something to help your freehand

[Mourner]

okay, this is something i\'ve been brooding on in order to get freehanded text and motives that are just a bit more realistic in how they follow the curving lines of a piece of cloth or some other curved object.

Now, i haven\'t had the time or opportunity to try this, so this is all theoretical, if someone else tries it, please let me know how it worked out, or just give me some \"theoretical\" feedback on how you think it\'d work out.

so, on to the theory:
the trouble with freehanding a curved surface is in the curves,
How will the design react to the curves. What will be visible, what won\'t, what will be in shadows, what will receive the strongest light.

Simple version:
get a piece of paper, match the exact surface you want to freehand on, draw a rough version of your freehand on the paper, and get it to match the curvature of the mini.

Complicated version:
so i was thinking, if you really want to know... try it out. but how...
why not take some paper, get it wet and malleable (you\'l need something like sandwich paper, something that will hold the shape when dry, and will take the required shape, but will not tear when wet), get it to take the shape of the surface you want to freehand on (lets take a cloak) .
Then cut it to the exact shape as your cloak. leave it to dry and define your highlights.

now, if you\'d just take the paper off the surface, you\'d have a cheap test-surface for you freehand, just throw it away if your not satisfied.

now, take the paper away from the mini, get it to lay flat again and leave it to dry. Draw a rough version of your freehand design on there.

repeat the first step, fixate the paper when dry and remove the paper from the mini.

You should now have a surface identical to the cloak, with a rough version of your freehand design, complete with righlights.

just copy the freehand onto the cloak and your done, a realisticly highlighted, curved freehand.



so, Give me your thoughts, will this work or is it too much effort?
is this a suitable trick for expert painters, or just a usefull tool for starters?

Lets hear it, if it turns out to be useful enough, i might make an article out of it.

Greetz, Paul

 

[Donga]

One of the best and easiest ways of recreating FReehand on a surface is to:

1. Draw the pattern onto the surface, use a soft pencil or it will scratch the surface. I find a mechanical pencil works best, smaller tip. One thing to note is you have to fix the pencil or it will discolour your paint, hairspray works fine (or artist charcoal/pencil fixative if you are rich).

2. Predraw the design onto some tracing paper /line-out paper/baking parchment that is slightly transluscent. Then fix it to the piece and you get a good idea and guide. With tracing paper you can do a transfer of your original drawing by scribbling onto the back of the paper (remember it will be reversed!) . Again you need to fix the pencil marks to stop it discolouring your paint.

I have used both of the above techniques but only on 54mm + miniatures. Never done it on anything smaller so I can\'t comment.

I hope that helps ???

 

[alextheartist]

You could make a press mould of the area then practice on that?

 

[Donga]

Or just draw it on, if it\'s right keep it, if it\'s wrong rub it out.

Why make things more complicated...

 

[PegaZus]

Originally posted by alextheartist
You could make a press mould of the area then practice on that?

That was the first thought I had, as this seems to be more of a \"look and see if I like it\" type thing rather than actually doing it (which is where Donga is coming from, I believe). So, if you\'d want to try out six or seven different sketches on the shoulders, erasing each one in turn wouldn\'t work. Well, it might, but it could be a pain.

The trick would be getting the right kind of paper. I could almost see using an egg carton, mulching it with some water and PVA glue, and using it as a bit of paper mache (sp?). Stuff it into the press mold. Once dried, you\'d have something that would be a bit stiffer (since it was more solid than a sheet of paper), and was disposable. Probably could give it a quick base coat of paint if one was inclined.

 

[Overdose]

How about this...

Create your design on your computer and print it out onto decal paper.
Apply decal and shade or highlight as required.

NB: I\'ve not actually tried this yet, but in theory............

 

[Mourner]

what i\'m trying to do is pretty much the opposite of applying a decal, instead of applying a design onto the curves of a mini, i\'m trying to apply the curves of the mini onto a design.

i\'m basicly trying to get a realistic representation of how the design would behave on the curves of the mini, where would it dip into shadow, or even obscurity, and where does it come to the forefront?

Keep in mind that this will probably be used on an intricate surface, like the back cloth on an st celestine model, to paint an edge design like a latin phrase or somthing recognisably repetitive.
something as \"flat\" as an ordinary marine captain\'s cloak wont be complicated (3d) enough to warrant something like this.

 

[Donga]

I tend to pre-draw/design any complicated designs on paper anyway, you can then fold/crease the paper to see how it would look. It\'s easy enough to copy across then.

I think there is a danger with more mechanical means like tracing that a minute fault in the placement will be magnified. A fault that could be easilly corrected if you do it by eye. It\'s often a case of having faith in your own abilities and the confidence to make mistakes. I only use tracing in unforgiving geometric designs on flat (ish) surfaces. But I have used it on billowing cloth as a guide, then re-drawn it with a mechanical pencil.

If it looks right, it is right.

 

[skeeve]

Well since you brought it up I went to trash can and got out of there my 1:1 sketches (no joke, I actually tossed them last night). So, if picture looks somewhat crappy it is because of cabbage

Anyway.
This is 1:1 sketch

and this is the real thing

Now. Couple of suggestion. I don\'t know about others but paper does not work for me. I can paint MUCH smaller things on paper then on plastic. Paper absorbs paint and it is much more tolerant to slight paint overload then flat surface. I usually use primed disposable plasticware for my 1:1 sketches. Pen sketches I do on paper and usually they go from large size drawing (about a quoter of a standard page) to 1:1

Now, about \"curver paper\". I sometimes use it on very early stages before painting. You draw your thing cut it out and fold, just to see which parts will disappear in folds.

Needles to say all this makes sense only for relatively large freehands

 

[Einion]

Great idea Mourner but I think practising on a cast made from a press-mould is probably a better bet in the long run, because of this:

Originally posted by skeeve
I don\'t know about others but paper does not work for me. I can paint MUCH smaller things on paper then on plastic. Paper absorbs paint and it is much more tolerant to slight paint overload then flat surface.

Einion

 

[Mourner]

@einion (and others)

One thing i\'d always do when painting on paper, with the intention of trying something that will be transferred (or redone) on a mini is to seal the paper, just some varnish, or a primercoat or something. this should have the paper behave more like the mini it is meant to represent (with regards to absorption)

the problem with a pressmold might be removing it from the model, especially if the mini has folds that would \"grip\" or envelope the mold, paper is just a bit more flexible if you ask me.

i\'ll probably try this out on the celestine model i\'m working on at the moment, though it might still be a while before i get to a suitable area...

 

[hubbabubba]

You\'ll have to excuse me but most of these ideas seem like a lot harder work than just using thin paint, a lot of patience, and practice to bring you free hand up to scratch. Its called FREE hand for a reason after all, if you spend as much time practicing as it takes to make paper molds/press molds etc, then your free time should be up to scratch pretty quickly..
Just my two bobs worth

 

[Mourner]

@hubbabubba:
this is not as much about about improving the technique behind doing a freehand (that\'s practice and good brushskill) it\'s more about a \"short\"cut (or a longcut if you wish) to get a freehand that follows the curves of a model more realistically.
And yes, all the work you put into drawing the design onto paper is in a sense practice for freehand, without the danger of screwing up a model (and having to add another layer of paint or even stripping the model)

and, i\'m not telling people to use decals, on the contrary, i\'m trying to help them achieve the same effect with a brush