Seeing "unpainted cloth" instead of pewter

[Sir Robin]

I think I've figured out a mental block I need to work around to start improving my painting. Right now I pick up a primed mini and I'm still just seeing a big hunk o' metal that needs to be colored. A cloak, for example, doesn't strike me as cloth, it strikes me as a big area of pewter. Anyone else familiar with this mental block? How did you get around it -- just plain slogging through, or were there some mental tricks you played on yourself that helped?

[Revan]

I havn't had this kinda problem, but maybe it will help to look at, or think of minis with capes (or what ever) that have been painted by other people, and maybe you will be inspired.

 

Note: I generaly do this anyway.

[MinipainterUS]

Well, you're right, it IS a big hunk of metal waiting to be colored! Time to play the "what if" game.

WHAT IF this was made from cloth? What would it look like? How would light react?

WHAT IF this were made of leather? What would it look like? .... Well, you get the idea.

 

After a while this becomes second nature to you. Generally, before I ever touch brush to fig, I have a very clear idea of what colors I will use, in what proportions for different areas and where exactly I am going to put my transitions. Admittedly, some of this will change in the process of doing it, usually because I miscalculated, but it is amazing the difference going in with a plan makes.

[Errex]

Dunno, Deane. I find that most of the time, when I pick a mini from the box, I may have an idea of the colors I want on it, but sometimes it is just one piece of the mini I have an insight of how should it go.

 

 

The rest is figuring out which colors can I put alongside that single item I have pictured in my head. This, I admit, takes a lot longer than it would had I an inkling about the completed color scheme, but more often than not, it leads to serendipituous results.

[Rodnik]

I look through 2d fantasty art (Boris Vallejo, Ruth Thompson, etc). I also look through some of my medieval history books....

I just look for artistic inspiration, then make an attempt to recreate it.

[Durak]

Play a RPG game and take a break. I usually switch to computer gaming when I get a block. You would be surprised on how well it works.

[Cerridwyn1st]

Have you tried drybrushing the black-primed fig with white? Gives it some texture and helps you see the details. Don't do this on weapons, though. The metalic paints just never seem to look right with white underpainting.

 

Sometimes you can use the drybrushing to add texture under the paint. I did this with a guy in heavy battle armor that I wanted to look weathered. Worked great.

 

There are times when my painting is very well-planned and I know exactly what colors I'll use and how. Most of the time, I just paint the biggest area in a color I like, then ask myself what would look good with it.

[Orchid_Noir]

There are times when my painting is very well-planned and I know exactly what colors I'll use and how.  Most of the time, I just paint the biggest area in a color I like, then ask myself what would look good with it.

I do something like this, it can really help bring a finished mental picture into focus.

 

I usually start a piece by trying to block/basecoat the main colors (pretty much painting the way that first mini was painted long before drybrushing, blending, or any of that) then bringing in the techniques to breathe life into it.

 

For me it is easier to flesh out something if I have some basics on it, or, for instance, I know that mini "X" is going to have a space theme on her gown.....well, go ahead and paint and seal the gown, the rest of the piece will just about paint it's self, for me anyway.

 

Also going through random images, when you have no idea where you want to go, then there is no map you have to follow and you can deviate from your normal confines. I have a disk of everything from orchids to dressed up con attendees to dolls to jewelry to frogs and bugs, I am amazed at the concepts that I will sometimes come up with from looking "down the throat" of a flower, or gazing into the eye of a snake. Let the inspiration happen, trying to force it will burn you out as well as giving yourself something akin to performance anxiety.

 

 

That's my 6 cents on the subject (to long winded for only 2 cents )

[Cerridwyn1st]

That's pretty cool, Orchid. I'll have to try it.

 

Sometimes I cruise through boards and look at other examples of what I'm working on for inspiration. It helps a lot, until you come across a Jenova or a Haley. Now that's performance anxiety.

[MinipainterUS]

more often than not, it leads to serendipituous results.

sometimes so does my clever planning!

[Argent Wolfe]

Well, if nothing else you can always try my style of block removal.... line up all your paints, close your eyes, and pick a color at random to be your primary color. I can guarantee that you'll either find new and interesting ways of using a color or become so disgusted with the way it looks that you'll think of a million ways it would look better, then pick one of those alternates and use it instead.

 

P.S. nobody ever accused me of being normal

[Orchid_Noir]

Well, if nothing else you can always try my style of block removal.... line up all your paints, close your eyes, and pick a color at random to be your primary color. I can guarantee that you'll either find new and interesting ways of using a color or become so disgusted with the way it looks that you'll think of a million ways it would look better, then pick one of those alternates and use it instead.

 

P.S. nobody ever accused me of being normal

 

 

 

What's normal? We're painters (dare I say artists? *runs ducking for cover*)

 

I personally like that idea, might have to give it a shot once I'm finished with Hellbore.........

[Cerridwyn1st]

Well, if nothing else you can always try my style of block removal.... line up all your paints, close your eyes, and pick a color at random to be your primary color. I can guarantee that you'll either find new and interesting ways of using a color or become so disgusted with the way it looks that you'll think of a million ways it would look better, then pick one of those alternates and use it instead.

 

P.S. nobody ever accused me of being normal

Lining up my colors could take a while - I've got LOTS of paint. However, I keep most of it in the top of a tacklebox. Could just reach in and grab one.

[beowulf54]

Try watching a fantasy movie. Like Lord of the Ring or some of the old classics like Conan or Beast Master. Try to take image of there clothing into your brain and keep having flash backs. (not to many though, might drive you crazy.)

[Neyuttad]

I look through 2d fantasty art (Boris Vallejo, Ruth Thompson, etc).

One problem with Boris Vallejo is that most of his drawings are of naked

chicks.