monkeyboy30672

Dark brown instead of black! That had never crossed my mind, actually... I would love to see how that works for you! As far as putting makeup on a model, I have tried a few times to add a hint of blush or eyeshadow color to a female model, though it never really works out well for me. (Yeah, I don't wear much makeup, either... Actually, my girlfriend rarely EVER wears makeup, and she is beautiful, regardless.)

Wow... waaaaaaayyyy back at the beginnings of the 80s (maybe late 70s!!) I was into painting Grenadier and Ral Partha models... I LOVED them, and had some bottles of Testors that I used to desecrate them wholeheartedly. Though, being 8, I thought they looked stunningly beautiful... I had a "Monsters" boxed set of about 20 different models, and the first one I painted was the Young Dragon. All I had, to start with, was white, red, and dark blue Testors paint. You could only imagine the horror that was born. Sadly, I don't still own those models, though I wish I still did have that little dragon. Even looking at things I painted a couple years ago, I can see constant improvement over the years. Even from my first Malifaux mini from v.1.0: I can still see lots of ways to improve her, but it's good to see i've come a ways even since then.

At this point, after showing mastery like yours, Jen, all the advice we could give is just nit-picking, really!! Ha! One thing I noticed is the eyes on the model. You paint the white and then dot the middle with black, right? Think of it differently... think of it like you would about putting on makeup. What does a woman use to make her eyes "pop" and stand out, even from 50 feet away...? Eyeliner. Try this... Paint the entire eye black first, then dot white on either side of center. Not only will that technique give you whites and pupils, but will also line the eyes to make them stand out more, even when the model is held at arm's length. Like I said, this is just nit-picky stuff... your models are stunning!!

Watching the step-by-step of Shang is like watching someone improve on perfection.... BRILLIANT!!! I can't wait to see him finished, but I'm also really enjoying the journey!

Sigh... if I only had your talent and speed of painting!! If I didn't live across the pond, I'd absolutely request a sit-down painting session with you! I would learn tonnes...

For focusing, try setting the camera to Macro, zooming in about 2/3 the total way, then physically moving the camera forward or backward, to find the closest place where you can autofocus on the desired spot. That should help. Everything will probably be soft and out of focus, but your desired spot should come out crisp. Use lots of light, too. Hope that helps!

Sigh... I NEVER get naked girls for Valentine's day...

I have to admit, Teddy has a special place in my heart (pun intended... groan), and I LOVE what you did with yours!! VERY clever!! I've had abdominal surgery before, so I imagine i looked similar to him at one point... heheheh! And I love the consistent OSL with the blue flames and light sources throughout your models. It's so soft and subtle, but it still pops out noticeably. Genius work!

These are VERY well done, Prox!!! I love the Mr. Graves model!!!! The subtle shading of the white (what colors are you using, by the way??)... the stunningly muted pastel of the yellow... the lightly highlighted black... and even the soft bluish tones in the flesh... I love that! And thanks for the compliment on my Teddy... He was truly a joy to paint.

All this and a sculptor, too? You are incredibly talented! I think your sculpting is brilliant!!! One thought, though... when sculpting on top of a fully sculpted model already, will it become to "clunky", adding so many layers of putty to an already proportionate figure...? I am thinking of a child whose mother dresses him in so many layers for the winter weather that the child cannot even put his arms down... Hehe! An exaggeration, but you get the jist. Have you tried using "dollies"? They are wire frameworks for miniatures that sculptors to add flesh to. I know Reaper makes some, but I am sure you could find others or make your own. Might be fun to experiment with, and could be a great learning experience for you. Most of the professional mini sculptors I know use dollies for their work, which is the only reason I know about them. I am a terrible sculptor!

A brilliant start, Praetorian!! I love the out-of-the-box thinking you have to it all, even from the first step! And the "pine box" markers are especially a touch of genius! It is so simple, yet so clever... I never would have thought of that. Well done, truly! I can't wait to see them painted and all pulled together! (P.S. And a great Sublime reference...! Now I can't get that song out of my head...)

My dear Wings... I'm not sure what you're asking help with... This model is painted incredibly well!! And's only a WIP?? What else do you think she needs? Clothes, maybe...? I love the subtly layered highlighting, very soft, like skin should be. I can't see the face well enough in the photo to really give good comment, but I think the model as a whole is brilliant. I will love seeing her as a completed work of art, like all your other models.

The blurring you're having in spots is due to "depth of field". By setting the camera to shoot at a higher aperture setting (f/11, f/16, f/22 or higher), you will have more depth on your model of what is exactly in focus. Set your camera on Macro mode, too, and zoom the lens in about 2/3 of the total distance it can zoom. Then just move the camera forward as much as it can and still be able to auto-focus on the point of the model you'd like to shoot. There may be some blurring on some areas, though, but the area you're focusing on should be clear and crisp. And, always remember... the closer you put the camera to the subject, the more light you need. That's why these close-ups are darker than the others, even though they're shot under the same lights.

Stunning work, Ivan! I can't wait to see the rest of the crew painted!!! When I first looked at the photos, I didn't realize it was NMM... which is the true mark of great NMM work!!!

I have to third that sentiment. If this is your "speed painting", then I don't think I'm allowed to look at your "high standard" stuff anymore, for fear of my hands spontaneously combusting. Brilliantly done, Sybarite!!

I know it arrived to some US distributors yesterday, so it should be on the shelves in the US today or early next week. (I happen to work in the industry) Call your local game store and demand it!!

Great job! I like the subtle highlights on his thighs and wings! He really looks as menacing as he performs in the game, so I think you've done him a great justice!

Yeah, my local game store has a bayou table that makes use of the Goblin Town boardwalks. The guy that made it is also my next-door neighbor... heh... Playing Malifaux on the "wharfs" is REALLY fun, and adds a great dynamic to the game, rather than just flat ground with buildings and fences/walls/hedges as cover. It really stretches your tactical thinking. I can't wait to see this board finished!!!

That is an amazingly clean start!!! My basecoats rarely start out so crisp...!

Silly, silly Wings... I have shot most of my Pandora crew on my IRONING BOARD... You don't need to hide your kitchen...! As always, your work is absolutely wonderful. I really like your painting style. I am still jealous that your boyfriend has such a generous and talented woman to paint for him!

These are great looking paint jobs!! And I have to say... The very first photos of the Cherub were impressively done. Without any Photoshop work, you managed to make a model, which is VERY light and also VERY dark in other places, come out looking decent on a white background! That's quite difficult to do. Kudos! A white background is best to shoot your models on, though it is very finicky and not the easiest. It really makes the photographer tweak the camera's shutter speed and aperture settings to get everything to come out well. I always hated shooting really subtle, dark models (think Jen Haley style) on my white backdrops. It's so tough to get all the detail to stand out when the differences in shades are so close. The camera only picks up a minute number of hue differences, in comparison to the human eye. Excellent work all round, Sindrome, and I can't wait to see Barbaros!

Wow!! I admit, I am totally a sucker for vibrant, eye-popping color schemes, even though mine never quite make it that far... heh... VERY well done! And only 13-15 hours??? I think I put that much into Teddy... Damn, I paint too slow.

I have to say, Mako (hopefully I am not too late), that if you strip that model with the complex cloth bits, a little part inside of me will die. I really thing she is coming along beautifully!!!! I love your work on her!! And I agree that delicate pinning, while very rewarding when accomplished and complete, is a nuclear pain in the ass to do. With Malifaux 1.0, I had to pin the wings of a pair of Young Nephilim to their backs, as the connections were just too damn small (and metal, of course). It was SUCH delicate and slow-going work, but they ended up looking fantastic. And, more to the point, secure. I also think Tombanjo's rare earth magnet idea is brilliant!

The white in Jakob Lynch's suit is phenomenally well done! I have such troubles with painting white cleanly and realistically, and you've really shown a mastery of it. Having Jen's input at hand, I don't think there are any tips I could give you that she couldn't..!

Very well done, Jen!! I would love to see much more of your work!!!! The art of it all is fantastic.