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dgraz's painting thread


dgraz

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Been quite some time, but been busy - finally finished an entire Leveticus crew for a commission. Pretty happy with the results. My client expressed that the Desolation Engine was not one of his favorite models so I really went to town on that and free-handed some ghostly, screaming faces trapped within his armor.

I wanted one color to carry over all the models so I went with an icy blue to indicate Levi's power animating his crew, so on the pieces that are all stitched together I had the light spilling out between their wounds.

The client also indicated that he liked the death and rebirth idea of Levi and wanted some wasted bases but with some spots of life - he picked out the bases and I did them a washed out grey-brown and added some little plants and static grass. I have to admit that it was a great idea he had with that, after doing the grass on the entire crew, they really changed and looked even better. Great call bro!

There are closer shots of the models in my photobucket album. Hope you like them. C&C always welcome.

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Happy Painting,

dgraz

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Disclaimer: I'm the client who asked him to do these for me.

I really like the way these turned out. Besides the fact that they look good overall and dgraz does a great job, there's some really great stuff going on.

As mentioned, he really turned the Desolation Engine around for me. The blue glow and the screaming ghostly faces are just a big plus. Killjoy looks disturbing enough to me that I think I'll grab the base much more than the saggy flesh. He played with Levi's scepter for me so that he looks a bit more like a creepy infirm old man, which is a plus. Lastly, I do really like what the plants add to the picture. There is definitely the waste -> rebirth going on, but it also captures the wasting of what humanity has built. I don't know what others may thing, but I'm definitely a fan.

As to the painting commission stuff, I would definitely suggest looking into dgraz as an option. I've worked with him on a couple of things now. I've had things painted by other painters in the past, and he was the most responsive one by far (I suppose you could go too far with responsiveness, but he didn't). I felt like I always knew where it stood and what I was getting. Things just go really smoothly. I've had some negative experiences with others, and I don't think anyone would be disappointed here. That's my plug for him, since I'm super happy with the work he's done -- he didn't even have to ask ;)

Anyway, I'll shut up now. I'm just really excited to get them on the field!

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Thanks guys.

@Luci - thanks for the great plug. I'm very happy that you are pleased.

As an artist I always want my models to be the very best they can be so I try to imagine that the model I'm working on is mine to play with. Would I be happy putting this model on a table? If not, then it is not good enough for a client either.

I also think that it is just a smart thing that my client receive semi-weekly updates with pics, that way, they know how far I've progressed, but also if there is something they don't care for it can be addressed. (That actually happened in this last set, I experimented with some cotton 'smoke' on one of the SPA's and Lucidicide didn't care for it - so out it went. If I would have gone and done them all without consulting him it could have been a disaster.)

The main thing for me is that I just enjoy the painting!! Hope you do to, but if not, drop me a line :)

dgraz

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

Just Wow! Excellent painting skills all around. Chompy is very cool. I like that model more than the one I just picked up. I wasn't around when that was available I guess. One day ....

Back on topic: The Leveticus Crew is simply amazing. My favorite Outcast crew and you did a wonderful job on them. 5 star work!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...
...he picked out the bases and I did them a washed out grey-brown and added some little plants and static grass. I have to admit that it was a great idea he had with that, after doing the grass on the entire crew, they really changed and looked even better. Great call bro!
Where did you get the little plants? An aquarium supply store?

Also, where did you get the bases?

Thanks in advance.

Edited by Koyote
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I believe those bases were MicroArt - I've also done a bunch from Dragonforge. Both are very good.

The plants are from a craft store - they're fabric I believe. It was a big huge thing with all branches and these little leaves on them in bunches of 3-5 - I just pull off those little bunches. Got a huge box full of stuff like that. I go when there's a clearance sale.

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That tattoo is amazing do you have any guides on how to paint something like that? Really nice overall job on all the crews though setting a really high standard

Hmmm, not sure which tattoo you mean? There on many in my thread. If you mean something like the executioner's belly then it's just a good brush, thin paint, and a good plan.

I go online and look for a pic that I like then you have to look at it and try to break it down into components. For the ram head I would have done the head and the horns as separate components. Keep your paint very thin, almost to an ink-like consistency. You'll have to do multiple coats, but if you make a mistake it doesn't show much and if you're quick you can just wet your brush and wipe the offending mistake right off.

I build up as if I'm highlighting - if I was painting an actual skull, I would probably start with scorched brown, then bestial brown, snakebite leather, bleached bone and white - so I use the same colors for the tat - start with the darkest and do the entire shape. Then work my way up. Keep referring to the pic the entire time to make sure you're getting the highlites in the correct places.

then water down your darkest color and with a teenee-tiny brush, paint in / redefine the little details like the eyes, nostrils, ridges in the horns, etc.

Finally, take an extremely thin version of your mid-flesh tone, extremely thin - better to do multiple coats then mess up all your work, (whatever color flesh you used) and paint it over the entire tat. This sets the tat below the skin instead of looking like its painted on makeup. You should be able to see a difference between the Executioner's belly 'tat' and the Convict Gunslinger's face paint.

That's about it. It takes a bit of practice and a steady hand. Thanks for your kind words, and I hope this helps. Good luck.

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Thanks a lot.

And here's one more - the Doppleganger that finally completes this project. Really had a great time painting her - all the little muscle striations were very challenging and gave me a good work-out.

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And finally I took some group shots so we could see them all together. I also added a little detritus to the bases which I think really completes them.

th_100_1953.jpgth_100_1954.jpg

As always, C&C always welcome.

Happy painting!

dgraz

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