Shock & Awe

So I'm calling the Midnight Stalker done. The pictures didn't quite capture it, but I was really happy with how the back came out (his jacket looks technicolor-ish). I was trying to get the 'midnight' color into his jacket with a mixture of purples and blues. It worked on some levels but not others. Overall I felt like it was an uninspiring model to paint in some ways, and his legs felt flat to me (like he'd been pancaked). Still, I tried some new things out and learned from it, so onwards and upwards!

Does this help? That coin is roughly the size of an American quarter (and please don't mind the rookie paint jobs... Guild was my first set of models and some of my painting was horrid). He is really big, comes with 8 cards, and it's really hefty plastic. I would wager it's nearly as much plastic as a box set.

Ha! Now that you've said that, I can't un-picture it. I'll have to call him Cookie-Slang now and give him a theme song like the Cookie Monster. That would have been a better idea, and I will definitely try that next time, thank you for the advice. I have painted like that before and find I'm more inclined to the rough look that dry brushing leaves. I know that puts me in the minority, and I can fully appreciate that shading after a higher contrast brushing blends the colors a bit more, but my taste at the moment goes in the other direction. As to the single tone, I felt that too when I'd got him done, but looking at the art and trying to wrap my head around how or where to add a second color outside of the green I put into the scales on his back, I could not think of what or where to add it. The model seems like a copy of the Xenomorph from the Alien movies, and it felt like it should be a solid color.... but again, I see what you mean. As to his face.... he has one, but he doesn't. He has a head. But, again, I see that and will think about it a bit more for next time. Actually the gems are one of the Citadel technical paints, Waystone Green. It's meant to be used to make gemstone colors or a bit more of a glossy finish. I wanted it for the tongue because I don't like matte colored tongues (that looks odd to me) and I liked the idea of the scales looking gemstone like. I know I need to learn a bit more about light reflection and angle, so I'll keep that in mind too. It's not harsh at all! I understand I have a lot to learn and I'm trying to do something different each time, so some of it will work and some of it won't. The idea is to keep what does work and chuck what doesn't, but we can't learn anything by just doing the same thing over and over - you have to mess it up a bit to get better (hence, now I know to avoid making base cookies!) All in all, my models are like my children; I love them and all their imperfections. I felt there was something more to do with him, but I'll admit the scale and lack of variation in the build made it hard to get my creativity going. I'm happy with how he came out, but I'm also happy to have the ideas and input to think about for next time. Thank you for the feedback, it's always appreciated.

I got my Grootslang all painted up. That's 3 of 7 for the month, and I'm at 24SS so far. I know what you're thinking though, "Why did you make a huge model taller??" Well, I read up on Grootslang, found out he hoards diamonds, and I liked the idea of a muddy mound of diamonds. I think it came out more or less how I pictured it, and I like the end result, but I know it's not going to be for everyone What do you think?

I got my Grootslang all painted up. I know what you're thinking, "Why did you make a huge model taller??" Well, I read up on Grootslang, found out he hoards diamonds, and I liked the idea of a muddy mound of diamonds. I think it came out more or less how I pictured it, and I like the end result, but I know it's not going to be for everyone What do you think?

Thank you. The 'less-talented' doesn't apply, in my opinion. I'll keep at it though, and I hope I keep getting better.

Okay, so I'm calling Miss Deed done. That makes 18SS this month. I messed up glueing her right leg and it was kicked up a bit. So when I thought about how to paint her, two things were a factor: How am I going to compensate for the leg, and what style am I aiming for. The answer to one came after the answer for two - I wanted a full on old school cowboy look for her. I saw a picture recently of a muddy jacket and I wanted to give that a shot... and I wanted to stick with one brown and try mixing in colors with it to get variation. So it's really only two major paints at work; Averland Sunset and Mournfang brown, just with random other paints mixed in. I like the overall end result. The answer then to question 1 was, where did the mud come from? I tried to make a cracked earth look for the base and I'm relatively happy with how it turned out. What are your thoughts?

Okay, so I'm calling Miss Deed done. I messed up glueing her right leg and it was kicked up a bit. So when I thought about how to paint her, two things were a factor: How am I going to compensate for the leg, and what style am I aiming for. The answer to one came after the answer for two - I wanted a full on old school cowboy look for her. I saw a picture recently of a muddy jacket and I wanted to give that a shot... and I wanted to stick with one brown and try mixing in colors with it to get variation. So it's really only two major paints at work; Averland Sunset and Mournfang brown, just with random other paints mixed in. I like the overall end result. The answer then to question 1 was, where did the mud come from? I tried to make a cracked earth look for the base and I'm relatively happy with how it turned out. What are your thoughts?

Random question: what is that thing on Miss Deed's right thigh? I can't decide what color to paint it until I know what in the wide-wide world of sports it is.

I was recommended these pens by a fellow Malifaux-er on The Wyrd Place: https://www.jetpens.com/Sakura-Pigma-Micron-Pen-Size-005-0.2-mm-Black/pd/2042 but I've yet to try it, so I'll let you know if it works...

That said... I finished my Jury last night, and here's a shot of it. I still have work to do on the book, but I need the pens I want to write words in her book before I can knock it out.

I'm going to be an unofficial party crasher here with ya'll, but I'm much more of a hobbyist than a gamer and I like having a community of people to share that with. Hope you don't mind me barging in! So here's my pledge for the month (though, of course, this only counts for me in my own little world ) 1- Jury (8SS) 2- Miss Deed (10SS) 3- Grootslang (6SS) 4- The Midnight Stalker (8SS) 5- Talos (8SS) 6- Thalarian Quellers (x2) (Total of 12SS) That's a total of 52SS for the month (...but I'm bad at math, you can tell me if I messed that up....)

I painted the black by using a grey base with silver highlights, then let the black shade do a lot of the work to try and create depth. When I've highlighted black I've almost always used silver to do it, but I feel that's becoming an 'old bag' trick (in other words, I over use it). So what would you suggest I highlight it with? Thank you very much, I really appreciate the compliment. I'm leaning more toward this idea. I'm going to buy some micron pens and give this a shot, but once I've decided how to layer and shade the white pages first. Thank you for taking the time to comment and for the advice.

Thank you! My plan for the book you can read up in the comment above that I just made (because I don't want to be redundant ) but I do want to try shading, mixing with blue and white because I've heard a lot of people suggest that. Now, are you suggesting I mix the blue into the white and then paint it, or use blue as the shade? From where it's at now I was thinking to layer it with a bone color before shading it either brown or sephia, but would a layer with white/blue mix then layer with blue (toned down with a medium perhaps?) be more in line with what you're talking about? I really want to learn how to shade/highlight white better! I did a passible job (I think?) with the Ten Thunder Brother I posted, which was worlds better than my first few shots at painting white, but this is an area I need to get better at. Thank you for taking the time to comment, and I'll keep the advice in mind.

RE: paint mixing, that is really helpful, particularly the part about the brown. I've been avoiding my brown for a bit because I felt like I didn't have a good set of lighter shades to alter it. Now I have a better idea of what to do with it, so thanks for that! Re: Jury - 1, yeah, eyes I am still hit and miss on. I left hers as they were because, when turned straight on (where you are looking straight at the kneeling man) her eyes ended up dead on the book. From the side (which is the better shot to get a glimpse of the whole model) it looks a bit off (especially in close up). In person, I'm satisfied with it, but I completely see why you wouldn't be sold from the picture. 2 - The lips... ugh. I did that because Jury is meant to be a female... and if she didn't have long hair, NOTHING about the model said woman to me. That may be how I blended the little bit of flesh she had showing, but I wanted something to give her some kind of 'woman' accent. The lips suck though, and I agree. I thought about switching to my screamer pink to tone down the blaring colour of it, but that may not be the answer either. I'll have to have a think about how to approach lips. 3 - Thank you on the color comp. compliment. I am going to buy a micro pen and attempt writing a few words in the book, but I have to still be careful with the scale. If the words end up too bulky it will get odd. The plan from here with the book is to layer it in a bone colour, wash it in either agrax earthshade (all my paints are Citadel - not because I'm snobby, but because I live in Japan and it's the only non Tamiya paint that's easy (enough) to find) or I might buy the Sephia shade this week and give that a crack. The wash will come after the letters have been applied though. Just wanted to have a think about WHAT to write in the book before I started going at it. 4 - Dark red is a good idea. I think I might buy a set of Sakura Micron Pens for that. Thank you again for the time you took to comment. I really appreciate it!

Got my Jury painted up. Got a few last touch ups to do and I want to look into printing in the book, but I'm happy with her for now. What do you think of her?