Hey folks,
apparently, and after a break of more-less two years, I'm trying to get into the secrets of figure painting.

I gave this head a dark wash, some highlighting on the nose and upper cheeks and some more shadows on the lower cheeks, below the nose an the chin using oils. Since this head is just used for practice I didn't bother about painting the mandatory three 'o clock shadow, lips, eyebrows or eyes... so go easy on me

what do you think? how could I improve next time?

Cheers Max

aargh... forgot the pic... here it is...

It is good if you paint the helmet with a dark color it will highlight the face even more good job though

Hi Max,

My feedback is very obviously based on the way in which the head is presented on my screen, and I accept that it may appear differently in 'real life'.

Firstly, you didn't mention what your undercoat is. Are you painting oils over enamel? Oils over acrylic? Oils straight on the plastic? You don't appear to have primed the figure either, not a big deal just a personal preference (although if you're not using an undercoat I would recommend a priming coat at least).

My first impression is that I cannot tell the difference between the different levels of shadow and highlight, which tells me you may over over-blended the transitions. I've made this same mistake countless times as well.

Something to note on plastic heads (and indeed plastic figures in general) is that due to the nature of the injection plastic material and casting methods that details are inherently soft (unlike resin and white metal which is crisp, sharper, harder, more pronounced). As a result of the softer details the figure is more reliant on the painter, though slightly more extreme contrasts of shadow and highlight, to bring those features out.

I highly recommend the following article on HF, if you haven't read it yet: "Painting a Face: Oils over Acrylic" by John Pradarelli

HTH

Rudi

Hey Rudi,
thanks for the advice.
as you mentioned I didn't prime the entire head, since it's just a 'test bed', I wanted to keep it as simple as possible here. I used oils over acrylics, using a mix of tamiya flesh, white, red and buff as a base and 502 abteilung light flesh, shadow brown, wash brown and schmincke titanium white for the shadows and highlights.
I already knew that article, i didn't have a look at it before painting though, I'll maybe do that next time
I guess I've really over done the blending stage...


oh jeah, Frank, the overall colors look a little pale in that picture, the colors are a lot more natural on the real thing. anyway thanks for the pointer with the helmet!

any more advice/impressions?

cheers Max

Hi Max, as has been mentioned before due to the soft detail I'd make it more pronounced. Perhaps just a fine pin wash around the lower nose and upper lip (by the groves by the cheeks)like wise I would do the same on the eyes to bring them out a bit more and the area by the side of the helmet by the cheeks.

I know that this is just a practice peice but I'd still paint it to completion, by adding the lower lip detail for example and finish the helmet for example. Right now since it's unfinished you won't really be able to appreciate the full face, the other elements are always worth practicing too.

As for the highlights I quite like them subtle how they are.

Hey Rudi, thanks for the mention about the article from John. I will be tackling a figure soon and as I typically build just vehicles this looks to be a big help. Gonna go study it. Cheers