Spring '15 Entries [Data-Sphere Painting Campaign]

[Pierzasty]

What's that moss? I want some.

[Mob of Blondes]

Woodland Scenics turf? If not, looks pretty much the same thing. Makes great short grass.

[H1ghlander]

What's that moss? I want some.

Ground Cover - Fine. I bought mine from Micromark, but you can get it other places depending on what country you're in.

[Pierzasty]

Thanks!

[Claudius Sol]

Hey Guys,

Here is my entry, WIP shots

[photos]

Tx!

Entry noted!

Proof of life.
In retrospect should have lit this the other way.

Edit: The end result.
The main submission is the guide below as a way of firing out grunts with minimal effort and time, painting this lass took around 30 minutes including the photography time.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2683

Thanks for the rather in-depth tutorial there! Entry noted!

[Claudius Sol]

So finally I'am entering. I got Vanguards. My Morat army been waiting primed and based for a very, very long time. I am relatively new to airbrush, this will be the first time I use it for other stuff than terrain, vehicles. Done two TAGs before. I hope to get good feedback and advuce along the way.

I airbrush first layer dark purple, second layer dark green. Will do ehite highlights next and after that I will only work with brush.

I tried to find a good highlight but the airbrush took me for some kind of unexpected ride. When you are used to a brush you know how a color mixture going to look like but with my inexperience it's hard to tell with airbrush, the base color always shines through more.

I am not happy with the result, not near what I had in mind but I think I have to let the armor be finished. I could not even replicate this, even used inks, but luckely I will paint every unit in the sectorial different. Will add edge highlight to the armor and then move on to the rest with brush.

Any tips on anything I could do with the armor to imrove at this stage?

It looks like you might have thinned the paint a little too much? The way those colors are pooling looks very... unnatural. If you want to be advanced, you can attempt spot highlights using the airbrush, but I pretty much just prefer zenith highlighting with the airbrush. Make sure when you're applying those spot highlights to not come at the mini from below. That's an easy recipe for disaster! Keep working on your control and you'll have no problem using various approaches.

I also recommend using Business Cards (or other straight edges) to "mask" areas during your airbrushing. I have a bunch of my own business cards that I bend at various angles and cuts to let me mask off parts of a model during airbrushing. Helps me keep colors where I want/need them.

I'd also be wary of your color choice. It looks like you're trying to highlight a very dark green all the way through a lemon-y yellow. That's a rather strange transition if not done very very well. You're going from a blue/cool tint of green to a yellow/warm tint of green. This can cause a bit of disjoint in your mind's eye. If I were to attempt it, I would highlight through a mint green. Yellow can be used, but make it lime, at least, and limited to edge highlights. That's my two cents.

Though, they're coming along well. Depending on how you finish those models, the current armor shading could be made to work.

[BakuninLover]

It looks like you might have thinned the paint a little too much? The way those colors are pooling looks very... unnatural. If you want to be advanced, you can attempt spot highlights using the airbrush, but I pretty much just prefer zenith highlighting with the airbrush. Make sure when you're applying those spot highlights to not come at the mini from below. That's an easy recipe for disaster! Keep working on your control and you'll have no problem using various approaches.

I also recommend using Business Cards (or other straight edges) to "mask" areas during your airbrushing. I have a bunch of my own business cards that I bend at various angles and cuts to let me mask off parts of a model during airbrushing. Helps me keep colors where I want/need them.

I'd also be wary of your color choice. It looks like you're trying to highlight a very dark green all the way through a lemon-y yellow. That's a rather strange transition if not done very very well. You're going from a blue/cool tint of green to a yellow/warm tint of green. This can cause a bit of disjoint in your mind's eye. If I were to attempt it, I would highlight through a mint green. Yellow can be used, but make it lime, at least, and limited to edge highlights. That's my two cents.

Though, they're coming along well. Depending on how you finish those models, the current armor shading could be made to work.

Thank you for all the great feedback. Going from airbrushing terrain to small minis is quite a step, but I like to try new stuff and learn by doing. I tried to make darkgreen with a bit of xenon look by the purple shadows but the green highlights I made with a white/green mixture just made it to the wrong look so I tried with yellow instead. Also I was a bit over ambitious with the highlighting should have just made a faint highlight from an angle above.

Now I don't know if I should just prime them black again and start over, try something more on the armor or let move on and just paint them finished....

My bases will be "Mars red sand". My original plan was to make the male morats dark amor and the female bright turquoise and some other color in common for all my Morats. What I could do is just paint every unit type different in different armor as I do not want to paint more than the Vanguards like this, could work I think.

[Claudius Sol]

Hmm... I'd recommend, honestly, a stripping down and the reprime and paint. You'll find the second go-around a lot easier.

When spraying, I recommend very low PSI (I typically operate between 10 and 15 PSI).

Also, sticking to zenith highlighting after the base coat is a very simple method and a great way to start out and better understand the lighting effects. Once you've dabbled in that to the point of comfort, THEN I would attempt spot highlighting and other more advanced techniques.

Going from Terrain -> Miniatures (or vice versa) is a very big shift. Take it slow and enjoy the ride.

Glad I could help. I hope it's useful for you.

[JonRGreen]

I've never been good at air brush work thou it might just be all I've used was a cheap air pump before

[Michael Bishop]

OK for an entry I have settled on the Order Sergeants from the MO starter. I primed these with some gesso, which had always worked fantastic for me in the past, however this time it left some crud and caking textures here and there so they are being stripped. Both the models and the gesso hadn't been touched for over a year, so I suspect either some sort of settling in the gesso which I failed to shake/mix thoroughly before applying, or some dust had accumulated on the long-sitting minis and I didn't clean them before priming. Hopefully we get a better canvas this time around.

[Claudius Sol]

OK for an entry I have settled on the Order Sergeants from the MO starter. I primed these with some gesso, which had always worked fantastic for me in the past, however this time it left some crud and caking textures here and there so they are being stripped. Both the models and the gesso hadn't been touched for over a year, so I suspect either some sort of settling in the gesso which I failed to shake/mix thoroughly before applying, or some dust had accumulated on the long-sitting minis and I didn't clean them before priming. Hopefully we get a better canvas this time around.

Sorry to hear about the primer issues. Make sure to shake up that Gesso real well! It can half clumping issues.

Anyway, entry noted! Have fun!

[BakuninLover]

Is there a way to strip them without ruin the bases(made in cork and sand)? Never striped anything before...

[Claudius Sol]

Is there a way to strip them without ruin the bases(made in cork and sand)? Never striped anything before...

Unfortunately, without removing the model from the base, that is a very difficult proposition. My best suggestion would be to remove the model from the base and strip just the model.

Stripping models is not something to be feared! It is something to be exercised! Liberally! Especially when that model is just your type!

I'd recommend using SimpleGreen to strip. It's gentle enough on the model, but will get most paint off, though can be spotchy when it comes to the primer layer. Either way, you'll want to reprime after stripping.

[Errhile]

Damn, I just realized that I cannot enter the campaign: I have no "order monkeys" in my unpainted lead heap (well, pretty much shrunk to a small stack, but still...).

So let's make it my offical unoffical entry with the next best thing - two Daylami and a Muyi... - hold on, let me readjust my holoprojector - three Daylami!

You say you've seen Husam Yasbir? It cannot be, stop taking these Traditional Hassassin Classes already!

[Claudius Sol]

Damn, I just realized that I cannot enter the campaign: I have no "order monkeys" in my unpainted lead heap (well, pretty much shrunk to a small stack, but still...).

So let's make it my offical unoffical entry with the next best thing - two Daylami and a Muyi... - hold on, let me readjust my holoprojector - three Daylami!

You say you've seen Husam Yasbir? It cannot be, stop taking these Traditional Hassassin Classes already!

Congratulations, Errhile. Those Muyib (Why would something think Yasbir?) count as grunts and thus:

Entry noted :3

[Hortensie]

I am starting work on my Tohaa Delegate 5th Feb 2015

Delegate

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[Claudius Sol]

I am starting work on my Tohaa Delegate 5th Feb 2015

Delegate

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Entry noted! Welcome to the forum! The Zenith priming looks textbook clean.

[Jaeger]

Hey all,

Very good article on how to take pictures of miniatures using a Smart Phone, as not all of us have these awesome slr cameras .

http://taleofpainters.blogspot.com/2015/02/tutorial-how-to-photograph-miniatures.html

Enjoy!

[jherazob]

Hey all,

Very good article on how to take pictures of miniatures using a Smart Phone, as not all of us have these awesome slr cameras .

http://taleofpainters.blogspot.com/2015/02/tutorial-how-to-photograph-miniatures.html

Enjoy!

He went too much into white for my taste, but apart from that it's an idea i hadn't considered and should have, using a different, more featureful camera app.

Still, i'm obligated to post this video (as a link as this forum doesn't have the "youtube" phpbb tag).

[Crushar]

Finished! On to next model that has been sitting around for ages....

[Scorch]

Looking good Crushar!

[BakuninLover]

So I did not strip my Vanguards. I think the layers are so thin and fine so I just went back to black with the airbrush. Worked it up and just did a simple zenit highlight. Rest will only be with brush

[BakuninLover]

So all male Morats will have the dark green armor scheme. My female Morats after airbrush. They will not entery of course. But I think it will look good. Easier to work with the turquoise color compared to the green.

[julipet]

Update,

50% wip state

[Lampyridae]

Just need to finish assembling my O:Icestorm Fusiliers and then I can post them in their silver parade suits...

[Myrddin]

2 Celestial Guard for the State Empire. Work on these will commence as soon as the primer cures.

Let's do this!

[Claudius Sol]

Finished! On to next model that has been sitting around for ages....

Looks great! Looking forward to seeing these in person, next month!

So all male Morats will have the dark green armor scheme. My female Morats after airbrush. They will not entery of course. But I think it will look good. Easier to work with the turquoise color compared to the green.

I really like the Turquoise there. Are you so sure you want the male Morats in green? I think you could be onto something with this Turquoise!

2 Celestial Guard for the State Empire. Work on these will commence as soon as the primer cures.

Let's do this!

Entry noted! Good luck!

Update,

50% wip state

Those models are looking quite good. Interesting choice regarding the wulver's skin color... Not that I don't like it, it's just odd from my perspective.

[Hortensie]

Hello

My valentine Tohaa Delegate. done

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I made snake&rose&petals with green stuff using simple tutorials from youtube. For colors I was using B&W set from vallejo + some old GW colors like troll slayer orange, flash gitz yellow. First time was using maskol to try paint as much as possible with airbrush. You can find more steps here http://1drv.ms/1zOxXGx

[jherazob]

Hello

My valentine Tohaa Delegate. done

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I made snake&rose&petals with green stuff using simple tutorials from youtube. For colors I was using B&W set from vallejo + some old GW colors like troll slayer orange, flash gitz yellow. First time was using maskol to try paint as much as possible with airbrush. You can find more steps here http://1drv.ms/1zOxXGx

Well damn, that's awesome, i always love when people paint seasonal-themed minis (can't do it as i'm slow as molasses, i'd finish just in time for the next season ). And you did it well.

[Claudius Sol]

Hello

My valentine Tohaa Delegate. done

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I made snake&rose&petals with green stuff using simple tutorials from youtube. For colors I was using B&W set from vallejo + some old GW colors like troll slayer orange, flash gitz yellow. First time was using maskol to try paint as much as possible with airbrush. You can find more steps here http://1drv.ms/1zOxXGx

I'll take it that's your final entry photo?
Looks very nice. Quite the conversion you've done there.