Black Orc with battle staff (conversion)...

[catdancer]

 

FIGURE...REAPER (# 02321 = Black Orc)...Conversion with axe removed and battle staff added.

 

FINISHED...This is the finished and mounted figure from my (WIP) posting of step-by-step painting of same said figure.

 

I hope that you like it,,,and my style presentation of the Black Orc.

 

Paul (Cardancer)

[Darkmeer]

Nicely painted and executed.  Looks like he's about to despoil the lands he's invading. 

 

I like the banner and the shading on the skin and leathers. 

[aromaticpose]

I think this is what lexicographers used for reference when writing the definitions for "bloodthirsty" and "despoil."

[AnneO'Leary]

He looks properly fierce! That battle standard is most excellent!

[sirmonte]

Battle ready. Looks great.

[Willen]

Looks really nice, I like the choice of colors. And your brush control is awesome!

 

Also, if I may offer some comments... the pristine base clashes with the "dirty" orc. I also wonder... it is all drybrushing, right? Some areas, like the blade and skin, look too coarse.

[marphi]

Great mini!

 

I like the contrast between the base and the invading grim orc. I think it adds a bit of tension to the scene.

 

The colors are really good, but I agree that the skin does look a bit coarse.

[catdancer]

Thank you all (above) for your comments and feedback...it is greatly appreciated and well accepted. I do wish to comment on (2) aspects...please advise as to how I might change and/or improve what I am doing and how I am doing it.

 

1. What has been called a pristine base look. I do this as a deliberate act in a form of (Ying & Yang)...I try to place my creature in his normal beastly brute form and state on to/in to a calm, clean and tranquil setting to form a strong visual contrast. Since most of my figures are display pieces...not dioramas (where the setting carries on/out the story line)...Why is this incorrect and how can I change what I am doing...but at the same time keep the strong visual contrast and separation of figure and setting?

 

2. What has been called the coarseness of the skin. Again I do this as a deliberate act when I paint goblins, orcs, ogres and other such creatures. These creatures are not really known for their great hygiene...my coarseness execution is deliberate to reflect the grungy, shabby and dirty hygiene condition of the creature. If I wet paint & blend the colors (which I do on my human figures)...I suffer the loss of the grungy & dirty look and feel...So what can I do; so that the figure doesn't look coarse (as stated by a couple of the above comments) but at the same time maintain the look and feel that I show and express in my current execution style?

 

In regard to the weapon...I try to execute it as an older steel blade (lacking the rust & blade nicks) that these type of creatures would have and not as a clean pristine blade that a human fighter would possess.

 

Paul (Catdancer)

Edited February 12, 2014 by catdancer

[ub3r_n3rd]

I actually like the coarseness of his skin and weapon, they add a gritty and real feel to him as a whole and really tell the story of what kind of creature this is. I respect your style with the Ying/Yang, but I'd like a grittier feeling to the base as well that matches the figure and enhances the figure overall, like being part of the entirety rather than 2 different things, but that's just personal preference as you have a unique style to how you base your figures and it still looks great.

[Willen]

Hi Paul! (I wonder, as per your sign off... are you a Cat, or a Cardancer?  )

 

If it is a conscious decision, then it is all good and great. I was just expressing my two cents on something that jumped to me. I actually feel that the base and the mini are disconnected; perhaps even something like a dust, or slimy trail behind the orc would make it more... cohesive. In short, while I applaud the intention, it gives me the gives of "does not belong here".

 

On the coarseness... I think that while it looks ok on the skin, the blade does not. A steel blade would not look that "bumpy" and retain the metal reflectiveness that you show with your colors. In this case, if I may suggest, apply washes with browns, turqouise, greens... make it look dirty and not just bumpy. Make the texture play in your favour like being adhered dirt and gore, or the like. Right now it looks "clean"...

[catdancer]

Thanks again ub3r_n3rd & Willen for your comments and suggestions.

 

I love this figure and am currently working on another conversion of the basic figure (# 02321). On this conversion, I removed the sword and added a chain mace.

 

I will execute the figure in the same way; but I will mount it in a darker/less pristine setting (be sure to let me know if you like it better)...more of a flowing (belonging in the scene) as opposed to the Ying/Yang style that I use for display pieces.

 

Willen; I will follow your comments/instructions and not make the weapon(s) so they display a clean reflectiveness.

 

Willen; you got me...I am actually a cat who works at the local hip-hop drive-in as a car dancing car hop on roller skates...and I really look good in my Hooters type outfit!!!

 

Sorry for the typo on my sign out.

 

Paul (Catdancer)

[malefactus]

Seeing a W.I.P. piece live up to its potential is TERRIFIC! The finished standard & base are OUTSTANDING...VERY WELL DONE!

 

On the base/mini contradictions: I try to have some aspect of my piece contradict the minis appearance or perceived nature; e.g., my Night Goblins, who are not general considered rocket scientist material, standards sport mottoes like "cogito ergo sum". Ergo, I love the flower.

[catdancer]

Thank you very much malefactus for your comments and feedback...I do not intend to forsake or abandon the way that I do my display pieces...the (Ying-Yang) approach...but I will do the piece I am working on (with the chain mace) following the comments and suggestions of ub3r_n3rd and Willen. 

 

I will do it (if only) to see if I like the way it turns out...and at the same time, maintains the display mood and feeling that I like for my display pieces.

 

I love the (Ying-Yang) approach that you noted for your night goblins...it injects a very humorous contradiction to the creature/specie!

 

Paul (Catdancer)

Edited February 12, 2014 by catdancer

[Willen]

Congrats on taking the advice/comments and seeing if you can make it work for you too. I think that is the true way to actually... improve, or learn, or to discover. 

 

 

Willen; you got me...I am actually a cat who works at the local hip-hop drive-in as a car dancing car hop on roller skates...and I really look good in my Hooters type outfit!!!

 

ROTFL

[Darkmeer]

I like the base, and the only thing (if anything) would be to have had the orc crush the flowers of the base, making them a bit muddy.  Heck, a smidgen of a muddy trail would make the orc look like he's traipsing through and ruining a pristine forest.  At the same time, he could be the standard for a group of orc scouts trying to sneak through (yes, I understand the impracticality of a standard with that, but hey, it's a fantasy!). 

I don't mind the grittiness of the orc, but that's also how I view orcs as well, despite painting "cleaner" skin tones myself.  I think they should be dirty, dirty creatures.