[436621] Vintage Rasputina - Request for feedback

Stilghar

New member
Hello!

I'm new here, nice to meet you all!

http://www.coolminiornot.com/436621

I would like to get some feedback for this mini. I painted it last year for a Wyrd Games competition. I am quite happy with it. However, there's always more that can be done.

Where could I improve for the future? What could I have done to make this better?

I'll be grateful for any piece of constructive feedback.
 

MAXXxxx

Well-known member
I'd say 4+1 points where you can improve:

1. color scheme. The figure feels mostly blue with a yellowish skin while the clothes are mostly black-white (with a hint of purple? feels that way). Somehow it doesn't feel complete + colors on the pic are not that saturated so it's missing a strong focus (can be that the back of the cape is a strong blue and with that the mini works, but on the image it doesn't show)

2. contrast. On the white sash it looks ok, but on the dark clothes and skin the light-dark can be pushed much more. It's actually surprising how much contrast the skin can take and still look natural and good.

3. transitions. Yeah that mini is small and hard to do it, but with the help of a few glazes the transitions can be made smoother. Or just cheat and use dry pigments (they can be used for much more than just weathering vehicles)

4. neatness. I'm not a great fan of black lining or similar things, but some of the areas are washed together and don't stand out as separate parts. Most noticable is the waist area, where the contours of the dark cloth-sash-buckle is hard to differentiate (and a bit of the same issue with the tigh there too), similar with the lining of the ice crystals, they could be improved with neater edges and a less patchy transition,
or the buttons on the upper body (a cheat here: don't use a brush for painting buttons/rivets, but a sharpened tooth pick, makes them much more uniform and easier to paint too)

+1 Highlight direction. It's not a real problem, but you used the GW style general highlighting (recess darker, folds lighter), look up zenithal lighting scheme, where you still do the general lighting a bit, but also make parts that are lower darker and those closer to the 'sun' lighter.
 

Stilghar

New member
Wow, those are some great pointers.

1. color scheme. The figure feels mostly blue with a yellowish skin while the clothes are mostly black-white (with a hint of purple? feels that way). Somehow it doesn't feel complete + colors on the pic are not that saturated so it's missing a strong focus (can be that the back of the cape is a strong blue and with that the mini works, but on the image it doesn't show)

I wanted to go for a colder color scheme, seems to not have worked the way I intended. Here's a picture of the miniature's backside: https://imgur.com/a/NbNy0c9

2. contrast. On the white sash it looks ok, but on the dark clothes and skin the light-dark can be pushed much more. It's actually surprising how much contrast the skin can take and still look natural and good.

Point taken.

3. transitions. Yeah that mini is small and hard to do it, but with the help of a few glazes the transitions can be made smoother. Or just cheat and use dry pigments (they can be used for much more than just weathering vehicles)

I'll try glazing more. How do I use pigments? They have come up a few times, while I was browsing the internet for information, but it's hard to find any specific information like "you can use them for ths and that", "to achieve this effect, follow these steps"and so on.

4. neatness. I'm not a great fan of black lining or similar things, but some of the areas are washed together and don't stand out as separate parts. Most noticable is the waist area, where the contours of the dark cloth-sash-buckle is hard to differentiate (and a bit of the same issue with the tigh there too), similar with the lining of the ice crystals, they could be improved with neater edges and a less patchy transition,
or the buttons on the upper body (a cheat here: don't use a brush for painting buttons/rivets, but a sharpened tooth pick, makes them much more uniform and easier to paint too)

I'll work on it. Thanksfor the tip about a toothpick. Wouldn't have thought about it.

+1 Highlight direction. It's not a real problem, but you used the GW style general highlighting (recess darker, folds lighter), look up zenithal lighting scheme, where you still do the general lighting a bit, but also make parts that are lower darker and those closer to the 'sun' lighter.

Yeah, I suppose I'm still used to the GW way of lightning stuff. Zenithal Lighting is on my to-learn list.

Thank you very much for the feedback. I really appreciate it.
 

Stilghar

New member
1. color scheme.
(...)
2. contrast
Got it.

3. transitions
I tried finding some information on pigments usage, but failed. Do you have something you could recommend?

4. neatness
Nice idea with blacklining and the toothpick. Will try it.

Higlight direction
Yeah, it's hard for me to get rid of the GW shading style. Will have to work on it a little.

Thank you for your feedback! It's much appreciated.
 
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