Outsiders: what makes an impression

[Margo]

It just occurred to me what impresses people who are not into miniature painting when they see a painted mini the most, so I thought I’d share.

The answer is: freehand. Or, even better, excessive freehand.

Today, my cousin came over, and, as usual, she looked at the new miniatures I painted. She’s always quite enthusiastic about it, but today she was actually stunned when she saw a mini with a cloak all covered in freehand. She was all like “how did you do that, I can’t believe it, did you use a magnifying glass” and stuff. And then I started recalling how people reacted at my miniatures, and it’s always freehand that gets the most attention. Things like smooth blending and transition of colors – they just take it for granted. Interesting, isn\'t it?

 

[Astonia]

I guess the thing is to try to make the hard things look easy. If the transitions are made very smooth, they won\'t notice all the hard work, but if they aren\'t perfectly done, they will notice it.

Um, am I making sense?

 

[Margo]

Could be. Still, the idea of \"tiny drawings\" on a miniature seems most attractive to them.

 

[Brokenblade]

Yes i think freehand always gets people, what i get alot is \"wow, how do u paint the face when its so small\"

i try and explain that that isn\'t the hardest part, all you need is small brushes, i agree with anja about the blending probles aswell, in that only people who\'ve painted minis themselves will notice smooth blends.

 

[EricJ]

yep, I agree actually. I have friends looking over minis with complex lighting effects, nmm effects which might have taken me hours etc...and just say it\'s nice, but then see the base of Eric the Dark Maiden and their eyes get big and start asking question after question how I did that, how small are my brushes, on and on.

Anja, what? did you get enough sleep?

okok, you actually do make sense as well. When people see something that looks realistic on a mini they don\'t seem to understand just how much time, effort and talent it takes to make it look that way. I don\'t know if you can really understand until you try to do it yourself.

-Eric

PS I only say \"I actually agree\" with margo because we\'ve already figured out our stars are completely out of alingment for us to agree on anything. But what do the stars know, or I guess sun and moon in this case...

 

[Margo]

Originally posted by EricJbut then see the base of Eric the Dark Maiden and their eyes get big and start asking question after question how I did that, how small are my brushes, on and on.

Well, I believe, you got a lot of similar questions from people who do know a freat deal about painting miniatures when they saw the base of Eric the Dark Maiden Maybe they didn\'t ask about your brushes, but still ...

 

[EricJ]

Margo! shhhh you! you know what I ment.

 

[supervike]

very good point...

I remember a couple of times showing some of my \'outsider\' friends or family members some of the pics here on CMON.

I remember specifically pulling up Arjay\'s chrome work and seeing a blank face on my friend. I could tell they just didn\'t \'get it\'. Once I explained that the \'metal parts\' really were NOT shining and that the artist only made them look that way, did I notice some appreciation.

What impresses us painters is not always the same thing that impresses a more unattached viewer.

Freehand is one thing though, that really appeals to both the uninitiated and the initiated.

It may be similar to when you\'ll hear other movie directors go on about how great a certain film is, and then watching the film and just \'not get\' it. Maybe they are seeing things I don\'t quite understand?

 

[Joshua]

um why are yopu calling her eric the dark maiden? im pretty sure eric is a male name and she looks pretty feminine.
sure, she has got no mouth but is that a reason to pick on her? thats cold

 

[Margo]

Originally posted by EricJ
Margo! shhhh you! you know what I ment.

Sure I do. But how could I miss the opportunity to tease you Stars, Sun and all the other planets, remember? Plus, I didn\'t want to lose the chance to tell you once again how amazing the base with reflections concept is

 

[Margo]

Originally posted by supervike

What impresses us painters is not always the same thing that impresses a more unattached viewer.

Exactly. For example, they tend to like metallics better than NMM (as you pointed out, they just don\'t get the whole idea). Freehand is something they understand, and seeing a \"drawing\" or a pattern that small amazes them more than all the SENMMs in the world

And like Brokenblade said, they get pretty excited about faces, too. \"How did you paint the eyes!!!!\" is the most typical response

 

[Wolf_Fang]

this is odd.. because ive yet to do any free hand (im not all that great yet lol) how ever when people see my minis (friends and family) they still get all bugy over them and im just now starting to get to the wet blending and abandoning drybrushing (excpet where absolutly nedded) and they gey all amased at them...they seen to simply be amased at the fact that i can just stay in the lines they never really mention the highlights but the fact that its actualy painted lol mayb its because i dont have any with free hand yet? on the free hand not im thinking of doing some free hand iwth the basic tau symbol on the circle on the fire warrior chet plate and possibly on the mountain troll obtained from tabs ebay store lol

 

[Astonia]

Yeah, and when you tell them \"The face? Oh that\'s easy, it\'s the fold in the cloak here that I had to redo like 20 times\" they just stare at you.

Or when you say that you spent 10 ot 20 hours on a mini...

 

[Margo]

Originally posted by Astonia
Yeah, and when you tell them \"The face? Oh that\'s easy, it\'s the fold in the cloak here that I had to redo like 20 times\" they just stare at you.

Totally agree They just thing the highlights on clothing/armour live their own lives, and that it didn\'t take you much effort to emphasize the shadows and highlights. That takes us back to what you said about people not noticing hard work because the results look \"natural\".

 

[Modderrhu]

I get asked how I did the chainmail, \"Did you paint every little ring?\", but few things are easier than chainmail. It\'s the eyes that get them, \"but they\'re so tiny!\"

I think it really comes down to one thing: people who don\'t know about mini painting like detail. Detail, detail, detail. Freehand is detail. Eyes are detail. Chainmail is detail.

 

[minimaker]

Hi,

My observation is the same. Outsiders tend to be amazed by small size, not by that which we consider difficult. Same in sculpting. People are amazed by the small bits and pieces and overal size. Not the fact that the figure has an expression, good drapery, good anatomy, a working pose, etc.

I think it\'s the same in any discipline. You have to be in that discipline or into a related discipline to appreciate something fully. Compare it to other forms of art, especially modern art. Unless you\'ve learned to look at it you will only see the picture and say, it\'s pretty or it\'s ugly (or worse, boring. ).

Remembered another example of that: sushi. When a friend took me to a Boston restaurant she told me she noticed the difference between those with a restaurant background and those without. The first group would bite, savour, swallow and savour the aftertastes for minutes afterwards. Others go like bite, swallow, \"nice, what\'s next\".

Bye, Ming-Hua

 

[EricJ]

Originally posted by Margo

Sure I do. But how could I miss the opportunity to tease you Stars, Sun and all the other planets, remember? Plus, I didn\'t want to lose the chance to tell you once again how amazing the base with reflections concept is

lol fair enough, and when you sweet talk me like that, how can I be mad!

Astonia, I 100% agree, with everything you just said. I would add to it...but I think you covered it.

 

[EricJ]

Ming-Hua, I\'m STILL amazed by sculpts, and I\'ve staired at 1000\'s of them and when I look at certain faces or details there are times when I\'m still just blown away. But perhaps I\'m also appreciating all those other details of anatomy and drapery as well...

 

[Margo]

Modderrhu and Ming-Hua: yes, I guess you\'re right. It\'s all about size and detail. And freehand gets points for both, besides, it\'s actually a \"drawing\", which makes it seem even more complicated to outsiders.

 

[Astonia]

I am extremely impressed with good sculptors, because I tried it once and I didn\'t know it was so difficult! And patience isn\'t really my strong side either...