Author Topic: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza  (Read 2323 times)

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socko47

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Re: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2023, 07:08:49 PM »
Here are some close-ups. [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

socko47

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Re: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2023, 07:06:32 PM »
Here are the photos. [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

socko47

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Re: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2023, 06:50:41 PM »
Here is some article I had stored from Figurines magazine in 2006. First is a translation. I will attempt to add the photos in the next entry. Joe
 
I tried to translate the second part (the painting technical one) of a Gianfranco Speranza's article about Napoleon at the Pyramids published in the French revue "Figurines" n°67 December 2005 - January 2006.
I left out the historical part which a curious person could find in any good encyclopaedia.
 
PREPARING THE FUGURINES:
 
The flat figures are made of a metal alloy of tin and lead, so (is it necessary to specify it) they are very delicate that a long handling make them more "soft less", the heat of the hands buckles them.
This phenomenon often occurs during the preparation of the figure: filling and removing the projecting flash and cleaning. This operation takes generally between 30 minutes till more than one hour.
 
I use a single cutter, a rat tailed file, a half round file and also some abrasive paper.
Sometimes you need to use an epoxy paste to plug some holes or to remodel a nose or other details.
 
Be careful when you use the cutter and the files, a nose or other tiny detail could be removed very quickly and if they were absent they should be a very cruel default.
 
When all the flash is removed, I wash the piece with soap and water. I let it dry completely. And I spread 2 white primer coats ("skull white" from Citadel) on each face of the piece. I'm not against using an aerograph to undercoat the figure, the condition were the product must not impact the piece.
Some primers are too fat or badly employed, so they damage the figure, you have to make your own tests or use a white "Humbrol" with a paintbrush (3 or 4 coats very thinned down).
Then, the other side of the figure receive 2 black coats and you have to take care with the outlines (Fig. B). So they will appear very distinctively even you look upon the figure or on profile.
 
 
THE PAINTING:
 
All the colours are used are oil colours from Winsor and Newton. I begin to paint the important parts of the flats in a colour, as soon as possible, exactly in the same tone that the final colour (see fig C & D).
I use a very diluted paint and a 00 paint brush (Winsor & Newton series 7).
 
The native received a first coat in a tanned reddish paint, to obtain a dark but warm complexion. The colour of the primer has a very important influence on the final colour (a green or a greyish primer would occur a colder complexion). When the primer is totally and perfectly dry, now you can begin.
 
First, I was busy with the sarcophagus. I paint it in black with alizarin crimson & Winsor green (yellowish), ivory black and a touch of flesh. I added flesh and light blue colours (to introduce lights more or less warm or cold) for highlighting the piece and some black for the shadows.
The "face" had been painted with English red, burnt umber lighted with some white, a touch of green and shaded with black (Fig E).
 
Now let's go to the embellishments.
The oil paints are sometimes very transparent and when you apply a colour on a black primer you obtain a greenish tone. It is for this reason I painted all the mottos in a light grey with a 000 paint brush series 7 ( Fig F).
I  wait till it is dry and then I brush the mottos in yellow (a mix of white, yellow ochre pale and burnt sienna, see fig G); obviously I respect lights and shadows; some retouching in black should be necessary (sometimes I put the colour in the freeze it's marvellous).
 
The photo G shows Bonaparte's Guide green. It is a mix of chrome green (Norma), mars orange and black (lights: pink, shadows: black and orange mars).
I continue the work with the red trouser in scarlet red with a touch of burnt sienna and another touch of chrome green and white. The lights are produced with pink and the shadows with burnt sienna, alizarin crimson and black, pure black only in the very deep shadows.
 
And I finished the native and I achieved his complexion with yellow ochre pale, burnt sienna, burnt umber and a touch of white. To achieve lights and shadows I tried to alternate warm and cold tints to avoid a monotonous effect. For that I used yellowish pinks for lights, reddish tanned brown and dark blue for the shadows.
 
The fig J shows the face painted in yellow ochre, burnt sienna and white, shadows with English red and cobalt blue and lights in white and burnt umber.
I painted the uniform with indigo (Mussini), alizarin crimson and white. I highlighted it with yellowish pink and shadowed it in black and crimson (photo K).
 
The plate L is interesting because it shows the ochre bases of the uniform strips and hat. When you look at it you see that the engraving of the rosette has vanished. Since the beginning, I tried to paint it, dissatisfied, I decide to eliminate the engraving with a cutter. I needed to sand down the entire hat, spread again a white primer, without using the aerosol, and paint back in the background. It proves it is never too late.
 
The M photo shows the figure completely finished, the rosette totally painted without any engraving, with a satisfying result. I found the same problem with the Bonaparte's oriental scarf. The engraving was absent, but I didn't notice first that detail. I proceeded exactly like the rosette hat. Surely I lost some times but a great result is here.
To finish I painted the top in a beige ochre of the base and the bottom in black.
 
To present the figures you can stick black velvet on a cardboard (6 or 7 mm thick) and made a slot a little more long that the bases (photo N), an appropriate frame will finish the job.
 
The collection could be show singly, but the more audacious will realise and present the complete series (photo 1). As persons are historically known, I add a legend, it maybe a loss of time, but it's worth a try.
 
 
« Last Edit: September 12, 2023, 11:28:44 PM by marko »

archigrog

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Re: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2023, 11:52:00 PM »
Perhaps this could help Steven Lloyd [/size]to build the new website!!!, please share with him this resource...
    « Last Edit: September 07, 2023, 12:02:27 AM by marko »

    Henry

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    Re: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
    « Reply #5 on: September 06, 2023, 03:10:08 PM »
    I see. I'm happy to share that I've been able to retry it from the Internet Web Archive, here is the link: https://web.archive.org/web/20141101075834/http://www.flattinfigures.com/interview-with-gianfranco-speranza

    archigrog

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    Re: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
    « Reply #4 on: September 06, 2023, 02:26:32 PM »
    this is the new website:


    https://www.flattinfigures.com/

    archigrog

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    Re: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
    « Reply #3 on: September 06, 2023, 02:22:39 PM »
    Unfortunatly flattinfigures.com website is not more available. All contents -I'm afraid- will been lost  :'(


    Claudio

    Henry

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    Re: Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
    « Reply #2 on: September 06, 2023, 08:41:45 AM »
    Hi Steve, the link seems not working anymore. Is the interview still available?
    Thank you so much,
    Enrico

    Interview with Gianfranco Speranza
    « Reply #1 on: June 05, 2013, 01:02:48 PM »
    I have long admired the work of Gianfranco Speranza. His painting talents remind me of the great art of the Masters of days gone bye. Gianfranco graciously consented to an interview with a host of photos of his work. You must see it for yourself, if you are not familiar with his work. You can read the interview here: http://www.flattinfigures.com/interview-with-gianfranco-speranza
    Best wishes,
    Steve