fluisterwoud
Active member
Look what showed up on my fb feed:
Bailey03's WIP
- Thread starter Bailey03
- Start date
Bailey03
Well-known member
Ha, well that looks rather familiar! Thanks for the heads up, fluister!
BFK, yeah, there are a lot of approaches to TMM! Mostly I've mixed my metallic paints with matte paints for the shadows (to dull the metallic effect/shine) and then used just pure metallic tones for the highlights (though I've one person also mix in matte white there). Then I'd do some glazes of regular paint for color and to further reinforce the shadows. I feel like this gets me nice results with my yellow metals but I was never quite happy with the white/grey metals done this way. I had a hard time checking my blends on the white/grey metals while I was painting and, while it looked fine at first, I'd set it down and then I'd see the transitions. So I thought I'd give glazing with inks another go. This way I could do less transitions with the metallic paint (though there is still some highlight/shading with lighter and darker metallics) and build up most of my contrast with the ink glazes.
Huh, very interesting if that is what banshee is doing. Seems odd to go for matter mid tones and shiny shadows... but who knows. His stuff is fantastic so maybe I'll give it a shot sometime.
BFK, yeah, there are a lot of approaches to TMM! Mostly I've mixed my metallic paints with matte paints for the shadows (to dull the metallic effect/shine) and then used just pure metallic tones for the highlights (though I've one person also mix in matte white there). Then I'd do some glazes of regular paint for color and to further reinforce the shadows. I feel like this gets me nice results with my yellow metals but I was never quite happy with the white/grey metals done this way. I had a hard time checking my blends on the white/grey metals while I was painting and, while it looked fine at first, I'd set it down and then I'd see the transitions. So I thought I'd give glazing with inks another go. This way I could do less transitions with the metallic paint (though there is still some highlight/shading with lighter and darker metallics) and build up most of my contrast with the ink glazes.
Huh, very interesting if that is what banshee is doing. Seems odd to go for matter mid tones and shiny shadows... but who knows. His stuff is fantastic so maybe I'll give it a shot sometime.
BloodFather of Kharnath
Active member
Been trying to find that statement. Maybe it wasn't Giraldez. Maybe it was Yellow One or Bohun. Whoever it was, they also sketch paint (which I KNOW Banshee does which leads me to believe the metallic statement came from him). Meaning if he is doing, say, a sword he very quickly puts down grey black and white in a sort of sketch to pick out the highs and shadows. Then he goes over this manual rough draft and paints the transitions.
Been really studying these experts, the tops in the game, to try to understand some of their techniques. Some do scumbling with their hoghlights. This is where a series of broken, short brush strokes are used to apply a color over another. Gives a texture to a highlight or shade, though subsequent layers are often glazed over top of the stumbled area to unify the gradient. Often used in canvas painting.
Anyway, there's my homework. Learn more about this stuff.
Been really studying these experts, the tops in the game, to try to understand some of their techniques. Some do scumbling with their hoghlights. This is where a series of broken, short brush strokes are used to apply a color over another. Gives a texture to a highlight or shade, though subsequent layers are often glazed over top of the stumbled area to unify the gradient. Often used in canvas painting.
Anyway, there's my homework. Learn more about this stuff.
fluisterwoud
Active member
I remember Bohun briefly talking about glazing TMM on fb. After a short search I found the comment:
that was posted on this picture:
that was posted on this picture:
Last edited:
BloodFather of Kharnath
Active member
Ahh thanks so much! Yes, it was Bohun then. So it sounds like he wants dull, colored, barely perceptible glazes of acrylic in the mid-tones. Then he chooses inks with pigments in the shadows along with a satin varnish. Not sure if this would tone down the glossiness of an ink or increase its glossiness. I think I'll ask him...
There is a separate statement by him where he discusses his use of pigments. He says he likes to use VMC Black Glaze and White Glaze. These paints have interesting properties about them, and he must like how they interact with the pigments. I use the Verdigris from GW with pigments to good effect, and it is formulated similar to these glaze paints.
Also, unrelated, he has some very good tutorials on his FB where he talks about how to freehand some of the designs he is so well known for. Check him out!
There is a separate statement by him where he discusses his use of pigments. He says he likes to use VMC Black Glaze and White Glaze. These paints have interesting properties about them, and he must like how they interact with the pigments. I use the Verdigris from GW with pigments to good effect, and it is formulated similar to these glaze paints.
Also, unrelated, he has some very good tutorials on his FB where he talks about how to freehand some of the designs he is so well known for. Check him out!
BloodFather of Kharnath
Active member
My man!
BTW-Scalecolour brush arrived yesterday! And I love it!!! Kolinsky Tajmyr FTW!!!
BTW-Scalecolour brush arrived yesterday! And I love it!!! Kolinsky Tajmyr FTW!!!
Bailey03
Well-known member
Nice! I'm glad you like the brush (and that it arrived quickly). I haven't gotten around to testing mine out yet, but I'm sure it will get plenty of use when I finally start my steampunk project.
In the meantime, I did a little bit of painting the other day and finished up Otho Mentulus, the Arena Rex figure I started a while back. I started him right after the kickstarter delivered the bulk of my figures. He was one of my favorite sculpts from that line and I couldn't wait to put some paint on him. Of course, shortly after that I switched my focus to wrapping up my CB entries so he never got finished. I also thought I might need him for the Bananalicious contest over at Massive Voodoo, so that meant I had to keep from posting any finished shots of him (their contest requires at least one figure in your entry group be new work - never shown in a finished state).
Anyway, since my last update on this guy I painted the crest on his helmet and the groundwork, I tweaked some highlights on his clothing, and then I put in some blood spatter and a bit of dusting with pigments. Now that I've got confirmation that my entry has been accepted, I can share the finished figure with everyone...
Arena Rex is currently shipping the final wave of figures from the kickstarter. Once that is done they plan to put up all the figures in their webstore. So if you like the range keep an eye out. I imagine they will be available in the next month or so.
And for anyone interested, here is my full entry to the Massive Voodoo contest. I entered into Historical Masters. Most of these pieces should look pretty familiar, but only one (Otho) needs to be new work. The rest can be whatever you want. If you haven't entered their contest, it's worth looking into. There is just a few days left before the deadline so finish something new quick and submit a group to historical or fantasy. There's at least 45 random prizes available, so everyone has a chance to win something.
In the meantime, I did a little bit of painting the other day and finished up Otho Mentulus, the Arena Rex figure I started a while back. I started him right after the kickstarter delivered the bulk of my figures. He was one of my favorite sculpts from that line and I couldn't wait to put some paint on him. Of course, shortly after that I switched my focus to wrapping up my CB entries so he never got finished. I also thought I might need him for the Bananalicious contest over at Massive Voodoo, so that meant I had to keep from posting any finished shots of him (their contest requires at least one figure in your entry group be new work - never shown in a finished state).
Anyway, since my last update on this guy I painted the crest on his helmet and the groundwork, I tweaked some highlights on his clothing, and then I put in some blood spatter and a bit of dusting with pigments. Now that I've got confirmation that my entry has been accepted, I can share the finished figure with everyone...
Arena Rex is currently shipping the final wave of figures from the kickstarter. Once that is done they plan to put up all the figures in their webstore. So if you like the range keep an eye out. I imagine they will be available in the next month or so.
And for anyone interested, here is my full entry to the Massive Voodoo contest. I entered into Historical Masters. Most of these pieces should look pretty familiar, but only one (Otho) needs to be new work. The rest can be whatever you want. If you haven't entered their contest, it's worth looking into. There is just a few days left before the deadline so finish something new quick and submit a group to historical or fantasy. There's at least 45 random prizes available, so everyone has a chance to win something.
BloodFather of Kharnath
Active member
That's a pretty nice looking gallery you've got there. Very, very impressive. I love the metallics on the Arena Rex. A very realistic bronze. Can you please tell me what you used for that?
Bailey03
Well-known member
I've used that bronze mix on a couple projects. It's the Scale75 metallics. I start with Necro Gold and mix that 50/50 with purple (Reaper's Imperial Purple, though any dark-ish purple will do). Into that I start to slowly mix Elven Gold. When I get up to roughly 60/40 Elven Gold to Necro/Purple mix I stop and start to mix in Thrash Metal from Scale75's silver set to create the top lights. I use pure Thrash Metal for edge highlights and to pick out details.
The point where I stop with the Elven Gold and start to add Thrash Metal is not an exact ratio. I want it to be a decent amount lighter than the shadow tone, but I stop before it gets too yellow. If I went up to pure Elven Gold first, those midtones would be much yellower and it'd have more of a gold feel. It's the same reason I use Thrash Metal for the highlights instead of the Citrine Alchemy that comes in the gold set.
The point where I stop with the Elven Gold and start to add Thrash Metal is not an exact ratio. I want it to be a decent amount lighter than the shadow tone, but I stop before it gets too yellow. If I went up to pure Elven Gold first, those midtones would be much yellower and it'd have more of a gold feel. It's the same reason I use Thrash Metal for the highlights instead of the Citrine Alchemy that comes in the gold set.
BloodFather of Kharnath
Active member
Ahh ok. That is the lovely recipe you shared with me on the Gokan project. You know, while I really liked it and it came out very good, the particular armor pieces I used weren't too conducive to seeing all of the ranges in tone. The use of thrash metal, and minimalizing the use of elven gold, is genius and definitely key to such a realistic Bronze TMM. I do have one recommendation for you, if not for your use on bronze it'll be helpful for your TMM in general: White Alchemy, I believe it is called, from the steel set is a very useful tool for TMM because it has the effect of lightening any metallic paint. Just add it direct to another paint, even a standard acrylic, and it will make it appear metallic. The more you add, the more highlighted the mix will appear. This stuff is apparently just like VMC metallic medium.
Bailey03
Well-known member
Thanks, Krule. I made the labels myself using a tutorial over on coloured dust. They're printed on transparent sheets and then attached with double stick tape. Maybe not the fanciest approach, but it works (especially on the round bases). You can find a lot of neat fonts online, so I tried to find something appropriate for each figure.
http://www.coloureddust.com.pl/2015/01/how-to-make-simple-labels-for-bases.html
Some printer ready overheads are expensive, so it takes a bit of looking to find a box of reasonably priced ones.
BFK, yeah, Gokan's armor isn't the easiest one to start using TMM on. I've played around with the white alchemy a little but not too much. I'll have to try mixing it with some matte colors to see what it does.
http://www.coloureddust.com.pl/2015/01/how-to-make-simple-labels-for-bases.html
Some printer ready overheads are expensive, so it takes a bit of looking to find a box of reasonably priced ones.
BFK, yeah, Gokan's armor isn't the easiest one to start using TMM on. I've played around with the white alchemy a little but not too much. I'll have to try mixing it with some matte colors to see what it does.
fluisterwoud
Active member
So that's how you got those nice looking labels, I'll have to try that out.
Bailey03
Well-known member
I wanted to let everyone who follows this thread know that I'm doing a mini contest to give away one of my figures. A year ago I started up a painting blog and, in honor of its first birthday, I thought I'd give something away. The rules are simple - either be a follower of my painting blog or leave a comment on the post about the contest. If you're a follower and you leave a comment, your chances to win are doubled.
The prize will be the winner's choice between a painted figure, my 'The Once and Future King' piece, or one or more unpainted kits. You have until May 8th, two weeks from tomorrow, to enter. If you're interested, here is the link to the contest:
http://powellminipainting.blogspot.com/2015/04/figure-giveaway-contest.html
The prize will be the winner's choice between a painted figure, my 'The Once and Future King' piece, or one or more unpainted kits. You have until May 8th, two weeks from tomorrow, to enter. If you're interested, here is the link to the contest:
http://powellminipainting.blogspot.com/2015/04/figure-giveaway-contest.html
fluisterwoud
Active member
That's very generous, Bailey. Congrats on a years worth of excellent content.
