[Open/Group] WIP L2PK2

[ShadowRaven]

yep. 4 which is, to date, my favorite. the demi-metallics in 5 where very useful, but 4 was more over all 'fun' though I am not a fan of the sea nymph. Berty the Bar Barbarian was just fun

[bloodydrake]

k looks like kit 4 is next.. :)

should be fun..i really do like following along with these kits..

 

i think for kit 5 i'm gonna do the bones Dain Deepaxe and the Metal one at the same time and see how they compare when following along with the kits but that's a ways off

Edited September 23, 2013 by bloodydrake

[CashWiley]

I've been thinking of painting the Bones Dain, the kit 4 version was my first paint job I was more happy than disappointed :) Might be fun to paint him in a similar style but with nmm.

[Magnus Mercury]

I did Tsuko then Laurana. Female skin is more difficult imo.

 

I got through with Tsuko (I know, "pics or it didn't happen"... ), but got stuck on Laurana. I'm having a difficult time figureing out where the shading should be, because her muscle definition is so slight. The technique used for Tsuko is pretty much the one I've always used for shading, but Laurana's style is new to me. Are there any "tricks" I'm missing, or have I just not gotten used to it yet?

[CashWiley]

Luckily for you, lots of people have painted Laurana already! When I'm stuck, I study painted versions to figure out how to shade things or even 'what is that thing on her thing?' kind of issues. I know some people around here think I'm some fancy painter, but I'm still pretty new and learning as I go. And trying to figure out how other people painted something is a big part of that.

 

So go back through the thread and also Show-Off, Inspiration Gallery and google image search and look at how people have tackled shading. Mine was pretty bad, and even after several females I'm still just at the beginning of the journey of painting the more subtle curves of the fairer sex. One of my challenges is chalkiness as I highlight, because I go for such large thin areas, it breaks up.

[Magnus Mercury]

Thanks for the suggestion; I'll review some other Lauranas and see if that helps clear it up for me. I just finished my Bones IMEF Marines (yeah, pics of those are coming, too), so I'm going to return to Laurana and see if I can finish up LTPK 2. I know thin coats are especially important for that style of skin, but I'm still learning how thin is "too thin", and trying to keep it from turning into a shading wash in the process...

[bloodydrake]

I ended up trying experimenting with the gold , since the instructions are slightly vague on what to do with the metallic

 

I basecoated the gold areas ruddy brown and then used a slightly thinned coat of ancient gold on them.
after that dried I applied some secret weapons armor wash on the rivets and the chain links recesses to shade the metallic.
I then touched up when it was dry with some more mid tone ancient gold.
after that I used abit of new gold along edges and corners to line/highlight and then added a drop of pearl white to the new gold and tried to give some slight bright highlights to the gold edges and rivets.

seemed to work..tho maybe the last point highlights should have been more pearl white then newgold

I think thats about it for Tsuko..I think he's ready for a glosscote.

 

[bloodydrake]

 

I did Tsuko then Laurana. Female skin is more difficult imo.

 

I got through with Tsuko (I know, "pics or it didn't happen"... ), but got stuck on Laurana. I'm having a difficult time figureing out where the shading should be, because her muscle definition is so slight. The technique used for Tsuko is pretty much the one I've always used for shading, but Laurana's style is new to me. Are there any "tricks" I'm missing, or have I just not gotten used to it yet?

 

 

if she's just primed..try taking some photos of the model with very sharp angled over head lights that really bring out some shadows. then when your working on an area reference the pictures to verify the shape your looking for.

I found with the bright light I like to paint with I was losing the muscle definition on her..but looking at the pics when she was just primed helped to find the detail

i don't know if that makes sense..but it worked for me :)

[Baugi]

Posted a question in my own WIP thread but got no replies - figured I'd ask here: if you come at a LTPK with skills that are maybe a little beyond what the instructions recommend, do you improvise, or try to stick to the plan? For example, my Anhurian was quite plain compared to most of the minis I painted around the same time. I'm currently attempting Tsuko, and wondering if I should be adding steps... Thoughts?

[CashWiley]

I'd say it's your mini do what you want :)

 

I tried to follow the instructions and then in later kits I tried to stick to the methods taught previously without adding too much of my own to it.

[Magnus Mercury]

I tried to follow the instructions and then in later kits I tried to stick to the methods taught previously without adding too much of my own to it.

 

Same here.  I consider the L2PKs as learning exercises rather than "just another figure to paint", and try to ignore what I know so I can learn what the kit is trying to teach me.

[Baugi]

That's useful.  Thanks lads.

[Anachronite]

well they definitely upped the anti going from kit 1 to 2, at least for me. It's definitely harder to do the layering, blending, and highlighting!! Here is where I am so far, can't get the light right for the camera so the contrast of skins tones looks better in person... the sorceress is definitely tougher since she has much softer lines to work with.. the extreme highlighting really messes with me. I tried some on his hair and hers but it just doesn't look right to me. I did some on the skin, but did not go as far as I think the instructions are telling me.. the monk I did the skin once and then stripped him of paint as the first attempt just had to sharp of contrast between the skin tones... need to go back and touch up some of the details on the leg wraps and such. light highlights are on the paints are just there from the light. the pants are only base coated thus far. yes there is some slop from an attempt at glazing to blend the skin tones. but it should be ok to paint right over I think.

[CashWiley]

Embrace the contrast, follow the instructions! Instead of stripping Tsuko, you should've gone back in with the mid-tone and practiced smoothing over a bad blend. Remember, that's what these are for; practicing and learning. If you end up with a good looking mini, that's a bonus :)

 

As long as you're keeping your paints at the proper consistency, getting flesh tones on the base coated pants isn't a big deal. You can easily just paint over it later. Or you can practice cleaning up mistakes as they happen by quickly rinsing your brush and using it to 'erase' the mistake by pulling out the paint with the empty brush.

 

Looking good so far. Don't forget when you're wondering how much contrast to use to how things should look, there are 32 pages of reference material in this thread! You're not the first to learn how much tougher female skin is to paint :)

[Anachronite]

thanks Cash!