Driver Figure For 'Planet' Skip

As the self-propelled skip was in its finishing stages I gave up on finishing the figure I had originally acquired with it. I decided the driver took more effort than anticipated and that I had to finish the motorized skip first, having the figure joining the 'Planet' at a later stage. Now more than a month has passed and I have researched the skip's history, worked a lot and travelled in Germany, Norway and United Kingdom. Time to finish the driver!

The 'Planet' self-propelled skip looks a lot more prototypical running on the layout with a figure in the driver's seat.

When I left the driver to finish the 'Planet' I had just begun to 'flesh' out the skinny legs and build up a more natural connection between legs and pelvis region. Later I also sawed off the figure's left arm to reposition it for a better fit in the cab. Typical of many of my projects. There is always something that could do with a little improvement.

As far as I got during my summer vacation. Green blobs of putty and the left arm still in its original position.

How the figure looked like when just out of the box.

The figure is designed by David Clavey to specifically fit the skip's driver's seat and controls. Despite the figure not looking as detailed as Modelu's scanned and 3D printed figures I was initially quite glad I made the purchase. The quality looked better than some of the images circulating of painted examples of it online. As I began to handle the figure and fitting it in the cab, my relationship with the figure became increasingly challenging. Apart from the skinny legs, narrow shoulders and problematic pelvis, the two heads supplied also seemed too large, completely overwhelming the body. One of the heads also had a haunting resemblance to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of The Russian Federation. A person not popular in my house. So far I have not registered any results in the real world of my 1/19 scale voodoo performed on the 'Putin head', but who knows what happens tomorrow...

Modelling is also about being honest. This is the last photo of the figure before priming. I did a little more sanding, but this figure is never going to count as a succes. Even the Modelu fox is sceptical. 

Not known for giving up projects I pressed on using putty and files, gradually switching to putty and sand paper, before finally drawing the conclusion that I couldn't be drawn deeper into what looked to be a lost battle. The figure will fit in the cab and it looks like a human being from some distance. But it will never be a Modelu figure and it will definately look its best seen from the back. 

As usual I used Black Chaos primer from Games Workshop. I chose a dark green colour (Vallejo 70.897 Bronze Green) for the figure's overalls as I hoped it would help hide some of my miserable work with putty. The shirt got a few layers of Vallejo 70.918 Ivory to cover the black primer. Skin areas were painted with  Vallejo 341 'Flesh Base' with a tone slightly lightened with white used on nose ridge cheek bones and jaw line. A localized wash with heavily diluted burnt sienna oil paint under nose, eyes and around mouth and ears adds depth to the facial features without overdoing it. I'm no talented figure painter so I skip painting eyes - and frankly most railway modellers should.

The figure with the front to the camera. No good mannered people stare at a man's groin area, and it's the same with this figure! I plan to air brush a darkened green colour on the lower groin area to strengthen the sense of shadow. That should help to disguise my bad putty work.

With the main colours on I proceded with adding shadows and highlights around and on the folds in the clothing. I used more restraint than usual as I suspected this technique would expose too much of my miserable work with putty. When finished the figure received a coat of matt varnish through the air brush. 

From this angle the figure looks its best! A few corrections may still be needed, but in general I now consider the figure finished.