Two Very Inspirational Blog Sites

I don't often promote other sites in a post unless I feel they have something unique to offer or are impressive at a level way beyond the norm. Two such blogs have recently struck my fancy. The first is a German blog by "Trull" (actual name unknown) entitled "Trulls Fantastische Welten". The focus here is on Architectural Models for fantasy gaming and dioramas and the work is absolutely brilliant. As an individual who feels that figures deserve more than simple basing to tell stories, this site appeals to me greatly. Check it out!

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The second site is a painter's blog like all the others but the work this individual is doing at the moment simply blows me away. "Praolo's World" focuses on the work of a Spanish painter (Alfonsito Prado?) as well as that of his friends and influences. His current project is Andrea's Henry VIII and I believe this to be the best version of Henry I have ever seen. Check it out!



Soldiers Gunther von Schwarzburg - Update 5

Well as you can see from the photo above, I have gotten a bit further with this project. This is where he is at today. I hope to get some painting time today and tomorrow so I should progress further on the red leather and gold armor.

In the first three pictures below you can see that I had begun to build the highlights on the helm as well as paint the surcoat base color of blue. Prussian Blue with a bit of Titanium white was used for the base with highlights of Cerulean Blue. I did tone the blue mix down with a bit of lamp black but it doesn't appear in the photos, that's for sure. Once dry I applied the base red trim color. My next painting session will be further shadowing the surcoat and applying some highlights to the red. Then the fun of painting little lions will begin.

Repeated layers of Titanium White glazes were applied to the steel of the helm to build the highlights. You can't see it in these photo angles but as with the bascinet helmet I applied some reflected blue to the steel where it is directly facing his surcoat. Once the lions are painted I will know whether there should be a bit of yellow as well (If a lion is close to the helm.). A final thin outline of black was applied and attention turned to the brass work on the facial cross and the lion crest.

The first highlights were Yellow Ochre and Titanium white lightened with more white each time I worked the brass. I didn't like the tone I was getting (too yellow), so I gave the whole thing a light thin wash of Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna to redden the colors. Finally the crest and helm rivets were painted to the same coloration.

Finally a wash of Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna was applied overall to the armor remaining, as this will be red leather with gold armor appliques. I have spent a long time looking at the helm trying to decide how to further develop my highlights and shadows. While doing so I repeatedly have looked at Igor Dzis' painting of this subject and have noticed that he chose to do the lion crest in what appears to be either red paint or covered with red velvet. I am leaning toward changing the crest to better match his painting even though other versions of this figure have been done in gold as well as a period memorial. Honesty will force me to admit that this is partially driven by my dissatisfaction with the appearance of the crest as it currently stands. I feel that I have lost the cylindrical transition in highlight and shadow tones, top to bottom and either way I choose to go I will have to do more work on the crest while I work on the peacock feathers.

Andrea 54mm Sir John de Creke - Completed

Well here he is in all his glory. This is a very simple figure in what many would consider a very static pose. I like the defiant stature and distinctive style of armor worn by the figure. My focus was simply on painting the piece so the groundwork is far more simplistic than I normally might like to work with. In the end I am happy with this simple little figure that starts the medieval shelf in my display case.

Soldier's Gunther von Schwarzburg - Update 4

I'm really not sure why it has taken me so long to post progress pics on this figure. I have been working on the piece, albeit slowly, and making steady progress. I guess when I looked at my Photobucket file I realized how many in progress pics were there and decided to play catch up. This is the first of two updates that I will post today on the helmet and figure, with an update on the completed "de Creck" in between.

The first step in painting the helm was to replicate the steps used to paint the bascinet helmet for the white metal bits and apply a brown base coat on the gilded lion crest. A first glaze of Prussian Green was applied to the peacock feathers as well. Lamp Black and white mix was applied to the helm and wet-on-wet tonal highlights were applied. Once dry a base of brown/black was applied to the front helmet crosspiece.

A second glaze of green and brown was applied to the feathers and crest followed by a wash of Mars Black to the whole helmet, crest and feathers. In the last few pics you will see that I applied a wash of Prussian Blue to the surcoat as well.

The next post will focus on highlighting the helm and painting the surcoat base color as well as a start to the rest of the armor.