How to paint flame shapes?

[Flightless]

Basically, i\'m trying to paint a flame motif in one colour (white) as part of a chapter badge. The flatness, and more importantly lack of normal flame colour, make flames a lot harder to depict. They are either entirely un-flamelike, or are all the same, and thus boring, and overall, un-firelike...

There\'s a rough sketch of the idea, just because, well, why not?
But you can see my predicament from the drawing (of course i\'m embarrassed). And my painting is worse (largely because, well, it\'s 5mm tall).
Anyone have examples of their own or otherwise to give me a clue?

(And yes. Flaming swords are so cliché. It\'s so tragic. I try to ignore it, and take a couple of gallium arsenide tablets when the pain gets too much to bear)

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Flightless
Anyone have examples of their own or otherwise to give me a clue?

That\'s a good place to start, looking at pieces you admire for inspiration.

Once you\'ve studied some you like practice drawing the shape at the size you need it. You can even draw lightly on the model with a pencil to give yourself a line to follow, that\'s often better than trying to do it directly with a brush and paint.

Originally posted by Flightless
And my painting is worse (largely because, well, it\'s 5mm tall).

lol Don\'t be embarrassed, these sorts of stylised shapes can be difficult to draw well without practice. I\'ve been drawing all my life and I had lots of trouble drawing curlicues à la Rackham recently, sometimes you just need to get used to certain types of shape by repetition and looking closely at references.

Einion

 

[green stuff]

Maybe this can help :

Use thin paints and wipe the excess on some paper towel, then start by doing the outer part and finish by filling the inner part. Go as slowly as you have to. Also, it might be easier to start with the flames and to paint the blade above them after.

 

[Flightless]

@ green stuff That\'s great help!
Please tell me you didn\'t draw that on the spur of the moment!
I think i shall attempt some more now i have good inspiration.
And although mine will be flat white rather than realistic, having seen that, i think i might make a little more effort to stylise the sword a little too instead of the basic-ified design i had thought of originally. Perhaps some greys are in order too... I mean, come on! If marines are going to go crazy with gothic artwork and so on, their heraldry may as well be a bit more than normal military-style badges i guess.

 

[Ogrebane]

I think you should simplify the design as well. When you are painting something that small its hard to get all the detail to work. I think you original design is good but use about half the flames to make it easier to paint.

Heres an example

The little pic is probably twice the size it will end up as

 

[green stuff]

@Flightless : If you\'re going to do this for a squad (or heaven forbid, for a whole army), you might want to use decals; at least for the sword part. The Dark Angels should have exactly what you need.

 

[Flightless]

I\'m full of arguments i\'m afraid:
1. I\'m enjoying painting detail
2. Transfers give that horrible shiny look that i know can be fixed but i personally don\'t know how (although for all i know varnish of any sort might work
3. I\'m going for individual - it won\'t be the same on every model; far from it. I\'m going for medieval-influenced heraldry on the other side too...
4. I\'m contrary. No more excuses. If there\'s an easy way, you can be sure as hell i won\'t use it.

However, i\'m making a concession today. I\'m actually going to thin my paint. I\'ve always said that it\'s a far from essential thing to do for basic gaming-standard figures, but i\'m actually going to admit my mistake here (and i won\'t be doing that again for a time i can tell you). This detail does not look that great with thick paints.

I\'ll post back before long with an example. (I would give a deadline, but that\'d mean it\'d be weeks)