Cektopa's WIP Log

[cektopa]

Hi, taking advice from people on here, I have set up this WIP log to help me focus, track my progress and most importantly get feedback and criticism from you guys so that I can improve my skills.
Following on from my thread in the painting section, my first big project is the GD07 dwarf slayer on ogre head, mainly focussing on improving my techniques and sharpening my models.
So here are some shots of the skin, the first about half way through the painting, and the 2nd with the highlights done.
Any C&Cs appreciated.

 

[cassar]

looks ok to me skins a tough thing to paint well.

 

[Broke n English]

Both skin and hair are hard for me still, so this figure would be like my painting Kryptonite lol. Looks great though, very naturalistic and not over highlighted, lovely

 

[kathrynloch]

How did you paint the hair and the black (is it in your other thread?), it looks gritty to me but it could be camera noise because I'm seeing grittiness on the dark colors of the base - or whatever he's standing on.

 

[cektopa]

The black is just a black spray undercoat followed by a tiny ammount of white spray, I have trouble starting on black without it as I cant figure out what part of the mini is what, so that is why it looks gritty, and the block hes pinned to too.

 

[kathrynloch]

I gotcha...and i completely understand as I have the same problem. But what primer are you using?

But the skin looks nice and smooth, well done on it! So I'm not going to worry about the grittiness on the clothes and hair since your paint work looks good. I think you've got a great start!

 

[cektopa]

Thanks Kathryn, Im using Chaos black primer and the army painter white primer, athough I dont think I shook the white enough.
I have made a start on the hair of the dwarf, although Im not too happy with it, as I am not sure what it needs but I feel its missing something! Possibly another highlight or a contrasting wash? I had real trouble picking out the individual strands, and I feel that I might have to return to this once Ive finished the areas surrounding the hair.

I planned on painting the metals using NMM but I feel that my technique needs alot of work still, so Im chickening out and painting them in metallics. I was planning on blue trousers and then blue tones on the ogre head to tie the model together and contrast the orange hair.

Thanks
Anthony

 

[kathrynloch]

Hi Anthony aka Cektopa,

The hair looks really nice, but I see your point. you could make the top of the mohawk white or give him a racing stripe. As it stands it just needs more variation. Your shadows need to be darker and your highlights lighter (I just went through that with my cloak). Mix up a "mostly black paint". Mostly black is like, mostly dead from Princess Bride. It's black, brown and gray, and by itself looks black - until you get it next to the real color. That way you can bring your shadows down but it's easier to work with than straight black.

I haven't tried Army Painter, but the grit I'm seeing is not good. I've had that happen in high humidity and I've also had really crappy brands of primer. Since Tamiya primers are MIA for right now, you might want to try Vallejo spray primers. I get mine at The War Store. If you don't want to have it shipped, try Duplicolor Filler Primer (this is going to sound crazy but bear with me). It's available at many auto parts stores or at Walmart. But you do have to be careful with it because it's made for cars and to fill scratches and dings. But it goes on like a dream. So if you use very, very short controlled bursts, it will go on just fine and won't muck up the detail. But stop moving the can or press that button too long and it will cause trouble. Once you get it applied it's sandable and honestly goes on as smooth as silk. The Duplicolor Sandable Primer is something different and goes on thicker. I tested it and didn't really care for that aspect.

Instead of metallic paints, get some metallic pigments and colour shapers! Go on! You know you want to try the technique.

But so far you're looking good! Got a great start and I do like the skin. The hair does look nice, don't get me wrong - expand the range of shadow and highlight and you're good to go.

Cheers!

 

[cektopa]

I have commited the cardinal sin- Thou shalt not paint while under the influence of alcohol- it does not make you a master painter.
My dwarf looks like hes been rolling in gold dust. eek. I was so dissapointed waking up this morning, not entirely sure how Im going to save this one!

 

[cassar]

looks ok to me....well he's ginger but what are ya gonna do?

 

[griffongames]

The black is just a black spray undercoat followed by a tiny ammount of white spray, I have trouble starting on black without it as I cant figure out what part of the mini is what, so that is why it looks gritty, and the block hes pinned to too.

I have that same problem but I find a quick white drybrush to solve the problem nicely.

 

[MightyChad]

He is looking great. I am glad to see you lightened the skin. I am disappointed that you got gold all over him, while drinking? Have you no shame? If you need to busy yourself while intoxicated, then find a willing partner of the opposite sex and do something stupid, but harmless to minis. Geez, what do they teach people these days?

 

[cektopa]

Its been a long-long time since Ive picked up my brush! Its been manic in work, but Ive finally hit a couple of days off. Since I realised that I was never going to get a full 2k warhammer/warhammer 40k army anywhere near painted, I have sold off most of my armies and kept a few figures that I just want to paint and not game with. This left me with a bit of a dillemma that I would have nothing to game with, but played an intro game of Malifaux at my LGS and I became hooked with the figures, and with less than 10 models a crew, I might be able to paint a full tabletop force up!
So, with 4 days off, I have set myself a challenge, speedpaint as much Malifaux as possible, I currently have McMourning crew primed, Seamus and Nicodem crews ready to go (strong rezzer theme going on....)
Managed to finish 2 models this morning, bar the bases which I will do all together. The quality isnt top notch but they look good on the table and thats all I was really aiming for, probably took around 5-6 hours for the 2.

Its nice to be back painting.... and I have to say, Wyrd minis are very enjoyable

 

[cektopa]

Half way through day 2 of my mini 'challenge' and I have finished off some canine remains and a zombie chiwawa:

I will probably need to go back and give these one final highlight or something to make them pop a bit more, but for now they seem ok. I need to gore them up a bit more I think though...
Just a flesh construct, nurse, and hopefully a belle or 2 and I should have a fully painted force with a few options. woop.

 

[cektopa]

Day 3/4 update: finished nurse and flesh construct, definately now think I'm going to have to revisit a lot of these but I soo want to get a crew fully painted for the tabletop.

Just Sebastian and the bases left, which will give me a 25ss crew with a flesh construct and spare canine remains to summon

 

[cektopa]

Finished the crew in 4 days, so happy with it, obviously there are some areas to revisit, but at least I can field a fully painted crew which is rare for me.

 

[Broke n English]

awesome for 4 days work wish I could finish so many so fast. I've not seen these figures yet either so it's nice to see them painted up, love the dogs

 

[cektopa]

Thanks for the comment, appreciate it. The crew have been fairing a lot better on the table now they are painted up Well I like to think it is that and not that I am just becoming more familiar with the game.
Anyway, I have a question for the good people of this forum. I am trying to up my painting, and one area I am really stuck on is the face. Since this seems to be a major flaw, as 'Bases and faces' seem to make a mini, I would like to know where I am going wrong. Here is the latest face I have done

I know that I have to go back over the left eye, but my major problem seems to be that I am putting too many layers down and obscuring the detail. I am watering my paint to 'skim milk' consistency, but still seem to obscure detail a bit. Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.

 

[cektopa]

Turns out the white army painter primer I was using was not a great one, the primer was chalky, and just rubbed off the metal far too easily. So I stripped the mini (not hard with the primer falling off the metal) and switched back to my old

 

[cektopa]

I feel like I am getting somewhere with this one... here is my current progress
I think the nmm gold on the hat looks alot better than the body pieces, and there are quite a few touch ups I can see now it is in photo form, but I would love some criticism from an independent eye!