Paintings [advice]

Ntin Gearreaver · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:09 am Post subject:

I painted up a couple in different ways they look pretty good with just a wetbrush of 50% red/white for more contrast with the wash.
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BulvaiHammersson · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 1:00 pm Post subject:

That's cool. Just don't make more work for yourself.
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BulvaiHammersson · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 12:15 am Post subject:

As we're talking painting, here's some of what I've done recently:

It's a heroclix thing on a home-brew surfboard. Here's the concept art:

Yeah, the mini has a bear and star on the chest, but the head is different. *shrug* I didn't do the mash-up. I am, however, happy with how the board came out. I don't do a lot of flatwork, but this turned out pretty darned well.

--

And here is a dragon that the Norsemen of Chaos call Wonskroywen, the Dragon of the Winter Storm.

The rider is Inailuig the Clean, armed with Xnorb, Chaos Sword of Frozen Doom.

While the rider was finished some time ago, I did the dragon this evening. Here's hoping the snow works out.
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Bulvai Hammerretired

"Loot is Evil."

Ntin Gearreaver · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:58 pm Post subject:

Close ups on the dragon?
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"Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today, but the core of science fiction, its essence, has become crucial to our salvation, if we are to be saved at all." -- Isaac Asimov

BulvaiHammersson · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:06 pm Post subject:

Uh, no. I delivered it to the client today.
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Bulvai Hammerretired

"Loot is Evil."

Ntin Gearreaver · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:29 pm Post subject:

Well dang.
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"Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today, but the core of science fiction, its essence, has become crucial to our salvation, if we are to be saved at all." -- Isaac Asimov

BulvaiHammersson · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 9:52 am Post subject:

Sorry, I will say that the pic doesn't really show the colours well. It is blue and greyish. There's not a hint of yellow or brown on it, yet I've been told by multiple people that it looks yellow, gold, etc.

And when I say that the dragon was done "this evening", I meant it. It was an evening's worth of work.
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Bulvai Hammerretired

"Loot is Evil."

Ntin Gearreaver · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:30 pm Post subject:

There is a bit of saturation the rider even looks a bit brown on the dragon.
_________________
"Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today, but the core of science fiction, its essence, has become crucial to our salvation, if we are to be saved at all." -- Isaac Asimov

BulvaiHammersson · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 8:08 pm Post subject:

The lighting is really irritating me. I should probably get a blue backdrop or somesuch.
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Bulvai Hammerretired

"Loot is Evil."

Ntin Gearreaver · Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 9:55 pm Post subject:

Well I was interested in the scale detail on the dragon, are they all highlated or was it the lens flare?
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"Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today, but the core of science fiction, its essence, has become crucial to our salvation, if we are to be saved at all." -- Isaac Asimov

BulvaiHammersson · Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:21 am Post subject:

Highlighted? Don't be silly. The dragon was done in my typical tricky fashion.

I'm not really that good of a painter. One of my friends locally is a MUCH better brushman than I am. His lines are clean and gorgeous and his work is technically pure. Yet almost everyone prefers my work to his. There is also a Golden Demon winner in the area, and I've beaten him at local competitions for the same reasons.

I'm not good, but I am tricky, and I know how to fool the eye into thinking that I'm a better painter than I am. As the guy what commissioned this said, "He's a better painter than you are, but your work is more dramatic." It sounds a little silly, but it's true.

It comes from doing commercial work for so long, and having to learn how to cut corners while still making the mini pop across the table. I can't tell you how many times I've faced armies that were painted far better than mine technically speaking, but mine looked better. The Bret army that I sold a coupla years back is STILL winning awards at local tourneys. And those minis aren't even highlighted or shaded properly. They are mostly unrelieved block colour.

It is as much a matter of colour choice, hue saturation, style, and presentation as anything else.

The dragon was dead simple.

1) White primer
2) Asurmen Blue wash on all the blue stuff
3) Greatcoat Grey (Privateer) on the claws, horns, and spines
4) Whatever the purple wash is on the tongues and mouths
5) Badab Black wash over the whole thing
6) Skorne Red (Privateer) on the eyes, and a line of black ink for the pupil

That's it. It's the application that takes a bit of work, and I can't really explain that well. It's basically brushing it on thick and then moving it around a lot. Then touchign it up. And dabbing is very important to get the right texture.

I think that's a bit part of what separates my work from the (better) guys and keeps me up. I think in terms of visual texture, and will shoot for effects. And I definitely think about the whole army WAY before I worry about an individual mini. This client decided that he wanted to go for a winter theme (after I'd already painted like 9 units, grrrr), so this dragon really gets into the winter theme strongly. If said client were to let me go after the old units, I guarantee he'd start getting awards with this army too, and not just the Brets I sold him.
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Bulvai Hammerretired

"Loot is Evil."

Starcroc · Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 6:13 pm Post subject:

I used to make great money painting army's and dragons I am so outta practice now tho.. Wish I had time time to take it up again.
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Starcroc -retired from EQ

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BulvaiHammersson · Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:51 am Post subject:

I have to make time. My clients don't like to hear "No" when they ask if I can do more stuff. And, as I'm friends with them as well, I hate to say no.
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Bulvai Hammerretired

"Loot is Evil."