10 balls WIP

[10 ball]

Astropath

Well started work on my Dark Eldar Wych again last night and ending up doing the face on this Astropath. I came up with the idea of him holding a book (just blu-tak in place on photo to get the idea).
Do you think the face needs more highlights? Their not up to white yet put Im not sure.

View attachment 10337

 

[AndyG]

Yes, on the mouth and around the eyes. Some crows feet for the eyes and a kind of Dot Cotton heavy smoker aged skin type effect around the mouth. Maybee some coloured washes and more shadow under the cheek bone? Also maybe from the position of the hands a censer instead or something like a book dangling from a chain? Looking good!

PS love the fighter on the snowy base on this thread might have to nick some of the ideas!!

 

[Milosh]

I agree with Andy, some deeper shadows will do wonders.

 

[paintingpauper]

That Dark Elf looks great, the skin is exactly what I am looking for in relation to painting my Vampire Counts.

Keep up the amazing work.

 

[10 ball]

Cheers guys will have a bash on the shadows

@ paintingpauper - yep the colour for the skin is very simple and effective, just dheneb stone with washes of purple, then highlighted up with white. The pink eyes bring out the face also.

I used the same mix for this dark elf

View attachment 10346

 

[AndyG]

Realy like the rich dark leather on the cloak and boots! Maybee the blending on the highlites could be a tad smoother thin down the paint a tad more possibly? Lovely colour scheme and great paint job but definitely let down by the photography. Any way most impressed!

 

[10 ball]

Thanks glad you like him, yep the blending is a tad rough.
as for the 'P' word, well I've gave up with that

 

[AndyG]

Thanks glad you like him, yep the blending is a tad rough.
as for the 'P' word, well I've gave up with that

Exactly the same issues as you if you look at the old photos on my gallery but then I did the following

1. Rested my hands on a pile of books on a level with the mini when I took the photo.
2. Made sure my camera was on macro
3. Changed the setting to "tungsten" if you can
4. If you paint by daylight take photos by daylight if you paint by a normal bulb the same and if you paint by a daylight bulb take photos by a daylight bulb.
5. Take photos close to the mini and have wide angle on rather than taking photos far away and zooming in, this definitely improves the quality.
6. Take about 30 photos from very slightly different angles and then prune it down to one or two; be brutal!
7. I cannot use photo shop it always makes them look worse! I use a free app on the iPad photo collage which automates the brightening contrast sharpening etc the results are maybee not as good as a professional on photoshop but far better than what I can do!
8. Two light sources set so they cancel out each others shadows.
9. Some form of backdrop or a " scoop".

If you do this which other than setting up the lights just so and taking more photos doesn't realy take any more time then I guarantee you'll get better photos!

 

[10 ball]

Cheers for taking the time for the info.
Some good tips that I will be using. My photos
have been improving believe it or not but I'm going
to have to get a new camera when I get
some dosh. The one I have hasn't got any close
Up settings- my iPhone takes better Picts

Thanks again

 

[10 ball]

Well had a brainwave last night, came up with the idea of of putting some eyes in on the Astro. I photoshopped the idea using the original photo to get an idea of the look.
View attachment 10359View attachment 10360

 

[10 ball]

Painted up, came out real good I think. Changed book size as well and attempted to paint eagle on cover.

Having real fun with this one - onto the robe tonight.

View attachment 10361

Just a note for anybody whos wondering - the face has taken 8 hours so far.

 

[stevey293]

Looking good. I hate painting eyes. Not once have i managed it first or even second time.

Face is looking good though as is the whole idea and feel around him.

 

[AndyG]

Don't know if you want to risk this as the face looks great and the craggy features need sharp contrast however it might benefit from the very very thinnest of pale washes of the highlight colour. I mean so thin it's like slightly dirty water then gently let it dry shifting about any unsightly pooling so it dries just right do this a couple of times and the shadows will still be there but the gradient won't be quite as stark and it will add that next level type thang. However be warned this can lead to messing it right up so only do it if you don't mind risking it.

 

[Bloodhowl]

Eyes on an astropath? Not in line with the GW fluff, if you are going for "accuracy" They lose their eyes due to not being able to handle the radiance of the emperor, and have the sockets stitched shut. They use their mind's eye to see their surroundings. The process is explained in the book The Outcast Dead, which was actually a pretty good addition to the Horus Heresy series.

 

[10 ball]

Well finished him, happy with face not much else. I like the idea more than the finished mini ]

@ AndyG - did what you said, dont think you can tell on photo but I was very careful !

@ Bloodhowl - tut, tut how can he read a book with no eyes, huh!:eyeroll!:

cheers Milosh for the advice on the papers, you were right - very small!!

View attachment 10383

 

[AndyG]

Well finished him, happy with face not much else. I like the idea more than the finished mini ]

@ AndyG - did what you said, dont think you can tell on photo but I was very careful !

@ Bloodhowl - tut, tut how can he read a book with no eyes, huh!:eyeroll!:

cheers Milosh for the advice on the papers, you were right - very small!!

He's good! You've got to try these things or how do you improve hey? Bit like me too hyper critical of your own work Don't know if you want to try this but I find shading red by mixing in green to the base red it darkens well and looks more natural something to do with it being an opposite colour on the colour wheel also cloth blending is a pain have a look at Milosh's work his filtering technique is great for blending across the transitions. Other than that try highliting with pale yellow into the base red but only the slightest tad and realy thin down. Layer layer layer!

Pages look tip top! I think he might just need a little bit more work and he will be a real hum dinger!

Keep it up!

 

[Bloodhowl]

@ Bloodhowl - tut, tut how can he read a book with no eyes, huh!:eyeroll!:

Good question. I don't work for GW so I'm not sure how they would read with their eyes melted out of their heads. I am unimaginative enough to believe that in the grim, dark, far future an archaic system like braille would still be around. Either that or audio books and pod casts on iTunes... :wink:

 

[Milosh]

you pulled it off nicely, well done. This really looks nice. Andy is exactly right about the green mix to shadow the red, brown works well too.

 

[10 ball]

Thanks for all the comments and advice everyone,
its really appreciated. I wish I'd started a WIP ages ago it really
gives you a push to improve

 

[Stewsayer]

Nice job on the Astropath 10 ball and the dark elf looks sweet too.