artsify's WIP

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

So, I'm new to this forum, so I will quickly introduce myself, my name is Joe, i'm 19 nearly 20. I first got into the hobby back in '06 which I spent all my pocket money on, buying everything I could, I was always into the hobby side more than the gaming side, so I quickly progressed in painting skill. After a few years, I stopped, went to college, and moved on, but recently I've really got back into it, I got the Hobbit Legolas model which I then got the basic paints and painted up, just as a little test to see what skills I still had, which is shown below:

Click to: Show

So, for christmas I got the Barrels out of Bond set from mail order, and I just loved the models. They sat around for a while until 2 days ago when I started to paint them. So far I've got the black basecoat on 3 models, and I've started on the barrels and Bombur's clothes.

If any of you have any ideas on what to do with the bases that would also be great.

I'm a bit stuck on what sort of theme to go for, I've always loved sticking to the film adapatation's of the colour schemes, so I'm hoping to do that, if you guys have any tips and tricks for getting back into the hobby and painting that would be very welcome.

I hope to be sticking around in this forum for a long time, and am really enjoying looking at all the amazing painting on this site.

TheBlondeRider · **Posted:** Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:27 am

I've always been fond of darker, earthier hues while painting. In this case going darker is much more important than usual because they are all soaking wet. So for realism-sake go darker than usual. E.g. Take the basecoat, and shade instead of highlighting.

For the bases you could add a wavy waterline, paint that like water, and gloss varnish that. As a finishing touch use clear silicone kit (in Dutch its kit, but i mean the stuff in a tube you push out with a tube-gun-thing... I need more lingo for this stuff haha!) You can manipulate that into 'sprays' of water hitting up from the barrel.

You can also go further and pour clear resin around the barrel after painting the base a dark green/blue.

Hope it helps!

Gene Parmesan · **Posted:** Mon Feb 02, 2015 7:46 am

You can make splashing water from clear silicone. There are other methods too

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

Haven't had much time to do much painting, but I had an evening free whilst my girlfriend was doing college work, so spent the evening trying out some new techniques on Balin, mainly the face, painting it with Kislev Flesh very watered down for a few coats, then applying Baal Red wash to it, then highlighting with increasing brightness of of Kislev Flesh, by adding white each time. I haven't done the eyes yet, but I've never put this much effort into a face before, but I am really proud of it, I applied the same technique to the tunic, hair and gloves. The gloves are a very dark grey, with a wash and shadow grey highlight, I think when the barrel is painted they will look much better.

Gloves are a bit dark due to bad lighting in these photos, I'm in the proccess of setting up a light box, but apart from the Barrel itself and the eyes I am really proud of him.

Just the face in this one is done.

Again, I apologise for the quality, I took this at midnight, with no sunlight.

Something I have never been able to do is blending, so if anyone has a basic overview of how to blend that would be great, or a link to a tutorial.

I also tried to do a darker red with what paints I have that haven't dried out, as suggested by TheBlondeRider which I think really added to the wet look, hoping to do a water base, with maybe some PVA built up which dries see through, or something similar.

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

So, sorry for double posting, but I finished off Balin, being the first completed model after about 5 years of painting. I'm not really happy with the eyes, but I'm quite proud of the rest, be great to get some of you guys opinions, especially on how to do the eyes on a scale this small, these models are smaller than the standard 28mm, which is really starting to get on my nerves.

Up close in these photos, he actually looks worse, but in real life he looks a lot better....... I hope.

Gene Parmesan · **Posted:** Sun Feb 08, 2015 1:59 pm

Nice effort. Ill send some links when I get home tonight to help with layering/blending

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

Thanks, that would be really useful, I've never understood how to blend, so can't wait to have a look at the links.

Durak · **Posted:** Sun Feb 08, 2015 4:02 pm

Cool, I like the progress!

Only suggestion I would have is you could maybe batch paint or assembly line paint the barrels if they all look the same. So paint the dwarves up and then go back in and do all the barrels at once or split them up and do half at one sitting and the other half at another!

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

So after being with my girlfriend for about a week, I had this evening off duty, so managed to complete another Dwarf, this time, Kili. I am relativly pleased with this guy, I'm still struggling with the skin quite a bit, and after painting him, I've realised I need to put more effort into cleaning the model of the mould lines. If anyone has any good tips on skin, please tell me. Also, he does have eyes, still not happy with them but about 4 attempts later it's the best I've got them, his right eye is there, but because of his brow shape you have to be looking from a lower angle to see. The models are just so small I don't know how to get them right!

I used to be so good at eyes and faces, where di my skills go dammit!

Ridgeback · **Joined:** Mon Dec 22, 2014 3:25 pm **Posts:** 105

hey i think it looks very good.

i know the problem with painting the eyes especially on dwarfes. But with a bit exercise this will go very quickly. how do you paint the eyes? i paint the eyes before the face. than you can correct them after that.
how do you make the Bases with water effects?

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

I think on my next one, which I'm gonna hopefully do later on today, I'm gonna paint the eyes first, after the black undercoat, then do the face like you say, I've read some tutorials on blending, so gonna attempt to have a go at that aswell.

I'm not to sure how I'm going to do the water bases yet, I'm still playing with some ideas in my head, I might possibly make a diorama out of them when I have some more money.

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

So, I had the whole day free after the dentist this morning, so managed to get quite a lot done, I undercoated another 3 models, Thorin, Fili and another one that I don't recognise. I got the barrels with their base colour done but I actually finished Fili, I painted the eyes first then painted the face around them which is great technique and they definitely after my best eyes on these models so far. I like the way Fili came out, but i'm not too sure on the tunic he is wearing, I'm following the GW colours, and his tunic matches the barrel, but I did try to do some more highlighting to give it some distinction.

C&C Encouraged!

Then here are all 3 of the models done so far: Kili, Fili and Balin

I think they look a lot better when they are placed next to each other in a photo, so I cannot wait to complete them all and get some great shots of them all.

In other news, I have myself £40 to spend freely in GW tomorrow afternoon, I'm not entirely sure on what to get, I really like the look of the grim hammers, but wanted something more human sized to really paint and get back into the swing of it with a normal sized model. So if anyone has an recommendations on what is good to paint and fun let me know ASAP. Also, some new paints and such would be nice so any recommendations are welcome!

Sithious · **Posted:** Mon Feb 09, 2015 11:28 pm

I think overall you are doing great, practice is the best tutorial.

For eyes, until you really get them, you should paint them first. in a year or so you can move to trying them free hand at any point in the painting (depending on how much practice that is). You can also practice all day long on paper or card, don't over look that as a option for practice fineline or even blending. You can also fix bad eyes with your flesh shades and highlights and 'cut in' like a painter would painting around a window of your house, same principles apply.

Blending; I have sat through Jen Haleys Miniature Painting Secrets video (She paints professionally both GD winner and Crystal Brush winner) a few times, I have read countless articles... you know what, it is hard to do and takes practice. Even after you get it, you will be tweaking it and adjusting blends to get a piece just right. Now that said, I do think everyone should read up and practice new techniques often, so go for it.

Gene Parmesan · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:24 am

The Jen Haley DVD is a little advanced if youre just trying to get to grips with basic blending. I should ask though, do you mean layering or blending? Two sides of the same coin really, bit there is a slight distinction in 'paint-speak' if you go looking for tutorials. Blending lends itself to more advanced techniques, so look for layering tips I'd say.

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

Thanks for the comments guys, my uncle is actually a painter by trade and I have just finished 4 weeks work experience with him. So i've taken what I've learned from that and applied it to my models. For example, the cutting in like you said, I primed the model, did rather large white areas around the eyes, then used a very fine black pen to dot the eyes, his right eye came out better I think. Then I used the base flesh tone to 'cut in' around the eye, slowly covering the white up until I was happy with it.

That video does sound very interesting, I do love watching other people paint, so even if it is that advanced, I would still love to watch it, so might have a look for it.

Harfoot · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 9:16 pm

Coming along nicely, are you going to add a water look to the bases?

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

I actually went into GW today and got myself some liquid green stuff aswell as Agrax Earthshade and a couple new paints along with a Tauriel I plan on painting up along with some mirkwood rangers I'm planning on buying. Hopefully I can use it to make some water effects on the bases after seeing a lava Base done with it.

I got an email back from GW today saying they are sending me out a replacement set of Dwarves bevause the fingers on bombour are missing so that's pretty great but now I have loads of Dwarves with nothing to do to them, so does anyone have any ideas? Will put up pictures of my purchases tomorrow when I'm at home

Harfoot · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:19 pm

Nice result to get a complete replacement, the same happened to me with Azog

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

So, I got home this morning and started work on Evangeline Lily... sorry Tauriel, considering this model looks nothing like her.

Tried my first hand at LGS as after some assembly there were some massive gaps, the green stuff actually worked really well.

So I got that done then started to hand undercoat her, talk about a fiddly model, so much flowing cape it was hard to get everywhere. As I was doing this I noticed how unstable she is, with only 2 tiny points of contact on the base, which I reinforced with green stuff. If anyone has any ideas on how to make her a bit more stable please let me know.

That's all the progress I have done today by Lunch time, Hopefully I can get all the base colours on by tonight, as I really want to do my best possibly on this model!

artsify · **Joined:** Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:16 pm **Posts:** 29

Okay, so with the base colours on she looked really dark, so it definitely made me realise I had to go lighter with the highlights. Also, I got the eyes done brilliantly at least in my opinion on her. I'm really starting to hate the Finecast models at the moment though because all their faces end up going like spekkely type with dry bits of paint, I have no idea why this happens and it is only on the face, you'll see better in the finished pictures below.

Then the finished model, I really didn't like this model, but when I based her she just became amazing, to me at least. I don't know why the bases just make a model great! She is one of the models who dosen't look amazing, but from half an arms length, just stunning, definitely table top quality but nothing super fancy up close.

I really should get back to doing my dwarfs, but I have the new Legolas hobbit model, and Tauriel now, so it seems like I should buy Thranduil, which I most likely will, Also going to repaint Legolas as I hate the way i've painted him, (first model I painted after my 7 year gap) He's the model with the log coming out that he is standing on, so need to come up with an idea to make the base look good.

artsify's WIP

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