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so here's my latest attempt to do OSL... what am i doing wrong it just doesn't look right.

Short answer: you're doing OSL. OSL never looks right, and should almost never be used.

Long answer: you've just sprayed some lighter colors on random parts of the model, and you haven't answered the necessary questions. What is emitting light? Where does that light have LOS to? Where would shadows be cast? How intense is this light, anyway? Your OSL doesn't appear to follow any realistic behavior of light, so it just looks like random brighter patches.

Theres a lack of contrast. To get the standard Awaken Realms style OSL just spray your 'big' circle of your color (like straight Vallejo Game Air Electric Blue) then a smaller circle of Electric blue mixed with white, then straight white at the faux light source.

 Zach wrote:
Theres a lack of contrast. To get the standard Awaken Realms style OSL just spray your 'big' circle of your color (like straight Vallejo Game Air Electric Blue) then a smaller circle of Electric blue mixed with white, then straight white at the faux light source.

Just treat this as a theoretical explanation of how to ruin your models, and never actually do it. The results look like trash, and anything you do it on will be headed straight for the bucket of paint stripper.

 Peregrine wrote:

 Zach wrote:
Theres a lack of contrast. To get the standard Awaken Realms style OSL just spray your 'big' circle of your color (like straight Vallejo Game Air Electric Blue) then a smaller circle of Electric blue mixed with white, then straight white at the faux light source.

Just treat this as a theoretical explanation of how to ruin your models, and never actually do it. The results look like trash, and anything you do it on will be headed straight for the bucket of paint stripper.

"Stop liking things that I don't like"

kb_lock wrote:

 Peregrine wrote:

 Zach wrote:
Theres a lack of contrast. To get the standard Awaken Realms style OSL just spray your 'big' circle of your color (like straight Vallejo Game Air Electric Blue) then a smaller circle of Electric blue mixed with white, then straight white at the faux light source.

Just treat this as a theoretical explanation of how to ruin your models, and never actually do it. The results look like trash, and anything you do it on will be headed straight for the bucket of paint stripper.

"Stop liking things that I don't like"

"Stop using clumsy 'lighting' effects that look nothing like light, and exist for the sole purpose of proving that an airbrush was used to paint the model."

Sorry if the truth hurts, but the "awaken realms style" osl looks like trash, on the level of having visible brush strokes because you didn't thin your paint properly. It's a zero-effort mess, and it amazes me that people admire it, and even pay for it.

Reminder:

RULE #1 - BE POLITE.

This one should be obvious?

RULE #2 - STAY ON TOPIC.

So should this one.

IF you see a post that you feel is against the rules of the site - please just report it.

Thanks.

Hey OP,

I've been toying with OSL lately and my honest recommendation is to look at youtube videos. The main reason behind this is because there are a few varieties of techniques & styles to use. You may want to give a brighter effect that extends to the rest of the model, or maybe something a little more toned down to the immediate area. Since you are dealing with a cylindrical shape, you could highlight from the center - out, or try to give the appearance of light showing through the coils, each one having it's own technique.

Also bear in mind that while it may seem counter productive, the actual colors you'll use will range from the brightest shade, to a much darker shade around the edges. Your light source should be white or very close to it at the central point and should not be repeated past that point. anything that the light is shined on should be a darker contrast in relation to your source.

Personally, I think your model would look great with a toned down light source since your current palette gives the appearance of daylight. As such, you wouldn't really see much light casted upon the rest of the model due to ambient light.

I'm not the expert on OSL but those are my two cents from my own research as of late. What I can say for sure is that there is no "truth" as to what looks good. If you like it, then go for it.

OSL was designed to give lighting, and shading, to models that we're properly lighted from multiple angles for photos.

It gives the illusion light is coming from somewhere when a model is fully light from multiple directions. Because of this illusion when you put the model on a table top that does not have the same lighting from all around the natural lighting which falls on the object creates natural.bright and shaded areas which may clash with the OSL and look "funny".

That might be why it looks strange to you.

 Novasetri wrote:
Hey OP,

I've been toying with OSL lately and my honest recommendation is to look at youtube videos. The main reason behind this is because there are a few varieties of techniques & styles to use. You may want to give a brighter effect that extends to the rest of the model, or maybe something a little more toned down to the immediate area. Since you are dealing with a cylindrical shape, you could highlight from the center - out, or try to give the appearance of light showing through the coils, each one having it's own technique.

Also bear in mind that while it may seem counter productive, the actual colors you'll use will range from the brightest shade, to a much darker shade around the edges. Your light source should be white or very close to it at the central point and should not be repeated past that point. anything that the light is shined on should be a darker contrast in relation to your source.

Personally, I think your model would look great with a toned down light source since your current palette gives the appearance of daylight. As such, you wouldn't really see much light casted upon the rest of the model due to ambient light.

I'm not the expert on OSL but those are my two cents from my own research as of late. What I can say for sure is that there is no "truth" as to what looks good. If you like it, then go for it.

so more like the gw one one the shop? Also should I go red orange and yellow I've had some success with giving the hot metal effect

I like this a bit more, i think toning down is the right decision