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One of the downsides to working with miniatures for a living is that you don't get as much time to do stuff for yourself...

This guy is the first miniature that I've painted in two years. I actually started him (I think) about 3 or 4 months ago, but only just found time on the weekend to finish him off.

Glad I did though... He's a fantastic miniature and was a joy to paint. He's a little rough in places, as I was being a bit experimental with techniques. But he's finished, and that makes happy things happen in my head.



As always, comments and criticisms welcome.

Extra bracket on the link URL at the end.

btw: What do you mean, for a living?

Man I know what you mean. I paint miniatures all day and then I want to get something of my own done but just can't bring myself to paint on my free time.

As for the mini, he looks good. I like the grungy look that you gave him. I think it's appropriate for an orc to be dirty. I think though that the face could use a little more contrast simply to bring it out a bit and make it "pop" to use a trendy term. I say that not because it doesn't look good, but because I think it'd help the overall look of the mini to bring more attention to such a characterful face.

Ah, I see.

So when you guys paint, do you think, "The double whammyI could
be making money painting someone else's figs but instead I'm spending
money on my own figs..."

Posted By malfred on 10/14/2007 5:45 PM
So when you guys paint, do you think, "The double whammyI could
be making money painting someone else's figs but instead I'm spending
money on my own figs..."

Not exactly. I don't paint for other people, just build. But between commission work and eBay bits sales (which have to come before my own minis), I just don't seem to have time for an actual hobby these days.

I have one night a week playing games with my brother and his son, (generally Star Wars minis, or YuGiOh), and occasional Star Wars sessions with my partner's little brothers, but have been seriously missing just sitting down and painting something.

Posted By Wayfarer on 10/14/2007 5:14 PM
  I think though that the face could use a little more contrast simply to bring it out a bit and make it "pop" to use a trendy term.

Yeah, looking at him now, he could possibly have used some tattoos, or the more 'normal' pink gums and tongue ... but I prefer my Orcs to be green-blooded, and was deliberately trying to keep to a fairly subdued pallette. Most of what I paint tends to be fairly dark, and I wanted this guy instead to be more natural and 'earthy' looking.

I agree with the face highlight as well. It looks like you've painted the face darker than his arms even. And if you wanted to keep the limited palette even through another highlight, you could just pull the khaki color into the green to warm it up a bit.

Overall though, he looks great. It's always nice to get something painted up for yourself after doing long bouts of commission work. ^_^

I disagree with the highlight idea in fear that if you do so it will bring the value of his skin closer to the value of the cape and it would then blend into a wash of light colour. Though picking out the gums I think would help. If you do not like the idea of pink gums and tongue than maybe try a dark green so that there is a bit more variance which would make the skin and teeth appear lighter. But I love the paint job on this guy no matter what you do! Annnnnd if you happen to mail it to me as a late birthday present I would not complain!

Very nice work Insaniak.

My only criticism would be that I think the model really could have benefited from a third main color. Right now you really only have green and differing shades of brown (including the base).

If you had chosen to do his tunic or hood in a different color (like grey, for example) I really think it would have helped to move the eye around the model. As it stands now it all kind of blends together into the middle of the model.

Even a red tongue would have helped a bit, just. . .something to break up the monotone of the brown.

Looking at the pics again, I think I see what people are saying about the face... The pics actually seem to have washed him out a little. There's a bit of a stronger highlight on his face than is apparent here, and the guns are actually several shades lighter than the rest of the face.

Might have to have a bit more of a tinker with my lightbox.

I like the mini, I've never seen it from the back before. The paint scheme is very realistic looking.

It might look different with a purely white background.

Posted By Tacobake on 10/20/2007 3:42 AM
It might look different with a purely white background.

Yup... which is exactly why it's not on one

White backgrounds tend to make the subject look very dark, which obscures a lot of detail.