Niiai wrote:
However, one thing is to design a 2D person on a flatt backround, another one entierly to aply the same priciple to an entier army. A full spacemarine army with dark blue armour, light blue bases and orange eye lences would not be that spectacular after you have seen the first one. Not only that, but if you see the space marine from behind it becomes a model with no detail. And if you put him in a dessert map his main feature will not be as unique.
This is where you apply a hierarchy of focus, and that can be achieved with various elements and using just color to do this is extremely hampering yourself. You have to assign focal points on your work, whether it be an army or an individual piece. It is impossible to make everything the focal point, since making everything a focal points means nothing is a focal point.
In the example you have given me, you described an army. Now bearing that in mind, what part of the army do you want your viewer to put focus on? Usually it's the centerpieces or the
HQ. Let's say they are all colored as described: blue with orange lenses (applying complementary colors). So what do you want to stand out on your army? Next, what can you do? For example you have a
SM Captain you would like to stand out. You can use a different color scheme for it or adding a splash color, or using the same colors but making it darker/lighter: all of which will make the captain stand out. But it doesn't stop with color: additional and complex detailing, a more striking pose, a higher base--all of these can contribute to making it stand out more.
All of visual art follows the same principles whether it be 2d or 3d, photography, painting or sculpture.
Also, when you go from 2D to 3D you loose a lott of control. Having just a good siluet does no longer cut it.
Huh? Lose control how? First, you are comparing poorly-painted/unfinished models to well-composed illustration/photos. Second you view the piece as a whole: with those photos the background is part of the subject matter. With miniatures the base and the figure is the subject matter, and if you go into photography the background is, too. You can control everything within those boundaries. How do you lose control with that?