Dear all,

Completed this last Sunday and posted in some forum already. Thought take the opportunity to share with you guys as well

"The scene is set towards the end of the War where this officer's has very few friends survive and the German Sheperd obviously become one of his close comrade and friend."

The German Sheperd is quite a challenging piece. It is from Wolf. The overall appearence and sculpting is very good but the detail is quite minimum. Everything has to be hand painted.. yes the fur is painted hair by hair, took me over 6 hours to complete the doggy.

The figure is Alpine range and backdrop is my personal sparebox recast from a partial Verlinden wall. The newspaper that being blew up by wind idea was something I thought of when my son's homework on the table blew off by the standing fan at home...





Happy modelling
Allan

Excellent work Allan!

Peter.

Beautifully painted, and very original with the blowing newspaper.

I like it a lot.

- Steve

Small touch with newspapers are real nice!
Very pleasant job,well done!

Very nicely painted, I enjoy seeing all of your vignettes.

The newspaper is a very clever idea.

Well done!

Hi Alan,

The figure painting is really superb as is the one for the dog. I am really dreaming to be able to paint like this one day.
That sayed, i want to remark that the inner of the eyes of Shepherd dogs is really darker. I know it is very difficult to show the iris then, but i believe yours is to light.
Also, to the contrary of others, and i am sorry to say so, i believe that the idea with the newspaper is indeed good but i am not convincend by the execution. I imagine that it is very difficult to show it correctly , but displayed in a straight line like it is here, hmmm, i don't know?. The front couple of paper would be enough in my opinion, perhaps with a couple more behind the dog.

Hope you don't mind my "hopefully" constructive comments.

Claude



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Hi Peter, Steve, Vlsdimir, Chas
Thanks for the comment and feedback

Hi Claude,
Thanks and I always enjoy detail feedback like yours and one can only improve if listen to other view positively. Thought just provide you some feedback as well hope to help you in your painting. I had printed about ten different photoes of the German Sheperd as reference before I start painting, you are exactly right.. the actual iris of a German Sheperd should be darker. However, painting miniatures you will need to create the "right feel" end result in small scale that pleasant to eye. Accurately applying the color 1:1 scale most of the time have some negative effect. I did started with the exact dark color with the eyes but the end result just look dull and flat.. just like highlighting and shadowing the figure, you need to exaggerate coz a 1/35 scale is like looking at a 1:1 person about 30 feets away from you..without strong contrast it will be a very flat painting. One of the best way to learn this is to look at those famous painters painting like Rembrant etc and see how they bring a 2D painting to life by emphasising highlight and shadow and applying cold and warm colors. Painting miniatures should have similar approach to bring out good end result.

As for the newspaper idea, I always enjoy doing something different as I get bored with just painting figure without presenting it differently from others. You may be right.. but I do quite happy with the result. Thanks

Happy modeling
Allan

Good morning Alan,

I certainly see what you mean, generally, but if i can use your point above:

If the shephards eyes look dark from 30 feets away, shouldn't they look dark also at 1/35 scale?
I have the impression that the lighter painted eyes simply looks a bit wrong here.

Perhaps it's only a matter of taste or it could be the fact that my parents 4th german shephard died two weeks ago, so i have one in my family for as long as i live and i know them a bit.
Hey , and i painted two already in scale also, the first here (sorry, no better picture at hand showing "my" eyepainting


i will be more than happy to get your feedback for my figure painting, but believe me, you will have more work than i do

Have a nice day

Claude

Hi Claude,

Very nice diorama, the composition looks good and like the guy listening to the news. The german sheperd looks good to.

I think your overall painting of building, accessories and figures came together quite conherently. If you want fedback, I would suggest be more daring with the contrast and play with illumination on the overall scheme especially walls and furniture, face flesh need to have more details of highlight and shadow as they tell stories. Very well done

Allan