The thread where MiJ posts pictures of his minis

[dogfacedboy uk1]

Looking good mate. I don't think the base is bland at all really. Not every base has to be something epic. The only thing that doesn't do anything for me is the huge cog sticking out. Looks like it doesn't belong really!!!

dfb

 

[Meph]

The paint job is looking awesome mate, as for the rest... Listen to Kat! She's spouting wisdom again!

 

[Broke n English]

Looks cracking I was going to vote for the stripes for the shoulders as the ones on the gun are lovely, such a lot of variation in such a small space, my yellows are awful still ^^ Base is good too.

 

[cassar]

he's colourful chap n no mistake nice going.

 

[me_in_japan]

blimey charlie - 's busy in here all of a sudden. Cheers very much all, for the comments. As for folks' advice - the cog is kinda irremovable, being stuck down with 2 part epoxy n all. However, I'll bear it in mind the next time I do a plinthy type thing. This one's my first ever. It's made from a salt shaker, btw. cost me 100 yen for 2 down the local 100 yen shop.

As for greenery on the base - good call. I didnt get much work done today, but what I did do was go out into the garden and rip up some weeds. What do you think of the base now? Too much? Not enough? Just right?

Finally, as for the banner, as well as folks here, a couple of my friends have said something about it wasnt quite right. However nobody has been able to say what it is thats bugging them. *shrug bemusedly* If inspiration strikes, please let me know

I also did the skulls on the banner. I'd really appreciate folks' opinions on them. They're deliberately mucky because I figure that the rust and mess is going drip all over them. Do they look too blendy-in with the rest of the banner, or are they OK?

Other than that, I did some wires n fings. Theyre just base coated now, so will be much darker and grubbier before theyre done. Regardless, I know blue and red is about a strong a combo as you can get. What do you think - is it too much?

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Thanks for everybody's comments!

 

[SkelettetS]

oooh i dig the shoulderplates, turned out really well. reminds me that i painted a kickass skull at the right one, that got invisible after the big metal hand holding the banner was attatched =)
regarding the banner... not sure there, id probably paint the lower part red too. matter of taste i suppose. really like the progress though! did you slaughter a clock for the base? looks ace =)

 

[marjedi]

Love the ork...rusty, dingy and dangerous

 

[kathrynloch]

I'm lovin' the weeds on the base - maybe a bit too green and fresh but if they're real, they'll brown out quick. lol!

I think with the banner it's too many different colors, too much with the beat-up effect. Yes, you want these things but I think what you're running into is that the banner is already made up of a bunch of metal slapped together. So it's broken up - in fact, if I just glance at the picture, I have a hard time recognizing what it is. By painting each piece a different color, and scuffing that color, you break it up even more.

But like I said, you want these effects, so I was wondering if maybe you pull it together with similar colors, just a little. Like instead of a blue lower jaw, make it red like the top but keep your beat up effects. The teef - make the top the same road hazard stripes as the bottom. Again, different from the skull itself but it will pull them together a little - of course keep them beat up and thrashed. The ears are good as they are, if you make the lower jaw red, then make the background of the crossed bones earring blue.

It's a bit hard to explain but you want to visually pull it together so it's recognizable to the eye but not so much so that you make it all neat. I do understand that you want that slapped together look from available scrap - just whatever they could find to make it. But right now it's like it's going in too many different directions.

That's the only way I can think of to describe what bugs me about it. Sorry I can't be of more help!

 

[me_in_japan]

Thanks everyone for the comments and advice. It really is very much appreciated.

I must confesss that I didnt get a lot done today. Spent a lot of time pondering and turning bits round in my hand, but not actually painting them. I often get like that towards the end of a mini. I get hung up over details.

My big concern just now is: What colour should I do the bandages? pale blue->white, or brown-> white? Or should I do them the greenish colour I used on the hilt wrappings?

Either way, they'll probably get muckified when I weather the metal on the body, so it may not matter too much. I'm also a bit lost on what to do with the pouch and scabbard he's wearing. pale brown? dark brown? Animal print? Make a statement? Blend it in? Really not sure. With the hilt of the knife I at least put brush to mini, so I'd appreciate your comments on it. I also highlighted all the black beltwork. It doesnt show up at all in these pics (hurriedly taken in direct light) but it's there, and it goes from black up to charadon granite with a fair splodge of VMC bone mixed in. You can maybe see it on his lacings on his shirt. The belts are like that, but not taken up as high.

View attachment 8322

This next pic is quick photoshop re-jig of one of the earlier ones. I changed the banner to red all over, intensified the yellow on the teeth, and gave him a blue earing. All those in favour say "aye". Looking at the pics I do find myself agreeing with Skel and Kath, particularly when it comes to the teef. The big question is whether or not I have time to do it and finish the other bits. I'm probably going to try to finish everything as best I can, then see if I have enough time left to re-do it. There are quite a few layers involved, so it'd be touch and go, I think. (I feel compelled to use a japanese word here: it'd be pretty girigiri. It means touch and go, but sounds cuter ) Anyway - we shall see

View attachment 8323

As always, thank you all for your advice

 

[kathrynloch]

Good call on the photoshop! And yes, that's looking a lot better to me. So it is the banner going too many directions that's bothering me. lol! I also agree finish what you need to finish first, and if you have time, redo the banner. But don't sweat the small stuff either - bandages, make a call and go for it. You can't lose with plain ole bandages...off-white and dirt covered bandages - ya know? Same with the pouch, go with a basic brown and you won't lose points. If you go crazy with it and blow it, then you will lose points. If you weren't coming down to the wire, I'd say go for the off the wall stuff but you need a solid entry first and foremost. Making a statement is all well and good - but it isn't going to do anything for you if it's only half finished when the deadline arrives.

 

[me_in_japan]

Thanks Kath - wise words, as always

Well, typhoon 15 rolled through town today, which was good news and bad news. The good news was that work was cancelled for most of the day (altho the typhoon warning was lifted around 4ish, so I had to go in for a coupla hours), but anyway, I got a bit more time to work on the mini. the bad news was that I thought my wife had closed the upstairs windows last night. She thought I had. The result of this kind of misunderstanding when a typhoon hits you is about an inch of water in all the upstairs rooms:doh!:.

Anyway, here's what I did today. (apart from mop up storm water...)
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Done: the scabbard, bandages, green belts and pouch. I also redid the wires from blue to yellow, with a view to removing blue from the mini completely if I can find time to redo the lower jaw of the banner. I've already prepper the upper teef to make em more distinctly yellowy, so this will defo get done. I also blocked in and highlighted the basic metal on his belt and other wee odds n sods around the mini.

Still to do: his hair (red!), shade/highlight the wires, weathering on the metal on the body, redo banner lower jaw.

What do you think of the accessories I did today? Particularly the pale green bits. They turned out different to how I expected them to, as I'm sure the same colours were used on the hilt wrappings on the knife, but it looks different...

Thanks!

*edit* I'm not liking the green pouch or belt straps at all. Too stark against the reddish trousers. I might see if I can redo them brown like his boots. Is that a good idea or a bad un, do you reckon?

 

[marjedi]

Looks good mij, although im not a fan of the dangerstripes on the shoulders. Dont get me wrong, they are nicely painted....but not really adding something to the mini...some more orky stuff would fit better

 

[me_in_japan]

Well hooray and hoorah I think I may actually be finished, and with a whole day or so to spare. He's been put together with superglue (which always gives me the heebie jeebies, cos it often does that frosting thing here for some reason) and stuck onto his base with 2 part epoxy. Once dry, it'll be good to go for photography tomorrow.

So, before I start taking final pics, does anybody have any last minute comments? These pics were taken quickly at 3am, and I am hopeful I can get rid of the glossy effect on the paint with judicious use of light tents and suchlike. If not, I maaaaaaay risk a last minute lick of varnish, applied by brush or possibly airbrush. (The only matt varnish I have is the Vallejo stuff. Does anybody know if this is safe to use or not? I mean, will it do that horrible thing that varnishes do with the white marks in the recesses of the mini?)

Anyway, right. I'm tired enough to be waffling. Here's the final (maybe) pic:

View attachment 8436

Oh aye, one last quick question: Does anybody have any opinions on what pics I should take? Front, full mini, of course, and probably a side and back shot, too, but other than that, should I be throwing in detail shots of any parts? Face? Gun? Banner? I'm sure my photo presentation needs at least as much work as my painting does, so as usual, I'm scrabbling for advice

Thanks again to all in advance. In fact, thanks to everybody who helped me out while I was painting this mini. It's been incredibly motivating to know that there are folks out there following the progress of orkychops here, and your advice and comments have been very much appreciated.

 

[marjedi]

I can't give you any photo advice, since i am an uber noob at that.

But the mini is very nice, well done. All the best of luck in the contest

 

[Broke n English]

Lovely jubbly! The colours from the base, trews, piping, hair and banner really lock it down into the base like a solid column. Very nice, still love the shoulderpads, gl in the comp

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

great ork mate! good luck in the comp - I'm out of it as I have made little progress in the time I had. I don't want to rush mine now. I will be doing some voting tomorrow and I won't be missing anyone out. good luck to anyone else if you put in an entry as well!

dfb

 

[Redfinger]

Top notch work. He has a very industrial feel to him, even with out the base, and I really like the paint chipping, for scale appropriate.

Ashton

 

[kathrynloch]

Very nice MiJ! I think he rocks!!!

As for detail shots - the face is a MUST! You did such a great job with that, you definitely want to show it off.

For full shots, get closer, you only want a little of the plinth showing (if that). Fill the entire camera frame, make sure you're on your highest quality settings, go for lower ISO rather than higher (less noise), especially if you have a tripod. Ummmm...trying to think of anything else...but I think that's about it.

Good luck man! I'm definitely voting, so post a link when you get him up there. Great job!!!

 

[Meph]

Congratz on the completion!

As for shots, definitely a closeup of the face, maybe from an interesting angle as opposed to mug shots.
you gotta show off some rusty detail as well.
I'd make a compilation of 1 large pics and like 3-4 detail insets. If you want, I can always give you a hand with that. I barely use my mouse in Photoshop so that goes pretty fast. ^^

 

[greensamurai]

That is really nice. Nice and gritty and orky. Just not sure on the base myself, colours don't seem to match the model. But that's just me.

For photo's a low ISO setting is useful, a tripod a must and a decent back ground to make sure the model pop's. I would go for a main photo of the whole model, then close up shots of the face, banner pole and detail area's. Make sure that the model fills the camera screen. Nothing worse than a nice photo of a model, but the model is swamped by back ground. Anyway, nice job. Was a fly on the wall for this one.

D