OK Gents, My latest effort " Black Edelweiss", 6th SS gebirgs Div. "Nord", inspired by the book of the same name by Johann Voss.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Edelweiss-J-Voss/dp/0966638980
Finished pics.....









A few in-progress pics.....











Hope you like it
Gary

That is awesome work Gary as usual.
I read this book and it is a compelling story. You captured the spirit of that unit well.
J

Yikes, this looks chilly. Reminds me of the world outside right now Nice camo job too...and face...and anatomy...and posing (I think I'm beginning to run out of new adjectives on your posts).

I too have that book, great unique read.

-Conor

Wow, great stuff, makes me want to tackle a figure!!!

cheers
Brent

Jerry, Conor,
Thanks for the comments! I know I can rely on you lads!
Glad you've both read the book. There's not much detail on what they were resupplied with in Dec.'44 but artistic licence again...
Brent, have at it mate! No going back afterwards though!
One thing I do need feedback on though.. Is my painting improving at all? I think I'm OK with the conversion side now but, I'm trying to improve the finishing. Comments definitely welcome here!
By the way, a virtual to whoever can work out the original figure?

All the best,
Gary

Gary its fantastic to see another of your works here. The sculpting work you do for these figures is first class- and I think your paint finishing is also top drawer. You evoke a very chilly scene and the tones you use help to bring that out.

Nice to see you again here Gary. It is always a great pleasure to watch your figures come to life... the details you manage to put into these plastic figures are amazing and I'm sure many can find inspiration in your work.

Cheers mate,
Mario

I will make a wild guess that you used the officer fig from the 101st Abn in Bastogn?
I would like to know which MG42 you used as it has the cooling holes on the top and that is hard to find?
Your painting has always been top notch so any critique by myself would be hard to give.
J

Hi Fellas,
Thanks for the comments.
Karl: Always good to hear from you.Your views are always valued.
Mario: I know I'm not posting as much these days. There has been a reason for that and hopefully, that's in the past now. New years resolution; To get more done than the single figure I completed last year Now, the request for painting evaluation? You know me better than anyone on here and you know that, really I'm pretty uncomfortable with painting. I really do need to improve! A lot of the guys on here just blow me out of the water when it come to final finishing and I really want to get to that sort of standard, hence the shout-out for CC Anyway, the formulation for oven cleaner must have been changed in the UK because it doesn't work anymore! Big problems for me there
Jerry: The MG42 is from the DML Korsun Pocket set, ie; the original Gen2 set, not the Gen2 gear stuff. The Gen2 gear item does not have the cooling slots in the top of the barrel. The donor fig; Sorry mate, not a US fig! My money is on Conor getting this one, he usually spots it
All the best guys,
Gary

I know what you mean. I was never satified with my painting, always looking at amazing skills of master modelers and wishing I could paint figures like that... I guess the answer would be keeping at it, painting as much as possible and starting to feel comfortable with the medium you're painting with. And remember, you are your own worst critic.

I see no problems in your painting. The camo patterns are realistic, the shades and highlights on the uniform are not exaggerated. Perhaps the face needs more definition, but that could very well be a problem with photos. What is it that you feel needs improving? Please remind me what medium you use for painting?

Cheers mate,
Mario

Gary- I know what you are saying about painting- I feel the same way to be honest. I always want to improve my painting- one of the many reasons I come to this site as it provides examples of stunning work and great techniques.
I always say- if you want to improve you have to experiment- I do it a lot and try and take lessons from how I go about it. I assume you are using acrylics to paint your figures?

The only thing I would say about your figure would be that some areas could do with being darker- but the problem here is that is my personal taste- I like to create things a bit darker- and it may not be something you want to do. The area I'd be drawn to work on would be his cap- I would make it more worn looking and give it a darker tone overall. But as I said- that is more my personal taste- I wouldn't call it a constructive criticism exactly- its just an example of something I might do if I had been painting this. Basically- its hard to critique what I see as excellent paint work!

And about the oven cleaner- were you wanting to use it to strip paint? If so I find Mr. Hobby thinners are excellent for stripping acrylic paint- I use them if I mess something up- I can just use a brush and a cotton bud to strip the paint and primer and start again.

STG 44 gunner from the 11 SS "Vistula-Oder" set from Dragon.

...

For what it's worth I think you're one of the best figure painters we've got on this forum, sir. That Korsun Pocket kit you borrwed the MG from really is great though, in terms of gear and the figures. It was my first Gen2 kit 5 years ago, and I might give it another shot since I've improved somewhat since then!

-Conor

Thanks for your replies lads. Karl, you're right, I use acrylics, mainly Vallejo. It's difficult to explain where I think I'm going wrong. To my eye, my figs always tend to look a bit "muddy"? That is, no clear definition between colours and they tend to flow into each other.Sometimes, it just doesn't look "right". Maybe I overwork the colours (Overshading /glazing). When I look at the work of some of the painters on here, I have to wonder how they get that "clean" look. That's what I'm after. I know this is maybe a bit muddled but I hope you can figure out what it is i'm looking for
Conor old buddy! I knew i could rely on you You win the virtual !
All the best lads,
Gary

I lOVE THE FIGURE MATE.I think your colours dont appear muddy.Thats my problem.I use oils over Humbrols for faces and the skin looks grainy and muddy.I enjoy converting Dml figures very much.
Great job man fro Richard

Holy XXXX ! I first thought I was looking at a 120mm figure. Awesome figure Gary, perhaps the best 1/35th figure I have ever seen. Great little vignette, I love the verdigris on the fence post, nice touch. I would brown up the grass though. Nothing green in Wisconsin now so I'm guessing it would be the same there too.
THANK YOU for sharing !
Tom

Fantastic job on both the conversion and painting. Beautifully done!

Very, very nice conversion work, Gary!

In so far as the painting goes, at this point I think it's a matter of style. Beyond that, I really can't add much since I paint in oils.

The guy to ask, IMO, would be Andy Evans. He is without a doubt one of the best acrylic painters who post here.