Reaper Elf (WIP)

[Mercius]

This is my new WIP. It is a Reaper mini that I picked up at my local hobby shop. I worked about 2 hours tonight on the face and hair...I am pretty happy so far, the only thing that is bugging me is I need to make the right eyebrow stand out as much as the left. Any CC is appreciated, also I am trying to figure out a good colo scheme for it as well, so if you have any opinions fire em at me!

 

[Tagamoga]

Dear Mercius,

Nice work on the face. The hair is a little bit too yellow for my taste. But this is a personal affair.

@ Color sceme:
I dont know why, but I woulg paint her in green on the cloth, brwon on the leather and white metal... but this is only a suggestion!

Greetings, Taggi

 

[cheelfy]

The face is nice but the hair is too yellow so it doesn't really look realistic.
For the colour scheme I would paint it something with a bright blue, brown for the leather and white metals.

 

[Mercius]

The hair is more yellow than I was going for, The highlights and shadows, which are hard to see look really good, but I wouldn't mind toning down the yellow, any ideas on that? I would really hate to start over on it, but I could if needed.

 

[SkelettetS]

mix more white in the yellow color, make the hair look more blond than actually yellow.

 

[Mercius]

I will try that when I get home from work today....would I do highlights up to white for the hair or up to a very light blonde color?

 

[cheelfy]

Up to very light blond hair would be mory realistic but you can do up to white if you want.

 

[generulpoleaxe]

for a more realistic and quick blonde, base coat with vmc pale sand, wash with vmc ochre yellow.
Tweek the shadows with vmc brown violet.

smooth out highlights with vmc pale sand and finish with the brightest spots using vmc ivory.

it will give you something like this

hope this helps.

 

[Mercius]

Ok, I will try that then....what would be best for shading? For the way it is now I painted a darker brown for the shade layer and then washed the initial yellower layers in a brown wash to get into the recesses, I am assuming that process would work just as good for the more blonde look.

 

[Mercius]

for a more realistic and quick blonde, base coat with vmc pale sand, wash with vmc ochre yellow.
Tweek the shadows with vmc brown violet.

smooth out highlights with vmc pale sand and finish with the brightest spots using vmc ivory.

it will give you something like this

hope this helps.

I don't have VMC, but I can def try and reproduce it with GW paints...thanks a bunch!

 

[Mercius]

Here is my progress from tonight.
Got the general color scheme for the armor down, although I am unsure what to do with the pants.
It seems like green would be too much of the same thing, any ideas?

 

[BPI]

Hi Mercius, I'd go with the green. I know the feeling that it'd be too much but it's so easy to clutter these minis up with a rainbow of colours by time you have the belt, buckle, straps, etc. filled in too. For a little variation you can always run it dark to light from toe to head: so the green upper arms are lightest highlight while the bits above his knees remain very dark green. ScottRadom has done it recently on the trousers of his Kingdom Death mini & it looks very nice.

Cheers, B.

 

[Mercius]

Here is tonights progress....I finished base coats and shaded and highlighted the tunic and pants.

 

[cheelfy]

Nice so far. Green adds colour to the whole thing and it's good.

 

[Mercius]

Nice so far. Green adds colour to the whole thing and it's good.

Thanks! I am enjoying learning how to blend and highlight, and this guy has been alot of fun to paint so far.

 

[generulpoleaxe]

Mercius, if you can ever get down to Gamesday then have a chat with the eavy metal staff.
They will show you how they highlight/blend, how much water they thin with etc (very helpfull lads and lasses.)

If your doing a solid yellow base coat to start with on the hair then try desert yellow (i think that is what the gw paint is called) as it isn't as yellow.

nice work so far

 

[Mercius]

Mercius, if you can ever get down to Gamesday then have a chat with the eavy metal staff.
They will show you how they highlight/blend, how much water they thin with etc (very helpfull lads and lasses.)

If your doing a solid yellow base coat to start with on the hair then try desert yellow (i think that is what the gw paint is called) as it isn't as yellow.

nice work so far

Thank! I love the 'Eavy Metal team minis so that would be awesome. Never really looked into Gamesday or anything, as I don't play anything I just like painting. I think I just bought a bottle of Desert yellow a few days ago, will have to check.

 

[mattsterbenz]

Very good start so far. The skintone is great!

I'd like to second Generulpoleaxe's call on Desert Yellow. Great color for doing blonde hair. I like to highlight it by adding in white, and shade with either Gryphonne Sepia or Devlan Mud.

If I want the hair to look a bit more yellow, sometimes I will add in a bit of yellow ink with Gryphonne Sepia and do a thin glaze or two over the hair after it's been highlighted.

-Matt

 

[mickc22]

looking good
I've often used Bronzed Flesh (GW) as a base for blonde hair

 

[Mercius]

I used Bronzed flesh for the first coat and then highlighted up, it did end up to yellow, but for my second mini in 12 years I am happy with it...this mini is definatly my trial by fire for blending and highlighting, I had never really made much of an attempt on those styles before now.