discussion RDG Miniatures Marine de la Garde Drummer 54mm

[Neil Merryweather]

As most people know by now, I generally only convert stock figures into something else, or even sculpt them myself. This means I very rarely buy a figure just because I like it and want to paint it. Well this is one of those rare figures, and, flushed with my recent painting success, I have decided to dive into this right now, while the mojo is high. I really love the arrogant pose and the uniform is neither khaki nor navy so that will be a breath of fresh air.
He is sculpted by Nello Riviecco and is available in several scales from RDG Miniatures, but I stuck with my usual 54mm, which will be quite a challenge as there’s a LOT of detail to paint.
Here are all the bits


I started with some of the separate equipment, just to get my eye in after a few weeks away from the paintbrushes

Just as I had gotten the confidence up to start on the figure himself (but fortunately in good time..) I discovered a hideous great mould seam I had missed before priming.

So thankfully I was able to sort that before I had got too far along
So that's it for now
Cheers
Neil

 

[Jim R]

Looks very nice. I have no doubt you'll make a great job of it. Is it moulded resin or a 3D print?

 

[Tim Marlow]

Good to see something Napoleonic on the go. Lots of detail for a 54mm chap as well. Nice one

 

[flyjoe180]

Wonderful work on the rucksack and drums Neil. Figure looks good. Glad you spotted that mould seam before painting.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Looks very nice. I have no doubt you'll make a great job of it. Is it moulded resin or a 3D print?

It's moulded resin Jim ( hence the seam line) but taken from a 3D printed original, which is how it can be available in several scales - 75mm and 120mm I believe, and also as a bust at 200mm.
Unfortunately mould lines are worse on resin figures moulded in silicone rubber because it means there's a step which, in bad cases, actually distorts the figure; rather than just a thin line of plastic, which IS a pain to remove but doesn't generally affect the proportions. I often use my less motivated moments to fettle seam lines on my next project, making useful progress without the need for much concentration

 

[PaulinKendal]

This looks great, Neil - I've just looked it up on RDG Miniatures and, as you say, the pose is superb.

I'm put off Napoleonics in part because the vast majority of figures are extremely conventional, static poses. This goes to show what's possible. I'll look forward to seeing what you do with it.

 

[Neil Merryweather]

I’ve started on the torso.
The blue is more or less there, although whether the shade is correct is anybody’s guess. It seems to me that there are as many variations on the shade of blue as there are illustrations, so I went with what I have already.
Boy have I given myself a challenge with the gold braid...
I underpainted it with buff because the gold is rather transparent. I was planning to do a second coat but I don’t think I will now.
It still needs the red diagonals added (fun) and then I will doubtless have to re-touch the blue.


I’m still working up the courage to do the face...

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Well here is my attempt at the diagonal red lines on the lace and it was not easy. I have retouched the blue as well.


This is really at the limits of my capabilities, but I’m still optimistic, so I decided to have another try.

But after overpainting all the braid and then underpainting again, and two coats of gold (6 or 7 coats of paint altogether) the detail has become rather obliterated, so I've decide to strip him and start again.
Meanwhile I have ordered some Darkstar metal paint, and then we will see if it's a case of a bad workman blaming his tools or not!
Thanks for the encouragement so far, and I'll just get on with the Historex Chapeau Chinois for now

​

 

[Jim R]

Your perseverance does you credit. To be honest it looks pretty good already. What do they say - "We're out own worst critics".

 

[Neil Merryweather]

The Darkstar paints arrived on Friday and I am happy to say it wasn’t just a case of ‘a bad workman blaming his tools’, and now I’m a willing convert. I always knew there were better metallics than the Vallejo I was using but up to now I haven’t felt the need to splash the cash. But this is one case where I could see that I really needed some quality. I think now I’ve done the best job I can with this.
There were several re-touches and re-re-touches along the way, but I was definitely right to strip him and start again. I really had obscured a lot of the detail, which was making each attempt successively more difficult to paint. In an attempt to represent the colour Aurore I used Braid Gold with a wash of Vallejo Transparent Orange, which I think works- and also removed the necessity of matching a mix if I ran out.


The weathering on the black belts is not as extreme in real life as it looks in the photos
I also finished the head, which shows off the Aurore better as the lace is plain.
This is where I benefitted from both a superb sculpt, and from my ‘discovery’ of using AK Ultra Matt to thin the paint instead of water; the technique had been recommended to me before but I kept forgetting about it.


I think I’ve managed my best transitions on a face so far. The only problem was that I flooded the corner of his right eye by having too much paint on the brush, and I don’t dare try to rectify it for fear of totally ballsing it up and having to start again. It happens to me a lot, I must try and remember not to do that in future.
So this is where we are today, I’m hoping to get him finished while I’m on a roll and before the onslaught begins tomorrow, but I probably won’t get away with it.
Have a good Christmas everyone

 

[pjgtech]

Looks great mate.....

 

[PaulinKendal]

That's looks really excellent, Neil. The brightwork looks superb.

Re. your problems with having too much paint on the brush - I'm just relieved to hear someone else has issues with this. I find there's a level of meticulousness required to get things done properly, and it ALL needs to be just-so if you're going to get the best results. So, not too much paint in the brush, but properly loaded so it doesn't dry out instantly, dilution just right, flow just right, bringing the bristles together to a neat point, holding the figure securely but lightly in the right orientation for what you're about to paint, properly bracing hands and forearms, getting the lighting in the right place, ensuring magnification is in the right place, and so much more.

And if you have to adjust any one of those things just a little bit, then you usually wind up with the paint drying in the brush so you have to start all over again!

But it's so rewarding when you can honestly say: "that's my best transitions..." or whatever - a real sense of achievement.

 

[flyjoe180]

Lovely work Neil

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Well I’ve finally finished this boy , and though I shouldn’t say it myself, I think I have excelled myself.








It’s far and away the most challenging figure I've ever attempted to paint, but I'm glad I did it because although it’s nowhere near the fantastic standards of the experts we see on the internet, it’s given me quite a confidence boost. It’s also proven to me ,once again, that a great sculpt is easier to paint than a poor one. AND that practice makes ,if not perfect, then at least better! So I shall endeavour to paint a bit more frequently in the future, and I expect I shall be more open in the future to buying figures just for the purpose of painting them as their manufacturers intended.

I do have to say many thanks to everyone for the great encouragement along the way.

Cheers and Happy New Year

Neil

 

[PaulTRose]

C'est magnifique

 

[Tim Marlow]

Superbe …. A real cracker….. complex little beasts Napoleonic figures, but that’s what makes them….
Glad you like the Darkstar metallics, by the way, I’ve used them for ages. Being gel paints they do take a little getting used to. For silver colours I prefer the Vallejo metal Color paints these days. They flow and mix better than anything else I’ve found. Light years ahead of the model colour range. Only the silvers though, the gold and copper in the range are awful.

 

[Jim R]

You have every reason to be very proud of this Neil. Not an easy figure to paint but you've made a superb job of it.

 

[Steven000]

Very nice paintwork Neil, well done, cheers

 

[Mickc1440]

Great work Neil

 

[stillp]

I don't do figures, but if I did I'd like to be able to paint them that well.
Pete