Cerridwyn1st

Yeah, the pattern you put on the back of Anya's robe is beautiful.

To make things more confusing, the Vallejo Game Color range is based in the Citadel line, with names that just barely keep them out of a copyright infringement lawsuit. There are many colors in the Reaper line that are very close. So it would be difficult to say what brand of paint is on the model, unless they were done entirely with Vallejo Model Colors that exist in no other range.

That's very nice. I'm sure your dauthger will love playing the figure. The detail on the base of the skirt is a wonderful touch.

That's only because Talin and I haven't got around to making silly costumes for everyone so far. Just you wait. A goodly number of the artists have been talking about dressing as their alter-ego characters... --Jen You know, Jen, if you dress like the succubus that was on your previous Avatar, you won't need much cloth...

Cool mini, VV, you get better all the time. Now I know what do do with that bottle of Vallejo Transparent White I picked up for $0.50.

Very cool, Bryan. You are always so self-effacing about your painting. This is a really nice model.

He's a ghost, Jab, how would he have weathering on his robe? It's a beautiful piece. I really like the subdued base. It lets the model be the focal point, as it should be. It also means you have a legal model for play.

Same for me! She's my first 54mm and according to my landlady who was there when the package containing her arrived.. she's sitting on my porch chair. Whoo-hoo! I can't wait to see you get started. I really need to post some WIP shots myself.

Fieldarchy asked me about doing a mini exchange and I agreed. I respect her opinions about painting and I wanted to see one of her minis as well. I think you are on to something, but I wonder if it might not be better to ask someone whose work you want to see, or whose critique might be useful. As far as obtaining high-quality minis, perhaps you should look at people who sell commissions for a living. Many professionals have their models for sale posted on their websites.

Whether sable or synthetic, I find a difference in shape as well. I really like cat's tounge, AKA filberts for basecoating. I often end up using rounds, though, since I have a lot more rounds than filberts. If you are not familiar with this shape, it is a flat that comes to a point. This allows the brush to hold a lot of paint but still give you precision in applying it.

Yep...I still compete in the GDs as well. I wasn't tryin' to talk you out of 'em by any stretch of the imagination. On the GenCon topic--and you're probably already are looking at this-- The mistakes I've made have been that I don't explore the synergies available between the contest the manufacturer awards. So I recommend doing this and planning your entries to leverage the highest probability of a "win". Also, GenCon hosts the Privateer Press contest---which is big money for the best in show.....so, you can leverage that as well. For a full run in both contests---two entries per category in GC and one per category in PP---and the manufacturer awards capability---you'd definitely be setting yourself up for the full gamut of possibilities at GenCon----not to mention painting a whole sh*tload of models. Two entries per category for GC and one per category for PP? AND entries for GW? We don't have high expectations, do we? Still, I think it would be cool to do the Purebred Warp Wolf with tribal ritual scars. I mentioned that to one of the PP guys at Gen Con and he thought it was a cool idea that would work with the fluff.

Fluf-wise, the Dark Maiden is Razig's ship. You should check the supplement. It will explain it all.

Yup, that. I believe I've heard both terms used. I think Richard calls them Demi-metalics, while David Pawles (took a class with him at Gen Con) call them Near Metal effects. I think with Richard's technique it is more building up from a dark color with very little metalic paint, while with what Dave P is doing it is more shading with paint or ink. Dave recommens Golden Flow Acrylics for this.

Plaid has an acrylic thinner that works nicely. Hey, if it will thin down craft paint to where it can be used with an airbrush, it's pretty good stuff. Meg, you're used to thinning just with water, but you may need to use an additive in this case. By the way, I've heard of both Renaissance Ink and Howard Hues paints, just haven't used them. I really like the synthetic cat's tounge brushes they sell.

Holy snikies. Can I just strangle you now and get it out of my system? Gorgeous!

I really like the bloodshot eye. The skull on the back of the mini is great too.

If you don't think there are women with that kind of figure IRL, you haven't seen some of the Cos Players at a big convention. Not only do they exist, but they dress up. My son is still talking about the "Ninja Centerfold" from Naruto with the cotton-ball costume... Jen Haley in her Edwardian long-torso corset also comes to mind. She can sinch her waist down to under 20 inches. I've heard the exact figure is 17 inches, but that also sounds like Scarlet O'Hare from Gone with the Wind. Marike is also a stunning young woman. If you have seen the burgundy colored corset with fur trim she wears, it was made by Jen. Back on topic, Kel, I didn't mention the highlighting of the hair. I think that's beautiful as well, especially the "hot spots" in the cascade of hair down her back. Really gorgeous.

You need the highlight the metals the same as you would painting with non-metalic paint. You might also need to progressively shadow the recesses, rather than doing a wash. You might want to do some research on Near-Metal Metalics.

I think what frustrates me is the lack of forward momentum. I've been painting five years. I've spent anywhere from one to four hours a night during the week painting. More on the weekends. I've attended many events with some of the best painters in the industry and have talked to and taken classes from them. I still seem to be having problems with competition... Hmm, need to get to another IPMS show. The last one I was in, every one of my entries won something. I had two Second Place and two Honorable Mentions. Who knows? I've gotten better since then, might even take a first.

Sable brushes lend themselves more readily to multiple layers of nearly transparent paint. If what you want is paint that is so thick it covers in a single layer, you may well have wasted your money buying sables. Sables are excellent for free-hand and painting small details such as eyes. If properly cared for, they won't splay or get a bend at the end the way synthetics do. They seem to resist being "wrecked" by painting on a surface they were not intended to - metal. Synthetics tend to get ruined quickly painting metal. The brushes favored by some painters were developed for watercolor techniques. In a sense, the techiques these painters use for mini painting are adaptations of watercolor techniques applied to a small figure. Because the brushes were developed for these techniques, high-end sables are the weapon of choice for Master Painters (and those who want to be.) Not everyone paints the same way. I have a friend who is a good painter and he would never thin his paint or use expensive sables. He gets the cheapest synthetics he can find at Wal-Mart, uses them until they are wrecked, then throws them out and buys more. I know another painter who does multiple detailed layers of drybrushing. I tried his method once and it made me nuts. I just don't have the patience for it. To each his own. Maybe the sables aren't the best tool for the kind of painting you like to do, but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your painting style. As long as you enjoy the hobby and have results that you like, that's all that really matters.

Put it aside for a day or two, then come back and add some highlights. I think you will like it better then.

Awesome, Kel. The highlighting detail on her throat and decolletege is beautiful. I like the way you did the red dress, too.

Oh, and by the way, no one gets a "10" on CMON. If you start getting high scores, some jerk will come along and snipe you with a couple of 2's just for spite. Learn the same lesson I did about singing a long time ago. There will always be people better than you. There will always be people worse than you. The goal should be to improve your personal best, regardless of how it stacks up against others.

Actually with purple and teal you will be WAY to close to the color scheme of the Tzeentch worshipping chaos marines. Personally (opinion ahead) I would avoid those colors for regular Space Marine (end opinion). Tzeentch Now, Check Out This Or This! Doesn't Chaos also have the Daemonettes? Now those are cool. Saint Celestine is very cool; some of the highest-priced minis ever on Ebay have been the Saint. She's a couple of years old now, so I don't know that it would go over well unless you kit-bashed in a bunch of other goodies. The Harlequin, now, that's hot. How long has that model been out?

That, and if you have to "work" to lay the paint down, it could be that your paint is too thick. Try thinning a little more and give it another try. By the way, what size brush are you using? Is it a regular WNS7 or a mini?