battleMountainminis Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 I have to admit that I'm a little intimidated myself. I'm huge poser. I can critique a paint job, say all sorts of pithy things, both good and bad, and sound like I know what I'm talking about, but when I paint my own figures, I'm a pretender. I use black primer, I lay down a sloppy basecoat, I don't blackline, and I drybrush. My paint is too thick, my blending is nonexistent, my color schemes are all dark, and I don't put down enough highlights. I use metallic paint because I can't pronounce NMM, and my gems don't look like gems. I don't use flow improver or any other media I know would make my paints lay down better. My bases aren't cool, I use little rhinestones and transparent platic bits for special effects. I have trouble with eyes, I have no fu. It's horrible! I'm a hack! A HACK! *sob* I'm looking forward to painting a figure for someone else, and receiving a figure into which someone else has put their time and work. Wow, That's a pretty big admission of self-doubt! First Level Fighter....Let's deal with one thing at a time.... Quote: I have to admit that I'm a little intimidated myself. I'm huge poser. I can critique a paint job, say all sorts of pithy things, both good and bad, and sound like I know what I'm talking about, but when I paint my own figures, I'm a pretender.... You're probably your own worst critic and you're lucky you have a good eye for detail..as far as your figs. go..practice and trying new things will change this "lack of happiness with them 1) I use black primer,.... Some people do and they do it with fantastic results! Lilliana Troy has done it on some of her Golden Demon award winners so what does that tell you! 2) I lay down a sloppy basecoat,... Slow down take your time and use smaller strokes and make it less sloppy 3) I don't blackline, and I drybrush. With black primer blacklining is minimal and darklinging is used for a pop the detail out at you effect...Save drybrushing for fur, hair basecoat and terrain and things you want to look "antiqued or aged" 4) My paint is too thick, Thin it down some and it'll look smoother but I have seen some excellent painters (not to mention names) work right out of the lids of their paint pots at the Reaper Artist Conferance...so... 5) my blending is nonexistent, ...Thinning your paints and starting with a mid shade should help this that way you can work up and down and use glazes to fill in the gaps till you practice blending techniques that work for you. 6) my color schemes are all dark, ..Be brave and try new things or pick nothing but dark and evil figs 7) I don't put down enough highlights. Advice I received from Anne at RAC. "go 2 shades past what you normally would and you're there" 8) I use metallic paint because I can't pronounce NMM, I like well done metallics and so do alot of other people..worry about that later and work on other techniques first plus adding a touch of regular paint to the metallics tone it down if it's too shiney for you 8) my gems don't look like gems. practice will make perfect and read Jen Haleys article at www.wegotgame.com it will give you some tips as well as all the other killer advice here on this forum 9) I don't use flow improver or any other media I know would make my paints lay down better. well that's easily solved...try new things 10)My bases aren't cool, I use little rhinestones and transparent plastic bits for special effects. sounds cool to me...get the figures down and the bases will come 11)I have trouble with eyes, try painting on a little dulcote on the finnished faces before you actually do the eyes and with water you can correct mistakes over and over if you have to..for your "hardest eye..try turning the figure upside down and it'll be easier to get at and you're not crossing over the "good" eye I have no fu. It's horrible! I'm a hack! A HACK! *sob* Pick yourself up dust yourself off and... practice... practice... practice With each fig. you'll get better if you try new things and keep posting WIP pics and get advice from people who know alot more that I do! My best piece of advice is read everything you can get your hands on everything I have ever read about this obsessive hobby has some merit use what works for you! Good luck and keep painting..I would love to swap with you just because I would know you tried your hardest and painted it specially for me..That alone makes it perfect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper User ReaperDarryl Posted November 1, 2004 Reaper User Share Posted November 1, 2004 i gotta agree wit battlemountain i was a drybrusher for along time too just gotta get up the patience to try new things and not be too hard on yourself when they dont work the first time, it will take time, and trying new things may at first even make the mini look worse till you get the technique practiced enough to get it down (this was my big hurtle) but once it starts happening you ll amaze yourslef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstLevelFighter Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Oh my! Many thanks to you both, battleMountainminis and Darksoul. I really appreciate all the good advice and will definitely take it to heart, especially in the mini I paint up for the exchange. It's not really self-doubt. My post was only half-serious. I'm not quite as accomplished a painter as I'd like to be, but that's mostly because I don't put enough time into my figures. I paint figures for tabletop games with some friends (though I do have a good time painting) and I'm happy with the results I achieve right now, while at the same time I try to improve with every figure I paint. I don't plan to enter any mini painting contests, unless I make some real progress, and find much more time to devote to painting. However, as I said, I do appreciate your excellent advice, and I'm planning to follow it and incorporate some of the tips and techniques you both have brought up as I continue painting. I don't have a digital camera or a gallery to show off any of my figures yet. I wish I did so I could gather more feedback from more accomplished painters. Generous and helpful folks like yourselves, with the experience you have gained and skills you have refined are a very valuable resource. I'm looking forward to participating in the Spring Exchange. The opportunity to both give and recieve gifts of time, effort, and personal investment, regardless of the painter's skill level, promises to be as wonderful an experience as will be sharing in the passion for a creative endeavor. Ha ha! Wow, that got mushy. :) Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DainBramaged Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Well, I'll join of course. Since it's only the end of October though, it might be premature to call for entrants already though. Well, I'll join of course. Since it's only the end of October though, it might be premature to call for entrants already though. Are you kidding?! It takes me so long to finish a mini that in order to make an April/May deadline I should have started two weeks ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornbread Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Hi I had not seen this thread in a while and thought I would bumb it up in hopes of getting it pinned OR have a formal announcement made. Either way, I want in. Corn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Rider Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 I know you aren't starting this one yet but count me in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionmane Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 I'm in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vil-hatarn Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Sounds cool. I'm in, though mine will probably be one of the last ones done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battleMountainminis Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 I was wondering what happenend to this exchange thread... I'm glad it's been brought back up! If the deadline is April/May It's now time to start thinking about getting it up and going again. I know for the more "serious/professional/semi-professional" painters they're alot of "goings-on" comming up here quickly in the comming months ...ReaperCon '05, Chick Challenge, GW's Gameday Tournaments, Origins, Gencons etc.. Gosh there's alot to keep a soul painting... So an announcement will give everyone more time to get ready for those, as well as... participate in the spring/summer exchange.( Nice break for those nerve-racking competitions) Now that I'm almost fully functional again I can't wait to get painting for this next exchange... I know even though "I did my best" at that point in time of the last exchange for my recepiants, the quality of my new ones will be tons better since I don't have to paint "left/wrong" handed anymore No More slings and casts! WHOO HOO...They have rebuilt me! (metal dectors beware!) It's nice to see there's alot of interest in this next exchange, and I think we'll have another very successful ,fun and productive time!... I still really like the new concepts and ideas everyone has thrown into the perverbial pot. It'll add an air of mystery to everything! I personally can't wait for the formal announcement that "it has begun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Froggy the Great Posted January 12, 2005 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2005 Did we ever get a formal announcement of who is running it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battleMountainminis Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 I believe that Rick has accepted the challenge ( House Of Dexter) but don't quote me on that one..it just seems to ring a bell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battleMountainminis Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Talking to Reaper Bryan and Flynn during RAC... I'm thinking about organizing this...though this one will be slightly different from others from the past... 1)You will not be given someone to paint for... 2)You will be give a deadline to have your mini finished...If you do not finish your mini before the deadline, you do not recieve a mini...and do not owe anyone a mini. 3)If you finish before the deadline...you inform the organizer...and if another person also finishes at the same time...you each send your finished mini to each other... 4)The painter request a certain type of figure in return...if a figure of that type is finished by the another painter....then they exchange...If no requested types are available (the deadline has approached and only certain figures are available)...then tough luck...you get what is available. This should allow people to recieve mini's from someone else...and stop the organizer from having to paint up figures for people who don't recieve one. It also should stop some of the hard feelings that some people have for people that may have something come up in thier life...that keeps them from finishing thier mini... So what do you think? Workable? Likable? Are you interested? This is from the start of the exchange thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Froggy the Great Posted January 12, 2005 Moderator Share Posted January 12, 2005 House of Dexter, are you still doing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordazaneal Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 im in for the exchange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qwyksilver Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Yeah, there hasn't been a definitive say on who is running this exchange and what the specific rules regarding the exchange would be. The first couple pages of this thread was all about suggestions to avoid missing swaps etc. I had a blast with my first exchange, Winter '04, and am definitely interested, but I want to know how things are going to be run before I give a definite YES, I want to play. This will definitely be a great break from painting orcs and gobbies, which will be my chief task until May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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