Spectre's Road to 100% Painted - Log, Notes, Etc

[monkeyboy30672]

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.

[spectrehorseman]

@ monkeyboy - that helps a lot actually. I wasn't messing with any settings except the size of the image. Looking at my camera, the shutter speed settings go from auto up to 1600 with several settings between. I'll experiment around and see what I can get.  Also, I'm gonna try the diffuser and the white balance.

 

Those are the only 3 things I'm changing at the moment. Be right back with some pics.

 

---

 

How about now?  This was my first try at ever painting fire.  I'm using miniature case foam as its all I have at the moment.  I put a towel over the flash, set balance to fluoroescent as I'm using a 2 foot bulb.  Changed the shutter to ISO 1600.

 

Open Spoiler

 

 

[monkeyboy30672]

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

[dgraz]

What is the ISO.

Also, I have the Incandescent "daylight" bulbs.....any ideal what I should set the balance for? Or should I just get different bulbs? If I set it to Auto or Incandescent, it turns very brown......fluorescent turns pink.....and tungsten turns blue.....those are the only specific settings I have.

 

I have a homemade light box with diffusers on both sides and I use 3 lights.....right/left and front.....against a neutral light grey background.....I also use a Tripod.

 

Sorry for the total thread hi-jack.

[spectrehorseman]

No worries @ dgraz - this could probably be useful for most of us.  What is the ISO? I thought it was shutter speed.

[paradoxstorm]

 

I've been contemplating picking up an Optivisor. Ever use one?

 

Years ago I did some gemstone faceting where an optivisor, or similar, is required.   As an over 40 I cannot imagine working on minis with only my bifocals   If I were still in my 20's or 30's I suppose I would be okay--but not anymore 

 

If you do use them, position them so that about 50% - 60% of your field of vision is below the visor.  A quick head nod and you can magnify your mini as needed without interfering with your normal vision.  

 

They can be removed with the ease of a hat or simply pushed up at the first sign of interruption so other than looking a bit silly if you keep them on, they are really no hassle at all.   

[peebs]

No worries @ dgraz - this could probably be useful for most of us.  What is the ISO? I thought it was shutter speed.

 

ISO is different from shutter speed - I think it's to do with the way the camera digitally 'boosts' light, rather than letting more in (although I'm certainly not an expert so may be talking complete rubbish!). I've found a low ISO is better for taking photos of models - otherwise you seem to get a more grainy image. The only time I push up the ISO is when I'm taking action shots in poor light to help compensate for the fast shutter speed. Shutter speed is measured in seconds so will be 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, etc. You'll probably need a tripod if you want to use a very low shutter speed but it will give you a much better photo. Increasing the aperture can help too and will be the numbers with 'f' in front of them on your camera - a lower number means a bigger aperture, which confused me for a while!

[Bengt]

"ISO" refers to how light sensitive film is, but should really be called film speed, because the ISO is from the standards organization which has made a gazillion other standards. 100 is a reference value for a certain shutter speed, aperture and daylight, higher values are more sensitive.

 

As for white balance with daylight bulbs, if your camera has a setting called daylight (6000K) or cloudy (6500K) (mine does), use that since the bulb is supposed to have the same colour temperature as either of that.

[monkeyboy30672]

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.

[Clawz]

Specterhorseman: The lighting situation looks better, but I am now baffled by that radial blur... It's almost like an after-effect that's being auto-applied or something (like through Instragram). I really have no explanation for why that'd be happening unless you are using a very bizarre lens!

 

Kudos on the fire though: it looks quite rich, and you've highlighted it in the 'realistic' way!

 

@Dgraz (Feel free to correct me on this Monkeyboy, I'm all-digital in professional experience) the ISO used to be a rating for how sensitive the film was to light; a higher ISO meant the instant you opened the camera's shutter, it'd start affecting the film. Unfortunately, the chemicals/sensitivity made it so the film was grainier. In the digital era, this essentially means the camera's sensor is grabbing as much info as it can in a shorter period, and not refining it much, which is why the graininess. With a good DSLR taking huge images (mine is, I think, 4300x2800 or so) it doesn't matter as much once it's reduced, except in deep shadows. Lower ISOs means it's less sensitive, and 'darker', but if you have it on a tripod with a longer shutter speed, the individual detail of each pixel is more accurate.

 

*edit* (whups, entirely forgot to answer this part) - depending on camera, you should have a 'daylight' setting that may/should work for your light setup if you have daylight bulbs. Something awesome my camera has (Nikon D5000) is a colour gamut grid you can 'adjust' the colour in-camera with, to take out some of the DSLR neutral-grey syndrome. I remember I had to shift it way into the green for glade/forest pics: the camera assumed all the green was a glitch!

 

Essentially, for proper lighting there is a triangle of efficiency, much like the design triangle of [quality/speed/cost] which, for cameras, goes [iSO/shutter speed/F-stop (or aperture size)]. Ideally you want to strike a balance; too low an f-stop and you get a really short focal depth, making any model seem blurry at near- or far-extremities. Too low an ISO, and you get a grainy photo you may need to mitigate either through image shrinking or smoothing, and too low a shutter speed and you risk blur, without a tripod (or even with, if the target's moving.)

 

Say Monkeyboy: want to tag-team on a thread about effective model photography and see if we can get it stickied to help folks in general?

[spectrehorseman]

I added a mask to the edges and feathered it. With the foam absorbing and reflecting light how it does, combined with the feathered edges, I think that's why it looks that way.

[monkeyboy30672]

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

[spectrehorseman]

Finally got around to posting some new pics.

 

Yan Lo Crew

 

 

Chiaki is not finished with the waves highlighting yet or her hands.

 

I'm using Micro Art studio Graveyard bases but attached colored bases face down to note what faction they are in. I'm making all my models in this manner. The lip curving up like it does allows better handling when you to to move the piece and you don't have to grab the model itself.

 

 

Ashigaru

Open Spoiler

 

I was messing around with attaching magnets to the bottom of the right model but it didn't cut very nice so I'll probably scrap that idea. Here you can see how I used Orange as a spot color to also make the Turquoise pop a little.  I used dwarf bronze (sorta orangey) to highlight the armor nails.

 

 

Yan Lo

Open Spoiler

 

 

 

Here are my notes and how I save formulas in microsoft excel.

 

Drop = Large drop from Vallejo model paints

Part = One #2 brush full of paint from a bottle of Games Workshop.

 

 

Yan Lo       Robe     mixture levels

 

Pale (cream color) Middle (base) Layer Baneblade Brown (gw) Dark Sand (vmc) 2 parts to 1 drop dark sand

 

Shade Pale - shadow altdorf blue (gw) camo black brown (vmc) 2 parts to 1 drop camo bb

 

Highlight Pale - highlight add Deck Tan (vmc) to middle base layer progressive highlights

 

 

Middle Layer Kabalite Green (GW) Deck Tan (vmc) 2 parts to 1 drop

 

Shade Green Altdorf Blue Thinner Medium to middle layer

 

Hightlight Green add Deck Tan to middle layer  

 

 

 

I shaded with a saturated blue (altdorf blue) added to the middle layer and some additional thinner medium,   then also shaded the pale robe portion with a desaturated blue. I wanted this model to be majority of him green but have a strong blue run throughout so I could use the spot color Orange, to later tie into the Ten Thunders. 

 

I still need to finish the Soul Porter too.

 

So now, I'm wanting to paint the Onyro's similar and paint Kirkai differently yet somehow tie in to the above.  Eventually getting to Ikiryo, but paint her more desaturated and dying.

[Vaiuri]

Looking forward to seeing how chiaki turns out with her wavy base :-)

[NPC Chris]

I really like the blue of Yan Lo's robe! 

[spectrehorseman]

Looking forward to seeing how chiaki turns out with her wavy base :-)

 

I'll keep you updated. I took a 2 month break from painting but I'm getting the urge again. Especially after picking up some pieces at gen con. But I still have a shitload left to paint that I already own.  And several models at varying stages of completion. I need to stop doing that. lol.

[monkeyboy30672]

I am totally in that same boat. Most of my Pandora crew is painted, though I need to finish up one model, start another, and then do some alterations and upgrading to a few others.

 

Then I have 2 models in my Latigo Posse that are almost done.

 

And I just assembled Marcus, Razorspine Rattler, Sabertooth Cerberus, and Cojo, all of which need putty work, then I can start painting them. Eventually.

 

Not to mention 2 Miss Erys and some Molemen coming from the GenCon special orders... Sigh.

[spectrehorseman]

lmao, glad I'm not the only one. 

[spectrehorseman]

I tried a new backdrop and lighting set up. Please let me know how it looks and if you like this format for viewing.

 

Nino Ortega

 

Papa Loco

 

Perdita

 

Santiago

 

 

PAINT SCHEMES

 

Red Leather

 

Base - Red Leather (VMC)

Shade 1 - Red Leather (VMC + Altdorf Blue (GW)

Shade 2 - German Camo Black/Brown

Hightlight - Red Leather (VMC) + Pale/Grey Blue (Vallejo)

 

 

White, Bandages

 

Base - Bootstrap Leather + Bone (GW)

Shade - Agrax Earthshade (GW) - AKA "Devlan Mud" AKA "Skill in a bottle"

Highlight 1 - Bone + Bubonic Brown (GW)

Hightlight 2 - Bone (GW) (thin coats)

Highlight 3 - Screaming Skull  (GW) (very edges)

[spectrehorseman]

Seamus Crew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doing the base like I did with the inverted on bottom really helps with being able to grab the modle without have to touch it. The lip really gives you something to grasp onto.

[spectrehorseman]

 

[zFiend]

Really digging the Seamus and the belles! You do really cool undead skin. But the main man himself is really good!

[spectrehorseman]

Really digging the Seamus and the belles! You do really cool undead skin. But the main man himself is really good!

 

Thank you. I was inspired by Mako's write up in the Chronicles issue.  I'm trying to resist the urge to buy the mindless undead and crooked men. lol I want them but I have models already that need painted.

[zFiend]

I highly prefer the metal Crooked men. The new plastic Mindless Zombies are a lot better than the old ones though. 

[spectrehorseman]

Hey guys, I wonder if I might take a moment to share another creative venture I'm currently developing.  I opened an Etsy shop, please stop over and check it out. I'd appreciate any social media tweets, shares etc, if you think the site is worth sharing with others.  Thanks alot.

 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TrailblazerOutpost?ref=hdr_shop_menu

 

In the meantime, I'm currently working on a Model Tracker Spreadsheet so I can keep track of model - owned, assemble, primed, painted, varnished, based and also I'm going to throw in some tid bits about crew building for each of the crew boxes (all taken from the wiki) with also having hyper-links in the spreadsheet to the specific pull my finger wiki strategy guides.  I'm leaving an area under each crew section to keep track of the paint schemes I'm using. I'm just about done with the Guild and I'll upload it for Community use soon.