Monthly Painting Challenge 2017 -- April

[Sandmann]

Quick shot of my WIPs: Hoffmann, and additonally Captain Dashel and a Lawyer (sorry for the crappy pic, I was too lazy to get out the camera and just used my phone):

[drear_squid]

Here's what I got for April:

Will O' The Wisps X3: 9SS (3SS each)

Wicked Dolls X3: 12SS (4SS each)

Bunraku X3: 18SS (6SS each)

Spawn Mother: 9SS

Vasilisa: 9SS

Black Joker (Teddy Proxy): 11SS

Collodi: 15SS

Total: 83SS

[iamfanboy]

So, I hate taking pictures and seeing flaws in them that are frankly invisible at a normal level. Case in point, Lust. Another commission - a friend asked me to paint her like Lindsey Stirling and I decided to go "Extreme Ginger" - and make a real effort at it.

There's a weird brown mark on the right of her face, and SOMEHOW there's a green smear on the violin's side. Thankfully this is still not sealed and I can go back and fix it, but still... A year ago I would have shrugged and said, "Good enough," because if I don't let go I get upset, but it's a pay job. I need to figure out something to take an underlit picture of the face because man, I put a lot of work into it and she's just shadowed. Maybe I should move one of the light strips from the top to the bottom instead... hmm...

Also, got the Silent One done... mostly... What I thought was her nose must be a bit more of the mask extending upward and I need to fix that.

Also extreme ginger because I had the color mixed up and said, "What the heck."

Lastly, the Oiran I'm putting on a stage with my other Showgirls - the claw fist Oiran I don't much care for, and the naginata Oiran looks way too aggressive, but fangirl here looks like she'd be a perfect stage show.

Her name is Korein (Colleen), a half-blood orphan from the streets of Nagasaki, and she parlayed her striking copper hair, natural grace, and charm to rise up in the Ten Thunders and become one of their Oiran capable of passing for a non-oriental. Yes, I made a TTB character based solely off this mini, though I did cheat in the Ten Thunders Station because, well, I had to.

[H4ml3t]

Winter is Coming 

Finished Ice Golem, Wendigo and 3 Ice Gamin for 25ss. With these all being translucent I took it pretty easy and just went with a white dry brush and then a blue glaze. They look really cool with light shining through them so in the future I might mount them on bases with LEDs.

Meanwhile here's a WIP pic of Rasputina and Snow Storm.

I've assembled them as far as I'm going to before painting, primed black and dry brushed white. Next I'll start building up layers of translucent paint and then I'll add detail/dry brush/wash/glaze until I'm either happy or "over it". My intention is to make these two up to the "state-of-my-art" but we'll see what happens.

[prof_bycid]

@iamfanboy : I know what you mean.  They look great at arm's length, and then the photo finds things you would not see otherwise.  I am going for table ready as well, in my case that is my limit anyway.  If they look great while playing, they will draw people into the game and make the game more enjoyable.  That's what most of us are after.  I love seeing really well-painted miniatures, but don't get there myself.  Like the first post says, this is a painting community, not a painting competition.  Cheers!

[KrazyIvan]

I am probably dropping out. I finally got the materials for my new city boards (see my Mk 2 build diary in the Terrain section), and they are taking up most of my hobby time.

[MunkyMuddFace]

Rough first half of the month for me. I ended up with a real bad sinus infection that just put me on the shelf and destroyed all motivation to do anything. Finally feeling human and looking to get back on track! Looking at all the great work so far is helping get my motivation and inspiration to splash some paint! Keep up the great work, all

[Treehouse]

@KrazyIvan:

That's why I chose not to take part in the first place, even though I like painting-challenges like this. One reason is that I'm easily distracted :P. I might start a model only to pick up another one later or start building terrain. Or do something completely unrelated to the hobby in my free time.

Also, while I like to get my monthly paint jobs in, I have so many 'to do-lists' on my desk or in my head, another one - even if fun and hobby related - is actually more stress than recreation for me.

[prof_bycid]

@KrazyIvan:  Well, you do get two misses, so no need to decide yet.  If you paint less but finish some, you are still in at a lower level.  But, in the end, if you work on terrain and post progress on that we all still win---love following your board builds!

@MunkyMuddFace: Not even halfway though the month.  Loads of time to get on back in this month.  Glad you are feeling better.

@Treehouse:  Yes, I know what you mean.  Need to keep it fun; we have enough stress in other aspects of life.

[Kutslo]

Pretty much finished my Silent Ones, just the snow to go (as with everything I've done so far!) - now on to my Blessed to try and make my target for the month. I've also got some Guild Ball stuff waiting to paint but don't want to start that until I know I've done my 15ss

@iamfanboy I really like the colours on Lust. Bet that stands out really nicely on the table

[xsinrebornx]

I ended up going plus one this week adding in the puke worm at the end just because it fit in so well and I wanted to try the new translucent green paint that I had and that seemed like as good of an excuse as any to do it! If my math is right that's a cool 53ss for this month. 

[Burnin' Coal]

@Kutslo Nice job ! Lots of nice details - The way you did the highlights on the cloaks really pops

[SoylentRobot]

I decided to get the other Canine Remains and Flesh Construct to round this gang off. The Nurses aren't included in this month's total cos i painted them a while ago, but I did update their bases to match.

That's a total of: McMourning (15), Zombie Chihuahua (2), Sebastian (7), 2 Flesh Constructs (6, 6), 4 Canine Remains (4, 4, 4, 4) for a total of 52ss

[Sandmann]

@SoylentRobotThat's a lot of models, good job!

I've got Hoffman finished and actually got some models done to go along with him and Lucius (more pictures here):

[prof_bycid]

Wow---lots of models coming in early this month.  Two people already through the gate at the halfway point!  They are really great as well.  I better get back to it and get painting.

[H4ml3t]

@Sandmann Great work! I can't help but notice how good your model's eyes look. Could you talk me through a brief tutorial?

Right now I'm just doing black dots but I'd like to do better.

[Sandmann]

@H4ml3t Sure, no problem, here you go:

1. After basecoating (I basecoat in white, so maybe you can skip this step) paint the eyes black, including the area around them.
2. Paint the eyeballs white. Correct their form with black if needed.
3. Paint vertical lines in black through the middle of the eyes to create the pupils (lines are important - if you just dot them in, your models will look quite scared )
4. After that, paint the skin around the eye and clean their shape up. Leave a small black line around them, this helps them pop.

It makes it a lot easier if you paint the eyes before you do the rest of the face. If you find the eyes hard to reach for doint the pupils, try holding the model upside down.

Hope that helps!

[Franchute]

1 hour ago, Sandmann said:

@H4ml3t Sure, no problem, here you go:

1. After basecoating (I basecoat in white, so maybe you can skip this step) paint the eyes black, including the area around them.
2. Paint the eyeballs white. Correct their form with black if needed.
3. Paint vertical lines in black through the middle of the eyes to create the pupils (lines are important - if you just dot them in, your models will look quite scared )
4. After that, paint the skin around the eye and clean their shape up. Leave a small black line around them, this helps them pop.

It makes it a lot easier if you paint the eyes before you do the rest of the face. If you find the eyes hard to reach for doint the pupils, try holding the model upside down.

Hope that helps!

Thanks a lot for the tutorial. Have tried to change the color of the black line you leave around the eyes? Maybe something like a dark brown?

[iamfanboy]

5 minutes ago, Franchute said:

Thanks a lot for the tutorial. Have tried to change the color of the black line you leave around the eyes? Maybe something like a dark brown?

I usually don't do it myself, but I tried it the Oiran I painted above. I used a dark metallic green instead of black and...

It doesn't pop very well. It's THERE, I can zoom in on the unshrunk image and see it, but at a tabletop level it's not as effective as black. Ah well, failed experiments and all that.

[prof_bycid]

After seeing a couple people finish up their April pledges this early, I decided to do the finishing bits on one of the three models I'm working on this month.  Here is the Scorpius.  I love this model.  If there was an arthropod in a Tool video, this would be it.  Two to go!

[Sandmann]

@Franchute No, I haven't. Dark brown would propably have the same effect, but the lines are quite thin and around an already small part - not sure if it would make that much of a difference. Too light and you lose the effect. A mid-tone brown might work, or maybe even dark skintone... Certainly worth a try

[djmacbest]

Wanted to start way earlier in April, but got hold up in all kinds of stuff. Ah well, finally got to painting yesterday.

 

My plans for this month (still a week of vacation in front of me, so might as well go bold, in the order of my priorities):

- Mechanical Rider - 12 SS

- Barbaros - 10 SS

- Young Nephilim x2 - 12 SS (6 each)

- Lilith - 15 SS

- Lelu - 7 SS

- Lilitu - 7 SS

- Primordial Magic - 2 SS

 

Luckily I already have made some progress in that list: Mechanical Rider and Barbaros only need varnishing, done otherwise:

[Burnin' Coal]

...and so...a bit later than I would have wished but here is  my WIP for this month....I would have been much further on had I not inadvertently switched off my compressor and primed my models in what resembled a fine coat of sand....so had to strip everything and start all over again...hey ho....live and learn chapter 32,473 page six I guess....the mannequins won't count in my SS tally because I never declared them but they were lurking there on my "to do" list so they have joined in as well....

[prof_bycid]

@Burnin' Coal:  The rules for this iteration of the painters challenge are that models count for the month in which you finish them!  So the mannequins can count.

[wizuriel]

some WIP of my journalists. Not overly happy with them so far