alex castro's book?

[RobH]

I have certainly been curious to have a browse thro the book, to decide if it were an investment. Alex's work in the larger scales were great but seemed a little off (to me) using the same technique getting down to 90mm or 54mm.
I believe Alex posts occasionally on Gluetrain international forum, or had done recently.
Trouble with a book like his is that it's unlikely to appear on the shelf of a local bookshop for a casual browse. Don't recall seeing it at Euro either.

Guy; you're a star! I never realised that there is a "trash" folder somewhere. You do a great job. I guess it's credit to you and the team that some of us haven't noticed anything nasty happening here (seen some threads locked but thats it). Apart from the more infamous incidents, the site remains as excellent as a year ago - more new members all the time - and still contributions from the longer serving members - I confess to having cycles of posting here, as I have cycles of modelling and not!

Keep it going, folks!!

 

[Lou Masses]

All sites have their peaks and valleys.

This is a terriffic site, well managed and less prone to non-sense as the previously mentioned sites.

Every site will incur an explosion in participation as it is being discovered and then taper off. I doubt that tapering off has anything to do with non-sense that goes on. The funny thing is that whenever you see those discussions-as the one's with Alex's book, participation jumps dramatically (look at the numbers of "viewed" and even "responses"on those posts vs. the average post). If anything, good or bad, they make people look in more often. So to say it causes a lag in participation could probably be argued.

There will always be disagreements and discussions. I know for myself, I have a big mouth and and tend to state what I believe clearly. Sorry if you don't like that, but I prefer that to backstabbing and making inuendos that are buried in between the lines-I find that rather distastful and cowardly and generally don't respond to such nonsense.

There are always those who are loudest, and although this medium is more anonymous, there are those who will be more shy.

I have never however seen a site like this that does have as much sharing of information as it does and frankly as much participation. I wouldn't worry about "events" as they come and go, tick some people off and entertain others. But Gordy, Guy and ANders do a good job monitoring it (I know, I reacted once angrily and lost my post 30 seconds later).

 

[Johan]

Originally posted by Major_Goose@Nov 1 2004, 12:48 AM
Well having that book in my bookcase i d say that ..if u d like to follow it u ll have to change a lot if not completely your painting customs. Castro uses totally different method, he uses a lot of airbrush and mostly he is reffering to methods that apply in big scale figures. Its not a classic figure paitning book. like Shep Paine's or Bill Horans , or Euromodellismo, or Even Osprey's manuals. Better try one of these

Costas

You are right, Costas, about starting for example with buying Shep Paine's classic book on how to paint figures. That's a must have I think.

But about Castro's method/approach, regardless of his ego or mercantile attitude, I found it interesting especially for the flesh tones you see on his figures - he knows how to put "complementary" colours in the right places, and it makes his flesh tone come "alive" in my personal view. What I'd like to find out really is if I could make this work on a smaller scale figure with a brush and oil paints, instead of on a large scale garage kit with an airbrush... there HAS to be a way!

Now, I do believe Shep Paine in his book years ago already mentioned something on fe. adding some olive green to the shadows of blonde hair, to make it look really good, and adding a hint of green/blue to the recessed area's on a face. Now it would be great, if one of the excellent painters we have on this forum who has a similar approach to painting a face would do an SBS.

How about it ?? I feel we would all benefit from that, and it might be refreshing and fun ! Experimenting with "cold" shadow flesh tones instead of the usual mars brown, burnt sienna, vandyke brown, whatever, etc. I'd love to read your opinions on this - anybody?

 

[Lou Masses]

Einion has an interesting approach when it comes to complimentary colors (although I am not sure if he uses them on his fleshtones). Perhaps he could share some ideas.

The problem I had with the Castro photos of the fleshtones were that they were orange and grey. The only time it worked was when painting the zombies he did-then it was flawless on the other figures it just looked orange. That came up repeatedly during that whole discussion from many others although I didn't say it myself.

 

[Johan]

Originally posted by Lou Masses@Nov 1 2004, 05:01 PM
The problem I had with the Castro photos of the fleshtones were that they were orange and grey. The only time it worked was when painting the zombies he did-then it was flawless on the other figures it just looked orange. That came up repeatedly during that whole discussion from many others although I didn't say it myself.

It didn't work only on the zombies, it worked on this one too :

http://groups.msn.com/MINIATUREMASTERPIECE...oto&PhotoID=506

Well, at least that's my opinion ...

Now of course, this is, again, a large scale garage kit which was probably airbrushed. Not one of the andrea figures he did.

 

[Lou Masses]

"It didn't work only on the zombies, it worked on this one too :

http://groups.msn.com/MINIATUREMASTERPIECE...oto&PhotoID=506

Well, at least that's my opinion ..."

And you are entitled to it, but dude, it's a bit too orange for me. It looks like he's wearing bronzing cream (not an attack, a description). I also think the grey around the veins is excessive.

To your point I really don't think it would translate well to our scales. That figure is like 18 inches tall. With that kind of size, you could do just about anything.

 

[Johan]

Oh, BTW, just as an information, check this out - this is probably where Alex Castro got his colours (and much of his inspiration):

http://www.imaginistix.com/

 

[Pete_H]

Having taken a glance at the book in Chicago, I found that most of its content were apparently reworded versions of what we've all read in other books. One example that comes to mind is his "thermostat" rule which sounded a lot like Shep's "stop sign rule." Also, a fair number of pictures in the book were of very poor quality, looking more like someone went nuts with Photoshop; this, of course, is almost certainly a problem with the publisher. But good pictures are what support the written explanations, and these weren't going to be of much help. I also agree with Lou in that the fleshtones look way to orange and grey (tanning cream? Nice one, Lou!). I don't think that they look natural at all since they are somewhat devoid of vividness and "life."

Of course, my opinion is based solely on what I observed from looking through it and reading certain parts of the text. Now, do I feel it would be of benefit to beginners? I'm afraid not since they'd get more out of Shep's or Bill Horan's books.

 

[socko47]

Not having seen the book I can't make any comments about it. But would like put my vote in behind Quang's thoughts. Over the last 27 years I have taken courses related to my profession. I can sit for 7 hours listening to the same ideas or techniques I have heard or read about for years. Somewhere in those 7 hours is one or two ideas that maybe I had forgotten or is new or I now see a use for, making the course worthwhile. We have seen the transition from oils to acryllics. They work for some people and not for others. In the beginning I recall comments rejecting their use. Then the figures from Europe started to show up with outstanding results done with acryllic. The use of acryllic became the new kid on the block. Maybe a technique doesn't work instantly for someone and its not that the technique is bad, it means more time is needed to learn how to use it. Granted, you may not want to spend the time, as the learning curve is too long or it just doesn't work in your hands, but we all know that great artists will still do great work with whatever you put in their hands. One has to keep their mind open to look for that one idea that will help them improve or give them another technique to achieve the same result. It makes you better artist in my opinion.

 

[Lou Masses]

Let me be abundantly clear;

No one is saying new and different ideas are bad. No one is rejecting different methods. No one (not me at least) is saying that Alex's book brought NOTHING to the table.

If you say "try this, this is new and can help you paint better"-that is admirable, helpful and beyond reproach. However is the claim is "I am a genius and throw out what you have previously learned from people you know and whose work you admire in favor of my method". Then that person's work should be above and beyond the norm.

In this case, it was not. I will belabor this no longer. Suffice to say, new techniques are good demogoguery is BS.

 

[Patrick Kirk]

I don't think Alex stumbled onto the wrong crowd, I believe he stumbled upon folks who know something about this artform, and they called him out to share his technique(s), he refered them to his upcoming book for an answer. Seems sorta self righteous at best to me!

To be bluntly honest, his technique isn't so much the issue as it is his delivery...I am open to any idea, concept or technique that improves me as an artist; I believe his reluctance to share openly with the forum on his "revolutionary" methods really turned off folks and made them very sketpical of his self proclaimed greatness...

A true "master" will go out of his way to share and help folks grow, not shamelessly plug his book as the only way to get an answer. Ask Mike Blank, Alan and Marion, Phil Kessling, Lou Masses, Bob Knee, Jr (and many more) how they achieved a certain effect, they will describe to you in detail how they managed to bring it to life. I venture to say, they will wait till you have a pad and pencil to take notes, too!

I am not convinced that there is value added in a technique that is solely packaged for "profit" vice what will help the community grow in the art form...

 

[Lou Masses]

Seems the last few posts were deleted.

 

[Guy]

It seems that you are correct!

 

[quang]

Q.

 

[garyjd]

Guys, This cat has been dead for ages, let's finally stop beating it. Please ~Gary

 

[Guy]

I just want to quote from our rules that Gordy formed about postings.

We reserve the right to remove any topics we deem inappropriate or disruptive to our community. Please note that, from time to time, topics may be removed for being inappropriate even though your individual post in that topic may have been perfectly fine. Please do not feel this reflects badly on you.

All the forum rules can be seen by clicking on the link at the top left of the page next to "Home"

Guy