Alexandros Models Freebooter, 1697, 1:24th scale

[PaulinKendal]

Lovely piece of work Paul. I think the last grouping works best, a nice tight composition.
Superb painting.

Bill

Thanks Bill.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Plus one on the last composition. The interaction between the figures is palpable in that one. Love the expression on old “big hat” as well…..and the green sash really works against his faded trousers…..

 

[The Smythe Meister]

.... Plus 2!!
Looks excellent Paul

 

[JayCee]

I agree with the others re composition. Painting is excellent !
John.

 

[PaulinKendal]

Thanks all. Yes, I think the last composition is the best. I'm going to go with that.

I'm not hugely happy with the stripes on his sash. Having done them I realised I should have got three big stripes sorted properly first, then subdivided them each into three. Instead I tried to paint all nine stripes straight off - mistake. Still, you live and learn - and, as always they look worse in pictures than they do for real. I nearly decided to repaint over them and start again, but decided they're not bad enough to warrant that.

Undecided whether using heavy body acrylic made much difference. It is certainly very opaque, but it took a lot of thinning, and there's a learning curve in using them. I'll persevere.

Doing frequent coats of varnish is definitely worthwhile. I've done it about five times as the painting progressed. It unifies the finish, making it easier to assess, and certainly protects the underlying paint. Made it much easier to scrub off mistakes in subsequent layers (although I did try at first to remove a mistake with isopropanol and instantly went through to bare metal!)

 

[Tim Marlow]

Stripes look fine to me Paul, gives the sash the illusion of movement…..as to heavy bodied acrylic, I’ve used them for yellow and white highlights, but not needed them anywhere else…..I find them a bit sticky. Good for scenery though. Oils are a nice alternative, it’s just the drying time and the dust magnet effect that puts me off them these days……

 

[PaulinKendal]

All done. I'm now awaiting a base from Richard at Oakwood Studios, to combine these two figures. I might even get a Name It! nameplate...

 

[Jim R]

Well Paul, regardless of which composition you choose that is some excellent painting. They do make a stunning, and unusual, pair.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Well deserving of a good base and proper nameplate I’d say. Great stuff.

 

[Gavalaar1980]

Beautiful work Paul, love the colours you've used here. Outstanding and very realistic. I particularly like the skull necklace! G

 

[adt70hk]

Paul,

That's brilliant. Simply great work. Can't wait to see the two of them on the same base.

Just got hold of a Mac valve myself after having heard good things about them. How did you find it?

ATB.

Andrew

 

[PaulinKendal]

Thanks Andrew, very kind.

Just got hold of a Mac valve myself after having heard good things about them. How did you find it?

Early days yet. But it certainly makes it easy to reduce flow through the brush - I have a habit of getting everything just so, then mucking it up with a last, ill-considered full power blast of paint. Now (if I remember to use it) the MAC valve gives me an option to choke off the potential for doing this. 95% of my airbrush use is priming and varnishing (where the valve is largely redundant), so it'll be some time before I've used the valve enough to pass proper judgement on it.

 

[adt70hk]

Thanks Andrew, very kind.

Early days yet. But it certainly makes it easy to reduce flow through the brush - I have a habit of getting everything just so, then mucking it up with a last, ill-considered full power blast of paint. Now (if I remember to use it) the MAC valve gives me an option to choke off the potential for doing this. 95% of my airbrush use is priming and varnishing (where the valve is largely redundant), so it'll be some time before I've used the valve enough to pass proper judgement on it.

Thanks Paul. Always good to have some personal insight, YouTube videos can help but only so far!

Keep up the great work on the figure!

ATB.

Andrew