Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
    
 | | 04/10/2006 7:39 PM |
| I'm going to post my progress on a trophy for the Montreal games because I want to pad my post count so I can get a nifty avatar I thought people might be interested in exactly what steps I do to paint a figure.
The first one I'm going to work on is the Dragonne. This is one figure I pretty much dismissed from the start because I at first thought there wasn't much detail but it's really the default paint job -- there are times for brown washes and times for black washes and this one should have been a brown wash.
The art from the Monster Manual is pretty kickin':
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/MM35_gallery/MM35_PG88b.jpg
There is a particular brightness to it that is missing from the miniature, and my goal sitting down to paint this figure is to capture that brightness.
So the first thing I did was a quick strip of the original figure (which is getting more and more difficult with Acetone without damaging the figure; I'm not sure if the plastics are more sensitive now or if I'm more aware of damage occuring to the miniatures.) I removed it from the base.
I've been fooling around with resin casting for a while now and one tool I now have is the ability to cast scale rocks and slate out of resin. The original Dragonne pretty much takes up the entire base and then some. As I don't like the smooth surface on the underside of the Dragonne's forward paw, I've decided that the dragonne should be entirely standing on a rocky outcropping.
I took a suitably large resin rock, bulked it up with greenstuff (and pushed a rock into it to get the same rock texture) and pinned the dragonne to the base. I primed the figure white. You may notice a black ring around the base; I tape a 40mm base to the bottom while I prime to keep the underside and side of the base clean.
I then put a bit of sand on the base for added texture, and this is where I am so far:
My goal tonight is to finish the brown drybrushing of the base (and the other 4 figures I'm currently working on) and block out some of the basic colors. Hopefully I'll be able to work on the face as well.
Now I can't promise to always have good photographs with this thread; I do most of my painting in the evenings and most of my photography when the sun is out. I'll be forced to use artificial lighting for many of the photographs as I work on this figure. | |
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The Defenestrator
AesophDarkfable
Warlord
5628 Posts
| | 04/10/2006 9:54 PM |
| | Very cool, I love process pics. | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 04/10/2006 11:12 PM |
| If you can pad, so can we...Please keep us up to date. I scored my first Dragonne a week or so ago, and keep thinking that this one is begging to be repainted more than any other rare (except maybe the Chimera or Large Bronze--and they just really need "finishing"). | |
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maijstral
Underboss
2105 Posts
| | 04/10/2006 11:19 PM |
| | Cool, maybe a step by step painting process will help overcome my total lack of anything resembling talent. | | | |
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zenthrus
Warlord
5132 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 04/11/2006 12:09 AM |
| | Very nice start. Of course, all of your minis are superb. Can't wait to see the rest of the steps. | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 12:31 AM |
| Okay, Base Work 101.
This is pretty much all I had time for today, but I was working on four other figures at the same time. (These are for Montreal and Vassal; I've a lot to get done! [:D] )
Since I try to do the base work in a bit of a hurry, I like to do it first because it employs relatively sloppy technique.
The first part was drybrushing the sand/brown parts. I started with a basecoat consisting of a watery mixture of black and Vallejo Mahogany Brown (my favorite color) and let that dry. (Since I'm working on four other figures at the same time, I stick each figure in front of a fan while I work on the next one.) I then drybrushed with straight Mahogany Brown. I don't dilute the paints with water when I drybrush. I continue with a MB/Cork Brown mixture, then Cork Brown, and finally Cork Brown/Pale Sand.
Then it was time for the rock. I'm experimenting with a new technique here. (Experimentation is one way to continue to improve. Sometimes it doesn't work, but that's a risk you gotta take.) I started with a base coat of light grey (25% grey), slightly watered down with the magicwash solution. (about 60% water/40% clear acrylic floor wax.) It's not just for washes; I pretty much thin all my paints with this solution -- it dilutes the colors a bit but the paint is more viscous than if I used plain water.) Then for my new wash material -- Tamiya Color's Clear. It's really thick clear "paint" that spells awful, but it gives some great results -- the washes stick better. Anyway, I do successive washes on the rocks with mixtures of this Clear paint, magic wash, and shades of 50% grey, 75% grey, and finally a really thin 100% grey (black).
The end result is a pretty glossy rock, but much of my paintjobs are pretty glossy until I kill it with a matte sealer. (I'd do it before every photograph but then I'd end up with a Dragonne so shellac-ed that you'd think I'd made a gelatinous cube.) Anyway, you'll want to compare the base with the sealed version when I'm done. (This is pretty much a more refined way on how I did the bases for the So Cal Open.)
I'll still need to pick out some individual small pebbles with black/greys, perhaps some grey drybrushing touchups, line the base with black, and apply static grass -- but I wait for all that until I'm done with the figure. | |
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Knight of the
Round Table
Thenameless
Warlord
12507 Posts
The Fortress of Solitude
| | 04/11/2006 1:38 AM |
| | Very nice. If you stopped here, it would make a good guardian-type statue. | |
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Janos M.
Underboss
1015 Posts
Hamburg / GErmany
| | 04/11/2006 3:11 AM |
| | Ohh can't wait for the next pic... | |
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Cthulhufnord
Warlord
11113 Posts
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| | 04/11/2006 4:55 AM |
| | The baseing looks very nice. The Dragonne strikes me as a great manticore, properly re-painted. | |
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smithmeg
Sergeant
508 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 6:02 AM |
| Cool!!! Thanks Temperance (I'm so glad that someone is fixing a Dragonne - I hate the paint (+ black wash) it comes with). (And, I can then copy what you've done when I get round to painting mine [)])
Step by step shots (from someone who knows what they are doing) are always interesting.
Can't wait for the next update [:)]. | | | |
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yack
Commander
3321 Posts
Gatineau Canada
| | 04/11/2006 6:44 AM |
| | So this cool, nice job on the base. I'm starting too get pumped on what shades your going to do to the body. Keep up the good work. | |
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DireBadger
Warrior
266 Posts
Glasgow, UK
| | 04/11/2006 6:53 AM |
| Looking good Pete. The Dragonne is so in need of a proper paint job (I'll probably never use the mini, but the paintjob it has is crying out for help).
I really enjoy the 'here's how I...' threads, so keep it coming. Maybe if it's a big hit (and your post count is still too low [)]) you could make it a regular event, with a featured repaint every so often?
Always a pleasure to see your work (in progress and finished).
I figured you cast your own 'rocks' but how. exactly? Enquiring minds want to know. [:D] | |
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Vash
Underboss
1995 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 7:42 AM |
| | Great work so far. Steps by steps always make me jealous, cuz even reading it I have no idea what the holy hell is going on, and can't replicate it even if I wanted to. [:(] | |
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Runelord151
Underboss
1203 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 7:55 AM |
| It's really amazing to see how different our aproaches are! Thanks for sharing Pete (I can't wait to see him all done!)
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zanaroth
Sneak
149 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 8:02 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Runelord151
It's really amazing to see how different our aproaches are! Thanks for sharing Pete (I can't wait to see him all done!)
You stole the words from my mouth!
keep on working Pete! | |
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jacksonm
Warlord
5560 Posts
River City
| | 04/11/2006 8:36 AM |
| | Amazing work. Thanks for sharing, I look forward to seeing more. | | | |
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Vash
Underboss
1995 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 8:41 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by zanaroth
quote:
Originally posted by Runelord151
It's really amazing to see how different our aproaches are! Thanks for sharing Pete (I can't wait to see him all done!)
You stole the words from my mouth!
keep on working Pete!
So when are the three of you going to put together a joint project?? [)] | |
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 8:51 AM |
| | Awesome, thanks for the step-by-step, looking forward the rest! [:D] | |
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Runelord151
Underboss
1203 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 9:43 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by zanaroth
quote:
Originally posted by Runelord151
It's really amazing to see how different our aproaches are! Thanks for sharing Pete (I can't wait to see him all done!)
You stole the words from my mouth!
keep on working Pete!
It would be interesting to see how different the three of us are. In fact as soon as Mr. Lee has some time on his hands, we should all pick one mini, paint it up with tutorial, and compair. That would be really fun. | | | |
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zanaroth
Sneak
149 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 10:43 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Runelord151
quote:
Originally posted by zanaroth
quote:
Originally posted by Runelord151
It's really amazing to see how different our aproaches are! Thanks for sharing Pete (I can't wait to see him all done!)
You stole the words from my mouth!
keep on working Pete!
It would be interesting to see how different the three of us are. In fact as soon as Mr. Lee has some time on his hands, we should all pick one mini, paint it up with tutorial, and compair. That would be really fun.
Not a bad Idea...the only things that I ask if we are doing a tutorial:
-Runelord speed down your paintjob!! (I can't paint as fast as you [)], and so my tutorial would be late!!!)
-Pt.Lee, you must tell us the secret of your professional photos!!!
-We must find a piece that intrest all three of us...maybe a new dragon from WoTDQ???
Peace
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Janos M.
Underboss
1015 Posts
Hamburg / GErmany
| | 04/11/2006 10:47 AM |
| | You can call it the painting Challenge... | |
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Runelord151
Underboss
1203 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 11:33 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Janos M.
You can call it the painting Challenge...
Pete sorry for hijacking the thread....
Not so much a challenge as a exercise in learning from each other. | | | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 1:04 PM |
| Good idea with the group project, and I'll respond in Runelord's thread.
quote:
Originally posted by DireBadger
I figured you cast your own 'rocks' but how. exactly? Enquiring minds want to know. [:D]
I hunted down some interesting shaped rocks, rolled out a flat non-reactive clay square, and then embedded the rocks in the clay. I mixed and poured room-temperature vulcanizing mold rubber over the rocks/clay and then had a reusable mold for casting my own rocks. A few resin casts later and I was set:
I started resin casting by ordering a resin starter kit from Micromark. | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/11/2006 11:30 PM |
| Faces
I think the face is probably the most important feature that a miniature has, and if you screw that up you screw up the figure. It serves as the primary focal point and is the place where the most emotion of the figure can be seen. (Which I think means that figures without a recognizable face aren't as interesting.)
So Tuesdays are a painting night that I've helped organize at my FLGS -- it's nice to be able to paint and be social; it can be such a hermit activity. The disadvantage is that you may not get as much done as if you were alone. (But it can also be motivating where as at home you might just plop yourself in front of the TV.)
Anyway, I digress... Today I worked on the Dragonne's face. I use pretty similar techniques for any sort of face that I do; it's just the shades of paint that change. For the face I use some mixtures of metallic and non-metallic paints; it's a continued experiment on using metalic paints with a bit of a non-metal metal (NMM) style. So I'll refer to those mixtures as "Metallic Gold/mixed color" for how I did it.
1) The first thing I did was paint the neck fur in an Orange Brown and a thin coat of Metallic Gold/Orange Brown on the face. I followed that up with a dark wash of the original paint, some brown ink and some Tamiya Smoke.
2) I then paint the eyes. The wash from the previous step helped pick out where exactly the eye is. I first paint the eye entirely White, and then I use Orange Brown, Orange Brown/Yellow Ochre, and finally Yellow Ochre to paint the iris. I end with a black line for the cat-like pupil.
3) Now admittedly I was sloppy in the previous step, and this is where I fix some of my overspill. I paint a mixture of Metallic Gold/Black/Orange Brown right above and below the eye, leaving a dark stripe above and below to accent the eye.
4) I continue painting gradients over the whole face going from that dark gold mixture above to Metallic Gold/Orange Brown to Metallic Gold/Yellow Ochre finally to Metallic Gold/Pearlescent White. I probably do 7 individual mixtures of color; the four main colors and a step inbetween each mixture. That smooths out the metallic colors.
Finally, I do the mouth with darker areas of Black/Red mixtures, red, and a little bit of Red/White for final highlights. Also, I do the teeth in Yellow Ochre, Pale Sand, and straight white highlights.
That's it for me tonight. Time so far - about 2 hrs, but the time was pretty chatty. | |
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zenthrus
Warlord
5132 Posts
SLC, UT
| | 04/11/2006 11:52 PM |
| | Nice work. Mixing metallics and NMM can yield very nice results and you're "experiment" is paying fat dividends so far. Can't wait to see more. | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 04/12/2006 12:33 AM |
| Looks great so far (not that it's a surprise, but credit where credit is due).
I have a hard time thinking about spending two hours (even a "chatty" two hours) on just the face. Of course, maybe that's why my old paint jobs looked mostly like garbage. | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/12/2006 12:44 AM |
| pad pad pad...
quote:
Originally posted by Can of the Cave Beer
I have a hard time thinking about spending two hours (even a "chatty" two hours) on just the face. Of course, maybe that's why my old paint jobs looked mostly like garbage.
Well, that two hours includes 30 min for the base work the previous night. (I suppose I should add in the two or so hours of prep work with the rock base, but I forgot.)
The face will be the point I put the most work into the figure. From here on out it will go pretty quickly, especially because there are only two color sets to paint -- the Orange Brown fur (highlighted as a blonde, I think) and the gold scales.
Also, there is a few minutes wasted with photography (I took about double the shots but the ones above tell the story; unfortunately I didn't have any between step 3 and 4.) | |
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taliesin
Underboss
1113 Posts
| | 04/12/2006 4:36 AM |
| | Very cool of you to put up a step-by-step like this. I can't wait to see the finished product! | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 12:33 AM |
| Well, I didn't end up with as much painting time as I hoped I would today. I didn't get home from work until 7:30 and what I found waiting for me was quite a colossal package... ;) So that sort of distracted me for a bit.
And then there was dinner, Lost was on, an episode of good eats, etc., so I only got an hour of painting in tonight.
Today I basically blocked out the rest of the colors. The rest of the fur was painted with a watery Orange Brown and the scales were painted with a watery mixture of Orange Brown and Metallic Gold:
I let that dry and did a wash. The fur was washed with a thin Orange Brown/Tayima Smoke/touch of Brown Ink mixture and the gold was washed with a similar mixture above but with some metallic gold thrown in. I let that dry and did a second even thinner wash but with a touch of black ink and some Tayima Clear to bulk up the consistancy a bit.
That's the point where I think the prepainted version falls apart -- there are times for brown washes and there are times for black washes. Metals usually respond better to blacker washes, but golds and lighter browns benefit from brown washes. (I sometimes do leather with just Mahogany Brown and an brown ink/Tamiya clear wash, and it ends up looking really nice with minimal effort.)
What I have left is to brighten up the scales much like I did the face and to highlight the hair, which I expect to do with Yellow Ochre and Pale Sand; my blonde hair formula. I haven't tried it on an Orange Brown basecoat yet, so that will be interesting.
So far about three lazy hours of work.
Long day.
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Champion of the common Flying Monkey (Fez optional)
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 04/13/2006 1:10 AM |
| Well, you've already gone leagues beyond what came in my Booster boxes!
How are you handling the wider bands of scales that go across the chest/stomach of the Dragonne? I can't get a good look from the pictures.
I'm very anxious to see it once the highlighting's been done.
I just noticed a rather, uhh, large "seam" on one of my Dragonnes. I think it was smuggling drugs... | |
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Janos M.
Underboss
1015 Posts
Hamburg / GErmany
| | 04/13/2006 2:48 AM |
| | In the world of DDM there are just paint jobs and there are Temperance (or Runelord, Zanaroth, etc) paint jobs... | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/15/2006 1:04 AM |
| Almost done. I highlighted the fur with Orange Brown, Yellow Ochre, and Pale sand highlights. (5 colors in all including two mixtures.)
I found that to be a bit too vivid, so I did a wash over the fur of a thin Orange Brown. This included the Tamiya clear to get decent coverage.
I then went through and highlighted the scales and the wings with various mixtures of the gold. (Orange Brown/Gold, Yellow Ochre/Gold, Pearlescent White/Gold.) I did a wash of Orange Brown/Gold/Brown Ink/Tamiya Clear to help smooth some things out.
Finally, I highlighted the spines/claws with Cork Brown/Pale Sand. (3 colors; one inbetween mixture.) I painted the base black.
I think I need to pick out one or two of the rocks and then I'm done painting.
The current result is admittedly really glossy, and that's one big reason why I use a matte sealer... :) I'm going to apply static grass tonight and let it sit overnight before the clear coat. So I should have final pictures tomorrow.
About three hours of work tonight totalling about 6 total for the figure. You gotta excuse me for being so brief with this report; I have so many mammothly-huge projects going on that my free time is limited. | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 04/15/2006 1:21 AM |
| The Dragonne looks excellent! The orange isn't quite what I expected, but it certainly stands out in a crowd.ΖD]
I'm sure I speak for plenty of folks when I say "thanks for the demo".
I now leave you to your bigger than huge workload! Hopefully some of those will receive write-ups similar to the Dragonne. [:D] | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/15/2006 1:37 PM |
| Finished version:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/119594
 | |
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DireBadger
Warrior
266 Posts
Glasgow, UK
| | 04/15/2006 2:09 PM |
| That's excellent Pete!
The last photo seemed awfully red and a little fuzzy, but the finished article is indeed impressive.
Love the base, as always. | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/15/2006 2:14 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by DireBadger
The last photo seemed awfully red and a little fuzzy, but the finished article is indeed impressive.
That's the difference between using artifical light and indirect natural sunlight. Any of my final pictures are always taken with natural indirect sunlight. | |
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Wish
Sergeant
399 Posts
| | 04/15/2006 2:14 PM |
| | Wow. I saw the "almost done" pics and all I could think was ORANGE! I actually didn't like it much. Then you post the final version and the ORANGE! is gone, replaced by subtle tones. And the gold you talk about in the text suddenly shows up on the scales. Now it looks amazing. Is that a lighting issue, or something you did to finish and seal it? | | | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 04/15/2006 2:35 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Wish
Is that a lighting issue, or something you did to finish and seal it?
It's a combination of the lighting with natural sunlight and a matte seal. | |
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LargeMarmot
Sergeant
463 Posts
| | 04/15/2006 10:15 PM |
| | Beautiful work and great post. It's nice to see how the masters work. | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 04/16/2006 12:52 AM |
| It does look better with the sealer and natural light. Those pictures match much closer with how *I* envision the Dragonne.
I have now lost the ability to tell whether or not these repaints are tempting me to pick up a brush, or reminding me that I should be kind to the rest of the Human Race and never touch one again! [:o)] | |
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