Improving my painting - Ork nobs and such

[Lemmingspawn]

Hi there guys. Well, after spending ultra hours on a couple of models and still not being able to break the 8 mark, I thought I\'d put it out there and say -<* What do you suggest I do with these models to bring my overall painting level up? *>-

Here\'s the pics - SUGGEST AWAY! lol

http://www.coolminiornot.com/135142

http://www.coolminiornot.com/134239
Personally, I thought these would\'ve got a low to mid 8, which is why I ask the question, how do I improve my skills to break that mark?

 

[supervike]

Geez...I dunno.

I would think they were worth a mid 8 as well.

I voted a 9. Good stuff.

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Dont worry about the CMON score. If in your own head it\'s a 10, that\'s enough.

 

[Lemmingspawn]

I\'m not stressed out about it. I just wanna try and get my standard higher. Self improvement and all that new agey junk....ya know? lol

 

[DrEvilmonki]

In reality you are really basicaly there. To score over an 8 you not only have to convince enough people you are not a 7 PLUS convince some people you are a 9. Thats why it is so hard.

SO whats happening with yours - you are so close (7.7 for the first 7.9 for the second - which is the ordeer I rate them as well)

The first one: The metals look a bit in two main places. On the front view thw claw looks a bit rushed and his fist looks like it was meant to be the same metal as on his back but the corrosion is a different colour.
On the back view the highlighting on the metal of his left foot looks roughly done (and not in a weathered way - more of a rough painting way).

The brown pipe on the base looks flat and fake, really glaring considering the base looks good other than that.

Mate; drill the barrels of his gun out. Painting the ends black just doesn\'t cut it!

The pose while being realistic in reality, as a frozen moment in time it looks like he is about to topple over - never a good look.

The second one: Again your base work needs finishing, the rusty girders and what not are no where near as well painted as the ork (and they need to be - people are judging the complete package).

The paint chips on the red are a good idea but a VERY thin edge of white on the bottom edge of the chip will really make them pop.

The metal on his skull cap is horribly bright conpared to the rest of him and it makes it look unfinished.

Both: The green skin does not seem to be of the same standard as the rest of the models. Both seem to have rough blending (in fact it seems worse on the better of the two and I think making that one change may tip the balance on that one).

Ok thats my comments. Don\'t get me wrong, I am only mentioning where I think you could improve. In general I think both are very well executed models, I have voted 8 for the first and 8.5 for the second (the checkers are really well done - as is the claw).

Keep up the good work and start up a WIP thread, it may help (it may not of course).

 

[tidoco2222]

Both Orks look damn fine to me mate, definately in the 8.4/5 range if you ask me. But then I am biased towards Orks anyway.
The metals on Ghazgul is awesome and I might be contacting you about that.

Voted btw

 

[Taikisama]

OMG....their frickin awsome. i love the worn look of the metal, awsome minis dude

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Originally posted by Lemmingspawn
Self improvement and all that new agey junk....ya know? lol

Get in touch with your inner painter and rejoice. The energy from the centered child mind will pour forth..................lol

 

[demonherald]

Well you can\'t get a better reinforcing of the standard than that Tim Tidocco saying he may be in touch with you about the metals and he is a respected master of these......

I agree a lot with Drevilmonki.....I\'d say the 2 things that really stick for me are the first orks head just doesn\'t seem to fit right ...And the falling over pose on the second..

Bases are a big thing and need working to the same level as the rest of the model.

I think 8.5 - 9 so just where you say..scores are a fickle thing and something not to worry about honestly....

 

[Lemmingspawn]

Thanks for the help guys! It\'s all good advice. I have a couple of specific questions, though. 2 things that have been mentioned is the difference between the metals on the base and the metals on the orks, and the skintones.

The metals on the base I tried to make them look old, dry and rusted, so they\'d naturally look different to the metals on the ork armour. What do you think i need to improve on the base metals to get that look across more?

And the skintones, I know the tones on Ghazkul aren\'t as good as the Nob, so I\'m not worried too much about Ghazkul, but on the Nob, what do you think I need to do further there? The only thing I can think of is to deepen the shadows in the recesses a little more. I\'ve highlighted up to pure elf flesh and I\'m hesitant to go any further, since the natural progression would take me to white which I think would look weird.

As to the metals, I\'m kinda glad that you guys mentioned that it looks a bit haphazard and uneven... That\'s the effect I wanted and I\'m pretty happy with it. Obviously not all the voters are...lol...I see my orks as being junkyard scavengers, so their stuff is in various states of disrepair/repair, hence some bits being a little shinier that others.

One thing I have figured out about CMON voting though, is that it has to be a cool model to get good votes too. I\'ve noticed that the Ghazkul is getting better votes, but it\'s most definitly not painted as well as the Nob. But Ghazkul is a way cooler model....

I\'ll have to post the Talos up when it\'s painted and see how I go there..... :yes:

 

[DrEvilmonki]

Regarding your metals looking rough, I am refering to the painting. There is a difference between rough metal and rough painting.

I would suggest going darker on your skin. Also with the highlights you should read EricJ\'s excellent article. You can use white, just water it down HEAPS, this way you can accent the underlying colour without going to complete white. (check out the article, it will explain better than I).

DOn\'t misunderstand the girders, etc can be a different colour, it\'s just the quality of paint job doesn\'t seem to be as high, they look rather flat and almost plasticy.

And you are right to a degree, it is Cool Mini or not and the choice of mini can influence the end result.

EDIT: Some examples of rust
ONE
TWO
Three

 

[Lemmingspawn]

Ok, cool. I follow what you mean now. It\'s the granulated sections on the back and a couple of other places. Yeah, I can\'t figure out how I stuffed that up. I just put it down to the fact that I thinned the silver down and it gets a funny gritty effect sometimes....dunno why. Is it mainly the silvers? Or do you see some crappy areas on the coppery/bronze type areas too? As to the flesh, yeah I figured I had it too light and not enough shadow. The thinned down method is how I\'ve painted the whole thing, especially the highlights. I think they look a little rough coz of the pics coz IRL they\'re really smooth.

I\'ll have a go with white, I was mainly concerned highlighting the green with white, coz you get funny tones when you do it that way....but I\'ll have a burl. I can always tone it down again!

Actually now that I look at the pics again, there are a couple of areas that look quite gritty when they aren\'t....I\'ll have to take a different approach with the pics....I think it\'s the way the Digital is processing them.... :wow:???:wow:

Thanks for thosel pics of rust...I really should go looking for some good examples of things I\'m trying to paint. It\'s just that when I am doing it I\'m at work and I have no net access there....sucks.... but anyways...