[GROUP/OPEN]WIP L2PK1

[CashWiley]

I only use brush-on for spot priming, it's a good tool to get comfortable with. But to quote the immortal Ross, 'you have to beat the dickens out of it.' The brush on primer is notorious for falling out of suspension and being slow to re-integrate. Shake it until you can't shake it anymore. And then shake it some more.

[Darkmatter]

Ok, here we go. I'm going to be doing the LTPKs in order; so hello, this is rat.

 

Basecoating.

 

Washes, drybrushing, and linework in situations where I hate drybrushing. I initially washed/drybrushed rat's coat as per instructions, but I decided I wanted it a bit darker for added contrast and impact.

 

Further drybrushing and some fine details thrown in. I thought rat looked a bit Gene Simmons here so I toned it down for the final.

 

Final rat! the stones on rat's base ended up super dark and gross on washing, so I went off-script and drybrushed them with rainy grey.

 

Rat used cone of halitosis! Darkmatter fails his dodge breath weapon roll, is nauseated and takes 4 damage.

 

Next up is the Anhurian candidate.

[Darkmatter]

Right, here is the Anhurian candidate. I was quite happy with this one, even I did become terribly over-critical of his face. I blame you, Cash. I was referring to your Anhurian guy while painting mine. Benchmarks should be set high!

 

Facecoating, as per instructions.

 

Application of blue clothing and face detailing. I thought he looked a bit puddingy here, so I went back and obsessed over his mug for aaaages before I was somewhat more satisfied.

 

Walnut/Sapphire blue/water at 1.1.3 ratio wash on clothes. Lots of pushing and pulling tanned skin and walnut brown around on Anhurian's face.

 

Juuust about finished. Silver, black ink and some application of thin blue layers over drybrushing pass on his clothes, followed by a light silver drybrush on the armour. I might do a little more linework and tidy up the base before I call this guy finished, but for a WIP, this will do as a final for now.

 

Next stop is kit 3, because kit 2 is out of stock and has been for weeks. Boo hiss. Once I get my mitts on it, I'll post it.

 

EDIT: make that kit 4. I'm nowhere near ready for the dreaded kit 3.

Edited October 6, 2013 by Darkmatter

[CashWiley]

Looking great! And good call on kit 3, she's a tough one. Depending on your comfort level, you might also practice on some Bones between kits to nail the techniques down. Each kit assumes you've become comfortable with the techniques of the previous kit. I went through them pretty quick because I was dying to learn nmm.

[Darkmatter]

Thanks mate!

 

I kind of wish I had kit 2, I feel well past the drybrush/wash phase. Even in these kit 1 examples, I felt my distaste for drybrushing assert itself. I didn't do much of it. Washes are cool though, and I feel like I've got the hang of them. I think I will take your advice though and just run through a few bones using similar techniques to the ones I've used here.

[CashWiley]

Back in my stint in the 90s, I did a TON of drybrushing, as I only knew that and washes (this was before the Internet and I only found White Dwarf just before I quit). So I have a bit of a bias against it, but it's definitely a solid technique when you need it, and I wish I were better at it. I almost never use it so I'm real weak with it now.

 

With kit 4 you'll be getting a good layering workout, Bertokk's manly muscles are a great lesson in highlighting and shading.

 

edit: and washing is good not only on it's own, but for the practice in controlling paint consistency and then for glazing, because a glaze (and thin layering) will build on what you learn with washing, just with less paint on the brush (you don't want it flowing into recesses).

Edited October 6, 2013 by CashWiley

[Darkmatter]

Yeah, I remember the first time I tried drybrushing (in the 90s too), and it knocked my socks off. Clean off. I was astounded! My technique became largely based on it until I discovered inks. Everything I owned had a wash of chestnut ink on it. I had no idea what to do with miniatures without large, chunky areas to drybrush. Space marine shoulder pads for instance. Thin paint layering is a bit of revelation for me, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

 

Having gone on about drybrushing and its limitations a bit, I assume you've seen Buglips Kaladrax drybrush-a-thon? the technique still has legs, that's for sure.

 

Now Cash, is it true that you've only painted a handful of miniatures over the course of a year?
(because that would be a staggering level of innate skill!) or is that definition only attributable in your modern period? either way your stuff rocks.

Edited October 6, 2013 by Darkmatter

[CashWiley]

I've painted a couple dozen in 2012/13 and one in 2011. The first post in my Workbench thread is an updated index to my WIPs and completed minis, you'll always be able to reference stuff from there. And there's my blog which has a Gallery. Both of those in my signature here. I recently took a pic of the minis from my modern era, missing a few gifts I've given away: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Minis/Archives/September2013.JPG

 

A few more from 91-92, when I first learned to paint from the singer in my band, who learned to paint from his older brother in the early 80s. They were both canvas artists, so I've always been jealous of people like Cassu and Pingo. it's what I grew up around. Here's the first mini I painted in 91: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Minis/Archives/Minotaur3.JPG

 

Then I painted a few more around 96-97. My idea of layering then was to base coat, wash, apply another coat of base color in a smaller (now I'd know it as a highlight) area, wash, and keep repeating. No idea you could thin paint other than washes, so all regular coats were the thick paint from the lid of a Polly S jar that sat open while I painted. Here's one of the minis from that later period: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Minis/Archives/Conjurer.JPG

[Darkmatter]

We'll derail the thread if we keep this up, so I might just salute your epic skill, Cash. From one artist to another (I'm a graphic designer).

[CashWiley]

Oh, here we go again...

 

I mean thanks

[Gargs]

So as I was prepping my minis for my first ever paint job, I came across a tiny problem. The rat has an annoying bit of flash under its mouth that is pretty impossible to get to. Even my exacto knife doesn't seem to be able to get it, and I am afraid to force it. So, should I just leave it? Or can I fashion a neat bit of slobber color for it with what's in the kit? Any suggestions would be great. Will try to post a pic tomorrow, but hard to see on the camera phone unfortunately. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Last Knight]

So as I was prepping my minis for my first ever paint job, I came across a tiny problem. The rat has an annoying bit of flash under its mouth that is pretty impossible to get to. Even my exacto knife doesn't seem to be able to get it, and I am afraid to force it. So, should I just leave it? Or can I fashion a neat bit of slobber color for it with what's in the kit? Any suggestions would be great. Will try to post a pic tomorrow, but hard to see on the camera phone unfortunately. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Yes.

 

That is, just leaving it because it's in a spot unlikely to be very visible, attempting to blend it in to the fur/skin, or doing it up as slobber or another boil/skin eruption are all totally valid courses of action.

[ShadowRaven]

if it's something that you think would look best as slobber, I would try a 2-1 mix of breonne blue and linen white to get a wet look, or conversely you could replace the blue with the green and do the same. Or the carnage red would work for blood, though there isn't a colour inthat set that would be good for highlighting blood (don't try with white, it turns pink, and unless you're a Klingon,you don't need pink blood)

[Gargs]

if it's something that you think would look best as slobber, I would try a 2-1 mix of breonne blue and linen white to get a wet look, or conversely you could replace the blue with the green and do the same. Or the carnage red would work for blood, though there isn't a colour inthat set that would be good for highlighting blood (don't try with white, it turns pink, and unless you're a Klingon,you don't need pink blood)

 

Thanks for the input! I will probably try to mix up a little slobber mixture to see how it looks, otherwise, I'll just try to blend it into the fur. Unfortunately, its a bit of a jagged edge, so may not look great either way, but the important thing is to just start painting! Hoping to get started tonight, don't know if I'll get much beyond priming, but at least it will be a start.

[Gargs]

Okay, got the first coat of primer on, but think its going to take another coat. The primer just seems really thin, to the point that the silver of the pewter is still showing through. Oh well, live and learn. But first, a few images (mainly for in case there's a glaring error that others are seeing that they can point out to this total newb ;p) Apologies in advance for the poor picture quality.

 

 

 

As you can see, he has a bit of a case of swordus limpus.

 

 

But nothing like a rub down and a bath to get him back in the mood.

 

 

Nothing major to show on the rat yet though, the bit of flash really doesn't show up in the pics, so even more making me ok with just leaving it in.

 

Edit to add:

 

And here they are with the first coat of primer. Am I right in assuming a second coat is in order?

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2013 by Gargs