New to historicals

[cScha2dv]

Hello everyone,

I will soon paint my first historical for WE and was wondering a few things as I have mainly painted fantasy before.


1) How important is colours for historical characters? Is it "ok" to use roughly the same colours but with your style and using a different pallette in order to show the character of the person. E.g. I will paint a very brutal dictator. Historical images of the person shows bright and vivid colours. Would it be ok for me to paint him in dark and sóber colours in order for me to show the evil side of the person??

2) A question of scale: is it correct that you can say that the larger the scale the slower the transitions of the light??

Best wishes
//ALEX

 

[Einion]

Is it "ok" to use roughly the same colours but with your style and using a different pallette in order to show the character of the person.

Absolutely. I would say this is perhaps the area where judges give the most leeway - very grey colouring (as long as it's beautifully done) can do just as well as realistic, natural-coloured, paintwork in the same competition.

But you do have to account for judging variation and judges, and judging teams, are not equally objective. So unfortunately you can do well or badly depending on what part of a competition you are entered into (sometimes even the individual table your work is on) and it's just the luck of the draw.

2) A question of scale: is it correct that you can say that the larger the scale the slower the transitions of the light??

Often yes. There is variation between individual styles and tastes here - some people paint 70-90mm figures (even as large as busts) using the same methods that they use on their 54mm figures, with the finished 'look' and contrast being exactly the same.

Other modellers adapt their handling to suit the scale - the larger the model the less contrast is used - so that for larger-scale busts you get very subtle transitions with minimal highlighting, with generally a more softly-blended effect.

Einion

 

[cScha2dv]

Thank you Einion,

the answer was perfect! I have asked these questions a few times without getting an understandable answer

Best wishes
//ALEX

 

[Einion]

You're welcome Alex, glad to try to help.

Einion