Jabberwocky Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Sweet. Looks great at this point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haldir Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Nice progress so far. I primed a Khador 'Jack with that kind of primer before putting on a base of red & it really helped bring out the red, so I know the effects the primer can have on the paint. Just curious have you thought about putting a piece of blue painter's tape (3-M is the best one to use) on the serial plate? It'll let you spray the parts around the number & is low tack, so it won't gum up the surface + it's great stuff for keeping paint out. Just a thought. Always nice to see a huge mini from the memories being painted. RM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lastman Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I'm curious about the scale of that beast. Would you put a can of soda (or beer) and a regular figure next to the dragon in the next update photo please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyHorde Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 Nice progress so far. I primed a Khador 'Jack with that kind of primer before putting on a base of red & it really helped bring out the red, so I know the effects the primer can have on the paint. Just curious have you thought about putting a piece of blue painter's tape (3-M is the best one to use) on the serial plate? It'll let you spray the parts around the number & is low tack, so it won't gum up the surface + it's great stuff for keeping paint out. Just a thought. Always nice to see a huge mini from the memories being painted. RM Thanks! Yeah, the 'brown' primer is very red, almost terra cotta to start with. It works well, but takes a little tweaking to get the red to the right color. All I can say is, it was still better than priming white, then painting brown for several coats and then starting the red. Good tip with the painter's tape. I thought about it, couldn't get to mine without moving a car in the garage and went with Scotch tape instead. You can see in the last photos where I masked off the number plate, spray primed, removed the tape and then carefully hand-primed with white Brush-On. Since the rocks and frame around the number plate will not be red, I'm not worried about the underpainting/primer color there. I'll paint over those areas in several opaque layers, so the primer should disappear without bleeding through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyHorde Posted October 4, 2009 Author Share Posted October 4, 2009 Between yesterday and today, I may have been at the workbench on & off for about 5 hours. That was broken up, interrupted and spread out quite a bit, so we'll call this 3 hours of actual, brush-moving work. Steps: two or more fairly heavy coats of Stone Gray on the rock base, but no other shade or highlight started, yet. Underside in Green Ochre triad, washed with Brown Liner. More overall body & spike highlights in RPP Salamander Orange, plus selective washes, glazes and painted areas as seemed appropriate. For the horns and claws (maybe half-finished or less, at this point) Brown Liner, Bone Shadow, Aged Bone, Stained Ivory, Yellowed Bone. Let me know what you think. Comments and critiques are needed to keep this thing on track for completion. And no, I'm not trying to duplicate the studio paint by Jeff Wilhelm: Actually, the more I look at a Keith Parkinson painting, the more I like it better than either the box cover by Jeff Easley or the studio paint. I am starting to think I may push the horns and ridge spikes toward black, along with the 'beard/feather/things' around the face. First, the Parkinson: http://www.keithparkinson.com/images/greatreddragon.jpg And then the Easley box cover: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 I think the black looks better, gives him a more sinister look. Where did you manage to find this one? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidVC04 Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Looking very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabberwocky Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 I agree--I like the black look as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyHorde Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 Sorry for changing to a link. I had a sudden realization that someone might perceive a copyright issue and changed it out accordingly. Thanks, I think I will start pushing the dorsal ridge, horns, 'fringe' or whatever it's called, and maybe the claws to black. I think it will work with the overall bright red scheme. Black claws will increase contrast against the rock base when it goes to lighter grays and white highlights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyHorde Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hour 19 - changed to black as noted previously. Basecoats only, no highlighting, yet. Hour 20 - started on the face with washes and lining, and inside the mouth. In your face! Hour 21 - general touchups, washes and glazes. Washed all the rocks in a slightly variable mix of several Liner colors. Hour 22 - Finally decided on yellow eyes, which means I had to start the irises with a layer of brown. Painted the teeth and a bit of purple/violet on the gums. Still not quite sure what I want to do there. Might have to stay red/pink to keep it looking 'natural'. Hour 23 - painted out the rocks in the Stone triad plus Leather White for the highest drybushed highlights. No pics of this stage, yet, but I will snap some before the next round of painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyHorde Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 I'm curious about the scale of that beast. Would you put a can of soda (or beer) and a regular figure next to the dragon in the next update photo please? Sorry, I almost forgot about this. I dry-fit and measured 10.5" from the bottom of the base to the top of the highest wingtip, his left side. That's a Reaper standard skeleton, by the way. 34mm from bottom of base to top of skull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferox Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Looks great! There's a Reaper dragon at my FLGS that's been sitting on the rack for a few months now. I think I might pick it up. I'm with you on the black details -- gives the dragon a more menacing and less stereotypical look. The deep purple tongue is a nice touch as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyHorde Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 A little progress to report this morning. Hour 24 - next level of highlighting. Used Salamander Orange to selectively edge some scales and tipped all the red scale nub/spikes on upper surfaces. Corrected a few errant strokes and blotchy spots. Added a layer of Sandy Yellow to the irises. Painted scales around neck and along the dorsal ridge black. Now looks like a racing stripe running from nose to tail. That's okay, though, I knew it was going to be that way for a bit. I'll feather it off later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabberwocky Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Looking great, GH! I am like the wings especially at this early stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyHorde Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Time to work on this has been spotty, as usual. However, I was given an airbrush/compressor combo as an early Christmas present from a most generous friend (thank you!) and spent some time learning the basics of its use. This weekend I used it to good effect, I think, to smooth out and bring depth to the wings. Hours 25 & 26 - airbrush work on the wings. Most of this is setup, paint thinning and cleanup time, so maybe 30 minutes of actual, direct painting. Hour 27 - blended the edges of the black stripe along the dorsal, began work on the eyes. Hours 28 & 29 - finished the eyes, worked on the face to bring up more highlights, punched up highlights on other areas. Hour 30 - highlighted black spikes, horns, claws, etc. Hour 30.5 - attached right wing with good 2-part epoxy and Apoxie Sculpt. Attaching the wing took longer than expected because I had to rig support for the bench vice. The suction base gives way after 20 or 30 minutes, so I had to support and balance things under the wing so even when the base let go, the model wouldn't move and stress the curing putty & glue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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