Colette WIP

[Ageral]

Just a couple of pics of the Colette model I have been working on. She is still very much a WIP but here you go nonetheless.

(To keep myself from having to upload the pictures again I am just going to link to my blog.)

http://wargameaddiction.blogspot.com/2011/04/colette-work-in-progress.html

Critiques and suggestions are more than welcome. I'm always looking to improve!

[PwnyBownz]

I'm looking at the pictures on your blog. Do you have a cat?

I like the color scheme. I haven't seen Colette in yellow and I'm even thinking of adding that to my pallet once I get my box of showgirls.

Yellow, however, is one of the hardest colors to work with outside of white.

My advice is this: Thin your paints more. Use more water than you think is necessary. You want it about the consistency of milk, not house paint.

Find a clean, dust free work space.

Start with darker colors so you can highlight later.

Be liberal with washes.

Other than that, your scheme is sound and your lines fairly clean. Keep up the good work!

[Ageral]

Thanks for the tips, I will keep that in mind as I finish working on her. No I don't have a cat, why do you ask?

I was using a newspaper when I was doing my drybrushing, I would get the paint on the brush then rub the brush on the newspaper to rub it off and it started falling apart. Then ended up with little pieces of paper all over her. :/ I've used newspaper in the past and didn't have as much of a problem with the pieces, maybe it is the detail of these models vs. GW.

It's hard to see with the naked eye, but once I started looking at these pictures I really noticed it.

[LoboStele]

I was thinking that she looked a little splotchy, but the newspaper is probably it. Sorry to hear that happened. I tend to use papertowels or napkins for doing my dry brushing, so I've never had that happen. I really like the yellow paint scheme though. I did one of my Coryphees in Yellow, and I had to do like 6 layers of paint before it looked right.

[PwnyBownz]

Oh! Lol. Here's what I do. I run the brush across the fleshy area between my thumb and forefinger a few times. It is the best way I've found, in my experience, to achieve the right level of dry paint. It's not for those who like clean hands though.

I would also strongly urge, that unless you are batch painting an army, never dry brush one off figures. In a lot of cases a wash would serve better to bring out the details and depth, plus give you a map of where to apply your highlights later.

Seriously, washes changed the way I paint and made me much happier with the end result.

Cheers!

[Ageral]

So for her would you recommend several shades of yellow washes? Going from very dark to light? Then touch up with highlights? If you do this do you just apply them in layers, going farther up the model a little each time? (Does that make sense?)

Or would you do one dark layer wash then highlight? I did one sort of light black wash, well I guess it would of been more of a glaze? Glaze being over the whole model, washes being more area specific (is that a correct definition?) Then I tried to do some highlighting over that.

I do appreciate the advice, you can only get so much from books and articles!

[LoboStele]

So for her would you recommend several shades of yellow washes? Going from very dark to light? Then touch up with highlights? If you do this do you just apply them in layers, going farther up the model a little each time? (Does that make sense?)

This sounds much like my approach to painting the models. I do use the standard GW Washes as well though (Badab Black, Ogryn Flesh, etc.) in certain places, but those are typically pretty focused areas, and for specifically bringing out certain features.

Mostly comes down to trial and error and lots of practice.

[PwnyBownz]

So for her would you recommend several shades of yellow washes? Going from very dark to light? Then touch up with highlights? If you do this do you just apply them in layers, going farther up the model a little each time? (Does that make sense?)

Here's what I would do: Mix two parts yellow to one part dark orange or red for your base. Highlight that with straight yellow. Wash with a dark brown. Highlight again with straight yellow. Then if you want to get serious, mix two parts yellow and one part white for fine detail, and then finally pick out extreme details with a dab of yellow and straight white. (DO NOT DRY BRUSH)

Then apply that same principle to the rest of the model using a three tone color scheme. Base/highlight/wash/highlight/detail

Also, If I were to paint something yellow or orange, I would first base coat the area white as the pigments for those particular colors aren't very strong. Basing white saves you the trouble of doing multiple coats.

[Ageral]

Excellent advice, thank you. I will post some more pics after I have gone over her again.

[PwnyBownz]

I've been painting a little under two years and with this process I've achieved these results. I don't consider myself a great painter, I just repeat the steps.

Good luck!

[Ageral]

Looks great! I'm excited for work to be over, so I can get home and paint!

[Ageral]

I've taken some of the advice given here and put some more work into Colette. I'm keeping my paints real wet but I seem to be having a hard time making the paint look smooth.

Anyway, let me know what you think.

http://wargameaddiction.blogspot.com/2011/04/colette-update.html

[PwnyBownz]

What are you basing your models with? I see a lot of metal showing through and that's not good.

To get an ultra smooth finish you need many layers of diluted paint, or a really smooth foundation of your base color.

The easiest method involves photoshop, but that's cheating.

[Ageral]

I do a primer of flat black paint (covering the entire model) then I do the layers of color. The gloves, hat and boots are a gold metallic paint though.

I'm curious where do you see the metal showing through?

[magicpockets]

The gloves, hat and boots are a gold metallic paint though.

I'm curious where do you see the metal showing through?

I'm guessing that answers that question

[Omenbringer]

I've taken some of the advice given here and put some more work into Colette. I'm keeping my paints real wet but I seem to be having a hard time making the paint look smooth.

Anyway, let me know what you think.

http://wargameaddiction.blogspot.com/2011/04/colette-update.html

What are you thining your paints with? I would recommend some acrylic paint specific additives ratehr then water to keep them from chalking out (usually what happens when you use only water).

I would recommend adding Flow Improver, Matte Medium, and Gloss Meduim (4/2/2 ratio). These do great job of thining paints without making them chalky.

[Ageral]

So do you just put that stuff in the paint jars? Or do you mix it when you use them?

I have one of those mats that is made for acrylic paints to keep them moist while you are painting (although I just started using it).

[Omenbringer]

Yes I usually add a bit directly to the paint jars before I start painting (then shake the hell out of it). Also add a few plastic beads to the jars to help with mixing.

Using all three will thin your paints without getting them claky or losing the satin finish most paints are formulated with. I have thined paints all the way to translucent glazes using these additives. I highly recommend all three.

[Ageral]

I have that stuff that I use for my washes/glazes. Except I use inks for color. I never thought of putting them in my paints though, but it is a great idea. Thanks for the tip!