Torn blue sky
New member
Why would you do yourself out of drinking all that booze?! D=
Need a mentor to point me in the right direction
- Thread starter -Ice
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Torn blue sky
New member
Aww man, no way! That's would have saved me a bitch of a hangover 2 weeks ago! I selflessly drank 2 bottles of wine for the corks, i'm a goddamn HERO!
Anyone who manages to imbibe wine at all is a bloody hero in my book. XD
Torn blue sky
New member
Dude, one bottle was white, the other was red. Red wine does not like me, I've reached the conclusion I do not like it either...It was only the morning after people informed me of the legendary hangovers it gives....Shower of bastards!
next time i'm just gonna force someone else to drink it.
next time i'm just gonna force someone else to drink it.
Hey guys, been away for some time due to work pressures but I'm hoping to start again now. I've just purchased another set of victims, er, minis to practice on. I've got two dreadnaughts, a unit of termies, and a unit of assault jump-packed marines waiting for their turn as well.
Anybody seen Tommie? I'm still waiting for my next lesson...
I'm happy with my basecoating now, and after watching a few videos, I understand how to put highlights and shadows.... now the challenge is to figure out where to put them on the space marines who each have different poses.
Anybody seen Tommie? I'm still waiting for my next lesson...
I'm happy with my basecoating now, and after watching a few videos, I understand how to put highlights and shadows.... now the challenge is to figure out where to put them on the space marines who each have different poses.
cleen X
New member
Thats easy 
just look at the mini from above, those areas are affected by light, imagine the sun shining from above, all areas under the model, example under the arms and between the legs are in shadow. Sound simple and strange but its what most painters do. You can also shine a light on the mini from above and study the areas that receive light. You are essentially painting light and shadow unto the mini the same way the sun affects real objects. Simply put: top will have light, bottom and underneath shadow
just look at the mini from above, those areas are affected by light, imagine the sun shining from above, all areas under the model, example under the arms and between the legs are in shadow. Sound simple and strange but its what most painters do. You can also shine a light on the mini from above and study the areas that receive light. You are essentially painting light and shadow unto the mini the same way the sun affects real objects. Simply put: top will have light, bottom and underneath shadow Tommie Soule
New member
bizy bizy bizy
i'm about a bit less cos of work stuffs and tech stuffs, but your in good hands here anyways.
put high lights where you think they look kool (thin and neat)
There are generally 2 ways of applying shadows/highlights, the "zenithal light", or "´Eavy Metal".
"Zenithal light" is as simple as imagining the model as if lit solely from directly overhead. This gives the mini a "realistic" and "artsy" impression. It´s especially popular with the really high-end painters.
A tip if you want to do it this way is to stick your mini straight under a desktop lamp, and snap a few pictures, and presto you´ll know where to apply shadows and hihglights. After a bit of practice you´ll be able to do it "in the head" and skip the picturetaking step.
"´Eavy Metal" is when you forego the illusion of natural light, and instead highlight every edge of the mini. This gives much more "popping" mini which is why this way of painting tends to be favored by more gaming oriented painters.
The phrase is coined from GWs ´Eavy Meatl painting team which paints all of GWs minis in this style.
"Zenithal light" is as simple as imagining the model as if lit solely from directly overhead. This gives the mini a "realistic" and "artsy" impression. It´s especially popular with the really high-end painters.
A tip if you want to do it this way is to stick your mini straight under a desktop lamp, and snap a few pictures, and presto you´ll know where to apply shadows and hihglights. After a bit of practice you´ll be able to do it "in the head" and skip the picturetaking step.
"´Eavy Metal" is when you forego the illusion of natural light, and instead highlight every edge of the mini. This gives much more "popping" mini which is why this way of painting tends to be favored by more gaming oriented painters.
The phrase is coined from GWs ´Eavy Meatl painting team which paints all of GWs minis in this style.
Well, as these models are to be for table-top gaming, I think I'll go with the 'Eavy Metal way. I will still do shadows and such, but not as "real" as zenithal lighting.
What I plan is to do some shadows on lower parts of the armor (ie, leg armor) but still highlight the upper part of such armor even though technically the "upper part" would be in the shadow of, say, the chest armor.
What I plan is to do some shadows on lower parts of the armor (ie, leg armor) but still highlight the upper part of such armor even though technically the "upper part" would be in the shadow of, say, the chest armor.
Tommie Soule
New member
so now you have placed your basecoat colours now, yes? good. this i will call the "mid tone"
now is time to add the shading, the "dark tone" (in your case dark flesh) this is applied in EXACTLY the same manner as the basecoat, albeit in different areas and on a smaller scale (no more than 1mm wide for your lines. try but dont matter if you dont succeed)
these areas will be 'valleys' of the basecoated parts. e.g. where two pieces of armour meet. look at pictures of the eavy metal stuff and the basic placement of thier mid and dark tones
so again, THIN, NEAT, GOOD BRUSH
off yer pop lad
now is time to add the shading, the "dark tone" (in your case dark flesh) this is applied in EXACTLY the same manner as the basecoat, albeit in different areas and on a smaller scale (no more than 1mm wide for your lines. try but dont matter if you dont succeed)
these areas will be 'valleys' of the basecoated parts. e.g. where two pieces of armour meet. look at pictures of the eavy metal stuff and the basic placement of thier mid and dark tones
so again, THIN, NEAT, GOOD BRUSH
off yer pop lad
Torn blue sky
New member
Why do I now picture Tommie in Dickensian attire addressing a scraggy looking apprentice lol
crystella333
New member
Ah, this is crap. Tried on another model and I could basecoat easily and I really like the results. However, even though I know how "shading" and "highlights" work, I don't know how to shade a space marine.
After a nice base of 25/25/50 blood red/mechrite red/water mix, I've tried a 1:1.5 dark flesh/water mix for shading..... but I don't know how to proceed.
Zenithal lighting? Then most of the legs would be shaded... I'm not too happy and I am confused how/where to proceed.
After a nice base of 25/25/50 blood red/mechrite red/water mix, I've tried a 1:1.5 dark flesh/water mix for shading..... but I don't know how to proceed.
Zenithal lighting? Then most of the legs would be shaded... I'm not too happy and I am confused how/where to proceed.
Tommie Soule
New member
how? you say??
you don't have to think about it! you are just copying the pictures of the marines you like the look of.
you don't have to think about it! you are just copying the pictures of the marines you like the look of.
Okay, I realized I'm not good enough to do line highlights confidently enough, either due to skill or equipment or both. I can do blending and I like my results with it but the problem is I don't know how/where to put it on the mini.
At the moment, I am just dividing everything into segments. For example, a space marine lower leg is divided into 3 segments --- top, middle, bottom. Darkest shadow on bottom third, blending on middle third, and highlight on the top third. However, the segments are divided somewhat horizontally and without regard to actual leg position, ie a leg can be sloped backwards from the knee but the top third of that leg will still be highlight even though some would argue it would be in the "shadow" of the knee.
AAAaarrrghhhh!!!!! :curse!:
At the moment, I am just dividing everything into segments. For example, a space marine lower leg is divided into 3 segments --- top, middle, bottom. Darkest shadow on bottom third, blending on middle third, and highlight on the top third. However, the segments are divided somewhat horizontally and without regard to actual leg position, ie a leg can be sloped backwards from the knee but the top third of that leg will still be highlight even though some would argue it would be in the "shadow" of the knee.
AAAaarrrghhhh!!!!! :curse!:
Stewsayer
New member
Hi Ice,
Dont rush it mate. It takes time and practice to improve. Dividing the mini into segments is a great way to go. Try working up individual areas like a shoulder pad and as Tommie says copy a pic you like. That way you dont have to worry about where the shadows and highlights go as the pic will show you.
Something I do (and my wife bags me for it) is to look (well maybe stare is more accurate) at my WIPs. I haven't had much time to paint this last couple of weeks due to work etc. So I've picked up my unfinished minis and looked at them and tried to viualise the colours I want to use and where the highlights and shadows should go. It sounds a bit lame but it works for me.
As far as edge and line highlights go. Brush control will come with practice. to help my control I use the little finger on my brush hand to limit how much contact and pressure I apply with the brush. I place the tip of the finger against the cork my model is on and then adjust where I hold the brush so that only slight contact is made between the brush and the model. Another thing you can do is "cheat". Paint your higlight line on as neat as you can. If its not straight or even in thickness paint over the offending bits. Then basiclally work back and forth between the highlight colour and the surrounding colour until you have what you want. I find that having only a tiny amount of paint in the brush makes this much easier.
Cheers
Dont rush it mate. It takes time and practice to improve. Dividing the mini into segments is a great way to go. Try working up individual areas like a shoulder pad and as Tommie says copy a pic you like. That way you dont have to worry about where the shadows and highlights go as the pic will show you.
Something I do (and my wife bags me for it) is to look (well maybe stare is more accurate) at my WIPs. I haven't had much time to paint this last couple of weeks due to work etc. So I've picked up my unfinished minis and looked at them and tried to viualise the colours I want to use and where the highlights and shadows should go. It sounds a bit lame but it works for me.
As far as edge and line highlights go. Brush control will come with practice. to help my control I use the little finger on my brush hand to limit how much contact and pressure I apply with the brush. I place the tip of the finger against the cork my model is on and then adjust where I hold the brush so that only slight contact is made between the brush and the model. Another thing you can do is "cheat". Paint your higlight line on as neat as you can. If its not straight or even in thickness paint over the offending bits. Then basiclally work back and forth between the highlight colour and the surrounding colour until you have what you want. I find that having only a tiny amount of paint in the brush makes this much easier.
Cheers
