Author Topic: Dark Mistress SBS  (Read 8428 times)

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Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #20 on: January 30, 2014, 12:53:03 PM »
Thanks GW.




PJ, the trick is to not blend along the line (if that's what you're doing), but across it. When blending (perhaps a misnomer because we're not really blending so much as simply covering the dry color division with a thin glaze - about 20% paint to 80% water -of pain), I make a glaze of the darker color, start the stroke in the lighter color, and draw the brush back to the darker color. I will put a couple(ish) of strokes on, then shorten the strokes as I go back to the darker color (think uneven stepped pyramid). Since the darker glaze is the same color as the initial color (just more transparent), it doesn't effect the darker color. It does, however, start to subtley darken the lighter color at the border and reduce the contrast between the two colors.


Here's a pic showing the the darker base color and lighter highlight color with a pair of long and short glazing strokes over the top.


Cheers,


Glen




« Last Edit: January 30, 2014, 11:51:02 PM by Glen »

PJDeluhery

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #19 on: January 30, 2014, 11:47:28 AM »
Interesting to watch you paint flesh in acrylics, Glen. Never got the hang of that (either!). My flesh comes out all stripey when I use acrylics.
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Grey Wolf

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2014, 05:33:06 AM »
Looks fine to me


Grtx Jan

Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #17 on: January 29, 2014, 08:08:49 PM »
Part 7 - More Fleshtones: The Highlights.


Here's the first and second highlights using a 1:1 mix Reaper's Rosy Highlight and Tanned Highlight for the first light and the same mix with some Pure White added for the second light. The first light was laid down followed by a glaze of the base flesh (Rosy Skin and Tanned Skin in a 1:1 ratio) to blend the light back into the base. Pretty much a repeat of using a base glaze to blend the shadow back into the base fleshtone. The first pic shows a 'before' and 'after' view. The second pic shows the application of the second light and the subsequent blending by using a glaze of the first light and stroking from the second light back to the first. If this isn't clear, let me know - I can illustrate it.


I've also added the first strokes that define the muscles of the lower thigh and the muscles/tendons that define the side of the knee. The idea is to give some definition, but not make her thighs look like they could crush your head like a walnut (yes, I have an anatomy book). The arms are a bit problematic; the forearm guard and the upper armlet are obscuring the areas of the arm that might show any definition in this pose. I'll look at it some more and see what I can come up with.


These operations took about an hour, including the scanning and sizing in between the painting.


Final shading and highlighting come later.


Questions and comments are welcomed.


Cheers,


Glen

Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #16 on: January 28, 2014, 11:25:34 PM »
Part 6 - Fleshtones


I've started painting the fleshtones. I started with a base 1:1 mix of Reaper's Tanned Skin and Rosy Skin; the same as the basic face. I allowed it to cure for a few hours (at least) because I didn't want subsequent layers possibly peeling up the first layer. The next step was to apply the first and second shadows.


The first shadow is a 1:1 mix of Reaper's Tanned Shadow and Rosy Shadow applied around the back and lower half of the legs, torso, and arms. This was blended into the base skin tone with a glaze of Tanned Skin and Rosy Skin drawn from the shadow to the base color thereby softening the transition from base color to shadow. Next, the second shadow was added using the first shadow plus a bit of Burgundy Wine - a deep dark violet. I add just enough to darken the first shadow and slightly gray it, but not so much that turns the color a light gray violet. Once dry, a glaze of the first shadow is drawn from the second shadow to the first shadow. This softens the division between the two shadows. There's more blending later, but it'll wait until after the highlights are added.


Truth be told, this is the point where things look the worst to me. It's all components, but not yet at the point where everything is coming together as a unit. In a word - crap... It happens with every figure I paint. I've reached a point now where I just sort of power through it.


First and second highlights next!


Questions and comments welcomed.


Cheers,


Glen

Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #15 on: January 28, 2014, 12:22:17 PM »
Thanks, PJ. Gettng my interwebbing done this morning; hopefully a painting session this afternoon and an update tonight.


Glen

PJDeluhery

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2014, 11:23:41 AM »
Great work, Glen. Love watching your progress here.
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Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2014, 06:01:24 PM »
Part 4 – Painting the Eyes.

Before I begin, a short note about brushes. I use a combination of Reaper, Vallejo, and W&N Series 7 Sable brushes in sizes #1, #0, and #00 for over 90% of my painting. All of these are long lasting, have good points and have sufficient bulk in the bristles to hold paint. I also have ‘special effects’ brushes; brushes that are used for dotting pupils and catch-lights, broad coverage, groundwork, dry-brushing, etc. The brushes are rinsed in water continuously during use to prevent buildup in the bristles and ferrule. They are washed with a brush soap/conditioner after a painting session. I use old brushes for mixing the paint/water on the palette. Less wear and tear on the good brushes that way.

When painting eyes, lips, and other fine details, I use a pair of 3.25X reading glasses to magnify things. It’s just so much easier. Getting’ older, y’know…
The eyes start with the whites, in this case an eyeball (ha!) mix of Reaper MSP Acrylics’ http://www.reapermini.com/Paints/corecolors Fair Skin Highlight and Pure White. The idea is to get a warm, off-white color. This is followed by a Misty Gray strip across the upper quarter of the eye. The gray represents the shadow cast on the cornea by the upper eyelid. It’s okay to go outside of the lines, since any stray paint will be cleaned up as we go.

The iris consists of a dot of Leaf Green followed by a small dot of Jade Green in the lower half of the iris, but still leaving the darker edge of the Leaf Green around the outer iris. Look for eyes on an image search engine and you’ll see what I mean. Again, going outside the lines is okay.

The lashes are next. I used a 1:2 mix of Blackened Brown and Intense Brown for the lashes. The piece is going to have red hair, and this mix provides a medium brown with red overtones for the lashes. I started in the inner corner of the lower eyelid and painted a thin, semi-transparent line that became increasingly opaque as it reached the outer corner. The line on the upper lid also started in the inner corner, but was thin and opaque to start with and became gradually thicker as it neared the outer corner. Again, see the image search… The lines only have to perfect (or as near as you can make them in this scale) on the inside where they border the cornea and iris. The lashes will be continued after the face has been shaded and highlighted and any makeup applied. Yes, I add makeup; that’s the babe part of ‘Warrior Babe’.

Once done, the pupils and catch-lights are added. I use Walnut Brown for pupils. It’s a very dark brown and less stark than basic black. The catch-light was placed on the upper right side of the iris (as viewed), since that is where my light source is coming from.

The lips were given a base coat of Pure White and Rust Brown in 2:1 ratio. This gives the lips a pink-brown tone which the interweb tells me is a good lip color (among others) for redheads. Research, research, research…

The pics show the overall piece at slightly less than twice normal size and an enlargement of if the head so you can see the warts. It looks like crap now  :o , but it all comes together later.

Comments and questions are welcomed.

Glen



Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #12 on: January 25, 2014, 11:22:33 PM »
Workin' it. Good weather today (mid 60s F); went to automotive swap meet. Better weather Sunday. Taking MGs out for a workout.  8)


Glen

Roger

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2014, 03:58:04 PM »
Aw, shucks... T'warn't nuthin'.


Glad you like it!


Glen

Yeah, okay.... where's part 4?  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Roger Newsome.
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Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2014, 03:07:36 PM »
Aw, shucks... T'warn't nuthin'.


Glad you like it!


Glen

Roger

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2014, 12:45:54 PM »
Thanks for taking the time to give a detailed sbs Glen I enjoy reading and following along with this kind of thread.
Roger Newsome.
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Bedale, North Yorkshire.

Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2014, 12:09:12 PM »
Part 3

Being a metal figure, priming is virtually mandatory. The same is true for resin figures. Before priming, I took a couple of minutes to wash the figure in dish soap and warm water. It was rinsed with clean water and allowed to air dry. You never know if a manufacturer has used a mold release agent which can interfere with primer/paint adhesion. Additionally, you are getting skin oils on the piece as you handle it during cleanup.I used Floquil Model Railroad Gray Primer which was brushed on using an old brush. [size=78%][/size]

True primers will etch themselves into the metal and provide a strong chip and wear resistant base for the paint. Most of the hobby paint makers have a brushed and/or spray primer in their product line and, for the most part, these are perfectly acceptable. Automotive primers in a spray can are also widely used, but you want to use the fine primers, not the high-build types which are thicker and used to fill pinholes. These can obscure fine detail on figures. Gray is the most common primer color - mainly, I think, because it provides a neutral base for the colors. Black and white primers are also used. White seems to be especially useful under Caucasian female flesh tones.

Painting next.

Questions and comments are welcomed.

Cheers,

Glen

Glen

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2014, 11:41:42 AM »
I'd thought of that Mark, but I thought it might be too small. You'd only see the hilt, grip, and maybe a small pommel. I was wanting something a bit more substantial to provide additional color and detail. It would be suspended from her belt at a slight angle, but still be entirely within the confines of her thigh. It would serve to break up the expanse of flesh tones on the thigh. There is method to my madness, but I'm trying not overthink it, so I'll just let it go. My intent on this project was to stay with out-of-box nature of the piece and not get wrapped up in various modifications. Must resist...


Glen

marko

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Re: Dark Mistress SBS
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2014, 03:38:59 PM »
Good stuff Glen. 


I would vote for the trusty knife tucked into the boot to deal with too ardent suitors.


mark  8)
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