"Belgian Carabiniers from that painting" Topic

Hope you will recognise these from the well known painting by Alphonse Lalauze.

Converted plastic Perry French Dragoons in the front rank and their bog standard metal figures behind (other than trumpeter's plume). The latter are one piece castings and their early work, but I was really impressed with the detail. They are also more like the real thing than mine and the painting's, frankly. Plastic are so easy to work with, however. I modified the horses by sawing each half into another fore and aft quarter, basically, to allow more dynamic poses. The rest was just Greenstuff. I really do intend to do the grenades on the coat tail turnbacks…..

My only regret was not basing them in threes on my circular bases. I would have then had the officer further forward and the chap on the rearing horse appearing behind, to the right, not left as here. The cuirassier officer I might still do. The plastic officer's horse needs almost no alteration. But there is so much waiting to be done.

Tempted to redo Ney's Charge with even more figures….from the panorama.

good effort – I would use a wash on the white sheepskin – in case you did, the contrast is not hard enough.
Maybe, according to taste also some dry brushing over the helmets' crests.

In case for grenades, you can do a stamp, like I did for my Hessian Grenadiers of AWI – just look for a suitable miniature which has it, then cover it with a blob of GS – before coat it with water or saliva – then wait till GS is set – pull it of and you have a sort of stamp which you can use on figures, that is blob of GS and then stamp on top which should the mold the GS into a grenade.

I love the idea of a stamp for grenades. That I will try. The wash on the sheepskin. I used seraphim sepia over some stone colour and drybrushed over it. Same with the horses' hair and the helmet crest, dry brushed. In reality the former looks slightly OVER done. The black I should have highlighted more I do agree now.

It is the lighting I need for photography. These are at f32 to get depth of focus. That means four very bright spot lights which means;

The most matt still has a shine

Lighter colours are washed out eg trumpeters' white crests and fringed epaulettes.

The blue coats are much more vivid blue than real life.

Feedback MUCH appreciated. Thanks. That stamp idea is sheer genius…………

Very nice!

I also agree the stamp idea is pure genius

I think you did a fabulous job and I really like von Winterfeldt' suggestions. I wish I had your skill.

Thanks all.

Just to again make the point about lighting and colour in photography. Here is a crude picture, before basing, just using the camera flash….crude but it got the colours nearer to right. My white balance is a compromise as I use a daylight bulb, an incandescent spotlight and an overhead fluorescent ring tube! No wonder the colours come out strange!

VW – the stamp idea is pure genius.

Just couple of ideas.
It looks like you painted a dark gold then highlighted with a bright gold. I like to use a bronze then bright gold. It gives it more contrast.

I usually dry brush over black with medium dark grey.

Also the buttons on the trousers need to be done.

Superb idea and wonderful execution!! Love this!!

well the credit of the stamp idea goes to Frank Germershaus, who taught me sculpting, here you see the grenades I did stamp of the Perrys Grenadiers cartridge pouch – I think I also made the emblem in the centre, I created one, speak sculpting, then making a stamp.

theminiaturespage.com

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This needs a new forum of its own.

It is far more important than my Netherlands Carabiniers. This is very innovative.

Absolutely right about my gold. Old Gold with Gold highlights from Vallejo. How you spotted that I have no idea. I cannot see it at all. It did not work. I used to use an ink wash. Bronze makes perfect sense…I even have it in my paint chest.

The overall buttons. I agonised over them. Some show a red stripe, but the suggestion is that was post Waterloo. The artist showed a strange yellow stripe (as in top pic). Then I thought brass buttons, sliver as on jacket or fabric covered???? I did one in brass but it looked so garish I overpainted grey again. In the end I gave up. But it is a very good point and I do REALLY like this feedback.

I dry brushed with black/grey. It is too dark. You are all right about that

Those look excellent!
Wonderful painting as well!

I modified the horses by sawing each half into another fore and aft quarter

and I thought I was mad!

Amazing stuff – what a wonderful sight they all are. Well done, DH!

I think you did a great job. Much better than anything I could do.

Wonderful stuff.
Re this quote (I am not smart enough to highlight):

I usually dry brush over black with medium dark grey.

I am no expert, and I know most use some form of grey to highlight black, but I have 2 very black dogs and their highlights are more blue then grey.

Beautiful work again Liam, any conversion in progress pics?

Absolutely right about my gold. Old Gold with Gold highlights from Vallejo. How you spotted that I have no idea. I cannot see it at all. It did not work. I used to use an ink wash. Bronze makes perfect sense…I even have it in my paint chest.

Years ago I tried the same technique, it didn't look right so I used bronze as a base then bright gold for highlight.

I would use pewter on the trouser side buttons, pretty usual for all nations cavalry, especially in the field.

I am convinced that the grey drybrushing was inadequate.

von W is also right about the sheepskin. The wash worked on the metals but less so on plastic, as less indentation.

Great to have so much feedback and useful tips and I will paint those overall buttons now. Pewter will be less garish. Ideal.

Finally pics of WIP. I did not want to saturate you all with pics but this is a Gallery. So I am highly dilated to oblige! No bout adout it.

Sawing the horses across the belly strap (is that the surcingle?) means they can still fit together and adds even more variety. Wisest to leave one half intact for obvious reasons though!

you just need some good books about Belle Alliance ;-)).

Just for sculpting, in case for feathers, or crescents, mix in a bit more blue, so a 1 : 1 ratio or even a bit more blue for the GS mix, by that it gets harder and you can make sharper edges to enhance definition.

I never knew that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whatever the figures and presentation, the feedback here has been brilliant. You have all been kind in not pointing out;

that the lapels would have been fastened over

that then only the right red lace would have been seen

that one Perry metal figure is missing his right epaulette and fringes (I meant to fix that)

that, if they are wearing their cloaks as protection, how come some have cloaks on their portmanteaux? Perrys got that right! (maybe it was the horses' cloaks they wore…)

that even 2e Belgian Carabiniers may not have had the helmet in time for Waterloo

That's one of the reasons I prefer metals over plastics, better definition of edges, faces, sheepskin etc.
Although plastics are much easier for conversion. However I paint for gaming not display as you do Liam.

They are magnificent. I can't offer any constructive feedback, to me they look great just as they are. One of my favourite uniforms…though it wouldn't be without the helmets. So much more imposing than bicornes.

How I agree. The Perry plastic dragoons or cuirassiers (and they are their early releases) have fantastic detail. For example the cavalry cross belt buckles, the cuirassier retaining straps. Plastic has every single subtlety, but has "soft edges". I still hate Perry Carabinier plastic heads, however much I have used them. But otherwise…incredible.

Metal can have worrying mould lines, much harder to remove and convert, but really sharp edges…so easy to paint to stand out, therefore.

I have seen folk who can paint plastic to metal standards on TMP (eg von W) and that takes REAL skill

Mrs F is already asking why these must go into the attic, as she quite likes these. (She is into artistic things, like paintings and girly subjects). The answer is Netherlands HA mounted and French Imperial Guard HA in laced rig in my garage, unloved.

Lambert. Cheers. I like them, but I am not entirely convinced yet. The feedback has been superb. I love constructive criticism..and I do mean that.

I can take it or leave it, but surely I can at least try to learn from it. I am a rivet counter (this was a term used in 1970s about Armoured Fighting Vehicles). Fine

How I agree. The Perry plastic dragoons or cuirassiers (and they are their early releases) have fantastic detail. For example the cavalry cross belt buckles, the cuirassier retaining straps. Plastic has every single subtlety, but has "soft edges". I still hate Perry Carabinier plastics, however much I have used them. But otherwise…incredible.

Metal can have worrying mould lines, much harder to remove and convert, but really sharp edges…so easy to paint to stand out, therefore.

I have seen folk who can paint plastic to metal standards on TMP (eg von W) and that takes REAL skill

Mrs F is already asking why these must go into the attic, as she quite likes these. (She is into artistic things, like paintings and girly subjects). The answer is Netherlands HA mounted and French Imperial Guard HA in laced rig in my garage, unloved.

Lambert. Cheers. I like them, but I am not entirely convinced yet. The feedback has been superb. I love constructive criticism..and I do mean that.

I can take it or leave it, but surely I can at least try to learn from it. I am a rivet counter (this was a term used in 1970s about Armoured Fighting Vehicles). Fine

Liam, you do wonderful work and most of us appreciate that you put yourself out there.
Thanks for being so open and appreciative of our comments.
We all become better painters/modelers because of each other.
I've learned so much from people such as yourself, Von W. and others.
Cheers!

Hello Mr D..

Nice modelling but unless he is instantly dead that falling fellow would be sticking his arms out to protect against the fall.

I would respectfully Suggest that your photography question might be to use natural light if at all possible. Areas of shadow can be negated by indirect lighting.

It's the old using flash in sunlight to illuminate the faces principle.

I found this which is similar to a tutorial I had but have since mislaid.

I hope it is of use as I know you are into photography.

PDF link

Bright light causes shadows and all sorts of weird problems. Have you ever tried to paint in brilliant sunlight. You can not see the subject! However, move into a well lit but not direct sun everything is clearer.

Best wishes,

Chris

I have seen that pdf before but for some reason had not saved it or learned from it! Now corrected. Many a great tip, thanks.

The falling guy. Yes, he would look far better with arms outstretched but it looked all wrong on a dry run. I used torsos cut from the marching dragoons, for three figures as both arms come separately (a real rarity in cavalry).

The chap on the extreme right is straight from the painting. I would never have used that pose but the blanket roll did conceal the problem on the right. Basically you cannot just take a hanging arm and rotate through 180 because the shoulder looks all wrong….like a puppet

Do you know…as I typed this I have thought how to do it! You have to narrow the shoulders on the torso. You cut out a wedge, widest bit uppermost! Now why did I not….? Next time I will try that!!!!!!!

No. He and his horse have been instantly killed by canister. Which somehow spared everyone around him….

A bit like this poor chap!

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Best wishes,

Chris

100% better

It is his left arm that makes the difference. Anyone can do the right with the sword. But this chap, you show, looks still alive.

Thanks. Really good "food for thought"!

I could have done my chap with his arm a bit forward not back, without any conversion, as above. The obvious reason I did not is because…….let me think about it…..there must be a reason

Did I mention the real Waterloo mud that went into the basing?

Hi.

No but I do know that that is your special ingredient.

Having tramped around the battlefield with my wonderful wife I should perhaps have collected a bit for myself.

To experience its slippery ness, to which was added excrement, blood and bits of people it makes you wonder how units moved in cohesion at all.

Something most Wargames find convenient to overlook when their favourite unit is ordered to charge.

Best wishes,

Chris

To prove I do listen.

The sheepskins got an extra wash.

The turnbacks now have grenades.

Pewter buttons on overalls (where I could get to them without risk)

Another grey highlight on all black (still not really showing on photos)

White plumes and crests all washed second time with new highlights. Same for epaulettes of trumpeters.

and this is photo'd in natural daylight, with one daylight bulb added! (Of course I forgot the study spotlights from the ceiling…hence the yellow cast)

Finally thanks all again! You motivated me to go back and redo. On the shelf, they look FAR better now. That chap would have looked far better with arms extended….

Very nice indeed.

Chris

I'll be honest. It is the photography that has me yet….

It is "saturations". It is the white/light colours which even now are still over-exposed, even after a second go at highlighting/shading.

The real figures are so much better. Would I lie to you? (I might, they are much better with suggestions there). The officer's white plume is just so convincing in reality. I cannot capture it

What is great is feedback that says your work is great…but. It is the "but" that we all need to learn from.