A troll of a question

[firstfist]

This is my first post, so I guess I should get this part out of the way:
Hi

There, now to the important stuff...Minis.

I still have some work to do on his \"soft\" skin, but I\'m feeling like I\'ve done all I can to his scales. I very recently started using inks, and I\'m a little leary of ruining what I have when I\'m so happy with it.

I think the scales may benifit from a VERY light wash of blue. Would that destroy the highlights or help give it more tone?

Any advice would be taken with a grain of salt.

Shot at 2008-02-28

 

[Friar]

Good base I would try breaking the blue up a bit some greenish or purplish washes on the scales would look good also maybe some pink washes or such to the nose and the warts on his belly. but other then just giving all that blue some interest your off to a great start

 

[QuietiManes]

A wash wouldn\'t destroy the highlights, would tone them down somewhat (I.E. darken them) and add some depth to the figure. Neither would be bad IMO.

I also like the idea of breaking up the blue. Even if it\'s just a black or grey or brown wash over the scales to differentiate them, for example. Friars ideas all sounded excellent. Breaking up the blue might not seem to be as important after the teeth, eyes, weapon, claws and necklace are painted. Couldn\'t hurt though.

 

[NickyBlade]

Great start with the blue... I understand what you\'re worried about with the ink. I have tried washes a couple times with poor results. Then again, if we don\'t practice new techniques, we\'ll never improve.

 

[firstfist]

Originally posted by Friar
maybe some pink washes or such to the nose and the warts on his belly.

I was planning on giving him redish lips, and making the bumps redish pussy zits. Shouldn\'t I wait until after I have completed the skin on his belly before I try to add color to those though? or would it be better to do them now and try to blend the blue of the stomach over the top of the red zit?

 

[firstfist]

Well, I don\'t know how much you can tell in the pictures, but I gave the scales a very light purple wash. IMO it is a terrific improvement.

Thanks Friar and all who agreed.

Now if I can just manage to get a different shade of brown for the hair on the loin cloth and the wood for his club. I only have a few shades of brown.

I should make the hair much lighter than the wood, correct?

 

[demonherald]

mix yellows greens or reds with your browns to vary them..also use different shades of grey or white to highlight will vary the colours you get quite radically...
try it out on a tile or pallette first and you\'ll see what I mean..

also if you redo the highlights on the scales..just fine highlights on the top edges of the scales on the top of the shoulders and muscles it will add a nice bit of 3d effect to what you have so far....

 

[firstfist]

Originally posted by demonherald


also if you redo the highlights on the scales..just fine highlights on the top edges of the scales on the top of the shoulders and muscles it will add a nice bit of 3d effect to what you have so far....

I\'m a little scared to rehilight the scales after changing thier color with a wash.

Now that I have changed the basic color of the scales with a purple wash, should I try and use a more purple highlight? Or is the same basic light blue going to do the trick?

 

[demonherald]

The same basic light blue should be fine...
I\'m literally only talking the top 2 or 3 scales on the upper part of the hunched shoulders and the odd 2 or 3 scales at the top of the models...If your really unsure it won\'t miss them its a nice colour you\'vegot now.......

 

[firstfist]

I did as suggested and highlighted a few of the scales, athough I did a few more than 3. Instead of using a blue, I mixed and matched colors I have and came up with a decent purple. It is on the highest areas of the scales. You can just barely see it below.

I also worked on his loincloth last night, and am pretty happy with the results:

In case you can\'t tell from the photo it is the back side of a pelt tied around his waist. I was kinda going for the moccasin color of leather. More highlighting, or leave it alone? Any ideas?

P.S. This is my first \"photoshoped\" pic.

 

[NickyBlade]

Terrific job on the highlights! His scales look awesome! Did you do more shading in the recesses between the scales as well?

 

[firstfist]

Originally posted by NickyBlade
Terrific job on the highlights! His scales look awesome! Did you do more shading in the recesses between the scales as well?

Thanks!!

Yes, I washed the entire scale area with a very wet purple, highlighted a few of the highest scale areas with a light purple, then washed the deepest recesses with a semi-wet black ink.

 

[Jericho]

The scales look good man. I like em a lot If you want to soften the skin up a bit, then I\'d recommend mixing in bone or a elf flesh or something for the last 1-2 hilights. Should offset the purple/blue of the scales quite well without being too flashy.

 

[Friar]

Looks good the scales came out wonderfully and I like the look of the loin cloth.

 

[bobsacks]

Nice work. I really like the blue troll. I wouldn\'t put a wash on it until you get the rest of it painted to see how it looks together because the skin is looking really strong.

 

[demonherald]

NICE JOB.....
Agree with Jericho on maybe using a slightly different colour for highlighting the flesh..also if you use the purple wash you used on the scale on the skin areas towards the scales.. Only lightly compared to the scale but just enough to kind of lead the purple colour from the flesh into the scales.. but cool nice work so far....

 

[firstfist]

I did quite a bit yesterday, and I must say, I\'m impressed with how this is turning out. I have never had a piece turn out this well yet. Of course I\'m new to ink, and that is a major plus for this piece anyway.

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am especially having trouble getting the zits on his belly to look right. So far I painted them as normal with the rest of the skin, then have been trying various shades of red ink over that, but nothing looks right so far.

 

[QuietiManes]

Maybe a white basecoat on the zits, followed by some red ink washes then some pink to the top of the bump. Pink, white or cream highlights. Should give you the look I\'d think you\'re after.

They look fairly light, prolly don\'t need the white basecoat to start.

G\'luck

 

[firstfist]

He is coming right along. I should have him done before the month is up, but I thought I\'d post another WIP pic as I like to get pointers from those of you who are a little more experienced.

So far I have about 7 hours on this sucker.

 

[TKNY]

I like the blue!

I think your earlier photos are a truer representation of the real thing, the lighting in the last photo is quite harsh.

I think you might want to tone down the redness of that bottom lip, perhaps with a few thin washes of blue ink. Maybe a bit on the red zits as well.

You could also add a bit of shine to that eye with a bright white highlight, a layer of gloss wouldn\'t hurt either.

When taking your pictures, pull the camera back a bit to try and get the whole thing in focus.

Keep it up, I\'ll keep an eye on the progress!