Ferox Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Finally finished this guy. I'm starting to learn some things about shading different materials -- shading leather differently from cloth, for example, or a rough canvas-like cloth differently from a smooth linen-like cloth. I'd already started to absorb this in terms of shading skin, but hadn't quite thought it through to other materials. I also learned that I will spend way too much time in Gimp stitching three nearly-compatible shots together, as shown below. My freehand is starting to get a tiny bit better, partly just in terms of the fact that I don't agonize about whether I can add something appropriate (now I agonize about how well I'll be able to pull it off). The base is, I think, a huge improvement over anything I've done so far, or maybe it's just "not cork" and therefore new and exciting. The sword... eh... I was going for something alien, and I went too far in that direction. In my defence, it looks better in the hand, where one tilts it just so for the metallics along the edge to catch the light, something I never seem to be able to photograph. But yeah, needs work. Otherwise, this guy's all sealed up and ready for gaming. Now to paint the rest of the party.... WIP over here. C&C very much appreciated. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orionjp Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 I like him, good work man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dks Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Color choices are good in general -- the green metal, blues, and browns go well with the spotted light green skin. I wouldn't have made the red on the base so strong, and I wouldn't have made the skirt so light, though; they're pulling my eye back down from the top of the figure for different reasons (the saturated red color and the overall lightness of the skirt). You mentioned (in a message to me) that you were working on emphasizing the upper part of the figure by manipulating the color composition through the warmth of the shadows. In this case, I think that's not the right aspect of painting to focus on. Step back and work on the broader issue of value-contrast (lights and darks) first. Your highlighting and shading seem pretty clean, but the whole figure comes across as flat. The shading on the skin should go darker (especially places like the lines between the fingers), and the highlighting on the headpiece and many other items doesn't go light enough. The upper parts of the figure, including the sword, need some pure white highlights so they can hold their own (compositionally) against the skirt. You also mentioned that you were working on simulating different materials. I think you're getting there on the lighter leather and the cloth, but when I look at the figure as a whole, I don't believe that the same light is falling on all of the materials. It's related to the issue in the paragraph above: the lighter materials are uniformly too light, the medium-value ones are just medium, and the darker ones are too dark. On the belts, the sculptor has provided finer details for you, so I would have used a lighter color for the edges. Look at these pics, for example: http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/schubert%20vampire/latest/02867#detail/02867_Mattias (an older figure it has light green skin and some lively dark materials) http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/derro/latest/02945#detail/02945_Derro_Warrior_Crossbow_ds_l (pale skin, padded leather) I agree with your color choice of dark green for the sword, but I would suggest varying the highlighting along the blade. "Dark on top, light on the bottom" works as a general approach for small areas of metal, but it this case it makes the blade look unnaturally concave (undercut at the top). I wouldn't go so dark on top, and I would introduce a lighter highlight somewhere along the edge of the blade. Look at the pics for this figure (a dark green sword done as NMM, but the same principles apply to metallics): http://www.freebooterminiatures.de/en/catalog/65 Also, I like the composition and texture of the base, but because the rock isn't flat under his boots, I see gaps around the sides of the feet, so I don't believe that he's really putting weight on his feet -- and not in a "he's levitating" way, either, because then I would expect to see the toes pointed slightly downward. I would add some filler (putty or whatever). It may be a subtle point, but if you're going to the trouble of removing the tab and pinning the feet into the base, go one more step to make it work. (Side note on the sculptor's decision for the pose: I appreciate the effort to come up with a pose that is different from any other figure I have seen, but the sword is hiding his face awkwardly.) Anyway, good luck on the other members of the party. Derek 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferox Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 Thanks for the critique, Derek; much appreciated. As my brush control improves I'll be able to get higher and sharper highlights on little details like the ones on the belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonator Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Nicely done,, excellent color choices. Just remember, amid all the technicalities, it IS SUPPOSED to be fun !! Jay 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Chaoswolf Posted November 30, 2015 Moderator Share Posted November 30, 2015 You did a great job on him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDizzO Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Impressive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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