WIP Critique Need help to finish my 1st Mini!

[Aaron89]

Hi guys!

I've been a visitor to the site for a long time and admiring all of your amazing works!
However, lately i'm getting frustrated with my attempts to finish my first miniature!...I just always hit a brick wall and decide to start over.

Anyway, I've decided that if I'm really going to improve I need YOUR help! I need to know where i'm going wrong and how to improve. So my plan is to upload pics at different stages so I can get honest feedback and advice....and hopefully I can finally finish a figure!

Just a bit of background:
The first 'proper' figure I bought was a 54mm Andrea model of Kevin costner from Dances with wolves, so this is the one I will attempt to finish!

I have read books by Shep Paine and since then have used the method of priming, acrylic basecoat, followed by shadows/highlights with oils.

Really need any help and advice I can get! And i'm not afraid of criticism So i'll get the figure stripped (again!!) and primed and post a pic to get started...

P.S. I hope this is in the right part of the forums?

Thanks guys,

Aaron

 

[Bailey]

Yeah, this sounds like as good a place as any to post this.

That figure is a neat kit. And it looks to be a challenging one, so don't get discouraged. I know I still have a ways to go before what I paint matches what I'd like to paint. So don't worry if your first figures aren't as good as you'd like them to be. It's nice to feel like you've actually done something and I know stripping the same figure over and over can drive you nuts. Once you've painted a number of figures it's nice to be able to go back and see how much you've improved.

One piece of pre-painting advice I can give you is to, after you prime the figure, place it under a strong overhead light (where it is the primary/strongest light source) and then take pictures at different angles. This can give you a good guide for where to place your shadows and highlights. It works best for me when the figure is all the same color (hence right after you prime). I find this especially helpful when I'm dealing with folds in clothes and it'd probably be useful with shading that base too.

 

[Einion]

We've all had problems completing stuff Aaron so there should be lots of feedback available on that!

When you say always, how many times have you had it happen? And does the urge to start over set in at any particular stage in the process that you can put your finger on?

Einion

 

[Aaron89]

Thanks for your replies guys I really appreciate the advice.

The taking pictures under a light sounds like a great idea! definately gonna try that.

Einion..i suppose the face always seems to be the main thing. I've read a lot of guides but I just can't seem to get a face i'm happy with!
My last attempt the face seemed a bit grainy...maybe i applied too much oil?

Hopefully i'll get this started tonight.

Thanks
Aaron

 

[Aaron89]

View attachment 99819 View attachment 99818
Hey guys,

Well i've uploaded a couple of photos of the figure basecoated with acrylics....The pictures don't look great but i'll maybe need a better camera and better lighting.

Anyway so i've basecoated...so next step will be oils.P.S I have left off his left hand and rifle so thats why he's missing his hand atm!

 

[Akritas]

Aaron, what oil paints are you using and what colours do you have set out to paint the figure?

 

[Aaron89]

Hi Akritas..

I will be using Reeves oil paints.

The main colours I have used for this figure before are:
White, Yellow ochre, burnt umber, burnt sienna, paynes grey & black.

 

[Akritas]

Ok, my suggestion for a basic mix flesh first of all, would be to use: Titanium White (3 parts), Burnt Sienna (1 part) and Gold Ochre (2 parts). By varying the mix of these colours you can get to the lights / shadows. If Gold Ochre does not exist in the Reeves Range (I looked for a colour chart but could not find one online), try perhaps raw sienna. A tiny touch of blue would tone down the flesh colour to a more greyish tint.

You will also need to set out the colours for the clothing, hair etc and I note that you have not included above any blue colours (trousers)? Speaking for myself I would start with a base colour of Prussian Blue mixed with a touch of white and some tirquise / viridian colours (I am using Windsor and Newton) to create a medium toned blue. You can then vary the mix to move from shadows to highlights again.

For black, I usually mix a dirty and very dark grey made up from Lamb Black, White and Burnst Sienna. I highlight then with more burnt sienna and a touch of white, while I use more black for the shadows.

A colour wheel (available in all art shops) would also be good to use since it will outline the basic theory of colours.

My suggestion would also be to search the forums for threads by fellow PF member Einion. He is a master in colour theory and a lot of his threads contain very valuable information.

Finally, I note from the pictures that your basecoats have a lot of sheen in them almost glossy look. I am not sure if this is down to the quality of the pictures, but if not, I would suggest that you undercoat again using acrylics this time, as the dry completely matt and would help keep the oils in a relatively satin state rather than glossy. Also if possible try to leave the oil paints to breath a bit on some blotting paper, as this would absorb the excess oil and thus result in more satin rather than glossy colour.

Enjoy

 

[Aaron89]

Thanks Akritas!!

That's all really helpful! I really appreciate your advice.

I don't have those colours so will get some.

I was wondering why it looked shiny...i'll go over with acrylics again. hopefully that will help.

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[Akritas]

I find that acrylics also provide a better key for oils. I would assume from your pictures that you've probably used enamels which I find take longer to overcoat and as they do not provide a good key, the oils take longer to dry out.

Cheers
Nicolas

 

[Aaron89]

I've actually used acrylics to basecoat...should I buy some new or better acrylics?

And when i start with the oils...should i do the face first or just go through the parts one by one?

Thanks
Aaron

 

[Akritas]

If it's acrylics then I would say leave as it is. I usually start with the face since it will help me define the character, but at the end of the day it is up to you my friend!

 

[Aaron89]

Thanks Akritas..

This hobby can be so frustrating! Just have to be patient i guess.

I'll get some oils on the figure and upload a pic

 

[Akritas]

Patience my friend, but above all just enjoy the process!! Remember that if you yourself like the end result then nothing else matters!!!

 

[Aaron89]

Yeah thats my problem I'm never happy with the result...

I've seen pictures online of this figure painted by a Korean guy and it looked incredible! Same thing with the work here on planetfig...it just blows me away!

 

[housecarl]

Looks like you've got a bit of a shine to you base coats, that will transfer to the oils.
To ensure a dead flat base, mix a touch of Tamiya X21 in with them, that will help to soak up some of the oil.
Practice and patience is the way to go,
Carl.

 

[Aaron89]

Hi Carl,

Thanks for the advice

Mix X21 with the acrylics?

 

[housecarl]

Hi Carl,

Thanks for the advice

Mix X21 with the acrylics?

Yes Aaron, I use enough to just slightly cloud the water. Too much and you'll get a chalky residue.
Carl.

 

[Aaron89]

Well.......I started to get towards finishing but am still not happy with the result! So have decided I will strip the figure and start...AGAIN! I think it's just a case of practice. Once I have a completed figure I will upload to the site for crtitique