Suggestions for a Beginner Shading Miniature

[VendettaUF]

Hi all!

I've been lurking here for a long time. The stuff you guys are able to make never ceases to amaze me. I'm a decent tabletop painter (ie clean solid colors + washes). I've been trying to learn shading, but am constantly frustrated by the results. I'm attempting to use the thinned paint shading technique...I think the buzz word is juicing? I seem to be having a hard time mentally picturing where shading should be and just end up with dark splotches everywhere that don't look right. Honestly, I've never really been much of an artistic person. I'm ashamed at how many assembled non-painted minis and models I have. I feel like I get the theory, but when I sit down to do it, I just fail. If I could get a small success under my belt, I think it would go a long way to jazzing me up to doing more.

I'm thinking maybe part of my problem is I'm starting with miniatures that are too complex or too small. Does anyone have a suggestion of a good miniature to start with? Something that would be easy for a beginner to shade? I don't care the manufacturer fantasy/sci-fi. I guess I get frustrated easily so its a lot easier for me to do things in steps rather then jumping in at too difficult a level. Picking up this skill is something I've wanted to do for years, but just haven't been able to do. (Motivation and time have hurt me too hehe)

 

[cheelfy]

To shade easily, use gw washes. You just have to apply the wash that matches your colour and it will go in the areas that are suposed to be shaded. Dilute them if you think the shadow is too strong, the more you dilute, the smoother your shadow will be. You also can apply it over a whole area to shade it totally. Another way to shade is to dilute a paint that is darker than the colour you want to shade and apply it in the parts you want to shade but as you have problems with shading you'd better not try it now.
Good minis easy to shade are gw orks, their skin are easy to paint and washes will be perfect for them. Start with boyz or nobz, they're easier. Beastmen are also good as you can paint their skins and just apply a wash over it.

 

[Necroghast]

Anything with cloth is a good place to start as it has so many folds and crevices. So any model wearing robes or something like that. After that, if you spray it black, (or white and then put a darker base coat over it) you can then use a short burst of white primer from one direction only to simulate a light source. anything that the "light" will hit will be covered by the light primer while the shadows, places where the "light" doesnt hit will still have the darker paint in them. This is a good start towards seeing where the shadows will go.

Once you get set on a miniature, why dont you post a WIP on that section of the forums? Then people could watch your progress and give you tips on shading your specific model.

 

[VendettaUF]

Thanks for your suggestions! I'll try and start a WIP....Not very good but I guess thats the point eh.

 

[Necroghast]

Yup, we're all here too help. These are probably the friendliest forums I've ever used to tell you the truth.

 

[Einion]

...I think the buzz word is juicing?

Ack! (Personal bugbear!) Juicing is just another term for something there's already a word for, in case you didn't know.

I seem to be having a hard time mentally picturing where shading should be...

Although it is actually quite easy often there's no need to struggle to do this mentally - just prime something and hold it under your desk lamp. After a while you'll get to know where shadows should be (studying well-painted stuff in the galleries will help).

I feel like I get the theory, but when I sit down to do it, I just fail. If I could get a small success under my belt, I think it would go a long way to jazzing me up to doing more.

You might try doing this one thing at a time, so for example don't worry about using layering or any other effects that rely on heavily-thinned paint while simultaneously working on improving your shadowing.

Instead, get one of your assembled minis and just work on correct placement of the shading and highlighting, using the paint pretty much at full strength. After you're more confident with the lighting thing THEN you can work on achieving subtler intermediate colours using very thin paint and lots of layers.

BTW, the "dark splotches everywhere" thing sounds like you might be using too much paint on your brush (lots of existing threads mention this and how to control it).

I'm thinking maybe part of my problem is I'm starting with miniatures that are too complex or too small. Does anyone have a suggestion of a good miniature to start with? Something that would be easy for a beginner to shade?

Well what do you already have? Surely you have something that's not too complex?
As far as small goes, well these are minis, so not much to be done about that... :cute:

Einion

 

[VendettaUF]

Hehe well....I was working with some GW Skinks right now...which have a lot of very small areas. Someone suggested greenskins. I have some old Heroquest minis I might use as practice...tons of orcs in there.

 

[IdofEntity]

Hehe well....I was working with some GW Skinks right now...which have a lot of very small areas. Someone suggested greenskins. I have some old Heroquest minis I might use as practice...tons of orcs in there.

I'll go ahead and say skinks are perfect for practicing basic shading, but they're a pain for transition shadows. Since you're (typically) using the same colour for the underside of the neck to the underside of the tail you'll have to be careful in applying shading. (because of light source)

The goblins that are mentioned are great for practicing shading. Dryads are wicked fun to shade as well. Wood Elves, High Elves, and anything with flowing robes (Necro's suggestion) are good practice. Lastly, Skeletons. Bone is good practice for shading, and if you wish to use a darker colour instead of a wash you have plenty of colour choices to choose from in the brown families that don't require much mixing.

I'll go ahead and advise you NOT attempt this at first on things like Dire Wolves. Maybe I'm just horrible, but these seem to be a royal pain to me. I still haven't really made anything passable with that yet. (because of the exposed flesh)

 

[VendettaUF]

Thanks for the additional suggestions. I may give the skinks another pass as well. I have to stop myself from getting stuck in the loop of not wanting to paint my cool stuff until I get better or I'll never get better Can allways get more.

 

[Wren]

Yep, as long as it's something you can get more of without too much trouble, definitely paint the stuff you think is cool now instead of waiting! You'll enjoy it more and see you progress better on better minis.

In addition to the put it under the lamp trick, you can also try this. Imagine a stop sign shape. The midtone is on the two vertical sides. The brightest highlight is on the top horizontal side, with a more moderate highlight on the two sides that slope from the top to the verticals. The deepest shadow is on the bottom horizontal side, with more moderate shadows on the two sides that slope up from the bottom to the verticals. So look at something like an outstretched arm, say, and think of it in those terms and see if it helps.

 

[Matt Cexwish]

Where are you from, VendettaUF ...?...

I recommend a Painting Class to you... You will learn anything important there...

Funny Detail: If you are from the United States I might have something for you in Summer 2011... Stay tuned...^_^...

 

[Einion]

I have to stop myself from getting stuck in the loop of not wanting to paint my cool stuff until I get better or I'll never get better Can allways get more.

Plus, remember that virtually anything can be stripped of paint. Metals in particular can be stripped more than a few times without any loss of detail.

Einion

 

[gsr15]

Where are you from, VendettaUF ...?...

I recommend a Painting Class to you... You will learn anything important there...

Funny Detail: If you are from the United States I might have something for you in Summer 2011... Stay tuned...^_^...

Summer 2011 eh? whereabouts might you be planning this? Methinks I could use a bit of hands-on training myself.