Johnys painting improvement journey.

[johnynoi]

Hi guys and gals! I'm a long time lurker on this fantastic site and am constantly being amazed by the standard of painting gracing the galleries!

I've been painting since I was about 12 years old on and off, with a big gap of about ten years in between. I picked up a paintbrush a couple of years ago and started painting again as a tool to destress after work, and I'd forgotten just how much I enjoyed it! I feel at times that i'm regaining a part of my childhood and my imagination which I presumed MIA since the real world took over my life has returned!

I've become quite profitient at churning out armies but i'd love to raise my skill level and become even half has good as some of the talent on show here! I'd appreciate it if you guys could throw as much critique and advice my way as you can as I post my work, i'm pretty thick skinned and know I've got so much to learn!

A couple of pieces I've done over the past couple of weeks so you can see where i'm at painting wise:



And what I'm currently working on



I'm trying to paint different things and trying out different techniques, and want to learn more about colours, composition so reading up furiously on them. I seem to be struggling with placements of shadow and highlights too as my poor attempt at nmm on the Tzeentch sorceror shows (ive tried on the armour of the skaven character too)

I look forward to speaking to you guys as I post more wip's, and hope I can help others further down the line too!

Johny

[Jwhitaker]

Not much critiquing from me. The two completed minis look great to me. I'm sure the great artists here will have plenty of tips and advice. Mainly just posting here because it's nice to know someone else is on the same journey I'm undertaking. Looking forward to seeing your progress. And also more power to you on undertaking the NMM. I have yet to muster the want to to give it a shot, plus haven't finished reading on it yet. Anyway good luck to you on your endeavor.

[freakinacage]

looks good, you clearly know how to paint. only crit would be that you can see some of the transitions between layers. maybe blend them a bit better or thin your paints more and build them up slower

[johnynoi]

Thanks guys! Your right too I think i'm a bit impatient with blending! I did a little bit more on the Skaven character tonight. I'm really not pleased with it but will persevere as a learning tool!







Blending isnt very smooth and lights all wrong again! This painting malarky can be frustrating at times! Apologies about the quality of the photos, learning to use a camera is on the checklist of things to improve!

[DannyVasquez]

When your putting paint down, do you thin your paints a lot? because that is really the key to it all.

I was taught a mantra by my friend, the thinner the paint the smoother the layers..

[johnynoi]

I think i'm thinning them enough, what i've just learned though is the wiping the excess paint off the brush trick! I did that on the axe and halberd and think it came out a bit better, however I still jumped between shades to quickly, I need to try taking my time transitioning between dark and light! Perhaps mixing shades in advance too so they are readyvon the pallette, I tend to mix as I go along and lose track of the colour. I struggle with knowing where the light and shadows would fall too so when I get round that I hope the colours will fall into place. I'll keep practicing the blending too!

[DannyVasquez]

There will be a day when it 'clicks' if you get me. After last years Golden Demon I was talking to my friend on the way home and he said to me,

"you can put as little paint on the brush as possible, it will still show on the model. The key is how wet the paint is when you put it down"

If you put down a lot at once, just lick your brush and feather out the excess. You can always glaze it with the shade.

If you need a real experts help, just look up Ijee. He might be able to explain better than I...as he is the one who taught me.

[johnynoi]

Thanks for that Danny! Manchesters not a million miles away from me, might be worthwhile seeing if I can book in for some hands on tuition! Ijee's work looks immense. I had a peek at your Dark Angel too, thats coming on real nice!

[DannyVasquez]

Thanks. Thats cool of you to say. I cant speak for Ijee's availability for that sort of tuition, you would have to ask him. But if you want advice through the forums thats cool too.

[johnynoi]

Got a wee bit more done on the rat, been pretty slow going though and i'm not very impressed with it! I'll keep persevering till its done though and move onto the next one




A lot that could be improved upon i'm sure you'll agree, so hit me with the critique!

On a different note my girlfriends 9 year old daughter took a bit of an interest in what I was up to!


Not bad for a first attenp, she'll be better than me by high school

[Benihana]

Your minis look good so far, I'm not sure what you don't like about them! The only comment I really have is that your Ssssskaven is not very "pink," but that may be a decision rather than an accident. And the other is that your verdigris/bronze rust is very clean, as in, seems like it's only outlining a few of the sticking-out-bits. Normal verdigris usually either covers the object completely, except for the bits that stuck out and bump or rub on other things (like spike tips), or is somewhat random and sometimes mixed with other kinds of rust. I couldn't find many reference images, but these might help:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/witchietaitai/3127670713/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/njsouthall/4520299138/

Best of luck, and keep it up!

[kathrynloch]

I think it's looking good johny! And I love your daughter's work! That's great! I can see where some of your highlights are a wee bit rough, do you use a wet-palette? That will help, especially if you have an a/c or a fan going in the area. I always use a paper towel to wipe my brush off after I load it. You want the paint wet but thin and only a small amount on your brush. And yes, its something I'm still working on too!

[marjedi]

Rofl...i cant see the improvement needw, these look great. And i love that you are indoctrinating the next generation at an early age. Resistance is futile, prepare to serve the collective

[SkelettetS]

mmmm... cookies... ggggaahhg

seriously i think the skaven looks good, love that model! are you up for some freehand/lettering on the banner? as already mentioning you need to work the smoothness of shadows and highlight, kath had some great advices (although i never understood the greatness with wet palettes lol)

great skellie and cannon too

[johnynoi]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I appreciate it! I think its my lack of smoothness thats really frustrating me just now, but i'm going to spend the next while painting up dingle figures to work on it! I fo use a wet pallete, which really just helps me keep my paint from drying out! I do think i'm putting too much paint on the brush though then finding it hard to work with on the model, my brain keeps telling me too much rather than too little!

As for the verdigris, I tried using it more but I couldnt get any depth out of it on the flat surface so looked like green splodges on the armour any tips on that front? Im going to make a crack on with the warpfire tonight and block the rest in so I can see where i'm at!

Kayla will love the feedback on her models too, thanks for that

[johnynoi]

Done a bit more on the rat, it's starting to make me ratty!




And picked this up today, i'm determined to get the hang of NMM to improve my blending, highlighting and shading. Not the best start but feeling a bit more positive that one day I can do it justice!



Incidently, this is my first finecast model. Some of the detail is far superior to what I was used to with metal minis, but some of the flatter parts are a bit "meh" quality wise, and removing mold lines is a bit trickier with the resin being so soft!

[kathrynloch]

Good luck with the NMM - I'm still fighting with mine. Round three now I believe. Rat is looking good but the pics are too far away to tell how smooth or rough it is.

[johnynoi]

Thanks Kath, I'll improve my camera skills eventually, honest! I used to think of myself as a bit of a techie bit this photo malarky has me doubting that!

Got myself a bit lost doing the NMM, my earlier enthusiasm is fading pretty rapidly! Ah well, learning tool and all that jazz!

[kathrynloch]

hehe...I'm right there with ya hun. I'll tell you what they told me. More contrast!

Actually you're doing pretty well, at least you have some dark brown left. But graduate your colors a bit more. Easy to say, tough to do, I know. I'll see if I can get some pics of mine in a bit.

[Torn blue sky]

Digging the metallics, some really nice clean work there! I'd say that was the best bit, but the rest is nearly just as good! Maybe echo a bit more patience with the blending and you'll have gained a big step forward. The blending is by o means bad at all, pretty good in fact. You did want nudged in the right directions though =P