please critique my first mini post!

[Mollo]

Hi all,

I\'ve been lurking for a while, decided to finally take the plunge and post a mini for critique:

Link = yet another Gandalf

i figure i need some constructive criticism to improve my technique. i\'ve gotten a few 7\'s, i\'d appreciate comments on what prevented it from being an \'8\'.

this was my first attempt at NMM, the blade turned out pretty decent IMHO, i\'m very happy with how the cloak turned out.
the images with the camera i have didn\'t turn out as crisp as i would\'ve liked, hopefully i\'ll have a better camera for my next post

thanks is advance!

 

[U4-Welcome]

Well, IMO, the NMM should be a bit more contrasted, especially the gold on the hilt. Also, the belt could use a couple more highlights. And finally, you need a bigger picture.
Also, the mini itself is not an in-your-face sculpt, and it\'s harder to get high points with those unless a. the sculpt is amazing and you\'re the first one to paint it, or b. you paint unbelievable freehand.

The rest of the painting, however, looks absolutely top-notch. The blending on the blue-gray robes looks very cool.

 

[frenchkid]

well in my opinion it really well painted, and the NMM looks good. Now what I would is preventing it from beeing an aboce 8 mini is just what U4 said : Lack of freehand, not a great sculpt ( not bad either but nothing special), not converted. But look on the bright side you already have the NMM, a major point to get above 8 And you get an 8 from me.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Right my view is a exactly in accordance with the other two comments. That is a good figure but it needs a larger picture and possibly on e taken straight onto the face.
The paintwork is smooth & clean, and the NMM is good.

One thing I would advise is that your title doesn\'t aid the picture. It says \"Oh heres yet another boring picture of Gandalf\" (when it\'s not) and indicates that you are not valuing you own work. By proud of your stuff call it \"My Version of Gandalf\" or something similar.
Its all psychological on how people react to the title. which helps to make the impact. (hence the general hatred of the name \"Une Autre Figurine\" ETC......)

Just my 2 pennyworth!

 

[Chrispy]

I\'d hate to say more of the above... BUT:
needs to be a bit darker in areas, NMM liooks good, basing is also good. I think you could stand to blackline places like where the cape meets his inner robe or his hair with a dark grey if not a black per se, and when showing human figures ALWAYS have a veiw of the face, what people can\'t see they tend to think minimal of.. Good start!

 

[supervike]

as of now, it seems to be averaging a 7.9, which is none too shabby for a first pic.

Good job.

 

[Warworks]

As supervike said, it doesn\'t seem to be doing too bad. It seems a bit powdery white, but I think that is the graininess of the photo. If you can paint regularly on this level, I would submit that a digital caera would greatly be of benefit to you, either bought or borrowed. And I do hope you post more.

My only suggestion on a very good paint is that it is too pristine. Gandalf, especially the grey version of him, was always dirty. Pete Jackson described his wardrobe as always looking like he had spent the night in the bushes and the day riding on muddy roads. Weathering the cloak with some mud, and maybe a discoloration or two on the hat would make the figure appear to be more a part of his environment.

As for a score above 8, I think 9\'s and 10\'s cannot be given for simple technical skill - some art and artistic sense has to be shown. The best artists here can take a model, and make it go beyond the original sculpt to make it say what they want it to say. I don\'t know how your converting skills are, but if you\'re any good with it, I would definitely give it a go.

 

[LouisCypher]

first of all, ou get an 8 from me

in my humble opinion, it\'s very well done, maybe it lacks a bit of contrast and the belt needs a little more work, maybe another darklining and highlight. And the hat, too.
the blue is really good and also nmm seems quite ok, maybe another highlight there may help

Luca

 

[airhead]

Some minis do better than others. The LOTR minis do not seem to score very well here. I don\'t know why, but they don\'t.

That aside, you have done a very nice job on him.

To break over an 8 almost requires more than a game base. Plus something has to really stand out as outstanding.

Above a 9 requires the mini to breathe. (just kidding, but it seems that way.)

Oh, and I gave him an 8 too.

 

[Mollo]

thanks for the comments

Thanks all of you for your helpful comments. You guys have been great! I definitely should have posted minis sooner. You\'ve all given me much to think about.

hopefully my next post will achieve my current holy grail (an \"8\"), i\'ll definitely put your tips to good use (title psychology, who\'da thunk it...)

I\'m definitely in the market for a better digital camera, i think that some of the contrast and graininess issues will be solved that way

thanks again!

 

[praetorian0_1]

Yup -ya\'ll are a fine painter- I dig the base too. There is a post offering to clean up some pics for folks- even to add a cool background. Go check that out and you\'ll stay in the 8\'s for sure.
My two cents.

 

[tabithatan]

hey Mollo.......
very nice gandalf you have there.... you seem to have gotten a good grasp of all the painting techniques and you certainly execute your techniques well... however, as said by the others before, you need a real good pic of this mini to show it off....

Personally I\'ll give minis higher scores if I can see a distinctive artistic style being depicted or if the mini somehow seems to shout out to viewers because of a unique paintjob....

I think that at the 8-9 lvl the painter should show some kinda uniqueness, his/her personal style/signature so that it will be hard to mistake his/her paintjob for the work of another...

rite now... ur gandalf... altho really nicely painted.... doesnt really \"pop out\" when viewed..... perhaps you jus need a better photo... or perhaps.... you need to see how you can develop what you already have into your own distinctive style, so ppl can say, \"Ah.... xxx was probably painted by Mollo.\" even if ur name doesnt appear on the mini pic.

 

[tidoco2222]

Mollo

That is a very nicely painted Gandalf mini, while I appreciate that the Film version of Gandalf the Grey is a more darker character the animated version of him was quite bright in contrast. As DR said though give him a title that is yours and don\'t do yourself down. Give us a full frontal pick as well so we can see his face. You have a lot of skill and the LOTR minis are not the easiest to paint.