Nuts Planet 1/10 scale Roman legionary "The Aquila"

[Bigmick]

So, here we are again, another 1/10 scale bust, another Nuts Planet 1/10 scale bust, another WIP, kinda.

As I've probably said before I'm lucky enough to be able to do some of my model painting at work, in peace and quiet between people setting fire to things, the down side is I'm unable to take photographs, so I can only show the efforts after a night shift.

This is the result of last nights efforts, all paints are Vallejo model colour acrylics, the eagle was painted chocolate brown then had old gold dry brushed over that, I decided against a cloth wrapping for the eagle, here we enter the realms of story telling and faction, if he's gone to retrieve a Roman eagle, "The Aquila" then it would possibly be by imperial decree, so what better to wrap it in for it's return than an emperors purple robe and not just a square of canvas, yes I really do have to get out more. So the cloth was duly painted with imperial purple, painting the folds this time not dry brushing, then adding the weave highlights with a fine brush.

As usual I started with the eyes, due to the downward tilt of the head I did him looking up and for the first time I'm happy with the eyes with the first go.

Iris painted with dark blue grey, used a lighter blue on the bottom part only, added a little turquoise on the right for the highlight opposite the reflection dot on the left, just a drop of clear to finish.

The face had an initial base coat of sunny flesh with a light blue grey to give a cold tone, but it ended up a strange khaki colour, so binned that and made a base of flat red, white and flat flesh, which seems to work ok and is a good base for the washing process to start.

A new way for me is to get the base coat how I want it then give the face a coat of Windsor and Newton matt varnish from a rattle can, it has the flattest finish of anything I've used so far, the washes go over it without any issue.

Following the instructions in the Andrea Press publication "How to paint figure with acrylics" I used light washes with upward strokes and downward strokes for shadows. When doing the shadows I used the Andrea flesh tone paint set, the pigments seems a lot finer and doesn't leave "coffee stain" rings when the washes dry.

I might have to go over the beard area again as he seems to have turned into the love child of Lars Ulrich from Metallica and George Michael.

Unfortunately my back problem has also flared up, sciatica now in my back and hip which is a real PITA, literally, so no idea when I'll be doing any more, the paint scheme is planned out in my head so a couple of nights should have him done.

Regards.

Mick.

[giemme]

This is already looking great! More popcorn, please

Ciao

[Eludia]

Looks like another great piece in the making Mick

[Bigmick]

FCOL springs to mind, you know what, if I fell in a barrel of boobs I'd come out sucking my thumb.

This must win the award for the worst WIP so far lol, I made the effort and took pictures of all the stages, from base coat, through weathering, to the finished article, they've all been deleted from my phone along with all my videos, poo.

So, what I have to present to you all is the finished product and again all I can offer is explanations of how the effects were achieved.

As you might be able to see I wasn't happy with the George Michael designer stubble look to went over all the beard and moustache area with washes of the base skin colour, then more layers of skin colour plus a little more red, and these are thin washes, it took probably 30 coats to lose the harshness of the bristles, luckily I had the air con unit on next to me so by the time I'd gotten to the right side the left side was dry, took probably 40 minutes to get to a happy place, then I used thinned chocolate brown and then flat earth to add a few bristles here and there, followed by a wash of thinned dark blue.

The red received another couple of coats of Carmine red until there was no sign of primer, I accidentally added a coat of flat red and an amazing effect happens, you get an almost metallic sheen from the two reds, doesn't work the other way round, but flat red over carmine results in a silk like sheen with an orange hue, strange and one to store in the memory banks for future paints.

Now, the metal shiny bits.

I put on a couple of coats of natural steel, each coat at 90 degrees to the last with the last two at 45 degrees, this loses the brush marks as I hadn't thinned the paint as much as normal, I really had the desire to get it covered and done. I then used gunmetal grey in a stippling manner increasing the amount of paint closer to the overlaps of the Lorica Segmentata (history lesson over), my brainwave was to then give everything a coat of Windsor and Newton flat varnish in a rattle can, my favourite at the moment, it removed all traces of shine completely and gave me a flat metallic grey surface, excellent.

I added a couple of washes of matt black with slightly thicker paint stippled on, then used natural steel to dry brush the edges of the plates.

The armour fittings were painted brass, had a wash of verdegris, then a light wash of flat earth with a pin wash of flat black around the rivets.

The cloak, well it's leather, so how to tackle that.

I did the cloak hood seperately from the rest, as you also have to remember the front edge of the helmet is visible as well.

So a base coat of chocolate brown, flat earth stippled over that then dark sand applied with a small piece of sponge, dabbing it on the cloak but also dragging it across, I did the same with flat black, dabbing but also dragging to give streaks and dots, I just kept doing this, adding layer upon layer, flicking paint with a brush, stippling, using washes, you really can't go wrong on this one, if you think you've added enough add another layer, I tried adding some green in patches but leather doesn't really go green.

I should have left the build till after the Military Odyssey military show which is on now, and asked the Ermine Street Guard Roman reenactors if I can look at their kit, they use leather tents which are waterproofed with lard, after a few years the lard goes rancid and rots the leather, so a new one has to be made in Germany at the cost of several thousand pounds, it would have been nice to see what old weathered leather looked like, Google is ok but seeing it up close is a different kettle of monkeys.

So that's him done and dusted, I'll have to think of what kind of base to put him on, I'm using Bespoke Bases to do all the blocks and plinths now as I intend, as much as is possible, to keep the bases looking the same, or similar.

If there's any part of the paint I didn't cover in my explanation please don't hesitate to ask, I'll provide Vallejo paint numbers as well if required.

So onto the next, which should be Mad Jack Churchill from RP Models, or wait for the Pirates of the Carribbean bust of Captain Barbossa, or Pirate Fury as he's called to avoid copyright issues lol.

Regards.

Mick..

[Eludia]

Great work Mick. Every piece you do is better than the last, the progression is really noticeable

Can't wait for the next one

Edited August 30, 2015 by Eludia

[giemme]

Great work Mick. Every piece you do is better than the last, the progression is really noticeable

Can't wait for the next one

Agreed 100%! This one is particularly good, IMHO. And thanks for the usual paint sequence explanation!

Ciao

[sean]

Superb piece of modelling/painting again Mick, this wouldn't look out of place in Spartucus!

Look forward to the next one,

Sean

[bertie]

Ye Gads!!Stunningly superb.Really, many thanks for sharing your work. I'm not a figure modeller (I tell a lie,I did Erwin Rommel plus those little Airfix pilot figures) but I just love admiring pieces like yours.

Cheers from sunny Melbourne in Oz.

Paul (aka Bertie)

[Repainted]

Just Love it and must spy I 'm impressed of the eyes.I must practise morse eyes.

Larsa Q