Lighting effects

[Dedwrekka]

I\'ve seen this done on several miniatures and diaramas, and I\'ve always wondered exactly how it\'s done. Like a torch\'s glow shedding light on a wall, or on the person carrying that torch. Does anyone have any good tips on how to do this particular technique?

edit: (Felt I should be more specific)
What I have in mind for it is for a Netherlord2. I want his whip to be a blue flame that would be reflected on the rest of the model, but I\'m not exactly sure how to show the blueish light comming off of it.

 

[Naukhel]

Best bet for an accurate idea, really, is to do your basecoat on what you\'re painting, set up your camera, light a candle (match, lighter, whatever), turn off all the lights, and take a pic without a flash. This will give you a realistic image of what it should look like to work from.

 

[PORTA]

If you spray all the mini in gray paint, then spray black for the side opposite to the light source, and target for the direction of the light in white.
The result is a scale of gray that helps you to see the direction of the lights and the shades.
Try it

 

[Naukhel]

With your more specific description...
Blue flame is what I\'m using on my Reaper\'s Agramon mini.
Thus, I direct you to the WIP3 thread, pages 19 and 20 have my posted pics of him.
My photography bites, but I\'m doing blue light shining on a darkened scab red surface.

 

[Dedwrekka]

Originally posted by Naukhel
With your more specific description...
Blue flame is what I\'m using on my Reaper\'s Agramon mini.
Thus, I direct you to the WIP3 thread, pages 19 and 20 have my posted pics of him.
My photography bites, but I\'m doing blue light shining on a darkened scab red surface.

It\'s just a little hard to tell in the picture, but does the blue contine for the entirety of where the blue light shines or is it only on highlighted parts of the body?

 

[Naukhel]

To the best of my painting ability, there\'s blue in varying degrees wherever light hit (using the candle in the first shot).
The brightest blues are at the peak points, relative to the light source.
I\'ve only done the blue-on-red, so far. There\'s a couple other bits that are black-based that I haven\'t highlighted, yet.

The back, I\'m doing a behind-center standard lighting effect, which isn\'t showing up as well in the pic as the real thing, but that\'s just my photography.

More WIP\'s coming in a couple days.

 

[Antar000]

and remember that since blue is a short wavelength, it doesn\'t dissipate as easily over distance. In lay terms, that means that the illuminated area will be larger than that of a regular light source, but somewhat subtler.

 

[darkartminiatures]

What Naukel says. I would like to add though that the brightest blue would be the light source itself and the brightest lighting effect on the demon would be a few tones darker. If you have this too bright it will lose the dramatic sense of light. I\'m still figuring this out myself.

 

[Naukhel]

Yeah. It\'s a right good challenge for me, it is.
But, so far, so good.
The fireball\'s getting painted last, to make sure it follows the scheme properly.

 

[Dedwrekka]

I\'m thinking of using a blacklight and attempting that for a good demonic effect to the model (I figure that\'ll get a fairly impressive effect if painted well). What do you all think?