Epic Skarre

Ap0k

New member
I put this up a week or so ago, but with the vote fluctuating so much (from mid 8 at the 50 vote average to a 9 for a few days, then tanked back to the present 8.6 within about 20 votes while hitting the top week for a few hours in between) and with little in the way of feedback, it\'s been difficult in figuring out what\'s bringing up and dropping the scores again.

While I know score isn\'t everything, I consider it a reasonable indicator of technical proficiency and colour selection, the large differences have been puzzling developments.

I drew a lot of inspiration from Mrika\'s lovely version here, and tried to get a similar result in the flesh and face specifically, since it was an area of my technique I badly needed work on, so that was basically my benchmark/goalpost. I\'m really just trying to figure out if it\'s a technical issue that\'s creating the vast difference in scores, or something else.

The backpack could have done with more definition on the wings (horrible GW part, but that\'s not really any excuse), which is something I hadn\'t realised before mailing it off to it\'s recipient, but beyond that I\'m having trouble identifying the major differences (apart from the obvious colour scheme ones).

Is the base letting it down, or more the overall colour selection? This was the first time I took pics on a black background, and the close-up photo of the face is a bit too blurry for my liking, but still gives a good view of the detail, if not the blending on the cheeks, so either or both of those points could be letting it down perhaps?

I guess I\'m just trying to figure out what I need to step up for the future, and what\'s working out reasonably well for me at the minute, since I tend to try and advance my overall technique at a similar rate, and then work on specific areas to bring them up to par and beyond, rather than perfecting (for the sake of argument) metallics, at the cost of quality on cloth or flesh or whatever else.

skarredone.jpg
 

Arma

New member
The face is amazing and I love the colour choice. There\'s just something about Skarre in a colourful woodland forest that gets me though, since she\'s a dirty Cryx pirate...
 

pez5767

New member
First things first, you have a really great looking miniature here. :)

Second, I know how frustrating the fluctuating (sp?) score can be... while I\'m no where near as technically proficient as you, my last mini has been all over the place ranging from 9.1 to 7.3. Currently it\'s at 7.6 so I feel your frustration at spending some extra time and not getting results that make sense. :flame:

Now on to the meat of the issue: The only thing my eye immediatly picks out that keeps this mini from being 9+ are the reds on her coat. Her arm and the folds on her back are a little flat. This could be the photo, but as it stands, the model looks like it could use one final highlight on some of the sharper/higher areas on her coat. Her sword seems to mirror a problem I\'ve been having with my models. I can tell by the sword has some really subtle blends and lovely battle damage, however, the photo doesn\'t translate the subtlty of your work. So, you can either bring those highlights up more and alter your models appearance, or leave them as is and have what is some very technically sound work be overlooked or possibly handicap your score.

Finally, please refer to the first point i made. You have a REALLY nice looking piece of work here and should feel really good about what you did. The freehand is lovely, her face is top notch, and the color selection and base are very solid. I hope this feedback helps. As i said, i know how frustrating that yo-yo effect on scores can be. :)
 

jahminis

New member
an 8.6 is a good average...and about a full point over what i would think it deserves...
the face is incredible, and then the rest of the mini lets it down...
the metals lack contrast, even though the basic purple tone is nice...the highlights need to pop more...
the boots are lackin\' some highlights on a few of the folds, and the straps \'round the back need more definition...bring the highlight alll the way around...
the base looks more like it should have a wood elf on it...doesn\'t fit the theme of a cryx mini...
the backpack conversion is not doin\' anything for me, and the skull looks rough...it should jump out a bit more from the red...

it\'s easy to pick apart a mini when seen in macro...i\'m sure it looks much cooler in real life...unfortunately, aside from the face, nothin\' makes me say wow...for me to give a vote of a 9 or a 10, the mini needs a serious wow factor...without the wow factor, mini paintin\' is just advanced paint by numbers...
believe me, as a freelance painter, i don\'t get to throw the wow factor in very often(due to deadlines and briefs), so i know how it\'s possible to do a nice paintjob that doesn\'t blow anyone away...

cheers
jah
 

monkeyman7x

New member
as previously said, you do have a lovely mini there well painted overall with a beautifully painted face. i love the sword also, but the metals elsewhere are pretty rough in comparison. The small freehand on the back is a nice touch too.

however,,i keep looking at the model and base as a whole and feel like something is VERY wrong,,or out of place. I think that is brought about due to the base and model not fitting together well. although in their own right,,they are both well executed.

otherwise very nice mini,,

chris
 

Manus

New member
Actually (after looking through the galleries) it\'s one of the Skarres I like the most.
I think the colors suit it very well - and complement each other. The metals look good and are in the overall look af the mini. You could discuss wether or not to put on those wings or not - but that will come up to personal pref. as always. The paintjob on the wings doesn\'t come up to the standard of the rest of the mini though.
The only thing I don\'t really is the tree - IMO it doesn\'t really fit with the feel of the rest of the mini.
 

Wren

Member
The face is lovely, and the hair is very nice too. There\'s a nice depth to the red, but it doesn\'t quite gel into wow! for me. Maybe the zenithal is off in a few places like that big fold just under the bird\'s tail? Speaking of the bird, that\'s a cool piece of freehand. Like others, I feel the base lets it down in places. The overall woodlandness doesn\'t bother me, but parts of the tree look a little off as does the too straight and uniform tall grass.

As for scores... so far as I can tell scores will fluctuate pretty wildly until you hit 50 votes. Part of the fluctuation you\'re seeing may be the anti-snipe code. The site is programmed to remove votes that are way higher or way lower than the majority of votes an item is receiving. I think it only does that once or twice a day. Regardless of the reason for it, once an item hits 50, then use the score the way you describe as an overall indicator of what people in general think of your fig. Looking at the score while it fluctuates and trying to figure out why one individual voted 6 while two others voted 9 probably isn\'t worth the mental anguish.
 
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