WIP Critique Orc Experiment

[WarhammerAdjacent]

Hi folks, me again. I’m away with my family for a week and I’ve brought a project with me to work on in the evenings (I’m usually the last one to bed). I printed off this orc figure so I could play a bit with ‘non flesh tone’ skin and improve my understanding of colours. I also wanted to try dome techniques I spotted on Instagram -using brush strokes to build texture and some OSL. Basically I have no idea what I’m doing but it’s an orc so it can’t be ‘wrong’ and I’m enjoying playing.

I started by mapping out highlights and shadows:



Then I filled in with green, at this point I thought I’d give it a glaze of green to see how it blended before stopping for a bit.



At this point I tried mixing emerald green with purple which gives a lovely dark shadow colour. I think Ive worked out that actually I just need to blend the middle green tone into the emerald/purple mix to get the shading right. From here I’m going to focus on getting the light right, either bringing the shadows round at the bottom a bit or bringing the lights further over at the top. I like the way the texture looks, I think if I tone it down a touch with glazes and try to keep using small strokes it’ll work ok. I’m wondering about using a green/brown (possibly red ochre) in the clavicles etc to make the colours more interesting although that might wait until teeth and beard are blocked in.



I’m rather enjoying the low pressure project, any ideas welcome as always.

 

[NigelR]

Surely if anyone can paint an Orc, it's you.........

Interesting start, no ideas from me but I shall follow along.....

 

[WarhammerAdjacent]

Hah, well, probably. The problem with being ‘adjacent’ though is I’ve only ever painted 1 warhammer thing ever.

 

[Briggsy]

Looks pretty good, nothing like playing with a Figure to a hang of colours and technique. I have painted loads of mini gaming pieces but only ever one orc so I'm not much help sorry. He looks bloody sinister though!

Cheers Simon

 

[WarhammerAdjacent]

Cheers Simon, it’s a pretty good sculpt given the file was free, nothing special but fun to paint. I made some progress last night, I think the shadows work well enough now so I think it’s time to sort the necklace and then start glazing.

 

[Briggsy]

Yes glazing over the colour transitions will make him pop a bit more, have some fun. The purple in the shade really does look effective, I normally use Red as it is the complementary colour but I can't argue on the effectiveness of the purple.

Cheers Simon

 

[Nap]

Hi Stefan

That’s a ideal subject to keep brushes flowing , one good looking Orc

The painting so far is working well to me and no pressure with uniforms details

Are you going for directional highlights ie: from above

Looking forward to seeing more

Have fun ...that’s what the hobby is all about

Nap

 

[WarhammerAdjacent]

I must admit it is definitely revealing my ignorance of colour theory, the way the purple has vanished into the dark green is quite impressive. I want to try to bring back a slight blue/purple tint in the shadowy side I think.

NAP, I was aiming for light from the top right which has sort of worked, I think I need to push the highlights a little more. It’s very relaxing not having to worry about being right. As it stands I think it looks fine, I could comfortably stop whenever I get bored of playing which is quite liberating.

 

[NigelR]

I think you are making good progress. But just take a look at some of the fantasy stuff from SMC and you will see you are being far too subtle!

Hah, well, probably. The problem with being ‘adjacent’ though is I’ve only ever painted 1 warhammer thing ever.

Now that's a surprise - I assumed from your name you were into "the hobby"......

 

[phil_h]

Agree with Nigel - definitely nice progress; nice job so far

 

[MalcC]

Progressing nicely, you seem to have those greens well Orc-estrated.

Malc