Painting tutorials, tips, tricks…

I’m not a good painter compared with you girls and guys, but I could built a table with marquetry…. 😆

Thanks a lot, Master Artahadan… The Spanish tutorials are great, I didn’t know them

That’s from a forum where some professional painters and sculptors post, hence the level. By the way, Master Imisel, if you’re interested in taking a look, the forum name is ‘Spanish Team’.

Thank you so much for providing such clear and detailed tutorials !
I am sure many of us will find something usefull. I didfind what I needed .

A promise is a promise, here is a step by step guide to paint a hobbit face, in a easy way:

First, apply a basecoat of flesh paint.

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/593_1.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/593_1.jpg[/imgz]

It´s up to you to choose the exact tone you wish. I used this one from Vallejo

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/593_2.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/593_2.jpg[/imgz]

Then, I give a thin wash of dark brown paint, and before it dries, remove the excess that may cumulate into deep areas

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/593_3.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/593_3.jpg[/imgz]

I used Scorched Brown, from Citadel

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/593_4.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/593_4.jpg[/imgz]

Now, the “problematic” steps. Using the flesh basecoat tone, plus a bit of Bleached Bone of Citadel (never use pure white), I give the lights around the face, following the scheme. I apply 2-3 very thin coats all around the surface marked in green. Its very important to dilute well the paint. Don´t mind if the first coat does not cover much, that´s why I use the 2-3 coats.

In this case, in mithril miniatures, I generally interpret the zone of the eyes as the eyelids, not the eyeballs (that’s why I paint them in flesh tone, and don´t paint the pupils).

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/593_5.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/593_5.jpg[/imgz]

After that, I give again 2-3 thin coats of the same mix, but using more bleached bone, in the zones marked in green again. Important to do it slowly and carefully.

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/593_6.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/593_6.jpg[/imgz]

Now, I do the shadowing, using a mix of Brown (the same as befote) and a bright orange. I dilute a lot the mix, and aply carefully in the shadow zones (see the scheme)

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/593_7.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/593_7.jpg[/imgz]

The final step is to apply a very thin wash of red+orange (with lot of water) at all the face (remember to remove the excess of water before it dries of all the areas), to give the skin a healthy look. I also gave a subtle shade of blue to the eyelids, to represent a little make-up (and to go together to the dress)

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/593_8.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/593_8.jpg[/imgz]

Well, that´s all folks! Hope it helps to paint these tiny friends!

thanks a lot, great tutorial, elroi!

Happy to help!!

400!! lot of work, Master Thingol. But working with diluted paints and such amount of miniatures for sure has give you a lot of practice to improve your paintwork.

Master Milo, yes, there are lot of layers, but the surface is so small that the work is done very quickly

sevlag wrote:

Hello Gentlemen, I need your help please
To complete my tomb, I must refine the roof. But it’s slate. Having never painted and not having as model around me (the roofs are made with tiles in my area), I don’t know how to color it.
For now, I spent two layers of black paint: is it enough? do I need varnish to make it shine or do I need to brush other (s) paint (s) and if yes whom?
[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/678_img_0575-1.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/678_img_0575-1.jpg[/imgz] [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/678_img_0599-1.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/678_img_0599-1.jpg[/imgz]
I await your tips with impatience
Thank you in advance

I wonder if it may be worth repainting in a lighter colour, or at least give the roof a heavy application of dry-brushing to make the raised details come out, and then use a dark shade of chalk pastel to emphasise the edges and overlapping of the slate. I would probably do this, or alternately if you prefer you could apply a wash instead of pastels – remember with pastels you have to seal them using an aerosol sealer AND I have found that if you use a light pastel over a dark base, when you seal it the pastel can vanish – I found out the hard way (be careful of my terminology here in case pastels are known to you under a different name ).

It also depends on how long the Tomb has been waiting for Aragorn – if it is an open air tomb I would also add some white/loight streaks to depict discolouration be water – If it was a lead roof you could probably add a white wash to give that aged lead effect and streak the wash/paint. At such a small scale less is probably best though.

This is a farly quick answer as we are about to go out to eat, but hopefully will give you some food for thought.

David

ddaines wrote:

There are no secrets Séverine, only answers . The cavern is expanded polystyrene foam, I think from packaging so part of the shape was already there. Over this I applied what we call Polyfiller – a DIY mix for filling in cracks and holes etc. on walls and such like.

The cobwebs………… well these were ‘borrowed’ from a real spider . You have to collect the web on smooth sticks or rod so that it does not catch when you remove it.

As the web sticks to every micro snag this is a method requiring patience!

To apply the web just carefully tease it out and try as best as you can to attach it to anchor points – I personally didn’t use any glue, but I suppose you can.

If you were making web between trees, e.g. a Mirkwood diorama you can stick the trees or object into the web and twirl it around (see large scale figure below ).

The light of Earendil is a small dolls house light stuck to Sam’s hand and the web hides the wire (unfortunately the transformer for the light set no longer works so unless I replace it, darkness will ever be on Shelob’s Lair!

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/11_20110502_3.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/11_20110502_3.jpg[/imgz]

The waterfall is simply clear acetate sheet from a package that has Woodlands Scenics Water Effects/Realistic Water (I will go to my grave confusing the two products) squeezed on to it. I do aim to explain this technique with some forthcoming projects.

An interesting point which maybe Gildor can answer. I saw a comment posted by Milo regarding the Baldor figure, but I could not see any comment on the Shelob page from Séverine – am I missing soemthing Gildor? :rolleyes:

Thank you for all these explanations very detailed, Master David . I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do as well as you, but the day I’ll make my Shelob I think I’ll inspire of what you did.
And the picture you put : Wow …. amazing, very yuck (beurk in french), but very well done, but very yuck …. And cobweb very impressive : poor woman.

I am thinking of priming my miniatures one day.
Which primer is best for having ‘mithril’ look and also thin layer easy to put ?