ArchArad's Corner (WIPs and Painting Goodness!)

[ArchArad]

@Teronus -

@Zab - It's good to see that my humble workstation is not that unusual.

 

[Digganob]

I knew exactly who you were talking about Zab when you made your toilet comment hahaha. Also congrats Arc, your wip is more official than mine. Moe has been on me to get a workstation shot but I have slacked off for the longest time. Guess I need to finally do something about it.

 

[ArchArad]

Guess I need to finally do something about it.

Yes! I want to see the Digga lair.

 

[Zab]

It's not what, when or where you paint, but that you paint at all that counts!

 

[Digganob]

The digga lair... I like it. I never had a lair before.

 

[ArchArad]

It's not what, when or where you paint, but that you paint at all that counts!

Well said! I would also venture to add that it's important to have fun while doing it. I find that when I get too tied up in details and fiddling that I get frustrated. When I step back and remind myself that this is fun the painting almost takes care of itself. Almost.

 

[ArchArad]

The digga lair... I like it. I never had a lair before.

Make it so!

 

[Digganob]

Aye aye captain picard.

 

[ArchArad]

Aye aye captain picard.

Excellent young man!

 

[Darthmarsh]

I'm really lucky as I've now got myself a great little hobby shed in the garden. I've found I'm far more productive now as everything is all set up for me so I can just get into the zone. Great work on the bust

 

[ArchArad]

Thanks Darthmarsh. She's coming along and I've learned a whole lot from working on her.

I bet the shed comes with the added bonus of not being interrupted mid-painting session. And no one can complain about your choice of music.

 

[Maenas]

Hello Arch!! huge wip lady

Coming across to stay, share and learn too...

I like how the bust keeps advancing, at the same time I am intrigued about that little malifaux mini that you started your wip with.

I paint best when I adapt new information and advice into my own style. I know this sounds really obvious, but allow me to expand on the thought. I believe that each painter has their own painting personality/style regardless of skill level. I'm referring to the way they paint rather than any signature colours or techniques that they use. My problem comes in when I read great tutorials and advice and then try to change the way I paint to use the new knowledge. I've got it ass backwards - it always works better when I find a way of incorporating the new information into my existing style. And I'm usually a much happier and relaxed patienter when I do.

I'm in the same paint pot here.... xD

On the brushes question some pages before:
I use Escoda brushes, the blue ones. They are pretty cheap and they have a good point (you better choose which you buy though) in sizes 2, 1 and 0. I also have a W&N size 0 because when I went to shop a size one they were out of stock, but I almost don't use it because I feel it too soft and I am scared to destroy it xD. I also own some old red and blue games workshop one's that I now use to mix colours or to do some heavy duty tasks (terrain, dry brush, pva glue etc....)

 

[ArchArad]

Hello Arch!! huge wip lady

Coming across to stay, share and learn too...

It's not the size...it's how you use it Maenas.

Welcome to the general madness and good times - pull up a seat and make yourself comfortable. The more the merrier! Plus I'm really loving connecting with people.

The little Malifaux mini, Wong, that I started this WIP with is on hold at the moment. It may sound certifiable, but I like to have a feel for the character I'm painting and I often end up creating little stories in my head for them. He's an absolutely delightful mini, but I'm just not feeling that connection. I don't want to ruin him, so I've put him to one side until he's ready to chat.

I have a confession: I haven't used my new Raphael brushes yet. Hopefully I'll be brave enough on the next model I start.

What're you working on at the moment?

 

[Maenas]

....
The little Malifaux mini, Wong, that I started this WIP with is on hold at the moment. It may sound certifiable, but I like to have a feel for the character I'm painting and I often end up creating little stories in my head for them. He's an absolutely delightful mini, but I'm just not feeling that connection. I don't want to ruin him, so I've put him to one side until he's ready to chat. ..//..

I also have that "issue" I really need to connect with a mini to pull me into painting, problem is once I start I can't stop until my wife comes in and claims me to be lunch/sleep time etc... xD problem is that if I left the project unattended for a long time I just disconnect from it and it costs me huge efforts to start again, in a way that if I start I better continue because if I stop it will probably lay unfinished during decades. So don't worry at all for the time will come for that Malifaux mini, I was just intrigued. ^^

....What're you working on at the moment?

I am now trying my hand with a mithril's bree gate keeper (lord of the rings) that is holding a lamp high in the air. I wanted the lamp to be the only source of light so I am attempting OSL / lateral source light for first time. Must confess that I gathered lots and lots of new info tips and techniques on this forums and on the internet during the last 8-9 months and now I am into an attempting/practising everything mode xD

 

[ArchArad]

Oooh - that sounds like a lot of fun and something exciting to experiment with. Let me know how it's going as you progress! I'm sticking to zenithal lighting at the moment unless the model has an OSL light source. I can visualise zenithal lighting pretty well as I paint, so I'm hoping to get my highlighting and shading right with that first before branching out into more challenging lighting directions.

You sound like you have a very understanding wife. An essential in this hobby! I'm fortunate in that my boyfriend is also understanding and is happy to go to bed with me still painting away (I'm a bit of a night owl). He wargames for fun and enjoys assembling minis - I'm slowly working on getting him involved in the painting side of things.

 

[ArchArad]

Call for Advice from You Fabulous Painters

Okay, I need some advice or to be pointed in the right direction with tutorials etc.

1. Thinning Metallic Paint

I want to do a metallic lacquer effect on the She Warrior armour trim. For this I need very thinned down metallic paint. Last time I tried this the metallic paint started to separate and behave oddly when I got it to the consistency I wanted (I use GW paints). If the advice is to buy a different brand of paint for metallics I'm afraid that isn't a possibility right now - GW's what I've got and what I can get hold of. Should I add some medium to the mix to help keep the pigments more closely bound?

2. Painting Damaged Armour

It's probably not very clear from the pictures I've put up so far, but the She Warrior has two dents in her helmet from where it's turned aside a blow. I want to paint the undamaged armour as enamelled, so I was thinking about having the steel of the raw metal showing in these two areas. But I want it to look damaged/old. Should I wash in some black and brown very lightly to "stain" the steel? I also don't want the edges of the dents to be too neat - I'd like some chipping of the enamel, but I have no idea how to do that.

Any help you fabulous painters could offer to this young grasshopper would be very appreciated! *hugs of thanks in advance*

 

[KruleBear]

For the first, why not paint the metallic on first and then just glaze paint or inks over the top to build up your "enamel"? Essentially the TMM method with more opaque layers on top.

 

[ArchArad]

For the first, why not paint the metallic on first and then just glaze paint or inks over the top to build up your "enamel"? Essentially the TMM method with more opaque layers on top.

I'm specifically going for a lacquered metallic look for the armour trim so I want the enamelled colour to be showing through a metallic topcoat. I really like your suggestion, but I don't think it'll give me the look I'm aiming for.

 

[BloodASmedium]

Use two things flow improver you can get 1 of three they all work well,GW LAHMIAN medium,or reaper (my favorite) flow improver ,or privateer press flow improver,these you can shake well first and then mix 1drop/1drop paint to improver. Now as far as damaged metal I might be able to help you wit that instead of black I would use a simulation of browns washes and a tad bit of purple in there . Now I'm not a fan of chipping but am a fan of stipple g and pigment powders..you could use to simulate chips a small corner of a sponge.the kind that comes in the blister packs dip it in a dark colored paint and then purge most of it off on your pallette as you test your pattern your going for then you can dab or stipple it on.then you can use a very bright silver valleo silver is the brightest I know of and you can saw very tight thin lines to showscratches.I weather armor regularly as its another trait of my MO. Try it out as war is never clean.lol

 

[ArchArad]

Thanks BAM. Question: Where does the silver line go? Along the edge of each stippled area? On one side or multiple?