Synthet WIP

[synthet]

Just wanted to show the pieces that I´m working on at the moment. If you got any suggestions or ideas on how to improve, please hit me, and hit me hard!
I just started on the Mechanithrall (first pic) so it´s still lots of things to do, but feel free to comment anyway, on anything!
Click to see full-sized image
This base is for a Grot I´m doing for a Swedish online competition. The base will get some leafs after its done.
Click to see full-sized image
And here is the Grot (still things to do, like smoothen the highligts and maby some checks on the sword?)
Click to see full-sized image
Thanks for looking:)
/Denniz

[ToMaZ]

Mechanithrall:

Skin looks pretty good. Try to work in some soft colours, to make it look like decayed skin. Some glazes of green, blue or purple. Look through Demi_Morgana's gallery if you want some dead flesh examples.
The grey armour on the front could use some deeper shading starting from the height of his chin and some stronger highlights on the shoulder parts. The highlight on his 'exhaust' is a bit abrupt. Smoothen the transition with some intermediate grey colours.

Metallic fists could use some more highlighting.

Grot base: Good work so far. Try to make it a bit more interesting and realistic by painting the wood.

Grot: Enough contrast on the skin! You could also work in some colours on this one. A reddish purple nose etc... Checkers on the sword is a good idea, but I would try to weather them. Like some paint has come off, scratches, dirt.
Metallics look a bit rushed. You should take you time on the sword as it's a prominent part of the mini. Highlight it more, use brown and black glazes for shading. Build it up slowly.

Keep up the good work!

[synthet]

Thanks ToMaZ!:) I will take a look at Demi_Morgana gallery for ideas:) I can see what you mean with the grey needs som deeper shadows, funny how obviusly everything is after someone has pointed it out.

The Grots base will get some color on the trees and some leaves on the ground, maybe some static grass to, if it arrives in time. I was thinking about using pigments for weathering on the sword, staring with "rust" and then add some brown and using a spunge to apply some metallics for scratches. I will try to use brown when shading the metallic, I always use black so it will be fun to try it out:)

[ToMaZ]

This is one of my old figs where I used browns in combination with black & metallics for the sword : Thrall Warrior
It's fun to experiment with. You can go for a rusty look. Or just a slight colour variation to make it more interesting. And you don't have to limit yourself to just one colour. Blue, green, brown, red... it can all be used to make areas more interesting. Experiment a bit and see what you like

Pigments are also fun to use on metallics, but keep in mind that they easily rub off and some react with varnishes (if you apply any)

[synthet]

Nice Thrall!:) I will try to weather with glazes later tonight.
You say that some pigments react with varnish? I never heard about that before, I use pigments from Forge World and MIG. Do you know how they react? I don´t apply varnish yet, but I was planning to do so on the ones I will use for gaming.

[ToMaZ]

When you apply a dullcoat for example, the pigments will react to the liquid coating. So the effect you achieved can be different before after a sealant varnish.
I don't use MIG or FW pigments, I have some from Pebéo and make my own by grinding pastel chalk, but I guess the effect that varnish has on them is the same. Test it out on a spare part.

[synthet]

I+m glad you told me about the pigments and the varnis, you don´t want to ruin several hours of painting... I´ll try it out before applying it on the mini.

[synthet]

Now I´m almost done with the Grot and his base. I have still some things to do on the base, like leaf and so. Maybe even do some tuching up on the Grot. Please give me some suggestions on improvement?
Click to see full-sized image
Click to see full-sized image

Thanks
/Denniz

[Maru]

now looks fine iven blade but googles are made in reverse ....
end skin (get purple color water it down tilt you get a water with color end add cerfuly in shadows a litle purple hue - thats my thouth -- end googles - revers them now tey are painted upside down

[synthet]

Thanks for pointing out the googles, I didn´t thought about it... I will go for the purple wash, it´s noty showing really but he alredy have som purple in the deepest shadows. I´ll do some more and see how it will work out:)