40 replies to this topic

[Metalchaos]

Here are some pictures of a Marthrangul dragon I painted about a year ago. As you can see, the wings membranes are all blue with some lightning effect, but I'm not really happy on how it turned out. So, inspired by TaleSpinner Chimera WIP I decided to re-paint the outside and the inside of the membranes.

I think I don't like the color contrast between the red and blue. Maybe a different color scheme will do better!

I would also like the improve the entire dragon and the base. Any suggestion?

[Metalchaos]

First hour! Smelly brown base color. I just hope it will soon look better.

[Ishil]

It looks fine to me... so I can't offer any useful suggestions.

Ishil

[haldir]

Maybe make the wings veiny so to speak??

Maybe brighten or shade the scales up or down more, maybe even re-color some of them?

Heck, I don't know I like it already.

RM

[Metalchaos]

I like the veiny idea, but I just don't know how to paint the vains so that they will really look like veins and not just like some tattoo lines.

Up till now, I've been doing some highlighting and a red wash over the wings membrane and the tale spike.

For sure, I will also need to add some contrast to the scales with a dark wash.

[Metalchaos]

I've just found these inspiring images on the net.
It's a Giant golden-crowned flying-fox wing.

[DavidVC04]

Fantastic job, man! I love the colors and effects you've gotten.

[haldir]

I agree I like what you've re-done so far. Maybe just do some thin lines & other details for the veins perhaps?? Thou if you can pull off the vein work then by all means go for it.

RM

[TaleSpinner]

Wow, thanks for the link! :)

I love where you are going with the golden fox wings. The metallic brown is looking great. For the veins, try painting them in using a deep red tone, like MSP Bloodstain Red. Keep them very fine and wispy. Then go over everything again with a few glazes of your mid-tone. For the glaze, make it about the consistency of a wash, but blot out your brush so that when you are applying it you are just getting the surface wet and no paint is pooling anywhere. It may take several glaze layers. You may also then need to do a few glazes of your highlight colors on the high points to make them pop again as the mid tones will likely make them dull down. However, to get a real transparent feel, you only want subtle highlights on the underside of the wings and not really strong ones; or, more to the point, you need the highlights to cover a larger area. This is because the light is shining through the wing and not as much is reflecting off as it would in a normal highlight situation. That's how I did the spots on the chimera's wings and the compound eyes on the Charnel Grub.

One other think I'd consider is adding a bit more shadow over the entire red parts of the dragon and another step up in highlights on the red scales. It would make everything stand out a bit more.

By the way, I really like the base as it is and wouldn't add much more. If you add too much, it will detract from the dragon itself.

Can't wait to see you progress with this.

Andy

[Metalchaos]

Hi, and thanks for the clues!

I didn't even know this technic was called glazing. I've been adding some highlighting on the wings and some shadows on the head.
I will now continue with the veins.

[DavidVC04]

I still love it. I'll get you my mailing address so you can get it shipped over as soon as you're done.

[paintminion]

Adding my 2 cents, cuz it's a dragon and you all know I can't resist dragons. I think the dragon has too many colors going for it with the purpley pink blue, bone, and now golden along with the red. You might try limiting your pallette a bit to help it become more of a whole. I do love the new repaint of the underwings, although your other option was to reinforce the purple you already had going. Or do the purple and n;ue parts the same...either both areas that nice bold blue, or a darker purple? And then glaze some of that blue or purple onto the edges of the membrane where it meets the pinions. Hmmmm, or how about you glaze gently that blue area with purple and wash that purple area with the dark blue...in other words, make the shadows dark blue, and the highlights that purpley color? Maybe add some brown glazes/washes on that base a bit and tie it in with the dragon a bit more ( like the shadows on the horns). Just a hint, but less of that cold gray. Hey, you could even go into all the shadows, even the red scales with some really really dark purple. well...did I tell you I can't resist twiddling with dragons? And I like purple? ;-)

Enjoy your dragon! Paint him whatever looks good to you!

[John Lee]

I like what you've done so far, but I have to agree with paintminion, too many colors, and I'd get rid of that purplish-pink color, to me it take away from the rest of the mini, kinda draws your eye in to it.

John

[Jay_Bizzle]

I personally like the multiple colours, it's a good mix. I can see the point of the pink/purple drawing the eye away from the rest of the mini, but I wouldn't change it completely, I would just dull it down a bit.

Great work, love the mini, and love what you've done with it. Keep it up!

[Shakandara]

It's hard to argue with Sue's advice (and why would I, with the number of dragons she's painted?); the new wings look great, but the blue and the purple is killing me. And I'm a person that loves purple too. I'd strongly suggest tweaking those two areas, but it is your dragon in the end, so do what makes you happy.

~v