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Looking nice Freya.

 Modock wrote:
New tricks...perfect theme for the job. I'm gonna paint Kindgom Death Allison, my first larger scale model (75mm) and I will paint
her with oils.

Omg! Yessss!!! I'm so excited


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Arakasi wrote:
Looking nice Freya.

Thank you thank you!

Pheeww this is going to be a tough one. What can I do that is pushing my comfort zone into something I haven't done before? Painting a new model for a new faction is right out I think, as are a lot of techniques and materials since I do use 'em all.

Maybe instead of doing what I usually do and painting something bigger, I'm going to paint something small. Like...really smol.

I'll have to find something suitable though...

Well, this is coming along.


Shady photo need to work on the top highlights and the eye(s) but getting there.

Throwing my hat into the ring with a kitbash. I was inspired from John Blanche's unification wars era techno barbarians and while this isn't as feral, I've tried to include some nods to his artwork.

This guy will be an inquisitorial henchman, a sanctioned abhuman. I intend to try out the "Blanchitsu" style of painting using oils, texture and darker tones to achieve a grimdark effect, so that's my new trick for the month in combination with the kitbash. Below are proof pics of the mini, but I still have to add texture before priming and painting.

 Freya wrote:


Omg! Yessss!!! I'm so excited

I hope I won't disappoint..

Before starting on the Iron Golem, I did this guy as a practice exercise:





It's pretty rough, but I think I'm getting close. If anyone better at NMM has any advice for me, I'd really appreciate it.

DV8: seeing 15s or 6s from you should be interesting, and as usual eye popping...

Josh: I've got no experience, but I'd say it looks great at maybe full finger tall at arms length on my monitor (so probably like twice life size?). It suffers a bit blown up when I go to the gallery, but I think just glazing back and forth to smooth the transitions might help there.

 Modock wrote:

 Freya wrote:


Omg! Yessss!!! I'm so excited

I hope I won't disappoint..

You could never disappoint me! You're amazing and I'm so excited to see what you do! Good or meh, it'll all be so much fun!

 JoshInJapan wrote:
Before
It's pretty rough, but I think I'm getting close. If anyone better at NMM has any advice for me, I'd really appreciate it.

Looks good. My advice is to push the high points further. You want bright areas to really sell the metallic effect. I like to work my light layers up in straight lines, usually parallel with the edges, with them often fanning out towards the edge, then a very bright edge highlight.

 Freya wrote:

 Modock wrote:

 Freya wrote:


Omg! Yessss!!! I'm so excited

I hope I won't disappoint..

You could never disappoint me! You're amazing and I'm so excited to see what you do! Good or meh, it'll all be so much fun!

Lol, thank you!

My entry is kind of similar to Modock's in some ways. I'm going to paint one of these miniatures, I'm not sure which one yet - I might make a start and see which one captures my imagination. The important thing is I'm going to try painting with oils for the first time in my life.



The paints have just arrived. They're still in their plastic wrapper.

 feltmonkey wrote:
My entry is kind of similar to Modock's in some ways. I'm going to paint one of these miniatures, I'm not sure which one yet - I might make a start and see which one captures my imagination. The important thing is I'm going to try painting with oils for the first time in my life.



The paints have just arrived. They're still in their plastic wrapper.

Great, looking forward to see your experience with them.

 queen_annes_revenge wrote:

 JoshInJapan wrote:
Before
It's pretty rough, but I think I'm getting close. If anyone better at NMM has any advice for me, I'd really appreciate it.

Looks good. My advice is to push the high points further. You want bright areas to really sell the metallic effect. I like to work my light layers up in straight lines, usually parallel with the edges, with them often fanning out towards the edge, then a very bright edge highlight.

Also consider the contrast between your brightest brights and your darkest darks (especially for very reflective metal) that helps sell the effect.

My advice is always to Google some reference images of whatever object you're trying to paint (so in this case, medieval armor and weapons), to get a sense of just how shiny and reflective the stuff is. You can really get away with cool shapes and stuff both to accentuate the form of the object (how it curves, folds and bends) and also getting some environmental reflection in there too (re: you can fudge and cheat and nobody can really argue)

Loving the NMM tips, they will come in handy for me too this month. Im following the old eavy metal masterclass book as a starting point but these extra tips are great.

Heres my progress, sword was based eshin grey and washed with AP dark tone for a dark starting point. I have based the bits i eventually want gold with a rhinox hide/coat d'arms hairy brown mix.

Well, I don't know about nmm, but that red is luscious.

Cheers, juat my usual mephiston red AP strong tone wash so far. Needs layering and highlights before i crack on with the NMM.

Okay. So since I've been spamming Vermintide 2 so much, and because I've dug up I don't know what it is (I mean, I know what it is, but I don't know what it's for...too small for WHFB, too big for Warmaster) or where it's from (maybe it's a familiar or something?), but it's too adorable not to paint, I've found my entry.

I'm still mulling around a few titles for this piece, but I love it already. WIP proof shot; still lots to clean up and detail on the piece before it's ready for paint.

 Pariah Press wrote:
I'm going to paint this lion, which is a TSR miniature from 1983 or 1984, from their Advanced Dungeons and Dragons - Conan boxed set. I've never painted a lion before? Maybe I'll try to do a blend. That would be new.

I'm having second thoughts. Maybe I'll paint these troglodytes. There's a technique I'd like to try on these, where you lay down the values in black, gray and white, and then layer the colors over afterward with washes.

Well....this is a bit of a tough one. Over the years, I've really tried to do a variety of things. One thing I haven't used much are enamel and oil paints, so I think I am going to jump on the bandwagon and give them a go.
Now I just need to choose a model...it will probably be...

All these entries look fantastic, what a great theme this month! I'm super excited to see the end results for all of the entries.

I'm going to once again attempt to actually finish an entry in one of these challenges, this time I'll be painting a deathwing chapter master in terminator armour kitbash/ conversion that I've just finished. It's the first time I've actually made part of a model from scratch (the shield, which is why it looks a little goofy), and I'll also be 'attempting' some NMM (I've tried a bit of NMM steel before, but never gold, so not sure how it's going to turn out).

Apologies about the poor photo quality, I'll hopefully improve that by the time I'm finished.

Right, so, it definitely seems that the theme of what I'm doing is terrain.

Again, not quite finished, but nearly. New things here - 3D prints, and first time combining unpainted and painted elements in a finished piece (printed in clear green resin).

Because of issues with the prints, I'm also resculpting sections rather than binning them. I never, ever sculpt in milliput, so this is also a first. And with the statue, that'll be my 5 things

 feltmonkey wrote:
My entry is kind of similar to Modock's in some ways. I'm going to paint one of these miniatures, I'm not sure which one yet - I might make a start and see which one captures my imagination. The important thing is I'm going to try painting with oils for the first time in my life.



The paints have just arrived. They're still in their plastic wrapper.

EEEEE!!!! Another person doing oils! I'm so excited I might cry. Holy crap this is gonna be so cool!


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 Chris56 wrote:
Well....this is a bit of a tough one. Over the years, I've really tried to do a variety of things. One thing I haven't used much are enamel and oil paints, so I think I am going to jump on the bandwagon and give them a go.
Now I just need to choose a model...it will probably be...

I'm just dying with all the amazing people trying out oils... I'm so freaking excited to see you guys art!!!

Very much doubt I'm going to have the time to complete but I've changed my mind and going to give it a shot. My Elucia Vhane turned up yesterday. I really don't want to rush the painting so more than happy to not complete it in all fairness but I shall endeavor to do so.

This is where I am at with my Blanchitsu styled Inquisitorial Henchman:



So far the painting process is going fairly well for him; I'm using oils in a thicker consistency than I normally would as I stick to panel lining and use the odd dot weathering technique, and it's fun removing lots of paint after slathering it on. Also, adding plenty of texture was fun, and it feels like it's coming together. I have some dry pastels that I haven't used in years so I'm breaking those out to emulate some of the reddish browns you see in Blanche's art. I'm not exactly making great use of them for this style, but I got a set of Kimera Kolors for Christmas, so those are some of the colours you are seeing behind the dirt.

Some spoilered photos for those interested:

Looking really good, Tyranid Horde - great idea and great execution.

Thanks for the excitement, Freya - it is really helping me push through despite the rather steep learning curve!
Using oils is, however, helping me to kick my brush-licking habit...

WIP on 'the wizard'

Gah! So much good stuff starting to appear Both QAR and Tyranid Horde - very atmospheric!

On the other hand, I have nothing to show. Spitfire is pretty much built, but Wayland Games are being..... glacially slow in sending out my paint order. Guess I'll just have to buy a 1:48 Mosquito to build in the mean time

 Tyranid Horde wrote:
This is where I am at with my Blanchitsu styled Inquisitorial Henchman:



So far the painting process is going fairly well for him; I'm using oils in a thicker consistency than I normally would as I stick to panel lining and use the odd dot weathering technique, and it's fun removing lots of paint after slathering it on. Also, adding plenty of texture was fun, and it feels like it's coming together. I have some dry pastels that I haven't used in years so I'm breaking those out to emulate some of the reddish browns you see in Blanche's art. I'm not exactly making great use of them for this style, but I got a set of Kimera Kolors for Christmas, so those are some of the colours you are seeing behind the dirt.

Some spoilered photos for those interested:

Spoiler:

This is looking amazing!! I'm very curious as to what pieces you used for the kitbash? Custodes? I'd love to know as I would like to go with a similar theme for some of my command units. Very cool stuff.

Also QAR - That Gandolf is looking spectacular!

OP should be updated to this point.

Please be sure to check that your entry is labeld correctly, and you new trick is listed right. I know a few of you had stretch goals in mind. If you don’t end up doing those, please note with your final pick what tricks you want listed in the vote thread.

@Freya - Is the thing you are painting a Zorn, for which you are using a limited palette? Or is a "Zorn limited palette" an art term I’m just not familiar with? In which case, what’s the critter?

It warms my heart to see all the support and advice here. One of the primary jobs of this whole contest IMHO is to push ourselves as painters and foster a community. This thread is full of that. Keep working together everyone!
--

A bit on my entry:
For years I’ve used whatever cheep brushes I could find. Either synthetics, or sale rack sable. The Richesons I get from my local art store are not bad, and always on sale. The ZEMs were from Amazon as a test, and are not very good overall (but inexpensive). I’m generally loath to ask for hobby stuff as gifts, but snapped this year when my mom asked what I would like for Christmas. So under the tree this year was a small bunch of W&N series 7s.

Now the marines are not new, just indominus assaults w/arm swaps. For those who’ve been with us since the start, you’ll have seen me enter 62 different blue-clad warriors from Ultramar in these competitions. My paint scheme for them has evolved a bit. With Primaris I upped my game and started doing shoulder trim, edge highlights, and a few other tricks not on my old guys (who I want to keep uniform). These brothers are basic guys for a reason. At this point I can paint a line trooper in my sleep. So they should be a good test to see what difference having quality brushes makes.

I’m a little afraid to pop open those tubes and get these guys to work. But it’s going to happen today. After I finish my coffee and wrap up the vote thread from last month.