monkeyboy30672

LOVE these models! And, as always, the painting style and talent is incredible.

I have always tossed around the idea of picking up a Marcus crew... This may push me over the fence on that decision... But I already have so much to paint!!!

So much to paint... so much laziness... Not enough snacks.

I think the color choice is brilliant. Not only is it aesthetically interesting, it also helps in game terms; you can certainly pick out that model on a gaming table! It's rather considerate to both yourself and your opponent! And, let's face it... It's a fantasy game. If we really felt we HAD to paint things realistically and historically accurate, we'd have jobs creating dioramas for the National Historical Society (which my grandfather did, actually... heh).

Even the photos are done well. Sure, a little small, maybe a tiny bit grainy, but definitely good enough for posting to the web. Some subtleties are invariably lost in the translation from the eye to the camera, but I think the model still stands on its own.  I think the colors bring the model a sense of attitude, even... "Sure, you can see me coming. Good. That means I can see the abject horror in your eyes while I gut you."

Well done! I can't wait to see the rest!

Your brush helped old ladies cross the street and rescued a cat from a tree??? I want one of those!!

I LOVE the Witchling Handler!!! The sculpted flames on the staff are brilliantly done. I can't wait to see her painted!

Sadly, I haven't been able to paint much in the last month or so... sigh. But I have NOTHING planned for this weekend, so nothing shall stop me this time!!! MUAHAHAhahahahaha!!!

I hope your hand is feeling better!

I wish I had more time to paint this weekend. I started on my Enslaved Nephilim for my Latigo Posse crew, but haven't gotten through just a few layers of skin tone yet. And this weekend is crowded with gigs, and looking to trade in my car, etc....

So I hope that by Monday we can have some more of your lovely work to inspire us all!

They are truly stunning pieces, Wings, even though the FailCast resin tends to be sub-standard. I really love your NMM work! Some of the best I've seen!

And I am glad you've been painting again!

Very well done! I love the very crisp painting style! That being said, I think the glowy green lower bodies of the Poltergeist and the Sorrows might do well with either a softer, looser painting hand, or maybe a bit of higher highlights and OSL effect?

Maybe just me but I always thought they were supposed to be a bit wispy, and though I love the crisp style (and wish my painting were that crisp!!), it makes those sections seem oddly out of place by being too solid.

Maybe I'm just a picky little git, too... heh... But I really do LOVE your color choices and especially the bases!! Brilliant!!

You are a VERY talented painter, Vaiuri... You don't need luck, just more time!

...huh. Just realised I never actually posted up the pictures of Burt for those that don't read my articles. Since I have a spare moment;

 

Who wouldn't read your articles?????

LOVE the Big Trouble theme!

Y'know... I actually have an uncle named Jack Burton!!! No kidding! Not a truck driver...

Yeah, that radial blur there looks kinda funky. I would have no idea how to explain that, at least not without a filter of some sort.

Again, apologies for the thread hijack! And, honestly, if we can get a good photo of your Purifying Flame, I'd love that! He's a great -looking model with a wonderful paint job!!

Clawz: Sure, we could probably do a photo tutorial, though this weekend I have a TON of crap I have to do, and I have a gig tomorrow night, so time is gonna be tight for me. Not sure when I could get to writing a lot. I guess it also depends on how in-depth of the "why things are the way they are" we go. If we don't explain WHY we do certain steps, it would probably be quicker, though might not be as helpful. I dunno. I'm a terrible teacher... heh

Good light temp advice, BENGT!!

ISO is what us old film shooters called "film speed", yes. Higher ISO means you CAN take photos in lower light (it will capture more light), but you sacrifice crispness of the photo. For digital cameras, a higher ISO will lead to "grainy", or pixelated, photos. Generally, keep the ISO to 200 or lower for still shots with lots of light, which is how one should be shooting anything in Macro.

Yes, shutter speed is measured in fractions of (or full) seconds. Generally, anything shot at 1/60 of a second can get "motion blur" in it. Even one's heartbeat can cause motion blur at 1/30 or lower, so I highly recommend a tripod. That way, you can set the shutter speed slow, keep the ISO at 200, and use a timer to take the shot.

F/stop. Peebs is right about the f/stop. It's the size of the aperture that exposes light to the image sensor (or film, for us old people). The smaller the number, the larger the hole. I really don't know why that is. But what it also does (and what is most important to Macro photography) is determine the depth of field. Depth of field is how much is in focus, from front to back. When the f/stop is a low number (larger aperture, maybe f/5.6 or lower), the depth of field is minimal. When the f/stop is a high number (smaller hole, f/16 or higher), then you can get a LOT into focus. I have shot at f/2.8 and gotten the tip of a Skaven model's nose in focus, but his eyes were starting to get blurry. When you get that close to a subject, depth of field REALLY matters.

Up to 1600...? That sounds like the ISO, actually... which you should keep at Auto.

I have a degree in Photography, though when I graduated, digital photography was just in the blossoming stages. There were not digital cameras just yet, so film was actually scanned in, and Photoshop was used for all the manipulation. The technology has vastly surpassed what I was taught in college, so I am truly not an expert anymore, though I shot all the images (digitally) for the Games Workshop US Studio from 2000 to 2006. Still, since then, technology (especially with camera phones!) has has exponentially progressed. But there are a few things which hold true even now.

Macrophotography - This is the process of shooting an image of a very small object with the intent of producing a larger-than-actual-size image. While not always the case with photographing minis, the rules still generally apply.

                Rule the First: More light is needed the closer the camera is to the object. Yeah, it seems to defy logic, but it's true.

                Rule the Second: The flash is usually not your friend. Camera flashes are specifically designed to light an image from farther away, generally 15' or more (around 5m or more, for you crazy metric type of people... ). That being said, when you're close up for a Macro shot, the flash is gonna super-blast your subject. Yeah, more light is better, but you really don't want your model sitting on the surface of the sun... Like others have suggested, either use a diffuser (a paper towel over the flash, or a piece of white paper, a facial tissue... all are slightly translucent), or (like I usually do) use a tripod, shut off the flash, and just increase the shutter speed to let more light in the camera for the shot. Generally, for this one, you'll have to experiment a bit. I never mind doing it, though your experience may differ.

                Rule the Third: This one has a few schools of thought and differences of opinions, but I generally prefer most to shoot against a pure white background. The light bouncing from the background helps to eliminate some of the harsher shadows under the models chin, on the models chest or sides, etc. A separately held or positioned bounce card (just another pure white surface) can help even more with that. I always use at least one. And if you don't like a white background, at least use a neutral grey one. Nothing color. Color will reflect on the model and visibly tint the colors of paint on it, just enough to make it look "off".

                Rule the Fourth: White balance. Set your white balance to whatever temperature of light you are working with. In real language, that means color. Incandescent bulbs give off a yellowish light (warm temp), fluorescent lights give off a cyan light (cool temp), etc. Check your camera's manual to find out how to manually set the White Balance, or how to set it to Auto. Manual is better, but Auto usually will do okay.

And, yes, more photos are always better, though in a digital or phone camera, you can see the image instantly and decide right then if you need another photo. That's my favorite part of digital photography.

Hope that helps a bit, though I know it's not truly expert stuff. There's a lot more to digital photography than I know. I've been out of the loop for quite a while.

I don't think you have any worries! If you feel like you need to improve it, then it will ONLY get better, and it already looks very nice!

I wouldn't say your painting is "messy"... "Soft", maybe, but the delineations between colors are very clear. You are obviously putting color EXACTLY where you want it, and that's quite impressive on it's own!

Just wanted to thank Ron for helping put the Malifaux Night together, and also Matt for the fantastic game (and for all the help while playing!). I will definitely let you guys know when I'll be coming back in to get some gaming on. It was a great time! Now I need to look for an Insidious Madness proxy, and also get those Wave 2 cards printed, so I can use him...!

Thanks!

Glad you can use the tip. Your models already look great, I can't wait to see how good they look in a more even light!

I really like how the wash gives an eerie texture on the bases! But I'm not sure it really works on the skin. Getting something to look truly "dirty" is quite difficult, and I certainly can't do it well. Most times it ends up (at least when I try it) making things look unfinished.

Your color choices for the skin tone is really nice, and I would rather see it showcased with your painting skills, rather than toned down with weathering effects. If you want them to have pale, blue-light skin, let those puppies shine! Miniature painting often is a study in exaggeration, both in proportion and color application (and sometimes color choice, too). Really command these colors to do what you want. Don't hide them.

You could have a really, top-notch and original crew here! Let's see what you can do and where you can push your talents! You already have some excellent ideas!

I am definitely planning on coming down to G&S for Thor's Day, since I'll have more time than just 90 minutes to get a game or two in!

And I also want to apologize for not making it down to the Tournament on Sunday. My band had a gig on Saturday night, and I didn't get home till after 3:30am... needless to say I was a bit wrecked on Sunday and wasn't moving too quickly. Pat said I wouldn't be down (I'm the Steve he was talking about), but I wanted to apologize myself. 

But I'm definitely planning for Thursday!!! No gigs, no other plans, just Malifaux-tasticness. Not sure which crew(s) I will use yet. But I am sure I'll by some more models when I'm there!

One thing about flash is that it is designed to be used from 15 feel away. That's why it's so powerful when you're that close to the model. If you have to be that close, try putting something over the flash to diffuse it... A tissue, a piece of printer paper... anything white. Paper is translucent and will also diffuse well. Just experiment a little and see what works best for you with what you have lying around.

Psst! Here.

 

I just shot some via UK ebay.

I looked on that website. None of the Ghost Town bases were listed...

I did find one blister of them left on CoolMiniOrNot.com, though, so thanks for helping to expand my search, Dirial! I should use some Liquid Mold stuff in order to cast more of them now.

Wings, my dear... I am sad that you don't get the chance to paint nearly as often anymore. The world of miniature painting suffers when we don't have models like yours to inspire us! A hush falls over the crowd... (killing six).

I think the OSL is brilliant! VERY well done!! Subtle is definitely good, as I think I overdid it a bit on some of my Neverborn and on my Sonnia.

These are great tips, especially for someone getting into painting with little experience. Well done, Vaiuri!

And I agree that your clean painting style, especially seen on Seamus, is half of what a lot of painters struggle to maintain You have a leg up already! Definitely keep at it, and your natural talent for it will certainly rise to the surface. I can't wait to see more of your work!

If you need some Malifaux to paint, dear, I will TOTALLY parcel my models to you...! I have a Perdita crew that I am dying to paint, though, so you can't have them.

I just need to get all their bases sculpted/built before I get to them. Sigh. I hate that I can't find the 30mm Ghost Town base inserts anymore!!

I agree on all points! Masterfully done! I think the individually highlighted scales almost alludes to the brush strokes on the Jackalope, tying them more closely together, too. And I love how the snow sticks to the bottom of the RSR as he is rearing up! That's a brilliant detail I never would have thought to include! 

One thing... I think on the horns and antlers, I might add one successive highlight lighter, or maybe all the way up to a very fine area of pure white, just to make them pop. I think it would tie the snow in a bit more, too. Are you still going to add more details to the snow bases or keep them desolate (which is a fine choice, too, I might add)?

My suggestion would be to research tigers in the type of area from which you think you want that beast to come. Tundra? Look at some slow tiger (or leopard) photos (they really have some amazing markings and coloration!!) Or if you're more in tune with jungle-theming, look at Indian or African leopards and tigers, maybe even some panthers (like you have above) or South American jaguars. Or even North American mountain lions and pumas, from the piney mountain regions. LOTS of styles to choose from!

Art imitates life! ...or is it the other way around...?

VERY nice, smooth tones across the models! I do agree that the bases need a bit, but I love that the Marcus crew is going to be snow-based. In particular, the blood-spatter on the Jackalope's base is PERFECT! For that base, I might add some tufts of winter grass poking through, but I'd leave that one well-enough alone. I like the sparse base... it has almost a Kubrickian feel of something small, yet horribly evil in a vastly empty area. I can almost see the camera slowly zooming in to reveal to heinous nature of the scene. 

He's a really small model, on a small base, and leaving the base open like that adds a bit, I think. Putting too much more on it would hide the glorious blood spatter and crowd the model too much. At least, in my humble opinion. I just really like it!!