mazog
Junior Strategist
Walking and talking
Posts: 748
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Post by mazog on Jun 8, 2019 22:00:40 GMT
I started with brush on gesso for primer and HATED it. Rattle cans made me swear never to go back, and now that I have an airbrush I see no reason to go back to either. In fairness, the gesso was an art supply, not something produced my a mini painting company.
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fanguad
Junior Strategist
Posts: 210
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Post by fanguad on Jun 10, 2019 12:58:13 GMT
Gesso is different than brush-on primer. Generally speaking, it's too thick for miniatures, plus I don't think it sticks to the miniatures especially well.
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shmeep
Junior Strategist
Posts: 742
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Post by shmeep on Jun 13, 2019 10:29:51 GMT
Progress on the troll axer. I'm contemplating whether to stick with the current highlight method for the face or to push harder with the impaler's look. The mix for the axer's face is simply adding increasing amounts of white to the Fester Blue base, whereas with the impaler I also started mixing in Cygnar blue highlight.
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Post by deathbymelancholy on Jun 13, 2019 11:52:51 GMT
I've always used the primer cans either on the roof or the balcony. Doesn't matter, unless I hold my breath, cover my nose, book it after 2-3 quick sprays, and close all windows I get sick. That stuff is unbelievably vile. If I were ever stupid enough to spray it indoors I'd most likely die on the spot. That being said, dangers aside, I can't deny the convenience of rattlecans. Famous last words, huh? Two dollar gray can primer I buy locally has been my go to for the better part of a decade. i have no complaints. I do use a higher end brown primer for my Ret, but that's because I have so much orange in that faction. As with most personal preferences, do what makes you happy. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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shmeep
Junior Strategist
Posts: 742
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Post by shmeep on Jun 13, 2019 12:01:42 GMT
I've always used the primer cans either on the roof or the balcony. Doesn't matter, unless I hold my breath, cover my nose, book it after 2-3 quick sprays, and close all windows I get sick. That stuff is unbelievably vile. If I were ever stupid enough to spray it indoors I'd most likely die on the spot. That being said, dangers aside, I can't deny the convenience of rattlecans. Famous last words, huh? Two dollar gray can primer I buy locally has been my go to for the better part of a decade. i have no complaints. I do use a higher end brown primer for my Ret, but that's because I have so much orange in that faction. As with most personal preferences, do what makes you happy. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ What materials does the stuff you use contain? I haven't made up my mind yet, but I might just buy both the mask and vallejo's brushon next time I buy some colors.
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Post by Soul Samurai on Jun 13, 2019 12:09:10 GMT
The axer is looking good
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shmeep
Junior Strategist
Posts: 742
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Post by shmeep on Jun 13, 2019 13:37:39 GMT
Another thing - I'm considering switchibg to trollblood base for my basecoat color, fester's a bit too dark if I don't mix in white. What's your experience with varying skintones? My current mix isn't consistent anyway, so I wonder how bad it'd be to switch recipe.
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Post by deathbymelancholy on Jun 13, 2019 13:45:56 GMT
Not sure on the primer, not near it at that moment.
As far as skintones, I don't have a mix, just "colours that I use", so there is always some variance between models, and honestly I like it. Don't get me wrong, it's real close, but if Raider 1 is slightly darker than Raider 5 I actually find that more visually appealing than perfect consistency. Me and a Swede might both be Caucasian, but we do not have the same skintone. So having that on my models gives a certain sense of realism. And if i run out of my Vallejo Sky Blue, or whatever, I'll grab the next closest thing and go with that sometimes too.
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shmeep
Junior Strategist
Posts: 742
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Post by shmeep on Jun 14, 2019 15:04:18 GMT
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shmeep
Junior Strategist
Posts: 742
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Post by shmeep on Jun 14, 2019 15:07:49 GMT
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mazog
Junior Strategist
Walking and talking
Posts: 748
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Post by mazog on Jun 14, 2019 21:37:28 GMT
Are those last two really the same? On the second to last I was going to compliment you on the kindly teeth/gums/lip transition and suggest that the highlight should probably come further down the face, but the highlighting looks great in the last one. I am particularly referring to the highlight on the cheekbones, it seems to me that there should be some gentle edge highlighting most of the way down that is totally missing in the second to last shot.
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shmeep
Junior Strategist
Posts: 742
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Post by shmeep on Jun 14, 2019 22:20:19 GMT
Are those last two really the same? On the second to last I was going to compliment you on the kindly teeth/gums/lip transition and suggest that the highlight should probably come further down the face, but the highlighting looks great in the last one. I am particularly referring to the highlight on the cheekbones, it seems to me that there should be some gentle edge highlighting most of the way down that is totally missing in the second to last shot. pics were taken about 10 seconds apart, only difference IIRC is the white balance setting on the camera. There's no edge highlight on the cheeks, they both have a pretty sharp highlight at the front and that's about it. I think you're right about the highlights, I'll push them a bit further. the part you're talking about it the skin above and to the sides of the mouth and the part that goes down from the cheekbones, right? I keep tinkering with the mini, mostly adding small amounts of highlight and shade to smaller details, but I'm at the point where I'm terrified to modify anything (especially the face) because I don't want to Firetruck it up. I'm trying to overcome this habit, but god DAMN is it hard.
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Post by Soul Samurai on Jun 15, 2019 7:49:21 GMT
Perhaps what you should do is take a bit of time off from your trolls and paint some cheap minis that you don't really care about. Use it as an opportunity to really experiment without worrying about messing up the mini, because you don't care about the mini. Maybe grab some cheap GW Orks/Orcs and paint them in the same colours as your Trollbloods (as they have similarly exaggerated physical features).
Personally I think what your axer is missing is some shading. The metal armour especially, being rather large, is looking a bit flat. The wraps around the handle as well stand out a bit and look like they need some contrast.
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mazog
Junior Strategist
Walking and talking
Posts: 748
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Post by mazog on Jun 16, 2019 3:16:14 GMT
Samurai has it right. You are right about the parts of the face I was talking about, but I think that his advice is better than mine in this case. Particularly in regards to getting some models you don't care about. I've read people who use green army men, I've bought several reaper minis for this purpose, too.
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shmeep
Junior Strategist
Posts: 742
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Post by shmeep on Jun 16, 2019 9:41:45 GMT
Any idea where I could get decent looking minis dirt cheap? I recall seeing someone mention reaper bones, but I don't know how that compares. IIRC that's also a seasonal thing, so I don't know if it applies.
I actually own several hundred army men, the problem is that they're so low detail that it renders them useless for something like this. I've tested my paints on them, just to compare their hue and opacity, but there's not really too much else you can do with them.
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