misterfinn

@CapnBloodbeard long post ahoy...tl;dr I think mini-painting is unlikely to become fast or enjoyable for you unless you grit your teeth and grind through the fundamentals first.

In my experience, much of the effort for a new hobbyist is front loaded. Everything sucks until you’re comfortable with the tools - in this case, your brush and your paint. When I first started taking architecture classes in college (pre-CAD), the curriculum didn’t use t-squares or templates or any of that stuff. I drew circles and long straight lines, freehand, over and over and over and over. I drew dark-to-light shading boxes with pencil and with charcoal, over and over and over and over. I hated it. Once I’d had the practice, though, I could draw just about anything quickly and accurately because the techniques had become second nature. Similar experience playing guitar - practicing scales is almost as fun for me as eating glass but I can’t think about the music if I’m concentrating on where to put my fingers. 

All of which is a long winded way of saying: there are plenty of shading and highlighting techniques and materials out there, but I don’t think you’ll be satisfied with any of the results until you learn good brush control. Drybrushing often causes rough texture and uneven coverage. Washing often causes splotches and streaks. The end result looks messy, which is frustrating. These techniques are much easier to learn if you’re already comfortable with your tools and you can paint flat color neatly. Part of the reason that Treehouse’s pre-shaded model looks so awesome is that the colors are applied smoothly, with clean edges and uniform opacity.

You can mitigate the pain of practicing something you don’t like by starting with good tools. I’m mostly thinking of brushes here. A high quality sable brush that holds a sharp point is essential. I use a Winsor & Newton size 1 kolinsky sable round brush for everything from cloaks to eyeballs, but there are a few other brands out there of similar quality. Consider using a wet palette as well. Wet palettes (which are simple to make with paper towels and baking parchment if you don’t want to buy one) help to maintain your paint consistency over a long period of time. Concentrating on your brush control is much easier if you don’t have to fiddle with your paint every 20 minutes.

As far as your current models go, I think your blue and brown are just fine. White is a notoriously difficult color to paint well, though, so you might consider a different choice there. Slate grey or grey-green maybe. Pure greens (like kelly green), yellows, and reds tend to require several coats to get a smooth color so I’d stay away from those.

My 2 scrip and YMMV. 

13 hours ago, Franchute said:

I dont know which colours to use for the OSL. Do you have any suggestion maybe? Orange?

Yep. A yellow-orange, I think.  The effect won’t be as dramatic as it would if you were painting a full night time diorama or something. Ambient daylight makes the lantern light less intense by comparison. Here’s a stock photo that shows what I mean:

Thanks everyone for your feedback. @H4ml3t I think you’re right about the gloppy bits. I like the blends I’ve got finished but I’ll work more color into the front side. I might need to take those green highlights up another level or two as well - I’ll see how it looks when I get the other bits done. 

@Purple Mist Those metals are looking good! Dig the bases as well. 

@Joachim Those cyclops finished up nicely. Love the markings on the gorar’s hood - did you have photo reference for that? Thumbs up on Barbaros’ wings too. I’d maybe take the highlights on his loincloth up another step in the back if you’e not tired of working on him. It looks a little flat next to his skin. 

@Franchute nice smooth blends, on the trousers especially. Do you think you’ll OSL the lantern?

I’d like some work in progress C&C from my fellow painters. I’m back to the Nothing Beast now that the Specialist is done. I’m interested in texture on this model, as it’s not something I’ve spent much time experimenting with. I want to depict three different textures on: a soft, gloppy, not-quite-solid unformed mass that he rises out of, a chitinous carapace, and limbs somewhere in between. In theory this should be a matter of contrast and diffusion. Shiny carapace: higher contrast, sharper transitions. Gloppy bits: very diffuse highlights, less contrast between lightest and darkest. Limbs: “normal” paint like you’ve seen on my Specialist.

So far I’m not sure it’s working. It’s got a pretty good “cool factor” going on the carapace, I think, but I don’t know if I’ve got the right highlight placement or high enough contrast. Also something about the stylistic mix on the model just doesn’t hang together for me and I can’t put my finger on it. Critiques? Suggestions?

2 hours ago, RustAndTheCity said:

I was worried about going too bright.

I hear you. I have a rough time with OSL (and NMM for that matter) for exactly that reason. Easy to comment on, hard to execute. :-)

@RustAndTheCity Good work with the gold non-metallics. You’ve got the highlights and shadows in the right place, with the right amount of contrast to make them look super polished/reflective. The placement of the highlights on the right boot stands out to me as very realistic too. Nice consistent blends throughout. The two brush technique is clearly working for you!

I’m not sold on the rocket pack exhaust. Rocket exhaust burns very hot so I’d expect more white and yellow near the tanks, with a more gradual transition overall from white to orange. The sharp white-to-red and red-to-black transitions you’ve got now make the effect look more like hardening lava to me. I feel like it’s a missed chance for some tasty OSL too, but that’s a time-consuming effect and may have been out of scope for this model.

Your photography definitely does justice to your paint job. What’s your setup?

My 2 scrip. Looking forward to seeing more of your work. 

@Viruk I’ll echo the others re: painting time. It’s an impressive and consistent level of quality for the time you’re putting in. I can’t seem to break the four-hour barrier for my models, and my average for Malifaux infantry is 6.5 hours. Well done.

@Burnin' Coal I love the color work you’re doing on the Stitched Togethers. They’re going in my Pinterest painting inspiration board when you get ‘em done, for sure.

@iamfanboy Another +1 on ditching the Bandersnatch dude. Black to purple on the body sounds OK to me. Perhaps you might add some visual interest with the legs and/or the chest? Get some red in there maybe, or green if you want to go high contrast.

Re: the Insid - you might not have accomplished what’s in your head but what you’ve got on the model is looking quite good IMO. The purple body reminds me of a nebula - sort of an ethereal cloudy substance that’s constantly shifting. Taking the purple another stage darker might help to strengthen this effect. Try it on a junk model first.

Wow, lots of traffic in this thread since yesterday. It’s great to see everyone’s progress.

@Purple Mist Thank you for the kind words. I’m afraid he is actually a light warm gray and not white – I blame my photography. :-)

@Viruk I haven’t done much experimentation with Vallejo’s special effect products (or GW either for that matter). Clearly I should give them a closer look.

@Caedrus Thumbs up on the undulating pukesnake! It gets the incorporeal across just fine. Something you might consider for your flaming puke OSL: regular fire is brighter in the middle where it burns the hottest and darker out toward the tips of the flames. I’ve often seen it done the other way around.

@RustAndTheCity The biggest problem I had when learning NMM was contrast. Extreme contrast between dark and light is what makes the shiny effect believable. Piccio’s post at the top of the page demonstrates this - the shiny parts go from dark to light with very little transitional color. The more reflective the surface, the sharper the transition and the brighter the highlight. Aside from that, know where your imaginary light source is so your highlighting is consistent and use plenty of photo reference. I have a whole folder full of pictures of metal objects, from armor to tableware to industrial machinery.

@Joachim Your cyclops skin looks outstanding. Are you finished with the ice? I think it could use a few more stages of highlighting. Right now it looks flat in comparison with the skin. Also I think the gorar color scheme works well as is. That is my strong opinion. ;-)

Keep up the good work, everyone!

@Piccio NMM looks great. Your color choices aren’t traditional metallic, but it still reads as metal as opposed to some other kind of glossy surface.

@Shock & Awe happy accident! The new texture gives the model a nice Cthulhoid vibe, much creepier than the stock sculpt. It picks up drybrushing well, too. I think your wretches could use some gap filling - that line down the center is a little distracting IMO. 

@Viruk I like the depth and shine you’ve given your base. What technique did you use?

2 hours ago, Joachim said:

For the lichen, I'm probably gonna bring it back a bit, cause it's very bright right now. What do you guys think?

I’d wait to do anything with it until you’ve got the model finished. The green looks too bright now, but that might change once it’s next to your other colors. The finished model can also help you decide if/how you want to tint the lichen for overall composition - more brown, more yellow, deeper green, etc.

Great work on that face! I like the blue-to-tan transition a lot. Have you thought about continuing that color approach on the rest of the skin? Looks like you’re going there with the chest and belly, though it might be reflected ground light. Hard to tell from that angle.

Agree with Treehouse that the lichen looks great. You’ve got very natural looking growths there - what material are you using to get that texture?

You’re also starting to get a nice luminescent glow going around the crystals. It’ll look even better when you get them fully highlighted. I’m excited to see the final product.

22 hours ago, SirRocketPants said:

I play the emissary and give blood momento before burying her with a void wretch.

 

Ah, I see. Yeah, that’s a nasty threat. Only two activations for your opponent to reposition. Even if you don’t get the big murder train rolling on turn one, you still start your opponent on the back foot and force them to play defensively.

22 hours ago, beevison said:

The main reason I'm trying this out is that I've a 3 round fixed master tournament coming up. And I want to play Viks, but I'm very aware that almost EVERYONE who has any experience will know how to deal with them. So trying to come up with a curve ball.

Makes sense to me. An “all comers” list with the Viks is a bit trickier than other masters who’re more well-rounded (like Von Schill) or have more flexible hiring pools (Tara, Levi). I’ve taken a more conventional combined arms approach to that situation in the past - a mix of artillery, close support, and melee beatings. Now I’m extra curious to hear how your curve ball crew fares!

@beevison, your “yo-yo” approach is an interesting use of SiS. Have you put this crew on the table yet?

I dispute that there’s a right or wrong way to play the Viks. They are murder machines for sure. That’s what they do. They also cost 0 of the 50 stones in your crew to start with, 8 if you include their two core upgrades (Fury and Mark) and 5 for cache. That’s plenty of extra room for a variety of play styles.

Strategies and schemes dictate how I use my Viks in practice. Far apart, close together, vanguard, counter charge, distraction, area denial, scheme runner hunting, leader hunting, it all depends on what I need to do for that game. I don’t like using the alpha strike because it’s unreliable and it overextends the most dangerous melee model(s) in my crew. A bad hand, low flips, and savvy opponents aren’t hard to come by. Get any one of the three and your party is most likely over.

My objectives also dictate most of the other models and upgrades I take. I always take Fury. I always take Mark. I always take a librarian. Everything else is up for grabs, although Vanessa makes the cut most of the time. I’ve been experimenting with Sisterly Bonds recently. Mystic Blades is fantastic all by itself, at least in my meta. Turning a Ronin into a 4/5/7 armor-ignoring Flurry machine is just a bonus. I can’t remember the last time I used Sisters in Spirit or Synchronized Slaying.

In practice I’ve found that this approach makes my Viks simultaneously more dangerous and more fun to play against than a typical slingshot build. More dangerous because they’re unpredictable, more fun because my opponent is actively making decisions over the entire course of the game. I win a lot but rarely have blowouts. All of my games end with a smile and a handshake.

My 2 scrip and YMMV.

@SirRocketPants, where do you get the chain activation from the Scion unbury? The Hollowing doesn’t grant chain activation. Synchronized Slaying can’t be taken by the Scion. I must be missing something.

Paul7926, I 100% agree with Scatterbrain about the Best Sportsperson award! 

It's important to remember that Malifaux is all about accomplishing schemes and strategies. Plenty of models have good stat lines and cool abilities. As you become experienced with the models you own and learn their pros and cons, you'll discover gaps in your collection that you want to fill. For example, the Ronin is a go-to model for me if I need to hold an objective because Disguised and Stand Ground force your opponent to spend a bunch of AP to get rid of them. If scheme running is important, I'll leave the Ronin at home and include models with mobility enhancers like Unimpeded and Incorporeal. I might buy two or three Oathkeepers in that situation as well, to get the benefit of Finish the Job.

Everyone's got favorite models that they use often. Someone else might not like those models because they don't fit that person's play style or synergize well with that person's other models. Sue is very popular, for example, but I've never felt the need to field him. Freikorpsmenn don't get much love here but they're great for me in a Von Schill crew. Other examples abound. I encourage you to learn the game, become familiar with your models, and then decide how to fill out your collection. Heck, in a few months you might discover that you have more fun with Shenlong or Asami and you don't want to add to your Outcast collection at all. 

I hope you have a great time at the tournament - let us know how it goes!

My pledge for January: one Freikorps Specialist (8ss). I'm gambling that the January errata makes him playable.  If we get the errata within the next week or so and he isn't fixed, I might swap him for something else.

I also have a Nothing Beast in progress. It's a big model with a lot of blending, so I've just been working on it as a break from 30mm humanoids. I'm not going to pledge/claim it for points because it's half done already but I'll post WIP pictures anyway if I make any progress. The front and arms just have color blocked in. The back is about 2/3 complete. 

Brilliant! Love the beverage holder in pic 7. In pic 8 it looks like you've got an accessory area for cards/tokens/whatever that hooks on to the main table. Where do you store that piece? 

Hired Guns and Hired Swords were my first two boxes when I started playing last year. I learned the game with the Viks, but I'd start with Von Schill if I were to pick the game up today.

Viks
The slingshot is fun for a minute and not that difficult to get the hang of. It's also not that hard for a savvy opponent to mitigate if s/he sees it coming. I think the Viks are tremendously powerful once you get past The Big Trick, but they're not forgiving. They're fragile. Their synergistic buffs (0 actions and Blood Lines) are largely positioning-dependent, which means you need to plan at least one turn ahead and stay focused on your plan. You need to be careful about managing your hand size to take advantage of Fate's Chosen and Fate's Pariah. Using cover and terrain wisely is crucial. It was a lot to absorb while I was trying to learn the game at the same time. They were fun to paint though!

As for the other models in the box: I don't have much love for Taelor because she's slow and Outcasts have so many great options in the 10ss range, but my Ronin are solid utility. I often run with two. The third one went straight to my bits box. I rarely take the Student since I don't use the slingshot. Vanessa, Lazarus, Strongarm Suit, Freikorps Librarian, and Malifaux Child are the other models I use most often with the Viks.

Von Schill
I didn't think he was that interesting (or fun) to play until the Wave 5 upgrades. Now I play him all the time. He's durable, mobile, and flexible. He doesn't have a lot of special rules to keep track of while you're trying to learn the game. I've used every model in his box except the overpriced Specialist. Hobby-wise, you will paint the same colors over and over.

Strongarm Suit is an auto-include for me with Von Schill. I take Lazarus sometimes. Hannah's a big assembly and painting job that I haven't undertaken yet.

My 2 scrip. YMMV.

11 hours ago, prof_bycid said:

Welcome @misterfinn !

Thanks @prof_bycid. I've been lurking on the 2017 threads for a while - it's encouraging to see other folks' progress. Glad to be joining the party.

Please count me in at Enforcer level. I like the terrain idea - sometimes it's a nice break to work on something larger.

Is it OK to start with models that are primed or must they be unassembled?