About highlights and shdows

[TrystanGST]

Ah. Yellow One. Never get bored looking at his stuff.

I think, at least for me, the problem with the first mini yxalitis posted is not the contrast, but the placement of shadows. It looks off because it's dark where it shouldn't be. The mermaid has excellent shading, but due to what I imagine are lighting issues looks flat.

I've become more accepting of exaggerated contrast in my quest to be a better painter. But there IS such a thing as overdone. It usually starts in black, passes thru a color, and ends in white. ><
http://www.coolminiornot.com/345975
Don't get me wrong - emuse is an amazingly talented artist. I have no fault with his execution. But why is the yellow almost black in places? Especially on the shoulders that are a flat plane?

 

[ten ball]

I suppose its all down to personal taste. The way the yellows and greens go to black in an effortless blend is just genius !
I love this super high contrast style and perhaps one day I will be able to paint like it :drool:

View attachment 24126

 

[Bailey03]

I'm also a fan of the high contrast style. I don't quite feel comfortable going from the extreme black to white and perhaps I never will, but I'm still impressed with the work of those who do. In general I try to push the contrast a little farther with each figure I do. At some point I'm sure I'll decide enough is enough... but I'm not there yet. However, I think it's important to keep in mind that high contrast is a style, not necessarily a right or wrong way to paint. I'm part of a club that runs a yearly show and when we judge figures we do our best to separate style choices from painting quality. One judge might prefer high contrast and the other less, but ideally we should score the figure the same.

As for the snake woman and mermaid examples, the mermaid seems to me to have as much contrast as the snake lady, it's just applied better. As MAXXxxx pointed out, the shadows under the breast are very dark. However the mermaid has better variation in the shadows, using high contrast where it needs it and less in areas like the stomach and face where harsh contrast isn't necessary. I don't care for the shading on the stomach or face of the snake lady, way to harsh for my taste. In general female figures and children look better with less contrast in the face and details, the major shapes can still have high contrast. I saw a child figure posted a little while ago with so much shading in the face he looked like a very short 50 year old.

 

[Ritual]

@yxalitis: In my view, the reason your first example looks bad is because it lacks blending between the light and the dark. The shadows are just as dark in your other example, but good blending makes it look good. Therefore, it's not a case of overdoing the shadows in the first example, but more of a lack in blending skills. Lighter shadows would look better in that case, but just because it would make the lacking blending skills less obvious.

 

[Zab]

I'm also a fan of the high contrast style. I don't quite feel comfortable going from the extreme black to white and perhaps I never will, but I'm still impressed with the work of those who do.

Oh come on, try it you might like it...:sinister:

 

[yxalitis]

Yes I agree and I love it! Contrast is the key on modern miniature painting. (imo)
This example from Yellow one is pure class, over exaggerated shadows to over the top highlights all add to a word class mini.
Not realistic but its not supposed to be.

View attachment 24124

OK, this is an awesome piece of work.
I don't think this is an example of overdone or exaggerated shading at all!

In fact, part of the shading you are seeing is due to...actual shadows! Check out the shadow of the nipple ring, I doubt that's been painted on.

I really am talking about OTT stuff, and this doesn't qualify.

 

[yxalitis]

Ah. Yellow One. Never get bored looking at his stuff.

I think, at least for me, the problem with the first mini yxalitis posted is not the contrast, but the placement of shadows. It looks off because it's dark where it shouldn't be. The mermaid has excellent shading, but due to what I imagine are lighting issues looks flat.

I've become more accepting of exaggerated contrast in my quest to be a better painter. But there IS such a thing as overdone. It usually starts in black, passes thru a color, and ends in white. ><
http://www.coolminiornot.com/345975
Don't get me wrong - emuse is an amazingly talented artist. I have no fault with his execution. But why is the yellow almost black in places? Especially on the shoulders that are a flat plane?

Again, to me this is NOT overdone!
Why?
It's trying to look metallic, which is both smoother and more reflective than skin.

 

[Avelorn]

To me it sounds more like you are disliking unrealistic placement of highlights and not taking different textures and materials into account.

 

[yxalitis]

To me it sounds more like you are disliking unrealistic placement of highlights and not taking different textures and materials into account.

Did you see the example I posted?

 

[MAXXxxx]

Did you see the example I posted?

I think yes, Avelorn did. And in the light-shadow contrast ist just as great if not greater in the minis you like then in the one you gave as an example, that you don't like.
The difference is what he wrote (+ still I find it too much in the stomach area)