Hasslefree's Summer Cheerleader - skin practice session

[Solun Decius]

Hi

Earlier this year I set out to buy a few (quite a few, actually) skin-revealing human figures to practice painting human flesh and display-style figures.
I got a lot of good pointers to sculptors and companies from many great forum members, and I can't stress enough how helpful Milosh was, both pointing out minis to buy (and not to buy) and sending me some of his own.
I ended up getting a few super quality (and expensive) resin figures (Kingdom Death, Studio McVey) but also quite a few cheaper ones for practice, simple ones, but still very well sculpted.

Anyhow, I finally started this project for real, and since I've had good experiences getting help and advice here on CMON when I'm really focusing on specific tasks (previously NMM and OSL) I'm starting a little log on this one.

First set of images is after I focused mainly on the skin. I also tried out blending the skin colors into the shirt colors in places to get a semi-transparent effect where it stretches most.
I'm showing these mainly because the fishnet experiment didn't really do anything good for the legs, so the skin is clearer on the first ones.

For the second set I focused on making the face more likable.
I also wanted to try out the fishnets but freehand is not my strength really.
The extreme closeup is just to help me progress. You'll never see that kind of detail IRL.

I use Reaper Master Series Paints almost exclusively, but I've got some choice Vallejo Model Color and Citadel paints as well.

The skin used Reapers skin triads (fair and tanned 50/50), so:
Base: Fair Skin 50/50 Tanned Skin
Darkest Shade: Fair Shadow 50/50 Tanned Shadow
Lightest Highlight: Fair Highlight 50/50 Tanned Highlight
I do one or two intermediate mixes with the base color both when shading and highlighting.
The mixes are actually all a little bit more fair than tanned, but close enough to 50/50.

Improvement on the face:

Fishnets are kind of bummer, but I'd like to find a way to highlight them or something to make them look a bit sharper. It's hard on such thin lines though. Advice?

Super closeup reveals just how messy the face really is. I don't think I'll fix it on this one as the paint has built up too much for such fine detail, but advice on doing better on the next would be very helpful and appreciated.

Here's one just as a reminder of the size:

The inset image is exactly it's true size on my home computer screen.

I am willing to read brutally honest critique on anything from smoothness and shadow placement to choice of colors.
C&C is always very much appreciated.

 

[TrystanGST]

Looks smooth to me. Perhaps a little more contrast.

 

[Milosh]

I was wondering how you have been getting along, good to see you at it. I really don't think that is all that bad of a start for the skin. Skin is one of those tricky parts to a figure because there is so much roundness to legs, arms and butt. It takes practice to get it right so you are going about it the right way. I can't imagine you would ever be able to get the fishnet decent looking without loads of practice on straight lines and the use of a flow improver/extender. I agree with Trystan on the more contrast for the skin especially in this small of scale, your highlites would stay as is just go a little deeper in the shadows with a warm color. keep us posted as you go on experimenting.

 

[10 ball]

Looks good, i'm working on this size at the moment, Phew! real small

 

[KruleBear]

Looks real good on the long shot next to the marine. I like the concept of one fishnet torn off...rather striking. With Milosh and 10Balls input you will be kicking butt on skin when your done.

 

[Flow]

I think you did a pretty good job; especially given the tiny, tiny scale involved.

Fishnets are kind of bummer, but I'd like to find a way to highlight them or something to make them look a bit sharper. It's hard on such thin lines though. Advice?

I'm interested in hearing answers to this. I'm finding working with very thin lines or minute details can be very challenging. It might just be a matter of practice and a steady hand; but if there are any suggestions, I'd want to hear them.

 

[Solun Decius]

@TrystanGST: Thanks man! I tried adding a little more depth in the shadows, but I'm doing it in very little steps, so maybe not as much as you'd suggest.

@Milosh: Hey man! Glad you checked in. I darkened the shades a little bit. I blended a mahogany brown into the original shade color. Maybe its a bit too red, but I only added a little bit.
On the fishnets, I guess I might as well start practicing those thing now. Also: Challenge accepted i tried to make them look better without super thin flow improved paints, by adding a contrast color the lines, basically white mixed with the skin color, just to give the fishnet a bit of dimension.

@10 ball: Whoo, yeah! I just tried to fix the teeth a bit. That's small!

@KruleBear: Thanks man! Yeah, I guess I could just take long shots and display them in small resolutions, but I'd rather post proper resolutions and then just have you step really far away from your computer screen to get the right picture
Yeah, I actually really like the idea of the torn fishnets now. Too bad I have to admit I got the idea when I needed a way not to do them anymore because they sucked so much on the first leg

@Flow: Thanks man! Appreciate it.
What I tried to do now (you be the judge of how it worked) was actually my original idea for painting the fishnets. Doing parallel lines of contrasting colors, even black/white. When the black lines were so clumsy I was sure I would just make it worse by adding the other lines. In fact, adding another color gives it a bit of dimension so I think it looks better, even though the lines aren't really thinner or straighter.
I do this when I paint scratches on surfaces, black and white next to each other, so I could as well try it here.

OK, so I continued with her a bit after all.
First I added a bit of a darker color to the shade on the skin.
Then I did a contrast color on the fishnets to add a little depth, just to see if that would make them better. I don't know if they lok more like fishnets, but I think they look a bit more "for real".
Finally I painted her front teeth a bit wider so she didn't look like she just had one tooth.

I see now I've kind of neglected to shade the backs of her hands.

So now I just have to ask you all to step away from your computer screens until she's about the same height as your thumb nail, holding your thumb at a focusing distance

All C&C appreciated.

 

[mud duck]

What happens if you darken in the fishneted leg a little?
I could see an effect something like the second to last pic here (blond with the see though top NSFWish) http://adorabatbrat.blogspot.com/2011/04/gothic-item-fishnet-pantyhose.html

 

[TrystanGST]

That's better. My only concern now is that with the shorts and fishnets both being black, they appear to be one item of clothing. Not sure how I'd address that, since you've done a lovely job with the shorts.

 

[Solun Decius]

@mud duck: Yeah, that's a good idea, just darkening the whole area so it looks more like it's wearing pantyhose. I think I have to leave that for a later model though. I think I've sort of exhausted my potential on this one. Thanks!

@TrystanGST: That's very true, but as you say I'm not sure which one to change. Painting another color over the black shorts would be hell, and I'm not sure I could pull off changing the color of the fishnets, although just thin lines of color on top of the pattern would probably do the trick. Possibly adding a pattern to the shorts could help, like white lines along the edges or something, just to break the connection between shorts and tights. Either way, I think I'll rather take that advice to heart and use it from now on instead of trying to change things on this mini. Thanks very much!

I had some discussion elsewhere about the decency of the miniature and considered my own feelings about having painted it with the torn fishnets and thin material shirt despite how young it looks. I have to admit the whole thing is just a little bit uncomfortable. Rather than trying to fix that or scrap it altogether I felt I should work with that emotion a bit.

It's now an image of a little girl in torn pants, with tear-streaked makeup and pom-pons.
I put the photos in regular links for viewing discretion. They're not graphic, but a little bit emotional.
http://imageshack.us/a/img22/3043/cheerleader04.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img12/715/cheerleader05.jpg

This isn't really a skin painting exercise anymore but something else entirely.
I'll finish painting the base, but then I'll put this away somewhere and start fresh with another mini for some more practicing of the technique

 

[Solun Decius]

Well, this cheerleader didn't end up very cheerful.

I wonder if I should just call it quits with this one, or try to fix little things, like a little shade under the nose, or maybe better highlights on the hair.

I'd be interested in some thoughts on this, whether it's the painting and possible improvements or just the image itself.

 

[mud duck]

She just needs a couple of zombie football player coming up over the rise behind her.

 

[KruleBear]

She just needs a couple of zombie football player coming up over the rise behind her.

That's an idea

This turned out rather sad as it seems to be saying "lovers last leap" or some such thing. I'd say ad a plaque and move on to the next one. This turned out rather effective in my mind.

 

[Milosh]

I would move on. You made great strides with this one and discovered some good stuff. It really turned out to be a powerful scene. Her stockings are ripped and she is crying, what happened to her I wonder. The cliff is really well done by the way. Good job, now go pick out another and get on with it.

 

[Solun Decius]

She just needs a couple of zombie football player coming up over the rise behind her.

Haha, yeah, that's one way to put it in context. Doesn't even need to be a zombie.

@KruleBear: Thanks! I guess the reason for her standing there being left out can make it a bit more uncomfortable than if it were just desperate zombie flight.

@Milosh: Yeah, I think I'm done here. I've already started the next one, which is pure skin practice.
I'm glad you like the cliff, you might recognize it like this:

or at least it came from you. I just moved one rock around and then added sand/paint/grass.
There are holes with little grass tufts on top which probably had feet in them, of a 54mm judging from the size
Thanks! The random basing stuff is turning out to be inspirational.


This is done. Here's a photo of the whole thing as it would stand on a table:

If I were to add a CMON voting link, do you feel these views would add valuable context or just clutter up the image?

 

[Milosh]

Oh wow. I do remember that chunk of burel and even the base under it. Great use of them both, man you really did some magic on that cliff. I am really happy they found a good home. I don't think including those pics would help the score much really, even though they are very interesting for us to see. On second thought that middle one might add to it if it is at the bottom of the montage. Great work, now let's see the new one.

 

[Solun Decius]

Cool! It's not actually stuck to the big round base, so that might see other use later, but it's the way it's set up now.
I decided the key to a convincing cliff would be the bird droppings, so I focused on getting those right

I started a new thread with Hasslefree's Almira: http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?51737-Hasslefree-s-Almira-more-skin-practice
Going for a little exercise in different skin tones there.

 

[Solun Decius]

I added it to my photos with a voting link: http://www.coolminiornot.com/320221

I seemed to have gotten an ace or two right at the start which was a bit of a hit, but I think I've recovered to more or less my deserved grade now

Thanks for all the help and advice.