Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Anvildude wrote:Is it not a good thing to have your eye wander over the whole model?

No it isn't if it happens first thing, allow me to try and explain. Generally, with a figure/human/animal/robot/character, you want a face to be the focal point, it will be made to stand out in some way generally. It is the point of connection, the face tkes priority over everything to convey the mood, the intent, the character of a piece. Secondary things contribute, like pose and lighting etc, but the face trumps all (unless it is covered, in which case, pose takes over). So if you paint a model and for whatever reason, you don't have an urge to examine the face first, then something has gone wrong.

So, assuming you succeed in drawing the eye to the face first with the majority of viewers, then you have secondary focuses that gently draw you away from the focal point and allow you to take in the composition of the model and appreciate the nuances as they come out to you. Weapons, details, pose etc. You want a place to draw the eye, to say 'start here', not just to keep your model from competing with itself, but to add a sense of narrative. Composition is the act of putting intention on how you want someone to see and interpret your work. You have intent on where you want them to look, what to take in, how the interactions play together. So, composition is pretty important because it makes sure your skill, your technique, and your decisions contribute to each other, as opposed to competing.

A tank is a different story, or, at least, it can be. Sometimes tanks have focal points, a commander, a particularly crazy turret, freehand, whatever, and can follow what I describe above. With historicals and line tanks, it is almost the opposite of what I mentioned above in execution as you want to compose it as a whole, as it doesn't have a face to look at, or glowy bits or extravagant sculpting or symbols. But it remains the same in intent, don't get in your own way, don't compete for attention equally. So in this case, given you want to be able to examine the FORM and WHOLE of the tank first and foremost, as if from a distance, the focus is all of it in essence. Because of the amount of gold, combined with the white, you don't examine the form of the tank first, your eye ping-pongs from accent panel to accent panel, edge to edge, corner to corner. You don't take in the details of the tank first, you take in the colors and amounts of panels first.

Now, to make it clear, this is not by any stretch a critical error. It's still a damn good tank. I am pushing Gitsy a bit because he takes info onboard quite well and I think he wants to push himself, and enjoys success. Pulling off that white was a big deal, and I am very (non-condescendingly!) proud of him for putting in the time to get such a great result. I don't get to paint much anymore, so I get my yuks armchair quarterbacking now lol!

Solar_lion wrote:You got the process down now. It looks great. Well done.

Exactly! This Sicarran and the Leviathan were your R&D phase! You should absolutely knock out the remaining bits for your tournament at warp 10, why wouldn't you??? That was the whole point! You can do it Gitsy!

Tom

Took the night off for some computer gaming & relaxation. Be back at it tomorrow. I'll see if I can't pull those big panels down a bit as Tom suggests.

 Gitsplitta wrote:
Well, when I finish this one (hopefully in the next few days) you're going to see me go nuts as I'll have about two weeks to build and paint two rhinos and some infantry for an upcoming 30k tournament. Going to have to be much more efficient about how I paint the rhinos. Can't afford to feel my way through them like I did here.

Get the base colours on the Rhinos, even if you don't go through the full highlighting/shading pass for the secondary/tertiary colours? You can alway scome back later.

Plus it sounds like the Sicarian has helped nail down how you'll be applying various colours, so hopefully that'll speed things up.

What infantry do you need to build/paint?

Just enough to fill out two full squads of veterans in said rhinos. I think that's 4-6 guys... so not too bad.

Loving that purple Gits!

Looking good Gits, and gl on getting everything ready. Seems well within the realm of possibility!

Reading Tom's post made me look at how I tackle models and I have subconsciously been very picky with any faces I use and the focal points of models but never really noticed before, it's hard to put into words but if you look at a whole model and then have a fairly basic armour colour but a really good face then you find the entirety of the model more pleasing? that's sort of how I look at it, with tanks it's a good burn or weathering (but I do love me a commander)

Gits' Sicaran is good and the fact that it's clean may be also what;s throwing some people off, maybe run some dust along the tacks and lower hull to 'ground' it more? then your eye subconsciously says ' Ay it's a tank and that's dirt! lets check out the rest of her' I personally love how it's looking and knowing Gits as I do I'm actually really pleased for him, this is a big nervous step and I gotta commend you for pushing your own boundaries and comfort zone, I remember when you first started airbrushing and the curve that came with that process, as well as the process when you attempted the clear wings on your vanguard! so even if you don't take every one of Tom's hints and tricks you've got to seriously pat yourself on the back and swing that knowledge gun and ram it back into the holster, tip your cowboy hobby hat and walk confidently into the next battle!

Well done Gits I love watching you work mate!

It's very pretty. I like my tracks, and tanks generally, to be down and dirty, but I think EC can be an exception. The purple is great, and have recommended this to a senior who's just getting into 30k. I'm not sure where I stand on the gold, I wondered whether EC wouldn't go even more bling and ramp the silver highlights as a result (colour theory be damned!)

@nerdfest: Actually, I've been coming to he same conclusion (about the dirt) myself. Trick is not to overdo it. I'm thinking some caked on dirt on the tracks and some road dust on the lower line of the tank.

@graven: I don't know if it shows, but the final highlight on my EC gold is bright silver... so I'm there with ya. I will still shade up to silver on the tank, but I'll be tempering the darker parts of the panels with delvan mud (or whatever) in order to make them a bit less yellow on-balance.

Been piddling around with some odd stuff for a tournament tomorrow. I'm doing a little henchman formation with Coteaz. I needed some Jakero though... you know how common those are. So, I set about making my own.



These were made from "micro Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" figures and some space monkey heads that I had lying around for some reason. I can make one more. They're just about the perfect size and look monkey enough with their poses. And they articulate so can be bent over forward for a more ape-like posture!


Here's the whole group together. I don't have Coteaz but this termie librarian will make a good enough proxy until I can get my hands on a figure.

Love me some monkeys, I think they work great for Jakero! Good luck on Saturday.

Interesting bunch . Lovely priest in the back there as well!

Well, it's obvious what they're supposed to be. That'll do for now.

Good use of parts. Look nice and future-robo-monkey like.

Certainly some thuggish apes imo, a direct contrast to your stand-in coteaz(who looks fabulous btw). Godspeed god sir, and have fun!

Reminds me of the Roboberbills?! Wonderful weird vibe. Cracking, mate.

Neat idea. For some reason they make me think of the robo-dog from Battlestar Galactica. Moffet?

Robot monkeys look fine to me.

The one on the left looks a bit like it has been assimilated by the borg.

I like how you just had random space monkey heads lying around

They fit well enough. Goggles monkey is my favourite

Thanks guys. Very quick and dirty but fun and gratifying none-the-less.

@ckig: Yeah, goggles is my favorite too.


Had fun this weekend. One loss, one tie, one win. Unfortunately the unit didn't do much as if they were exposed they tended to attract the fire of the entire other army. Their best result was when they hid behind a wall on an objective all game and Coteaz just cast "prescience" on the nearest knight.

Back to the EC this evening!

 inmygravenimage wrote:
Reminds me of the Roboberbills?! Wonderful weird vibe. Cracking, mate.

I was trying to remember their name .

Suitable monkey replacements

That's quite a bizarre squad, there my friend. I'd love to find out how they fair on the tabletop.

 Theophony wrote:

 inmygravenimage wrote:
Reminds me of the Roboberbills?! Wonderful weird vibe. Cracking, mate.

I was trying to remember their name .

Suitable monkey replacements

They made Snarf seem not annoying.

Some detail on the games .. what do you face in those games?

"Some space monkey heads that I had lying around for some reason"

Don't front, Gits, we know what you originally had in mind for them

'I happened to have these monkey heads lying around'... that has to go into some kind of hobby hall of fame I actually lol'd!

Nice monkeys.

EDC

 whalemusic360 wrote:

 Theophony wrote:

 inmygravenimage wrote:
Reminds me of the Roboberbills?! Wonderful weird vibe. Cracking, mate.

I was trying to remember their name .

Suitable monkey replacements

They made Snarf seem not annoying.

They still don't touch Jar Jar though man that sounded wrong on soooooooo many levels

The Chimperial Fists approve

Oh gak! I've got a heap of monkey heads and a heap of marine parts and a heap of inspiration to do some Chimperial fists!!!!