Recent Submissions - feedback appreciated

[treide]

Here are a few of my recent submissions. Would love feedback - mostly older minis (which I love), but I finally did a Reaper mini!

http://www.coolminiornot.com/156297
http://www.coolminiornot.com/157413
http://www.coolminiornot.com/160684
http://www.coolminiornot.com/164737
http://www.coolminiornot.com/168003

Thanks for any tips!

 

[Dragonsreach]

Hi treide, well having looked at them all I\'d have to say that the one thing that strikes me is that your contrast range is a litle too close together.
Which means that while your mini\'s are very neatly painted they lack the \"Bite\" or visual impact that a figure with a more expanded shadow to highlight range can display.

Or think of it a bit like this:
Your current layers of paint =,1 2, 3
Try going = 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Where 1 is shadow and whatever the last number is is your final highlight.

Hope that this helps.

 

[treide]

Thanks DR. I have been trying to take my highlights higher, but I need to push it even farther. I tend to reach a point where I am thinking \"If I make this any lighter, the dark hair/cloak/whatever is not going to look dark anymore!\". I just have to take the plunge.

 

[Avelorn]

@DR: that was the longest and most elaborative way of saying that something needs more contrast I\'ve read! (maybe I should keep my mouth shut though.. thinking of previous posts :redface: )

But I have to disagree slightly. I think many colours are in the 3-4-5 spectrum, so it needs some more shading as well as some more highlighting. The contrast is also very much depending on which colours you choose and how saturated they are. A colour might remain very dark event though it\'s contrasted if you vary how much you highlight of it... the trick to keep black looking black works for all other colours too for example.

I think you really succeded on the colours of Terezinua. Like the work with them, especially the nice pink/purple of the dress. It all looks neat and clean. On some parts though it feels like you\'re not entirely sure of where to put the highlights. It\'s of course one of the biggest issues we face as painters. The highlighting I was thinking of most was the beige one right by her leg that stops abruptly, it feels like it should continue to the edge highlight. Have you tried using a bright light over a primed mini and photographing it for reference? Works great as a start even if you don\'t have to be an*l about it.

Another thing that could improve said mini is a more elaborate base. You don\'t have to do tons of stuff with it, but using glazes of different browns and green can turn something plain into something really interesting. Mixing blue in shadows and yellow in highlights is another well used trick nowadays. Works great for imitating sunlight more. Same could of course also be done to the mini itself.

Nice work!

 

[treide]

Thanks Avelorn!

I am slowly venturing into using different colors for shading/glazes etc. One thing at a time, I guess! I have thought about doing the light over the mini to \"find\" and photograph the highlights, but I am too lazy. I am lucky to find a few hours here and there each week to paint, so I usually just jump right in when I get the chance.

The tips are greatly appreciated!

 

[demonherald]

There\'s not a lot to add other than what DR and Avelorn have said.. where Avelorn mentioned little glazes of different colour etc to liven the bases up a bit the same can be done with some of the larger areas of browns etc nothing too much but just enough to provide a slight contrast..... truth be told though lovely neat painting and they look great especially considering how old some of them are and how tricky they are to make look good..