[PLOG] - RafaPolit's Army (updated January 23, 2013)

Rafapolit · Post by **Rafapolit** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 6:41 pm

Friends,

Thanks a lot for helping me out with narrowing down and picking up a color scheme for my army (http://druchii.net/viewtopic.php?t=58448). I'll be painting most of my units with the main scheme and I'll "borrow" from the other schemes on certain units. Hopefully, the result will be an overall unified-looking army but not boring to look at when deployed on the table and with some hint as to the importance of each unit (all this is just theory right now

)

I'll start with my first finished unit (didn't really thought it will take so long to actually get one finished!

) the Executioners (Command group only for now). I'll be (slowly) adding more pictures as I paint more units as well as expand my collection.

I just want to say, once more, that after each photographing session of my minis, my respect and awe for the people posting on this forums grows! My minis look good in hand and when blown-up in the pictures my paint job looks blotchy while most people here display pictures exhibiting a master degree on painting I only hope to achieve with time! Thanks all for sharing.

As always, all critiques/comments/suggestions/reference pictures/etc are more than welcome and, quite frankly, expected!

So, here's my first finished unit:

The Har Ganeth Executioners

Rafa.

Ekalb · Post by **Ekalb** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 7:20 am

The muted yellow really works well with the black. the standard beater pole is also very cool. how did you do the bases? is it meant to look like mud?

Rafapolit · Post by **Rafapolit** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:40 am

Thanks Ekalb! Given that my name is Rafael, I was very exited to see the main Rune of the executioners resembled an R, so I tried to replicate it

.

The bases are molded with a kids clay that dries hard without the need of baking and doesn't need water to mold (its a good material IMHO). They appear a bit shiny on the picture, they are not, though the varnish may have given them the lustre that makes it look like mud. It was meant to be a sort of off-worldly rock formation. Perhaps I was not as successful as I would have expected with them, I agree... any suggestions?

Thanks,
Rafa.

Mordru · Post by **Mordru** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:58 am

Good, crisp, effective painting. Normally black and yellow is not a combo I'd like for this army but you have carried it off very well. Minor critique about the bases...you may want to try to get the basing material all the way to the edge of the figs. It probably will not matter when the unit is all ranked up but it looks just that bit nicer.

Lonely shade · Post by **Lonely shade** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:26 am

Gold and black with red highlights, interesting. I am liking it so far except for the tan skin, I am the type that pictures Druchii with paler skin, but that is more of a personal taste/choice thing. I can only advise that you go ahead with your plan and change things as problems arise.

- Lonely

Rafapolit · Post by **Rafapolit** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:41 am

Friends, thanks a lot for the critique and comments! I really appreciate it a lot, as I am very new to painting minis.

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply and also to have kept this Plog so empty. I have been very busy at work, but I intend to get back to painting.

I have just finished the Sorceress from Avatars of War and would like your take on her. I really think the model of the mini to be a great learning/first-timer test ground, cause it is simple, has few elements so you can concentrate in a particular area a bit more. Also, has a huge face (compared to others at least) so it is a good place to learn faces as well.

I am pleased as how it turned out. I have implemented some of the suggestions made here to:
- avoid the base to look like mud and take a more "stony" approach. (Thanks Ekalb)
- Make a effort to blend more nicely the basing with the figure. (Thanks Mordru)

My Lokhir was made before all this comments, the Sorceress includes this changes, hopefully they are enough

.

Lonely Shade... I made a decision from the start to avoid the pale looking skin for the elfs as I was opting for a very dark scheme and I wanted some color to show through, and the skin on certain models was to be that color. Also, I had plans of making a fully white-haired race, so I needed a stronger skin to have contrast with the hair. I have become a bit more flexible regarding this point as it sometimes affects the balance of the mini to go with strong white hair, but the skin has remained a bit strong. I agree its more a personal taste, but mine was driven by a design reason which, regretfully, has proven not as strong as I imagined. At any rate, I am pleased with the skin tone. Thanks for the suggestion and comments.

Ok, so, I'm including the AoWs Sorceress and Lokhir, which I had finished a while back but hadn't posted the picture:

Sorceress:

Lokhir Fellheart:

That's it for now... working on the Supreme Sorceress from GW, and then the Hydra.

This has turned out to be much slower than anticipated, but I enjoy painting the minis. Making 20 of the same constitutes a slightly different issue

, lets see what happens.

As always, comments, critiques and suggestions are more than welcome, as any bit of advice will help me improve.

Thanks a lot!
Rafa.

Dread lord · Post by **Dread lord** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 5:07 pm

I like it

Most dark elfs tend to be very pail were as yours look like they live on the betch in LA

its nice to see a change.

Lokhir looks good perhaps a bit of a wash + dry brush to give the mask/helmet some depth

Sorceress
Looks good but im not a fan of the needlessly topless models

Post by **Layne** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 6:59 pm

It looks like you need to thin your paints a bit. It all seems to be going on a bit thick. You might also consider, for your flesh tones, mixing a bit of Warlock Purple into your basecoat. Other than that, what has already been said - use washes. I find they come out a bit too glossy for my taste - better than the old inks did, but still just a bit too glossy - so I mix in similar coloured paints to dull them down a bit. When I do this I find it's necessary to add water, too.

The thing to do is to experiment and mess about. Good luck!

Kuanor · Post by **Kuanor** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:01 pm

Many parts seem to be just drybrushed, aren't they?

Rafapolit · Post by **Rafapolit** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:02 am

Thanks a lot friends for the comments/suggestions.

@Dread Lord: Thanks, yeah... I don't regret too much the decision to go more tanned with the skin, but I understand why it doesn't suite the theme so well... perhaps on my next army!

. I'll look into Lokhir's helmet... but I need to find a way to achieve better results with less effort... that Mask was hours of work and layers of several different colors. I agree, the result does not show!

.

@Layne:
I would love some more info into this thinning process as my biggest complaint is that I cannot get that smooth look I see on other minis. I am using Folk Art acrylics, which are really made for decorative painting. The paint is a paste more than a liquid. The problem is that, when I thin it down it either runs filling the recessed bits of the mini or the paint gets "separated" like when old milk gets boiled and gets made into grease and milk (sorry, I'm sure there is a term I don't know for it, in Spanish we say the milk gets "cut"). So little pieces of the color start to float in the medium and it is no longer a uniform color.
So... How do you thin down the paint? We have no access to Vallejo, Citadel, or any other type of paints, the local paint is even thicker than the one I'm using. Thanks for any input on this! I'm sure most of the problem is my painting and no so much the paint itself, so tips would be heavily welcome!

@Kuanor: Actually no... I try not to either make washes or drybrushes... I try to paint as much as I can as I find that washes darken my paint and make it look dirty, and drybrushes tend to look "pasty". Where do think I am using drybrush? The only drybrush is the Sorceress skirt (I think, and hope

)

Thanks again friends, this is great input.

Rafa.

Post by **Layne** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:43 pm

Hell! It's been a long time since I tried to use those sorts of paints for minis. Back when I was naught but a poverty-stricken youth... is there perhaps some kind of thinner among the range of paints you use? If they are acrylics then they ought to work with just water, but perhaps there is a better way. I don't know, if you've got a problem with getting good paints then you will just have to experiment with it.

By the way, the word we use is "curdled". I've seen Citadel paints get a similar problem, after being stored for a long time in a place that was neither cool nor dry as the instructions ask. If these ones get it straight away then you're up against it. Really I can only suggest further, careful experimentation. Personally I think you've done damned well to get any kind of good result - which you have done - with the paints you use.

So I wish you luck.

Oh, Edits : I had an idea. Perhaps if you mix the paint and water in a small pot of some kind, and add water gradually, and mix it in both slowly and carefully, stirring with something hard like a bit of sprue, you might be able to get around this curdling. It will be massive pain, but worth trying, especially if it succeeds!

Edit again : I suggest baby-food jars, anything small that you can reseal. You might find you can mix up batches, and then reseal them. Then you'd probably need to repeat the process somewhat when you want to use them, that is, they'll lose a bit of ater so you'll want to add a bit and mix in carefully with stirring sprue each time. Damn boy, you've got some difficulties. Wish you luck again!

Rafapolit · Post by **Rafapolit** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:53 pm

Thanks a lot! All those ideas are more than worth trying and, on paper, sound perfect for what I need. I suspect that the thinning will reduce the color's pigment but that would only require some extra layers that I would be happy to give if the result is non-blotchy paint!

Thanks a lot, it really is great help and support!
Rafa.

Kuanor · Post by **Kuanor** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:19 pm

Where do think I am using drybrush?

Well, I don't think anything anymore because I never worked with these paints.

But it's true, what often is said: You get better results with several layers of thin paint than with one of an unthinned one. Try, what Layne says.

Elwreth · Post by **Elwreth** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:43 pm

Anybody that has ever used those paints probably realizes that it is a minor miracle that his miniatures turned out so well. Those paints are just bad for painting miniatures with...and most other things as well.

I have had some success using artists acrylics when I am unable to find certain colours that are not in my collection of foundry, gw, vallejo and assorted other gaming paints.

Hats off to you sir.

Farodin · Post by **Farodin** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:33 pm

First of all, great respect for the fact that you can paint your miniatures so beautifully with those paints

.

I like your work, the skin is strangly enough, really cool. Why strange? Normally I don't like tanned elves

, but your's look cool.
Also, I like the colourscheme! Your painting is vey neat. Looking forward to see more! Good luck finding decent paints.

-Farodin

Darkelfogrekiller · Post by **Darkelfogrekiller** » Fri May 01, 2009 2:57 am

the executioners look very nice i did mine in purple and silver buit alas i traded them this week for a shaggoth and 8 dragon ogres thath ill prolly never use

Rafapolit · Post by **Rafapolit** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:51 am

Friends!

Thank you very much for the comments, critiques and suggestions.

I am not yet ready to give up on my paints!

(also, the price of restocking would be prohibitive at the moment). I still believe the painter needs to be better than his tools before upgrading the tools. A Stradivarius in the hand of an amateur will sound much worse than a crappy violin on the hands of a master

so while I build up on my skills, I am whiling to keep trying my paints.

As to watering down the paints, I think I have had a significant improvement, at least on bigger surfaces. On smaller details, I think it gets trickier as the watered down paint requires more layers to accomplish the same saturation and restores that "thick" look to the paint.

That said, I believe the watered down paints allow for much subtler changes from one shade to the other, as well as being more forgiving if you stroke to far or even if you accidentally painted a wrong part.

I am submitting for your consideration, critiques and suggestions, my newly finished War Hydra (took quite a while, and the overall look is a bit darker than what I was aiming for, but I am pleased with it nonetheless).

Thanks a lot! You have proven very helpful and I think your suggestions rather than the little experience I have is what produces better results on the minis!

Thanks!

Rafa.

Comrade igor · Post by **Comrade igor** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:23 am

Very nice.

Ampao · Post by **Ampao** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:23 am

I like the choice of color. I would like to suggest a bit more contrast. Add some highlights and shadows. But your style looks clean. I like it.

Dannyisevil · Post by **Dannyisevil** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 5:19 pm

Nice looking army so far

Love the red in your arm and the warhydra is very good painted.
The eyes of the warhydra is realy nice detail.

Keep the good work going!

Gnosis · Post by **Gnosis** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:26 pm

Could you post the first pictures again but without the heightened contrast?

Rafapolit · Post by **Rafapolit** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:14 am

Thanks a lot friends for the comments.

Thanks Igor and Dnnyisevil for the kind words.

Ampao, I agree with the contrast issue. I usually decide which part of the mini I like to be the center of attention of the mini and paint towards that aim (that's, for example, why I kept the dragon of the sorceress toned down, to allow the focus to go to the sorceress itself, and that proved a mistake as well!

) Here I thought the heads would be that place and made that color gradient so that the heads are the most red part of the hydra, and I thought that with teeth, tongue and eyes, the effect will be achieved, but it looks it was not so. That's why avoided high contrasts elsewhere, but I agree that it ended up a bit flat.

Gnosis, I am sorry but I don't have other pictures of the Execs, perhaps I could take new ones, but those where made on a small lighting studio and it had harsh spot lights on them, some backlight and almost no fill, so the contrast was done with lighting and not with post processing, so the detail is not there to be recovered

. I would look if I can take new pictures with them on the neutral background and with more even lighting on them.

Thanks again fellows!
Rafa.

Post by **Dyvim tvar** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:36 am

First, I like your color scheme and and overall look of the army. My two criticisms in this regard are pretty minor: (1) I would add some sand to the bases to give them more texture -- right now the bases look a bit like bread dough; (2) Your runes on the banner and cloak are a bit to "fat" right now -- I would make them thinner and sharper to look more like dark elf runes.

RafaPolit wrote:I am not yet ready to give up on my paints! (also, the price of restocking would be prohibitive at the moment). I still believe the painter needs to be better than his tools before upgrading the tools. A Stradivarius in the hand of an amateur will sound much worse than a crappy violin on the hands of a master so while I build up on my skills, I am whiling to keep trying my paints.

Based on your pictures, I think you are already better than your tools and are ready to upgrade. I am truly amazed that you have achieved these results with just Folk Art acrylics! You have already seen the limitation of this type of paint -- it does not cover well when thinned, and it obscures detail when thick. If you upgrade your paint, you will find that the finer pigment in better quality paint provides for good coverage even when thinned.

Also, you do not need to get Citadel, Vallejo, etc. since you don't have local access to those brands. You can do just as well buying good quality acrylic paint directed to fine artists. It should come in tubes and will have the consistency of 'paste' like the stuff you are using now, and you will need to thin it with water before apply it to minatures. But as noted above, you should still be able to get good coverage when the paint is thinned.

Again, you are already better than your tools and I think the paint you are using is doing nothing but holding you back.

Ampao · Post by **Ampao** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:49 am

Thats an awesome idea, focusing the attention to ur main subject.

Post by **Layne** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:41 am

I think it's a mighty effort under the circumstances, Rafa. What's with the Hydra's base, though? Is it plastic or resin, or what? Whatever it is, it has lifted a bit at the edges and you'd better fill it up with something. Can you get green stuff or anything similar where you are ?