Polish Hussar, 17th Century

[nicusi]

Hi to every one and hope to have an excellent New Year!
I decided to present you my first figurine. Not finished yet, it take me me some months, just working to it in small pauses. It's a Russian Ek Castings, representing a 17th Century Polish Hussar! Don't worry, all the wings are all right, just a little accident that make one to fall. It was a happy accident, otherwise I couldn't work some places of armour, especially between the two wings. All the commentaries are welcome.

[deafpanzer]

Beautiful work! Dig the color green...

I have a bust from Young Miniature I plan to do this year.

[tigrazor]

Which one DP? Which one??? Cool figure btw!

[nicusi]

Deafpanzer, tigrazor, thank you! If you are thinking about this:http://www.young-miniatures.com/products/YH1831/YH1831-1.html, I've seen some very good works. It's wonderfull, I wish you have a lot of fun with it.
I've forget to tell my hussar is 54 mm and was worked with Vallejo acrylics.
Cheers!

[tigrazor]

54mm is quite tricky. Not too big, but not too small. Saw the YM Hussar several times at expos now - this bust is most impressive! Sometimes Ill own my own. But first comes the Roman.

[wbill76]

Off to a great start with this one Nic. Looking forward to more on it.

[nicusi]

Many thanks, my friends, for your kind words!The eagle wings are already finished, their red support received some gold  (well, between some precise points and drybrush with Old Gold). I started also to work the blade and the sheath, hope to show you some more pictures on Sunday, my photocamera just "divorced" of me.
Sorry for my poor English, I'm not a good speller.
Cheers!
Nicolae

[wbill76]

No worries on the English Nic, you are still a better speller than Gary!

[Biskup]

I like it

[nicusi]

Sorry for my late silence, here some photos with the progress made, included some details. Unfortunatelly, all the imperfections of this Ek Casting figurine started to come to light (the blade, for exemple). Still more to repair (my golden "pointilisme" wasn't succesfull!). As usual, your comentaries and sugestions wil be more welcome.
Best regards!

[deafpanzer]

Fantastic work on feather!!

[nicusi]

Thanks Deafpanzer! Still to work on some mistakes (some red escaped). I looked many photographies with european eagles, especially from Poland, choose one very interesting in my opinion and started to work. Primer Vallejo 73602, than again black all the feathers with Black 950 + some very little dark blue grey. Then, I decided to  start to open gradually the colour. Some brown 846+818 added in the middle, a grey colour made from black and white, different proportions and successive glazes. Finally many washes with smoke (at least 5).   
Many hussars feathers are usually represented only with black, grey and white. I decided to choose something else, not according to my imagination, of course.
I'll soon start a very difficult operation of golden "pointillism" on whole armour, helmet and another metallic parts. I attach some references from two museums, two busts of Michael Lee (profile) and Greg Cillar, and one photo of a contemporary parade in Poland. Hope to like them!
You will notice the golden 'points' (sorry, I can' find the right English word) that Michael Lee avoided. 
Best regards!

[nicusi]

Just some quick shots, still working on "golden operation".
Best regards!
Nicolae
 

[Leon]

Your doing a fantastic job Nicolae.

[tigrazor]

Phew... Those original ref pics look great! Maybe I have to do such a figure too one day and give it to my mother-in-law (she has Polish origins).

Do you give the gold a washing or something?

[dennis]

Hi Nicolae, this is looking good especially the work on the feathers which can be a pain to portray properly.
Look forward to seeing more.
Dennis

[nicusi]

Dear friends, many thanks for your encouragements! Still a lot to do, then working more on shadows and lights. Hope this weekend to put an end and next Sunday to make also a good base.

Tigrazor, I used Vallejo Model Color 70878, Old Gold without any wash. Some lights are mixed with Metal Medium, but the operation is not finished. It's true that I painted last time thinning down all colours with this flow aid solution from Liquitex (http://www.liquitex.com/flowaid/)which is excellent (I forget this detail, maybe important). A Polish Hussar bust will be a wonderfull gift, why not?

Dennis, yeah, the feathers were also for me a true challenge. See above some words how I worked.
Best regards!
Nicolae

[wbill76]

Attention to detail is paying off with this one Nic, very nice.

[nicusi]

Well, not a progress, but, at least, the Golden Operation is almost finished. Not at the desired level, but that's all I succeed to do. If you want to test your nerves, just grab a hussar and enjoy making this operation, you'll surely remember about it.
Next level, some washes with Vallejo inks to the armour, helmet, but only after I'll finish with the belts (two more straps in the area of the neck, the right part and the back) and the base, minimum, some autumn muddy ground, we're gonna see.

[nicusi]

Many thanks, DickyF! Well, not so crisp as it seems, it's such a difference between a dedicated figurine (Andrea, Pegaso, Romeo, Latorre, more recently Nocturna) and this Russian copies. It's true that the last are at affordable prices for us, Eastern Europeans, but if you want quality, you have to know what you choose. For exemple, the Russians from Chronos Miniatures, Irbis or Tartar Miniatures are far away from Ek Castings.

[nicusi]

Just a base and some final touches to put an end to the Hussar Operation. I play with a mix of Blue and Black inks from Vallejo, a very fine wash applied to the dark zones (the darkest receives only Black). The lighter zone were worked with Silver and the extreme points with Metal Medium. And, both eagle wings are now back!!

[deafpanzer]

Beautiful!!! Can't wait to work on similar bust later this year... so colorful!

[nicusi]

Thank you, Deafpanzer! I'm sure you'll enjoy the bust, indeed the Polish hussar is an amazing historical figure. So, myself can't wait to see your future project!

[406 Silverado]

That came out great. The wings look very good.

[Leon]

Nic this is pure eye candy,your paint work is outstanding.

[nicusi]

Many thanks, my friends! I will be stubborn and I will apply another layer of my special mix wash in order to get out more of the details. Of course, the lights will be reworked too, but hope to looks better. Then the base (a round one), some autumn atmosphere, not too complicated, we're gonna see.
Best regards and good luck to your projects!
Nicolae

[wbill76]

Very impressive Nic, the different shading/tones on those wings and all that scrollwork on the armor plate is very well done.

[nicusi]

Thank you for your kind words, wbill76!

[nicusi]

Hi guys!

That's pretty much the final version, some layers with the same mix of Vallejo inks, I worked too at the leather belt, try to modulate the sheath do not know how it came out, but that's another discussion) and some Gold to the circular band that ends armor (just under the leather belt). I will make the base next weekend and I hope to put an end to this long project. Not the other, but the Norman is waiting for me!
Best regards,
Nicolae

[deafpanzer]

BEAUTIFUL! Love the colors for this...

Look what you have done to me? Started working on the bust from Young Miniature last night as I couldn't wait any more. LOL Will post here later today...