Lady Stoneheart -- Painting - Intermezzo

In the course of taking care of a few loose threads on the face, I decided that I will not undercoat the exterior of the hooded cloak until the rest of the figure is fully painted and permanently mount- ed on its display base. Amongst other things, this will allow me to paint the cloak and hood as a unit. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Lady Stoneheart -- Painting (I) - Head and Face: Day 1

The irises are now DONE! The overpaint in oils, using Liquin as a medium, has been completed. Once dry, I will address the symptomatic conjunctivitis--again using Liquin as a medium. By the time that is dry, I will hopefully have made a decision on how to approach the pupils. . . 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Jon Snow - Painting: Doublet & Mantle

I don't know when I might have a chance to settle comfortably at the bench again, so I decided this would be a painting weekend once the preparatory measures were taken care of. Irma is still over 24  hours away--maybe longer; but the uncertainties re: the velocity and expanse of the wind field, to say nothing of the track, makes this storm a poster child for the old saw: prepare for the worse; hope for the best. Our thoughts and prayers are with the residents of Florida--family, friends, and colleagues.

After doing some minor touch-ups on the face, I went straight to the leather doublet. This morning I painted the "under-doublet": the upper chest panel with the buckles. It actually went a lot quick- er and smoother than I had anticipated. Depending on the meteorological developments this after- noon, I may tackle the mantle and the main panel of the doublet ('plackart') after lunch.

Stay tuned! 

FOLLOW-UP. . . The doublet, including the cross-braces, is now DONE! As is the mantle. The latter will require revisiting once the oils have settled to achieve the tonal and chromatic variance 
I am looking for; but until that time, everything but the fur/hair, whether bovine or human, on the figure is well beyond Phase I Oils.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Lady Stoneheart -- Painting - UCing

The flesh is now undercoated. This entailed stippling various tones of whites and pale greys integrated with darker greys and olive drabs to create an essentially achromatic, mottled finish. 

I also uc'ed the eyes and the teeth, as well as the wound. The facial canvas is now ready to accept oils; but first, complete the uc'ing to properly frame the pallid flesh. . .

FOLLOW-UP. . . The eyes--or rather, the irises--are now done. As with Jessica, these were blocked-in (read: undercoated) using acrylics. Next, I will overpaint the irises in oils; and when dry, proceed with the pupils.

I also uc'ed the interior of the hood. . .

FOLLOW-UP (2). . . The chemise, the underside of the cloak and the pedestal have been uc'd/ painted.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Painting: Priming

Before addressing the matter at hand, I would just like to say that I have revised the title of this project. Having said that, in the interest of continuity, I will retain the now-'working title'. The new title will be the subject of the concluding post in this arc.

Now. . . the torso is now primed (Tamiya Fine surface Primer-White), and in the oven curing. I am still in the process of final finishing of the head, addressing minor tweaks and points of de- tail. 

UPDATE 25.07.2018. . . The head/face is DONE!!! The head will be primed sometime over the weekend. . . 27.07.2018 DONE

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Lady Stoneheart -- Painting - Priming

Lady Stoneheart is now primed and on the painting bench!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Joker "TwE" - Prepwork III

After a long-overdue get-together with a dear colleague and friend, and a Joker-highlights viewing of Suicide Squad, it was time to return to the in-progress bust of Mista J. . . 

The face is now all-but-done. While it would be premature of me to deem the conversion a fait accompli, it is very, very close. I'll have a better idea of when I might be priming in the next 2-3 days. . . 

Stay tuned!

UPDATE 05.09.2017. . . I expect to have this primed by this time next week. 
 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

"The King in the North"

While it is very tempting to break out this kit and continue the arduous trek "beyond the Wall", one Jon Snow project at a time is the indicated course of action.

Also, with Ghost absent since the second episode of S6, I am fairly certain that he will play a relatively prominent role in S8. Thus, I will resume work on this project a few months before the premiere of the final season.

Until then. . . 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Lady Stoneheart - Prepwork II

Save for a handful of "points of detail" to be sculpted and/or refined (e.g., button, lacing, etc.), the hair, and final finishing, Lady Stoneheart can be deemed completed! 

There is still a considerable amount of work to be done, but this falls in the "prepping the canvas" category, as opposed to prepping the figure. You might ask, "What's the difference?" A very good question! The prepping of any well-designed and cast figure--such as this--should be virtually nil; however, prepping the surface using the proposed paint scheme--and palette!--as your guide is a largely overlooked step in the pre-prime prepwork. This bust is all about the "prepping of the canvas"!  

I am hoping to have this bust on the painting bench within the fortnight. . . 

Stay tuned!

31.08.2017-- Hair is all-but-done. Once the hair is completed, I will proceed with detailing the areas of the visible scalp.

01.09.2017-- Button done.

02.09.2017-- Final finishing underway. . .  

05.09.2017-- Lady Stoneheart is DONE!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Lady Stoneheart - Prepwork I

I really don't know what it is about this bust, but it just compels you to invest effort--and most generously rewards your investment. . .

• The pedestal is now all-but-done. 
• The chemise is in the finishing stages.
• The proximal end of the cloak has been roughed-in.
• The negative shape of the cowl has been roughed-in using clay.
• The preliminary disfiguring and distressing of the face is underway.

Movin' right along. . .

27.08.2017. . .  

• Reduced molded hair to final proportions.
• Cowl completed.
• Gown roughed-in.
• Chemise finished.
• Cloak underway.

28.08.2017. . .  

• Cloak completely roughed-in; finishing underway.
• Cowl fitted.
• Gown completed; finishing underway.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Lady Stoneheart - Prepwork: Intro

As is my wont, involved projects usually find me diving right in, if only to undergo "deep immer- sion familiarization" with the casting and--most importantly--with what lies ahead.

So. . . I immediately broke out the the motor-tools, and started removing the excess material that would be superfluous on Lady Stoneheart. I also addressed the minimal seam-lines--and widened the more-than-anticipated peripheral air-holes: this was obviously a later casting.

Next, I tapped a 1/8"d. hole for the supporting rod (tin solder), and filled-in the air voids. I then roughed-in the pedestal around the supporting rod with MS.

Finally, I indulged in some free-hand "motor-sketching". This is where I take the motor-tool and start lightly carving into the base sculpture. In this session I started working on the pleats and texture of what will be the chemise.

Good start!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Lady Stoneheart

It is hard to believe that 4 years ago, Rin at Dark World Creations was putting together the first of what was to be an Anniversary Painting bash commemorating the birthday of his company. Sad- ly--but hardly surprising given today's marketplace--DWC is no more save in our memories. "For one brief shining moment. . . "

And now for something completely different. . .

This weekend will be the finale of Season 7 of GoT. That means that there are but 6(!) more epi- sodes left in the entire saga. The all-too-short Season 8 is supposed to begin filming in October, but the premiere date is at this point uncertain: there is speculation that it may not launch until sometime in 2019! Personally, I would have rather seen a slightly longer--13 episodes--seventh and final season than having two mini-seasons. . .

But I digress. . .

Catelyn, Lady Stark, is the widow of Eddard "Ned" Stark, mother of all the Stark children, and the matriarch of Winterfell. She meets her untimely end at the infamous event known as "The Red Wedding". Her corpse is disposed of in the Green Fork, but it is retrieved three days later by Arya's direwolf, Nymeria. She is then resurrected by Beric Dondarrion, leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners. The resultant revenant comes to be known as Lady Stoneheart. . .  also known as the Silent Sister, Mother Merciless, and/or the Hangwoman.

Lady Stoneheart was one of, if not the most anticipated characters in HBO's GoT. Regrettably, she was "cut" (again!), and one would be hard-pressed to see how--or why!--she might be insinu- ated somewhere in the last 7 episodes.

In lieu of a dramatic realization of this awesome character, I decided to honour it in miniature! I found an issue of DWC's 1/10th scale Jessica bust at a most compelling price, and it will provide the base sculpt of my interpretation of Lady Stoneheart.

More to follow!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Jon Snow - Painting: Reflections

A few comments, if I may. . . 

Painting the face off the figure is definitely the way to go. . . BUT, I would not try to finish it until it is [permanently] attached to the torso. The all-black costume is ultra-high contrast to the overall pale fleshtone, and the latter must be moderated en suite. Off the figure, the complexion looked too ruddy; but once attached, it was just about right. Yet another reason why glazing was the optimal technique!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003