Thursday, July 11, 2013

When the shoe is on the other foot...


Sometimes, when the shoe is on the other foot, you end up getting a kick in the pants. :-)  In some ways, this was that kick.  I was creating the techniques for the Painting with Powders video.

That had been a major struggle on an off for the last 4 days.  I was trying to achieve the vision that I had for such a technique well over a year ago, when powdered pigments were just starting to gain prevalence. 

Let's just say that I now know what it is like to be all the people who are trying to adapt my methods and mesh them with their own.  This last happened to me in art school, when I had to take what the teacher was showing me, and make it my own.

For the last several years, my techniques had been evolving, so even dramatic shifts were not exactly traumatic, since they were all branching out from one source.

This was something entirely new, completely alien.

Justin from Secret Weapon Miniatures was kind enough to do a demo for me, showing how to use the new Sealer product, as well as rubbing alcohol.  However, I still had to learn all the ins and outs of the materials for myself.

Now, check this out.  It looks pretty ordinary in terms of palettes for me, doesn't it?


However, what you are actually seeing on that palette are only these!


Yes, this miniature is being entirely painted with nothing more than 'weathering' powders.  Here are some images of the earlier stages.  Fortunately, my usual methods of working lighter to darker colors suited this well.


Exchanging Sealer and rubbing alcohol for water and glaze medium was very distracting at first.  I had to learn all new sets of properties.  For instance, the lighter pigments act differently with each medium, while the darker pigments tend to act exactly the same.


I even learned to rub away pigments, and wet blend new colors in!  Imagine being able to wipe away a color you didn't like :-)  So, I will be showing the finished images at some point late tomorrow!  Stay tuned...


Chaos Steel on Ice


Here is a new version of my very first Blood Bowl team... the Juneau Ice Bergs!  The first time I tried painting them back in the 90's, I had no idea what I was doing... either with the miniatures or with the game :-)

I disbanded them a long time ago, but the stadium remains intact.  You can find images on this in the Blood Bowl stadium section.


Ever since, I wanted to give it another try.  Using all the tricks that I had learned over many years of mini painting, I was able to get the results that I wanted originally, but did not know how to do.


These are some images of the team mostly completed.


The ice bases were very fun, and they really go well with the stadium!


The last time I played these guys in a very brief league, they were doing far better than they had so long ago.  I had hundreds of games in between, and I was able to pull off a lot of dramatic plays.


I had a different approach with them than the usual Chaos Dwarf team, but it paid off in lots of star player points and wins.


I will be saying goodbye to these lads, as they are being donated to a Wounded Warrior project.
Here is the link: