Advice Needed, Painting Butterflies

[atacam]

Hi Guys

Dont normally ask for help, but this is driving me crazy.

I want to paint some butterflies onto a dress a 28mm mini is wearing, so far all attempts have failed miserably. Anyone know of any tutorials, or have any advice/examples.

All help appreciated, I dont have much hair left!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dragonsreach]

I want to paint some butterflies onto a dress a 28mm mini is wearing, so far all attempts have failed miserably. Anyone know of any tutorials, or have any advice/examples.

Question: How dark is the background?
Because if it is dark use a thin almost wash of white/silver grey to make the outline/shape and work the colour up in thin tints of colour.
If it's light however use a darker outline of the base colour to form the shape of the butterfly and then do the above.

Although I've not done Butterflies, I used that technique to paint Flowers on an Eldar Farseer and a Spyglass mini to reasonable effect.

 

[atacam]

Question: How dark is the background?
Because if it is dark use a thin almost wash of white/silver grey to make the outline/shape and work the colour up in thin tints of colour.
If it's light however use a darker outline of the base colour to form the shape of the butterfly and then do the above.

Although I've not done Butterflies, I used that technique to paint Flowers on an Eldar Farseer and a Spyglass mini to reasonable effect.

oopps sorry. Should know better by now, not adding a pic of where I am. (would add smiley if there were any!!!)

Thanks. I have seen that,Not up to his standard yet, but I dont need to make some, I have already done that, I need to paint some.

This is what they need to go on.

I want to aim for turquoise ones, not too worried if they are solid as at this level the detail might just clutter them.

I've just found this pic. But its the actual technique, just wanting to know if anyone has an idea. As I need to replicate it throughout.

 

[Shawn R. L.]

See if you can do a 'brush dab' that you can easily repeat. A simple poke, stroke that will give a teardrop may do. So small, if you try to work the wings too much, it will probably be difficult or impossible. Them are tiny little wings.

 

[littlewolf1176]

You could try a basic shape. for the body try a rectangle but round the edges - for the wings try heart shapes connected to the rounded retangle and a dot of = size for the head. The problem that i can see with this is there wont be too much detail for the butterfly its self. Hope this helps!

 

[Prophecy07]

I agree with LittleWolf. I'm certainly no freehand master, but I would draw an oval, and then go back in with the red and "uncolor" the bits that shouldn't be there. That's how I manage freehand chapter symbols and whatnot. I've always found it easier to paint in the negative, as it were.

And man, if that's not one of the crazier models I've ever seen...