Caedrus

Caedrus, reporting in!//imgur.com/3yUbnT4 Here's my Work in Progress of Talos, and the Ashes and Dust trio! https://imgur.com/3yUbnT4 The Talos is really, really time consuming, but I wanted to stretch and see how much I could get with a brass toned NMM. I may even get them all finished by the end of the month! Feedback is very, very welcome! Stay safe, stay well. Caedrus.

@Nikodemus: Loving the samurai. If you wanted to add some colour, why not consider some heat effects?

...meanwhile, it's evening on July 1st in Australia, and imgur still refuses to let me upload images... Ha! I found a workaround! Caedrus, reporting in! Folks, it has taken me a couple of years, but I’ve finally done it. I’ve actually painted what I’ve pledged, rather than getting sidetracked by something shiny! Here they are: First up, the Blessed of December: https://imgur.com/6SsOADt So this lovely lady was a quick job. In retrospect, I might have worked in a few more browns in there, but the desolate whites and blues fit in with the theme. Happy with this one. Second, the Malifaux Child: https://imgur.com/G7zw9od He’s almost anime with those big eyes! I tried to evoke a sense of pathos in this figure. I was tempted to do a rain-slick ground, but instead, a green sewer drain will suffice! Third, my Prospectors! https://imgur.com/vPvih52 A very useful versatile unit, I know there will see a bit of board time. They’re also very nice models. The female is hardest to paint, due to the arms over the chest, and the pipe. I toyed around with everything here. A bit of NMM, some freehand, and obviously, a lot of OSL. I decided that in my games, Soulstone was purple. Why, you ask? Simple. Because purple. I’ve been using my airbrush for a lot of my OSL effects, and I have yet to find an easier way of doing it! So, that’s my June targets cleared, and now, some big guys to tackle in July! I’ll update the spreadsheet early next week. Until then, take care, look after yourselves, and keep painting! Caedrus.

This month, I pledge to finish my Ashes and Dust trio, and Talos! Pictures to come soon!

A Special July Challenge So, this month, I thought I would ask you, my fellow painters, who are your inspirational painters? If you're anything like me (well, my commiseration, for a start), you might watch some regular painting blogs / vlogs / youtube channels. Who do you watch? What do you read? Now, my immediate answer will be Bob Ross, because, well, it's Bob Ross. However, for miniature painting, my faves are: Serpentarium. One of the painters who spent quite a bit of time on this forum, @Ringil, and the rest of the Serpentarium team have done lots of delightful Malifaux models. [LINK] Sorastro. Probably my best pick for a painter who had good brush control, but then wanted to develop better and better techniques. Sorastro's skills have grown along with his channel. If you feel like you'd like to take your painting skills up a notch, but find some other channels or painters intimidating, then have a look at Sorastro. [LINK] Doctor Faust. This channel has its good and bad. While his narration isn't quite what a lot of painters might like, he uses a simple technique to great effect. Diluted layer, after diluted layer. If you wanted to make your painting smoother, he's a great place to start. [LINK] Honourable mention: BuyPainted. This painter doesn't post any more, but if you're starting out with an airbrush, this painter combines very simple brushwork with very simple airbrush work, to create a very pleasing, high-tabletop standard. [LINK] There are, of course, lots of others. Who do you watch / what do you read? Caedrus.

Welcome to the 2020 Wyrd Painting Challenge! This is the thread for the July Painting Challenge. I’m Caedrus, and I have the very great pleasure of being your host for 2020. While I am proud to be your host, this competition belongs to all of us, and if there’s anything that we can better to improve the Challenge, please do let me know. The link to the painter spreadsheet is here. The 2020 Wyrd Monthly Painting Challenge is all about: Having fun painting! Motivating yourself, and encouraging others. Being part of a great, friendly community. Giving and receiving constructive advice. And, finally: Getting some pigment onto plastic! This is not a competition in any way. The pledge categories are the following: Minion: you paint at least 1 Soulstone worth of Wyrd miniatures each month Enforcer: you paint at least 6 Soulstones worth of Wyrd miniatures each month Henchman: you paint at least 11 Soulstones worth of Wyrd miniatures each month Master: you paint at least 16 Soulstones worth of Wyrd miniatures each month Tyrant: you paint at least 31 Soulstones worth of Wyrd miniatures each month The rules: The challenge started on January 1st, 2020. Models count for the month in which you finish them. You can finish painting a model that you started before the beginning of the month. Everyone may fail to make their monthly goal twice and stay in the challenge. This is using a mulligan. See the Buy-Back rule, below. You can choose to go down a pledge level during the year, but you cannot move up. A model is considered painted if it is (1) based (even glued onto a black base counts); (2) tournament legal. That means that if it's a translucent, based model, it counts automatically. If it is any opaque material, then the standard is: Every part of the miniature painted, and three colours minimum. A new rule for 2020: The Buy-Back Everyone has good months and bad months. To encourage people to continue to paint, we will be trying out a new rule this year: the Buy-Back. In the past, if you have used your two mulligans, you’re out of the Challenge! However, in 2020, you can buy your way back into the challenge. All you have to do is to undertake your normal pledge and paint for the month, AND undertake the pledge and paint from one of the months you mulliganed. E.g.: Sarah is painting at Enforcer level (6SS/month), and she’s needed to mulligan for the third time. She announces that for the upcoming month, she’ll paint 12SS. If she does so, she’s back in the Challenge! At such a time, it might be worthwhile considering dropping down a category, but that’s up to Sarah! Miniature Values: Malifaux Almost all models count as their Soulstone value; but Masters count for 15 soulstones. Zero cost models count for 5 soulstones. Proxies (constructed from Wyrd models) count for their proxy value. The Other Side Titans count for 25 soulstones. Commanders count for 15 soulstones. Adjunct models count for 5 soulstones. Otherwise: A 30mm base model is worth 5 soulstones. A 40mm base model is worth 7 soulstones. A 50mm base model is worth 10 soulstones. Markers count for 2 soulstones if they're flat, or 5 soulstones if they're 3D and fancy Terrain · Scatter Piece (5SS): A modest piece of terrain, or a small number of scattered terrain pieces. These are the spray-can and dry-brush pieces. · Focus Piece (10SS): A terrain piece that represents a focal point of pride in a terrain board. These pieces require a decent amount of construction and painting. · Centre Piece (20SS): A terrain piece that is a significant centrepiece to the terrain. A handmade forest, a mausoleum, or a train engine. · Masterpiece (50SS): A gorgeous, unique terrain piece that makes people wonder if you get out much. · War and Peace (100SS): A complete, themed 3’x3’ terrain board. My very best for July, and the second half of 2020! Caedrus.

Caedrus, checking in! It's looking promising, folks! I may actually paint exactly what I pledged for June. It's unheard of! I've been watching everyone's work, and as usual, it's lovely! Here are my thoughts, for what it's worth! @Viruk: Two lovely sets of Silent Ones, Blessed and Hoarcats! Are you doing a set for a friend as well? The desaturated cloaks / horns / hoarcat coats are very nice. I stayed mostly in variations of blue for mine, but your (far more realistic) ones are lovely! I love the grungy nightmares, as well. @Hellomurse: A nice Amina and Alexei! A few picked out highlights could really make some of the details really stand out. Good colour combination in the yellow – orange – red range. @Purple Mist: Can you describe your marbling technique in a touch more detail? It’s a subtle but very pretty effect. Also, I love the warmer, iridescent purple cloth in contrast to the cold stone. Nice! Another delightful piece of scenery! @GlowingFruit: Nice pig! If you wanted an opinion, I think a wash of a darker red tone (or just picking out the shadow detail) would make this war pig even more intimidating. Oh, and when I paint my Mah model, I WILL be stealing your check-fabric style. It’s just perfect. @GroundPounderX: That’s a very pretty stolen scene there. It tells a very nice story of life and death. The yellow and green is so alive, in contrast to the actual girl. Nice. @Diddick: Was Asami fun to paint? I’ve never been interested in that figure. You’ve done the figure justice, though - lovely fabric on her, and the solemn facial expression is perfect. The red/green/yellow balance on the tengu is absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of each, I reckon. @DanButler83: I do love that miniature. So evocative and silly. I think I’d have to put airmen’s goggles on the pig, though! If you wanted a critique, a light tan drybrush over the wood and rope would make them stand out, and even some brighter silver (and/or rust) would make the spikes even more menacing! @Stranglelove: The contrast paints on your Pandora crew are absolutely delightful. Pretty much everyone has enough texture on the sculpts to make it a great combination of easy and cohesive! It worked better on Teddy’s fur than I would have envisioned. Just perfect colour choice there. I like Diddick’s idea about the candles. @Chou: Loving that draugr! The warm clothes are a perfect counterpoint to the desaturated, low contrast skin. A very simple, lovely figure. @Boomstick: This model reminds me of the very first model I did for the painting challenge! I think the OSL would be more subtle in real life. Itlooks super-strong here, but that might just be lighting! I’ve been cheating my OSL lately by just doing very directed airbrushing! Keep on painting, folks! Caedrus.

@GroundPounderX, welcome to the Forums! I'm not so much in charge, more of a helpful guide, whenever I can! In previous years, it'd be too late to join our yearly Challenge, but we're trialing a new 'Buy Back' system, discussed at the link @Diddick mentioned. Have a read through that thread, make a pledge level (you can post here, or send me a message), and join in! This is a tremendously positive place, with painters from a vast range of experience levels and styles. So, welcome on board!

Caedrus, Reporting in! So, June has turned into a bit of a month of experimentation, where I've been messing with different NMM colour recipes (oh, Reaper Bones, I'm so wonderfully non-emotionally-invested in you). However, I've also had time to finish a Malifaux Child: This kid was quite a bit of fun. I had a play with less saturation, and lower contrast. I learned quite a bit. Then, I started work on a larger project! This is just a little WIP shot of my Ashen Core (don't worry, I know the top of the spiky-platform isn't on corrrectly!) As always, I'm loving all the painting you've been up to! Caedrus.

@Diddick: Gorgeous, as always.

@Diddick: First of all, lovely paintwork, as usual. So, here's my suggestion. If it works within your greater scheme, you could try a more saturated red on the tips of the feathers. Tengu are often portrayed with a very bright red (or at least that's what Google Images tells me). Maybe that would tie in with your red-glow bases as well? My suggestion. Worth exactly two cents. Regardless, loving the minis! Caedrus.

Caedrus, reporting in! What did I paint in May? First up, an experiment – Proxy Illuminated. I have the original sculpts, but they don’t look right, lore-wise, and they’re just … not my thing. These will do until then next lot are available. I was happy with the sculpted flames, the colour schemes, the bases, and the cohesion. I was less happy with the ridiculously tall female multi-part miniatures, and I think my bosom-sculpting could do with a little work. The girl in blue may not be Illuminated, but she is certainly not all natural. I have to work on my sculpting skills. Next up, Wong! So, I picked this guy up for cheap, and he’s been my Gremlin-skin testbed. I went for garish, hyper-saturated tones, to match the character story. I was pleased with the NMM, the fabric (better in real life), and the flesh work. However, there’s still a part of me that wants to paint my Gremlins in some totally unusual and weird flesh colour… So, onto the Void Crew! These guys were my attempt to mess with a few new techniques. The blue / pink worked. I was pleased with my hand-made base crystals. The lightning is a bit gaudy, but I’m OK with it. I was pleased with the OSL. Karina is a delightful miniature. Lots of fabric, but easy to get to, and quite straightforward. I’m not gonna lie, I liked her old “Bash … with a rock” attack, and so I wanted to do a glowing crystal in her hand, but the blue glow is OK. Probably not different-enough to the colours of her dress… Tara. Obviously, this model is based on the original Tara model, but with a head swap, re-sculpted chest (albeit with slightly more restrained bosom), blown-out spine, and new arms. I just … don’t like the monster arms on the previous one. I know, it’s not lore-friendly. This seemed a bit more otherworldy cowgirl zombie. I think I may have done the flesh a little too living, but I’ll (pun intended) live with it. So, with my Ashes’n’Dust, and my Talos partially built, and with my Emissary having arrived yesterday, I might be able to completely finish my Void keyword shortly! Here’s a quick few thoughts from May. As always, I’m sincerely just blown away by everyone’s work. If you haven’t uploaded your photos, please do, and throw an @Caedrus in there, so I can update the spreadsheet. We’re nearly halfway through this crazy year! Stay sane, stay safe, keep painting! Caedrus __________________ @PetitDalek: I always love to see interpretations on Colette (my first Master). Superb paintwork across all minis, but the NMM on the doves and ribbons, and the iridescence on the curtain is especially nice. Really fantastic stuff. @Lukkimus: Your Order Initiate’s shoulder tattoo is very, very fine work. Nice blending of tones for the rhino flesh, as well. @bedjy: So, I keep meaning to touch up my Freikorps, but Hannahis the piece holding me back. I always get intimidated by some of the centrepiece models. I love what you’ve done with yours. The blues are just perfect for a paramilitary unit. @Rathnard: I’ll miss seeing you paint Malifaux stuff, but TOS stuff keeps getting better. I loved the slime on the Morphling Adjunct, and the fire-orange-red on the Mehal Safari coats. The green / flesh on the Oni is spot-on, as well. @catsgamesandpizza: I’m absolutely digging the flesh shading you’re doing – smooth, but contrasty. Also, the red-and-yellow on the female Monster Hunter is just a perfect complement to the hair. Really nice. I put a set of stairs behind my ‘landing’ guild hound, so it didn’t look like he was doing an orbital re-entry. @Antinea: I’m planning on using a very similar flesh tone for my Nephilim. It works really nicely with the brass. I reckon that if you did some really contrasty shadows in there, they’d really go up a notch! @Magnus: I can’t get past the fact that one of the Gigants looks like he’s playing Bloodbowl. Your Euripides crew have got a really nice temperature contrast, with the warm loincloth working with the obviously cooler skin. Very pretty. I also like that Euripides is just slightly less saturated than the Gigants. @muraki: I think my favourite mini of yours this month is the Wokou Raider. She’s pretty much cel-shaded, and that’s enhanced by the blank base. It’s not a style I’ve really tried. I always struggle with dark-lining. @Boomstick: So, normally, I’m a big fan of cohesion in a group. However, I must say, the Nightmares that you’ve been painting are enhanced by the lack of cohesion. They’re … disturbing, in just the right way. They’re gaudy, and clashing, and it’s just right, y’know? @Nikodemus: What a simple miniature. Four colours, basic base. Yet, it’s balanced, dynamic, expressive. I’d love to have it on my table! This is a classic case of stylish simplicity. @Gloomy: I was doing some magenta flames this month as well. I’ve done mine in the reversed gradient, but I must say, I like yours just as much! Iggy looks to be in four quadrants of magenta, and my eyes keep wandering around the mini, which is a think I love. I’d also like to know what the pale green-blue is on your Madnesses. Turquoise and white? @Hellomurse: I haven’t seen this mini before. Very nice (I love the rose bush, as well – where’s that from?). One thing I’ve learned with purple, is you’ve got to thin those paints and do multiple coats. You get an absolutely amazing saturation when you do! @zesty: It’s two minis, so it’s 30SS. I do know what you mean about the blue / yellow combination. But, if you want an opinion, you absolutely must keep the horse that colour. It’s a lovely job. Maybe a red vest? Nice work on the blue, regardless! @Renown0: I do love a freebie set. If I may give an opinion, drybrush your Purifying Flame with orange, then red, and the very tips of the flame in burgundy / black. Lighter drybrush each time. You’ll get an awesome effect. @lusciousmccabe: The Daw and the Spirit are sickening. The lurid green is such an awful (in a good way) contrast, it’s really effective. They really portray the spirit of the miniature. @Diddick: Our resident Master of the Menacing. I love it all. The hornet’s bum contrast, the cool green / hot red contrast, the NMM on the blade, the brilliant photography, the cohesion with previous models, the fact that you were able to put these damn finicky things together… @Chou: I loved your minis this month. Reva’s fabric and horse are just delightful (though I reckon a little OSL from the lantern needs to be there!), Vincent and the Shieldbearers (which sounds like an ‘80’s band) are beautifully cohesive, but for me, I think my favourite is the pink and purple on the corpse candles. Spot-on highlighting, and lovely, lovely blending. @Viruk: I don’t even know where to start. The super-fine blacklining on Pam (my name for the Alt Sarge), the dusty boots, or the rich tones of the jacket. All delightful. For me, though, I have to go with the glazing on the Geryon. Absolutely gorgeous. Also, kudos on the GSW feature! Your webs are inspiring! @Stranglelove: I’m on the lookout for Waldgeist as well. I may have to (gasp) buy them from Wyrd. That’s some super-cohesive Fae you’ve done. My planned colours are very similar, but I want to make my Silent Knight’s sword painted as wood. However, I’m thinking that might make it too woody. Hmm. By the way, those blue highlights on the Gorar – gorgeous. @Sol_Sorrowsong: I think your golems are your best work this month. White ‘gaplining’ is really hard to do (I’ve ben trying this month!). Yours is developing nicely. I’m loving the indigo tones on the ice golem. @Purple Mist: You must have the best terrain collection I’ve seen for a Malifaux Skirmish. Any chance of seeing your board? Whew. So much awesome. I love this community.

@Rathnard: While I'll miss seeing your Malifaux paintwork, I'm just as keen to see your Other Side stuff!

Greetings, fellow painters! I thought this might help! Enjoy! Caedrus.

Greetings, fellow painters! For June, I shall pledge: A Blessed of December; Malifaux Child; and Prospectors! Have a fantastic June, and keep putting pigment to plastic (and MDF, metal ... and everything else!) Caedrus. June Challenge - 3 Fave Paints 1. Vallejo Royal Purple. I love purple. This purple is best purple. 2. Reaper Snow Shadow. It's a great paint to lighten most colours, while keeping a nice, cool temperature. 3. Reaper Custom Colour: Chestnut Rose. It's 50/50 Chestnut Brown and Rosy Skin Shadow. It's an excellent colour to transition between flesh shadows and the main flesh tones. I use it, hmm, all the time. Honourable Mention: Scalecolor Antares Red. Super, duper saturated and powerful.

A Special June Challenge So, this month, I thought I would ask you, my fellow painters, what three paints are absolutely an essential part of your painting - and why? Or even, what are your favourites? Or, what paint do you keep just going back to? This should be fascinating... (I reckon I could guess at least one of @Rathnard's)

Welcome to the 2020 Wyrd Painting Challenge! This is the thread for the June Painting Challenge. I’m Caedrus, and I have the very great pleasure of being your host for 2020. While I am proud to be your host, this competition belongs to all of us, and if there’s anything that we can better to improve the Challenge, please do let me know. The link to the painter spreadsheet is here. The 2020 Wyrd Monthly Painting Challenge is all about: Having fun painting! Motivating yourself, and encouraging others. Being part of a great, friendly community. Giving and receiving constructive advice. And, finally: Getting some pigment onto plastic! This is not a competition in any way. The pledge categories are the following: Minion: you paint at least 1 Soulstone worth of Wyrd miniatures each month Enforcer: you paint at least 6 Soulstones worth of Wyrd miniatures each month Henchman: you paint at least 11 Soulstones worth of Wyrd miniatures each month Master: you paint at least 16 Soulstones worth of Wyrd miniatures each month Tyrant: you paint at least 31 Soulstones worth of Wyrd miniatures each month The rules: The challenge started on January 1st, 2020. Models count for the month in which you finish them. You can finish painting a model that you started before the beginning of the month. Everyone may fail to make their monthly goal twice and stay in the challenge. This is using a mulligan. See the Buy-Back rule, below. You can choose to go down a pledge level during the year, but you cannot move up. A model is considered painted if it is (1) based (even glued onto a black base counts); (2) tournament legal. That means that if it's a translucent, based model, it counts automatically. If it is any opaque material, then the standard is: Every part of the miniature painted, and three colours minimum. A new rule for 2020: The Buy-Back Everyone has good months and bad months. To encourage people to continue to paint, we will be trying out a new rule this year: the Buy-Back. In the past, if you have used your two mulligans, you’re out of the Challenge! However, in 2020, you can buy your way back into the challenge. All you have to do is to undertake your normal pledge and paint for the month, AND undertake the pledge and paint from one of the months you mulliganed. E.g.: Sarah is painting at Enforcer level (6SS/month), and she’s needed to mulligan for the third time. She announces that for the upcoming month, she’ll paint 12SS. If she does so, she’s back in the Challenge! At such a time, it might be worthwhile considering dropping down a category, but that’s up to Sarah! Miniature Values: Malifaux Almost all models count as their Soulstone value; but Masters count for 15 soulstones. Zero cost models count for 5 soulstones. Proxies (constructed from Wyrd models) count for their proxy value. The Other Side Titans count for 25 soulstones. Commanders count for 15 soulstones. Adjunct models count for 5 soulstones. Otherwise: A 30mm base model is worth 5 soulstones. A 40mm base model is worth 7 soulstones. A 50mm base model is worth 10 soulstones. Markers count for 2 soulstones if they're flat, or 5 soulstones if they're 3D and fancy Terrain · Scatter Piece (5SS): A modest piece of terrain, or a small number of scattered terrain pieces. These are the spray-can and dry-brush pieces. · Focus Piece (10SS): A terrain piece that represents a focal point of pride in a terrain board. These pieces require a decent amount of construction and painting. · Centre Piece (20SS): A terrain piece that is a significant centrepiece to the terrain. A handmade forest, a mausoleum, or a train engine. · Masterpiece (50SS): A gorgeous, unique terrain piece that makes people wonder if you get out much. · War and Peace (100SS): A complete, themed 3’x3’ terrain board. My very best for June, and 2020! Caedrus.

@kneepawn: Tremendous idea and execution.

@Franchute: It's one of my preferred channels - the best thing about the channel (in my opinion) is that he started his channel with a fairly basic style, and you can watch his evolution. A painter of your skill wouldn't get much from his earlier pieces, but he has some nice techniques now, and is easy to watch.

@Franchute: Gorgeous painting, as always. Have you been watching the Sorastro YouTube painting series on these models?

@Michael Curran: Delightful work.

Hi All, Thanks for the messages and updates about any outstanding points in the challenge. I've checked all my messages and notifications. I've updated the points to reflect those painters who have generated a buy-back, as well. If there's anything I've missed, send me a message, otherwise, I look forward to seeing your end-of-the-month works! Keep putting pigment to plastic! Caedrus.

Hi AzuraRayume, Nope, you can enter later in the year, but you'd need to 'buy back' into the months lost!

Caedrus, reporting in! Greetings everyone. I hope all of you are safe, sane and well in this crazy time. I've been madly busy of late (COVID means, I think, either being crazily busy or totally not), but I've had some time to get some productive painting done. I'll be updating the spreadsheet very soon (thanks for the PM's and updates, folks - I'm on it!), and welcome to our newest painter, @Renown0 (whom I will reply to soon, I promise)! Meantime, I thought you might like to see a quick look at what's been across my desk in the last few weeks! That's right, it's been time for some Void keyword! The Nothing Beast, Aionus, Tara and Karina. In addition, some proxy Illuminated are also on the desk at the moment. Still lots to do, but I'm having fun! Critiques and comments are very welcome, folks! Look after yourselves! Caedrus.

Hi All, I've updated the painting spreadsheet, right here. Could you have a quick look, and see if I have made any errors / forgotten anything. If so, send me a reply or a PM! Keep painting, everyone! Caedrus.