Pegaso Models Pirate, XVII Century, 1:24th scale

[PaulinKendal]

Here's pirate #1. Great sculpt, and my first white metal figure. Turns out the metal is lovely stuff to work - easy to cut, scrape, sand and burnish. I (almost) enjoyed the prep work! But I'll spare you that.
Here he is immediately after priming (some of which it still wet):

Now, pirates are quite the cliché - "Arrr!" and all that). I like that this figure aligns with all the pirate norms (barefoot, bandanna'd, scary, armed to the teeth) without going overboard (excuse me for the pun, please).

So there's no eyepatch, no hook, no wooden leg. And I think it's all the better for that.

But he did have a parrot on his right shoulder. It's a separate piece with just the feet (claws?) moulded on his shoulder. I felt it looks better without, so I've shaved off the feet.

Next, zenithal prime.

 

[Lee Drennen]

That’s interesting

 

[Tim Marlow]

Good looking sculpt Paul. Sounds like a good white metal as well. Some are softer and easier to mark, and some are very hard to work, needing files rather than scalpels. I always find it nicer to paint though, seems to take paint better. Don’t know why!

 

[PaulinKendal]

This was soft enough to carve with a scalpel, Tim. I barely used files, just knife, small pieces of sanding sponge and fibre glass pencil.

 

[Jim R]

Unusual and very well sculpted. Look forward to it.

 

[Tim Marlow]

This was soft enough to carve with a scalpel, Tim. I barely used files, just knife, small pieces of sanding sponge and fibre glass pencil.

Sounds like it was ideal . Not all white metals are created equal though, I’ve had them seem like cast iron, or so soft they bend under their own weight. The super soft stuff has becone much rarer since lead was eliminated from the mix though.

 

[PaulinKendal]

I've been using IPA and a brush to smooth and form Milliput for the first time on this figure - works a treat.

 

[Steve Brodie]

I've been using IPA and a brush......................

Doom Bar or Brew Dog . Started on white Metal figures many moons ago, gave up when resin ones cam out, Always seems harder to prep white metal than resin. Anyway he is looking good.

 

[PaulinKendal]

Zenithal prime:


Then first bash at eyes and skin. Again a reminder of what a mess things usually are, for me, to begin with.


I'm always a bit apprehensive about first putting colour on a figure - once I've started it's fine, but I've put off starting this figure for a week now. Good to get it started.

 

[PaulinKendal]

I mean, Look!

 

[Tim Marlow]

I mean, Look!
View attachment 466380

Looks good to me Paul, just like real painting on canvas

 

[PaulinKendal]

I've just done an intermediate matt varnish coat - never done that before. It's to protect the paint already deployed, and enable me to scrub out mistakes from now on without fear of damaging the underlying layers. That's the theory. If it works, I'll certainly be doing it more.


I love his aggressive sneer. Would'v'e been undermined by the parrot.

Next stage, catchlights and stubble - and maybe tattoos? [ulp]

 

[PaulinKendal]

I'm feeling slightly intimidated...

 

[banjer]

Looks great to me Paul.

The great thing about metal figures is, if you make a total dogs of it then stripping and starting again is a doddle.
Are you going to use oil paint for the flesh?

Bill

 

[Tim Marlow]

Interested to see how the intermediate varnish coat works for you Paul. Pose is fantastic isn’t it. Agree about the parrot. Would look great with a Raven or Vulture though……

 

[PaulinKendal]

Thanks, gents. I hadn't thought about ease of stripping, Bill, but that's interesting - although I hope I don't have to strip it!
The only use I've made of oil paints so far is in washes. I might need to do an oil pin-wash on this, but otherwise - no oils.
He's certainly got plenty of attitude, Tim! The varnish immediately unified the paint job, and made it easier to see where to go next. And I've already been grateful of the ability to scrub off misplaced paint!
I'm thinking of doing a second varnish coat now. I'm reasonably pleased with the catch-lights. But the stubble is a bit too pinky-purple. Correcting that might take several attempts, so a varnish coat might be safer to work on.

 

[PaulinKendal]

I'm painting his bandanna, which will be a pale, grubby tea-towel type cloth. I'm wondering how best to make it grimy. His ragged trousers will be similarly greasy and grubby, so I'll probably do all the weathering at the end, so he gets a uniform finish.

 

[adt70hk]

Coming on very nicely!

 

[PaulinKendal]

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looking very good Paul….don’t forget the toenails