Phinn Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 I used picture of one of my Slop Haulers as an Avatar and then I realized that it looks bit... drab? I don't know how to describe it. When I look at it, the only thing that my eyes are drawn to, is his arm. Is it because I used a lot of grey and the highlights on the arm are too bright? What should I have done differently? Should I have done brighter highlights on the face and less bright on the arm? Original plan was to paint that headscarf red, but then I decided against it, because it's supposed to be a bandage. Bright red eye? A blood stain on the bandage? I really don't know. If you were to paint this miniature, what colour scheme would you choose? I am talking about the whole miniature - barrel, trousers, slop, suspenders... Thank you Also... feedback as such will be appreciated 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carasz Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 A completely different idea: What if it's the photo? The base is in focus, so his face (a natural focus point for looking at photos) is a bit blurry. The center of the model/picture is right behind his arm, which is covered by a shadow. His arm is the part that is best lit up and is not that blurry, which might be why it draws your eyes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted December 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 That didn't even crossed my mind I took the miniature out of a box and compared it to the photography. It looks like the main problem actually is the white background that merges with the bandages. If a put that miniature on a table, those bandages become a focus point. Thank you I feel kind of stupid now Stupid, but happy. So far the most difficult part of miniature painting for me as a beginner (The last time I painted some miniatures was 13 years ago, when I was a kid.) is choosing which colours to use. I watched some videos and read something about colour theory, but that... sense of colours... I guess that it's something that developes with experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHTHATER Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Laika, This model is well painted. I don't fell you used strong enough highlights, but I'm no master painter. Everything looks kinda dull, and stronger color highlights on the model and the barrel I fell would have given a lot to bring more life to the model. As I get better at painting myself, I realized stronger highlighting made the model. Hopefully some if the masters psinters on here will chime in, and guide you. Nighthater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikvar Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Laika, This model is well painted. I don't fell you used strong enough highlights, but I'm no master painter. Everything looks kinda dull, and stronger color highlights on the model and the barrel I fell would have given a lot to bring more life to the model. As I get better at painting myself, I realized stronger highlighting made the model. Hopefully some if the masters psinters on here will chime in, and guide you. Nighthater This is spot on, your darks needs to be darker and your highlights need to be brighter on every colour you have on the miniature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbobovalsocks Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Sorry Ikvar and Nighthater, I don't agree, I was thinking the first time I saw your avatar, before you posted this thread that the model looked odd. I think it's well paiinted but the strong bright highlights on the flesh make it look like he is wearing an olive jumper! I'd be tempted to tone it down a bit, with less yellow in his skin. As an aside, I love your thread title! I often ak myself the same thing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted December 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Thank you Nighthater, I really appreciate it You are not the first one who told me that. Strength of highlights is something that I struggle with. I usually paint when it's already dark outside, so I invested into a daylight bulb, but... I don't know if the one I bought is just not quality enough or humankind hasn't reached the point, where we are able to make daylight bulbs good enough or... Smeg knows. First models that I have painted had so dull highlights, that they were barely visible. Then someone on the forum of my gamming community advised me to make them more bright and prominent. I do experiment quite a lot with colours - I have 10 Gremlin models and I used like 4 different colour schemes for their skins, but still hasn't found the point, where I would be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted December 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 I must agree with Nighthater and Ikvar. I really like comic book style of painting and I think that this is what it comes down to - a personal preference. When I paint models, I usually try to imitate their art work and in the future I will definitely try to make my highlights more higlightier and my... low... lights more lowli... you know what I mean. Maybe it is what I am looking for, mabye not, there is only one way to find out I am also planning to use more than 3 different hues and mainly... not to rush. By the way Ikvar, I admire your paint style. It is very unique and refreshing. Such beautiful (Thank you Jim Carrey, for teaching me how to spell this word.) colours Even though I disagree with you, Jimbobovalsocks, I still appreciate your opinion Thank you. "An olive jumper" I LOLed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikvar Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Sorry Ikvar and Nighthater, I don't agree, I was thinking the first time I saw your avatar, before you posted this thread that the model looked odd. I think it's well paiinted but the strong bright highlights on the flesh make it look like he is wearing an olive jumper! I'd be tempted to tone it down a bit, with less yellow in his skin. As an aside, I love your thread title! I often ak myself the same thing!! I always love different views on things, so dont be sorry to disagree with me If I should expand on what I said before, and if you like the comic book style of painting like I do, I would make the darker spots more dark- if you want to experiment, you could try with some purple glazing, but I have no idea where your general level is, and that might be a bit more advanced. I might take the whole green tone down a bit as well, this can be done with something like cameo green from vallejo as a glaze over the entire body. after that you can start build up your highlights- the yellow-ish tone you are using on the figure should work well as a base tone for that, add in some pure white and maybe even a bit more yellow if needed. As a minimum you should aim for at least three tones (which is the dark, midtone, and highlights I keep mentioning), I was almost not able to see the yellow highlights, this is because there are not enough contrast in the colours you choose. You really need to learn and be more bold with the style you want to paint, and dont be afraid to even use pure white at some of the highlights. But other then that, I think you are doing really good. It is a very clean figure, which is something most people seem to forget I have also ordered some gremlins from Black Friday, and will very soon begin to paint some of them, you will be able to see what I mean with the purple shadows and yellow highlights then. And thank you so much for your compliment, it truly means a lot to me 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted January 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Thank you, Ikvar You can't imagine, how helpful your post is. I am very much looking forward to your Gremlins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmdl1066 Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I think you're over thinking it. Your first instinct of "too much grey" is spot on. Turn the barrel into a much darker color, say rusty/dirty iron, and the brighter skin will pop instead of blah. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omenbringer Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 I definitely agree with the above poster. The issue is that the Greens and Gray's are a bit close visually and to "clean". I would strongly recommend "dirtying up" the pants and oil drum. This is a gremlin after all and he doesn't exactly scream "spends time in Slop". There are some great Citadel products that will do this easily. Some things for the Oil Drum he is carrying; "Typhus Corrosion", "Ryza Rust", some Silver metals and "Nurgles Rot" to age the them. Silver metals for "chipping" the drums paint then the "Typhus Corrosion" and "Ryza Rust". Lastly, apply some "Nugles Rot" to slime up the drum mimicking the "slop" that resides within. With the pants I'd add some "Stirland mud" along the knees and pant cuffs, and perhaps some "Nurgles Rot" and "Blood for the Blood God" in various spots on the pants (especially on the back side). Hopefully at least a bit of that helps. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thank you, KMDL1066 and Omenbringer Some things that have been suggested here, would require me to repaint the whole model (like darker shades) and I must be honest, I am not planning to do so. But all your suggestions are invaluable to me and I will definitely keep them in mind when painting my next models. So, once again, thank you everyone I can't stress enough how helpful this all is to a beginner painter. I have already painted his ears differently - I used slightly dakrer tone of human flesh for inner part of ears, so they don't merge with the face so much. Next thing I am planning to do is to apply some rust as you guys suggested. I will probably just try to use orange colour to imitate rust, because I don't think, that I would find much use for the whole pot of rusty colour. And I will also "dirty up" his pants. I have one question though. Omenbringer, you said: ...and perhaps some "Nurgles Rot" and "Blood for the Blood God" in various spots on the pants (especially on the back side). I do understand why Nurgle's Rot, but why Blood for the Blood God? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted January 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Things that I have changed: Inner parts of ears - Painted in flesh colour. Rust on steel barrel - I started with black, than I used brown and progressively brighter orange. Dirt on trousers - I dipped toothbrush into diluted brown colour, sprayed it few times on a paper and when I was satisfied with the effect I applied it on miniature. Slop - I don't own any technical paint, that would make the slop look slimy, like Citadel Technical 'Ardcoat, so I used one of those white glues that dry clear but leave shiny surface. The execution is far from ideal But I think that he looks better now. Some of the (main) issues still remain - things like colour of the steel barrel, or shades beeing not dark enough... and as I already said, I will keep them in mind next time Also... please don't mind that terrible gap between his shouler and torso 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omenbringer Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 And I will also "dirty up" his pants. I have one question though. Omenbringer, you said: I do understand why Nurgle's Rot, but why Blood for the Blood God? The main reason for the B4tBG is to emphasize the foulness of the slop they carry. It can also show the battle wounds incurred by the Slop Haulers while working around the ornery pigs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoHero Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 I would also add to make the bandage more dirty looking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted February 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 I would also add to make the bandage more dirty looking. Is this the legendary language barrier or is your sentence missing a word? Is it blood? Is it mud? Is it something else that rhymes? Anyhow, you are right, it does look like a fresh, clean, sterile bandage. In other words - not gremlinish at all. I will take a look at it. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoHero Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 "I would also add" as in, "I would also add in addition to the other comments". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted February 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I was not familiar with that phrase. I learned something today This time I used heavily watered down brown paint to make the bandages look more worn. Here is side-by-side comparision. On the left is the picture that I posted at the start of the topic, asking for advice. On the right is the current picture. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zFiend Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I think you are done with that model. It's pretty much spot on now. Nothing else to add, the bandage was the only "too clean" part of the model. Now move on the next and gives us some more gremlins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phinn Posted February 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I feel like I have learnt a lot by correcting all those mistakes people were pointing out Thank you, everybody. In regard to more models... I have already finished painting all of my models - The Kin Starter Box and 2 Slop Haulers. Since this was the first time after 13-year hiatus I have been painting miniatures, I had to re-learn all the basic techniques (Thank you internet!). When I was just a kid I was happy when my models had more than 2 colours and a black stains that were supposed to be shadows. So... not all of my models are presentable Sadly, I even ruined some of them by using too much primer. Here are some models that I quite like: Pere Ravage Rami LaCroix Francois LaCroix I already ordered some more "gremlin" models. The reason why I say "gremlin" is... it's The Swamp Hag - Zoraida Starter Box and a box of Waldgeist I am really looking forward to painting them 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zFiend Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Really digging Francois! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus Mcmold Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 You should have made some entries for the Frozen Moments. Very clean painting and I like you kame your green pop out and especially their ears. They look quite cute for Gremlin menaces they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kogan Style Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 Great paint job! However fr Francois I would have gone for a darker cape, I think it would help break up the model (as the rest of it is very light in colour shade). Possibly the same colour as his hat? Keep up the great work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus Mcmold Posted February 10, 2015 Report Share Posted February 10, 2015 I'll attempt a wooly look on Francois's poncho one day I get to painting gremlins again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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