39 replies to this topic

[Argentee]

Well, Dita was going to be my first Mini... but it looks more like she will be my second. Or maybe third at this rate of progress... I've rebased her three times. I've reprimed her five or six times. I've lost count.

So, I decided this time to play with white and black primer both. Why not? I'll probably be doing this again...

I've also started step 1 of the Bette Davis Eyes tutorial... debating if maybe I should seal the eyes before step 2, to make clean up of mistakes easier.

Also, Dita needed a cat. A steampunk cat.



So I gave it goggles. With a itty bitty buckle on the back.

To the Reaper sculptors who do this stuff for a living... you have my undying admiration. Just doing this tiny bit nearly drove me mad. At one point I was cursing the overly large tool I was using, then realized it was the point of a needle. The cat is from Edna and is in the 4 pack in the boneyard. I wanted something other than the stereotypical Halloween back arched cat.

[buglips*the*goblin]

Steampunk cat goggles - creative!

Your sculpting is better than mine, I can't even make a proper broccoli base (that's the funny mossy looking thing that a lot of the Dark Heaven Legends figures have as an integral base).

[Jordan Peacock]

Heh. I love the idea of a steampunk cat familiar for Dita. :D I might just have to steal that idea.

[Pingo]

I'm impressed. Green stuff on your second mini already? Way to go, and good luck.

[smokingwreckage]

Steampunk cat with goggles. Awesome.

[Argentee]

Well, let's check in on poor Dita...



EEK! Well, to be fair when not seen up close like this it just looks like the right eye (her left) was painted over. I followed the Bette Davis Eyes tutorial. Or tried to. After my tenth or so attempt I just gave up and went on and blocked in colors. I wanted to paint and have fun not just try to paint in eyes over... and over... and over... and...

Still not sure if I should try brownlining the figure. Maybe she's suffered enough...

Well, let's check in on the cat.



Hrm... my black cat RL has red highlights in the sun. Didn't work out as well here. And there aren't actually white specks on her, that's flash-reflection. Goggles need some gold or such to bring them out.

Well, taking the rest of the night off, I'll work on it again in the morning.

[buglips*the*goblin]

Line her . . . line her . . .

And I'm not just saying that because I blackline everything. I get up in the morning and make some toast? Blackline! I put on clothes? Not without some blackline. And I take a bath? Oh, you better believe that is gonna leave a blackline.

Okay, actually I'm full of lies. I'm totally saying that because I blackline everything. Brownlining is good, too. Even bluelining. I'm not prejudiced. But lining . . . oh yes . . . lining is sublime. Subline? That too, if puns are your thing.

Also, I have painted, in the entirety of my miniature painting career, several thousand sets of eyes. I still hate it. Even more than accidentally supergluing a demon or dragon wing to my forehead.

[Argentee]

Well, accidentally gluing a dragon wing to your forehead, that's just a fashion statement.

[buglips*the*goblin]

Well, accidentally gluing a dragon wing to your forehead, that's just a fashion statement.

I went to the store wearing that thing. Nobody said a word. Found out when I came home and looked in a mirror.

Sucker was stuck tight, too. Left a mark for three days. Be careful with the super-bond gel stuff.

[Argentee]

Well, taking the rest of the night off, I'll work on it again in the morning.

Alas, I lied. I had an attack of insomnia... and... well... Dita suffered an accident. No ones fault, really *hides her brushes, paints, and bottle of acetone*

She'll be getting a new face soon. Promise. And primer on some bare spots.

[ced1106]

Some more eye tips. Just do a search on "miniatures painting eyes blacklining".
http://privateerpres...nting-eyes-Noob

One poster said after a hundred times, you'll have the technique down. I'm gonna paint some Battle Masters horsies now.. :P

[Argentee]

It's Sunday night! Time for another update...

Let's check in with our kitty...



Not bad. Goggles are looking better. Still needs... something. Not sure what. Have a little touch up to do on the ears and paws, then dullcote and put away in a pill bottle until time to add her to Dita.

Speaking of Dita...



Ok... I like the petticoats. Image doesn't do them justice, really. The eyes... well... when I did the wash on the skin they got flooded. So they're a bit faded out. Hair in the front is done, hair in the back is just the base coat. Shading on the boot, looking good... on the clevage... hrm. Maybe a brown ink wash would help?

That panel thing in the front and the scoop in the back I'm doing in matching colors. A blue shading to purple shadows is my current plan but still not sure. I mean... what is that tattered thing anyway? Why is it tattered? Did she tear a panel off of her dress?

The yellow-green highlights in the back look better RL. I have this voice in my head screaming 'go all the way up to yellow'! and another voice reminding me that I have never seen a green dress reflect yellow in the sun. But trying to highlight with white was causing a weird pastel thing. This is looking better.

Lots of work still to go, but not sure how much I'll get done with the work week ahead.

[Panzer_Engel]

Umm. . . I'm not sure what the 'tattered thing' you're talking about is. But the bit at the back is a bustle. And when you're dealing with anyone who insists on petticoats being slit to the hip, you might as well just make it it up as you go along. . . .

Just concentrate on keeping everything neat, and getting the paint on as evenly as possible at this point. Don't feel you have to start off using every shading and highlighting technique known on a single miniature. As you can probably guess I did this on my first few miniatures, and the results were . . . Well, there's a reason they tell you to walk before you fly. . . .

I'm really impressed by the modelling on the cat's goggles, embarrasingly, I'd have probably cheated and cut a pair of thin sections of tube.

[Argentee]

Umm. . . I'm not sure what the 'tattered thing' you're talking about is.

The front panel that I've also roughed out in purple... It looks like... well... I'm not sure. Nothing I've ever seen on a Victorian dress. Only thing I can think was there was a front panel and she shredded it. Maybe it was the cat's fault.

But the bit at the back is a bustle. And when you're dealing with anyone who insists on petticoats being slit to the hip, you might as well just make it it up as you go along. . . .

It's a lot smaller than the bustles I'm used to seeing. And you're right about the petticoats! My husband talks about Steampunk gentlemen's magazines showing full frontal ankle.... and you can see her entire limb!

I'm really impressed by the modelling on the cat's goggles, embarrasingly, I'd have probably cheated and cut a pair of thin sections of tube.

Thanks! If I could have found a tube tiny enough that I wouldn't crush by trying to cut, I might have... those goggles are REALLY itty bitty. Hrm. Maybe a tube the right size, filled with green stuff, let harden and THEN cut might work. Something to remember next time.

[Panzer_Engel]

Umm. . . I'm not sure what the 'tattered thing' you're talking about is.

The front panel that I've also roughed out in purple... It looks like... well... I'm not sure. Nothing I've ever seen on a Victorian dress. Only thing I can think was there was a front panel and she shredded it. Maybe it was the cat's fault.

Ah. . . I actually thought that was part of her petticoats, or at least one of the outer layers. So, sorry, not a clue here. Though I like the colour triangle you've got in that area, with the contrasting green and purple, and neutral cream.

But the bit at the back is a bustle. And when you're dealing with anyone who insists on petticoats being slit to the hip, you might as well just make it it up as you go along. . . .

It's a lot smaller than the bustles I'm used to seeing. And you're right about the petticoats! My husband talks about Steampunk gentlemen's magazines showing full frontal ankle.... and you can see her entire limb!

Mm, bustles grew and shrank several times as shilouettes changed. That one looks more Edwardian than Victorian, especially with the hip panniers (And as all the bustles of that pattern I've seen were supposed to be worn under a skirt, we're back in 'any way you want' territory. . . .)

I'm really impressed by the modelling on the cat's goggles, embarrasingly, I'd have probably cheated and cut a pair of thin sections of tube.

Thanks! If I could have found a tube tiny enough that I wouldn't crush by trying to cut, I might have... those goggles are REALLY itty bitty. Hrm. Maybe a tube the right size, filled with green stuff, let harden and THEN cut might work. Something to remember next time.

More than one person has told me that if you can get rod of the right diameter, and insert it before cutting it can save a lot of potential grief (this assumes you're rolling the tube and it's supporting rod under the blade rather than trying to cut straight through) But thus far I've just cut the tube by rolling, and taken it slowly, and I've yet to have any any trouble.

- I know. Famous last words. . . .

Obtaining the tube in the first place though, I can see that might be a problem. I'm lucky in that there's an engineering supplier in town which will supply brass, steel or aluminium tube down to .75mm diameter.
So yes, impressed with your diving in with the green stuff.