shakespearebymonkeys

Olivia is probably my favorite miniature from Reaper, so it's cool to see what others do with the mini. Yours is very interesting, the blending is obviously terrific. I also like the blacklining, and the bolder highlights on the apron. It makes the apron look like more of a satin fabric. What the jar really resembles to me is not glass at all but ceramic with a gradient glaze. This is especially true when seen from the side. If it's meant to be translucent glass, I think bolder lines might bring that out. As is though it's beautiful.

@Corlock: The bird is a good one, I'll definitely use that. @Ferox: True, the woldwarden is rather plain compared to the druid. It's good to hear that the dress looks southwestern. @MamaGeek: Thanks! Hair and faces are probably my favorite things to paint. I'll give the finger definition some thought. @Bruunwald: I hope I can make it work across a decent army list. Tharn are golden, but others like Argus and the various masked druids I have no ideas for just yet.

Gorgeous colors, is that a wet blend on the wings? I think you captured a surreal, alien fey very well. It just so happens that's my favorite kind of fey.

I like the sword and the imp's face a lot. I would be worried about Marise rolling all over the place on a base that tiny. Please, for my sake, put her on something a little wider!

That's amazing, you really brought it to life. I'm not seeing those mistakes you refer to at all.

These are not Reaper miniatures. I'm biting the hand that feeds me. I took some inspiration from scotty kahn's Kaya to paint a couple of Circle Orboros units. I'm not sure how it happened, but I ended up going all out southwestern in theme. I used the blank space on the back of the golem's neck to doodle a little kokopelli. Other large units will probably have other symbols. I like the one that's an outline of the sun with wavy rays, and the southwestern lizard is ubiquitous. Any other ideas?

I totally sympathize with struggling with details on the Privateer Press humans. It looks well worth it though. I agree that the orange is a great choice, and I really like the light wood color of the staff too. I wasn't really thrilled with the green and brown default Orboros scheme, so I'ma swipe your ideas and run with an autumnal color scheme.

Mad Jack: I am now imagining a Blood Bowl cricket team made up of fire giants, and in my own mind it is amazing. odinsgrandson: You bet I'd like some criticism. I think about everything that's said. Just to clarify, do you mean the contrast between the skin and the armor, or the contrast between the different tones of skin and also the contrast between the different tones of armor? I know how many I've painted because each time I finish one, I flip it over and number the bottom of the base. I do that to keep track of my progress and get an idea of when I painted something. Otherwise I'm sure I would have no idea either. The number 450 sounds completely arbitrary when I try to think back on the miniatures I've painted. Lionheart12: Really? Maybe I should charge people to come and gawk at it. How does $50 sound? There were a lot of things going on with the sword, so let me think. The blade is a mix of some drab gray and green, the same colors as the base, the decorative rings and the "crotch face". The highlight is layered on by mixing a lighter color with an additive, which is about 50/50 Liquitex fluid matte medium and water. I don't believe Reaper has a product like that, but Privateer Press sells a bottle of mixing medium which I think is basically the same thing. The fiery letters are just progressively thinner lines of lighter colors. And while I love Reaper paints, I have had awful luck with Reaper's oranges clumping, getting too watery, or flaking off, so the orange colors are Vallejo or P3 paints. I outlined them in black to make the colors seem brighter. The glowy symbols on the hilt were done by wiping some Dr. Ph. Martin's crimson india ink across the hilt, and then dipping in a tiny bit of white paint down in the crevices while it's still wet. The idea is to get the paint and ink to separate in a way that leaves the paint at the bottom of the crevice. I can't say it worked all that well, but it was my first try. The rubies everywhere are a mix of Reaper Master Series carnage red and Dr. Ph. Martin's crimson ink. I made the mix progressively lighter with white ink and highlighted all around where it seemed right, then lined the edges with a very dark red for contrast. The very tips and edges were highlighted with a pink color, I think it was Reaper Master Series blush pink, from the new pastels triad. Does that help?

I had a hard time making out the first photos you posted, but these are much clearer. I like the vampire lord, kneeling paladin, and Solandrian Everblight especially.

That's really good, I like the colors. Those metallics look like they went on very smoothly. I wouldn't have guessed it was one of your first tries.

Terry Pratchett is what came to mind for me too. I think you captured the feel of the smug town guard perfectly.

Whoa, thanks for the very kind words. I'm glad you like it. I tried a number of new things and it's nice to hear that it amounted to something interesting.

I think the sparkles are great. I've never seen anything quite like it, and it comes across very well as a texture.

Every 50 or so miniatures I try to challenge myself with something big. To commemorate #450 I painted another giant. I haven't had a chance to hit him with dullcote yet with the weather being what it is, so he is a bit shiny. This would be my first base work, and if you picked up Skorg you might recognize it as the same base pictured in the insert. It's a plaster cast of one of the Hirst Arts cavern floor pieces. When I was looking for something to break up the gold color, my brother suggested I "make the face on his crotch a different color". Words of wisdom! There's a shot of the back as well, to show off the sword which has been called "utterly ridiculous". Is it really? It's barely larger than he is, let's not get pedantic.

I love the colors you chose and the contrast between grimy mummy and garish regalia. I never would have thought of the plum purple, but I think that color really brings it together. Cool idea for the base.