So that is the box 75mm Crusader from the Scale 75 range, it is nice kit with lots of movement in and well cast, all metal and does not need a great deal of clean up.

Primed using Vallejo grey primer

Base colour of black sprayed on last night, this is a tricky piece as it is a fair size and heavy plus no real day of holding him so case of do one side then the other. Base colour was done using Andrea paints.

I used one of those Tamiya spray stands which worked well, Oh yeah that is the home made spray booth, lucky I am doing acrylics

This will be only the third kit I have use an Airbrush on and I am going to see if I can use it to add shadow and highlights as I go along.

Yeah I know I should use a hairy stick, but you have to try these things at least once.

[AndrewE]

Great start. I look forward to seeing how you get on with this.

[Bengalensis]

Hope you will finish painting him this time. At least he's got real weapons of metal and wood, at this point in time that feels easier to me .

[Knikki]

I was thinking about energy weapons when I started this however did not think it was quite in keeping with 12th century

Anyway a very quick up date

Last night I painted the cloak

and I covered it in satin varnish, because the acrylic paint does not seem to stick so well in places especially around the head, where I have been handling it and also at the front of the cloak area where it has been lying down.

Now last night it looked OK.

However when I look closely at it about 20 minutes ago I noticed lots of white specks all over the back of the clock, not sure it is was something in the varnish, or if some carp has landed on it, mind it you, it did look like I had sneezed all over it

Could not get the stuff off, so now it is in a small plastic bag with Fairy Power Spray on it stripping it once more

Out tonight so I might start on the body and see how that goes, at least I can mount that on a holder which should make things easier.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Knikki

[Knikki]

So after the mess up with the cloak, now cleaned and primed again, I thought I would have ago at the body

It has had an undercoat airbrushed on then I went over it at a 45 degree angle, or where I think the sun may be shining from to try and high light some of the areas, then I applied virtually pure white to the tops of the creases but that looked to much so I add loads of water and effectively tried to either wash/glaze on the high light, sort of worked although the pictures do not so it to its best, so I will dilute more paint and add more on, build up in layers.

Then need to add some shadow, which will be interesting.

All learning process as previously I used opened a tin of enamels and on they went

Edited November 23, 2014 by Knikki

[Knikki]

Bit of an update, no pictures just yet been to busy playing Destiny.

To do the white tunic of the Templar I have been using Andreas White Paint kit, you know the one 6 colours in various shades with the title "Don't mix, just paint".

Well thats not quite true, you do need to mix as you go along to get the various shades you want for highlights and shadows.

Now it sounds very simple, however it has been a good 20+ years since I did figures with any sort of passion and I am learning as I go along.

You start the process by mixing the highlights, 3 colours, which when I finished made the figure look like he is covered in a very light biege colur, similar the images above. HMMMMMMM! adding in the pure white highlights, is not that easy as the darker colour shows through more than I thought.

So I am now using and Off White and a White Grey Vallejo paints to at least get the tunic to look "white" and not like he has not washed the garment since 1066. It is getting there but I am using very thinnned whites so the colour build up is slow (plus playing Destiny).

It is starting to get to a point where I am happy with it and this weekend I hope to get the chain mail done and then start on the cloak, again.

I have Napoleonic figure with a all white uniform to do at some point, but next time I might just paint him in an off white, then add colour to the shadow areas and an ivory or pure white to the highlights. Think it will make it easier.

Its all fun.

[Knikki]

Told you I do things at a glacial pace

Anyway I am happy wight he way the tunic now looks I think it sufficiently white plus I have some shading in as well, won't win any competitions but I am happy.

So have started on the chain mail, now it has two coats of black ink, the old Citadel ink so will leave it now for a day or so to fully dry before dry brushing Humbrol Metal Coat on to get that "chain mail look" after this I will start on the leather belt and glue a bit of the tunic to the figure.

Here are a couple of pictures just to prove I am doing something

There is some shading there but does not show up so well on the photos.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Knikki

[Black Knight]

What colour are you going to do the maille?

[Will Vale]

Like the chainmail and the white - all very clean and tidy.

For holding the cloak, could you drill the inside near the neck and insert a rod, or would the hole be too short to support it?

Will

[Bengalensis]

Coming along fine now. Will be interesting to see the chain mail after dry brushing.

[Knikki]

Thanks for the encouragement.

For holding the cloak, could you drill the inside near the neck and insert a rod, or would the hole be too short to support it?

Will

The problem with the cloak is that is unbalanced, I tried to mount it on a rod/stiff wire but it would not hold up straight, it sort of keeled over, but will have to give it another go.

Maille? not familiar with the word, sorry my mistake, but if you mean the chain mail I some metal coat paint, the stuff you can buff to make it really shine, that if I dry brush on should give the effect I am after, done something yonks ago and it worked.

Edited December 17, 2014 by Knikki

[Knikki]

Making slow progress.

Bit shiny as I have just brushed on some Satin Varnish, as I am finding, that as much as I like the Vallejo paints you have to be a little carful handling the figure once it painted.

Anyway the figure is done and once the varnish is dry then I will stick part of the tunic on, and the arms.

Not sure if to paint the hands flesh colour or do them as if he is wearing leather gloves, as it is show on the box.

I know I should paint a Red Cross on him, but I tried it on some spare plastic and it looked like a spider had run all over it, seems I don't have a steady hand.

[Black Knight]

Bare hands are better in battle, but gloves are perceived by many to be more correct.

[Knikki]

Thanks for the info Black Knight

Gloves it is

[Knikki]

Update the Face

Managing to stay off Destiny for a couple of hours I thought I would have ago at doing the face of the Templar.

Now I have the paints, I have several books and watched you tube videos, so how hard can it be?

Sort of starting point I thought that as he was in the middle east he would have a slightly darker complextion

This is where I got to last night, before giving up. I used Off White for the eyes and teeth however he looks pscycotic and looks like the teeth have been well and truly colgated and he looks orange

Think I might go back to the drawing board and start again, but don't want to strip him back but he is not looking anything like I want him to.

Suppose it is practise I need and this the first figure I have attempted in 25+ years.

Sorry about the last rubbish image.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Knikki

[Will Vale]

I think the orange is a decent base for a tanned skin tone and might look less strident when it's been highlighted and shaded a little.

For the eyes, I'd continue with what you have and add an iris and dark lines above/below to define them - that will eat into the white and reduce the staring-ness. A bit of pink in the corners for the sclera will probably also help.

The teeth might need to be yellowed a bit, and again defined with some pink or red above + below for the gums.

(FWIW, I tend to try and paint "from the inside out" - it's really hard to paint a white eye, which is convex inside a concavity. But not so hard to paint a too-big white blob, then neaten/define the whole thing by going around the edges to create eyelid, eye socket etc. As you work outwards you go over and tidy up any inner bits which are too big or not the right shape.)

If you have some washes or can mix some from thinned paint you could try adding that to see where the detail of the teeth is - that will help paint it.

HTH,

Will

[Black Knight]

Teeth are ivory, so I use pale ivory on them. On the eyes I use very pale flesh, white with flesh colour added.

[Knikki]

Thanks for the tips chaps, will have ago tonight.

Out of interest what do you do to put and iris in?

Small brush?

Tip of a cocktale stick?

Or blob the iris in and paint the white around it to shape it?

All of which sound like a challange

[Knikki]

Little update.

After reading the above comments, and looking around the interwibble again (dangerous thing to do) I decided to see if I could add some highlights to the face.

After much messing about I used an airbrush and basically painted from the top down, to just try and catch the top of the forehead, nose and cheek bones, similar to this you tube video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr_OGs40MtM

It worked rather well, even if I do say so myself, hopefully I will get onto the kit again tonight and srot the eyes out, if I do anOKish job will post some pictures up tomorrow.

[Knikki]

Update.....Geeee slow, told you I go at a glacial pace

A couple of quick pictures, not great but when I finish I will try and do some better ones

He is coming together, yes I know the face is not great but I have got it to a point where I like it. I think that I was too ambitious in the amount of colours I used and next time will start with a simpler palette, I agree that I have not got the eyes quite right, but I think that I need smaller brushes and a steadier had. Also next time I might start with the eyes where as last time the eyes were last bit.

As this is the first face I have "completed" in 25 or so years I am fairly happy with it, although I am the first to admit I need more practise so onwards and upwards

Just need to do the gloves and the weapons sitck it all together and he should be done

Edited February 10, 2015 by Knikki

[Black Knight]

I think he looks superb. A close-up photo will show it at its 'worst' because we can study the figure close-up. In the 'flesh' I bet he he looks just great.

He looks like he means business and is taking no prisoners.

Referring back up, about eyes, I paint them first; eyeball, very pale flesh, or white with a touch of flesh colour added. Then the iris, a simple straight line from top side of eye to bottom, sometimes I don't do the pupil at all, if I do, its just a touch of black, a dot, using a fine brush, 10/0. Then I give the face a base painting of flesh, carefully around top and bottom of the eye to close it in, and form the shape of the open eye.

[Knikki]

Thanks Black Knight.

I think will follow your advice on painting the eyes etc on the next figure I do. Still a lot to learn

[Wolfpack]

I heartily recommend the Valejo face paint set. I've used it on all my figures from 20mm up and the adhesion and coverage is fantastic. replacement bottles available at any Valejo stockist.

One tip given me, was to undercoat / prime with three colours. Black sprayed upwards from the base of the figure, grey hrizontaly and white from above. There's your basic shading done. the darker areas should look darker ad not so colour intensive.

W

[Knikki]

I have some Vallejo flesh coloured paints and someone bought me the Andrea Flesh paint set, I like the colours out of the Andrea set, I think I just need a little more practise and might have it sussed.

Thianks for the hints and tips, I like the idea or using 3 colours to prime something else to try out

[celticwardog]

That's better mate. It was a bit spray tan before but very nice now.