This Medusa figure from Arena Rex was the first that I have painted from this wonderful line of figures. She is mounted on a 50mm base, which was created using the Green Stuff World texture rollers.
The transparent cloth effect is always interesting to achieve. While there are a few basic principles involved in translating the effect, it can be more difficult depending how the figure is sculpted.
If the cloth has a lot of heavy folds, that can make it more difficult to paint the lighter skin colored areas in the 'gaps' where they would show up. The high points of the folds get the brightest 'cloth' color. The trickiest part is that darkened zone in the middle, which helps to show those two areas of lighter tones. One must have dark to show light!
The shield presented a nice opportunity to do some gold NMM. That was done in my normal way, including the use of the Vallejo fluorescent yellow to infuse into the burnt sienna and even purples.
Here are a few better images of that mosaic tile base. Again, the texture was made by rolling a Green Stuff World texture roller into the unbaked Sculpey clay. This was broken into shape once it was baked, and placed on a piece of cork. Sand and gravel were added around the sides to finish off the texture.
One more set of views, which also show the veiled face a little better.
As a final note, this was entered into the Arena Rex painting contest, winning second prize! Many thanks to the good folks who create so many fantastic miniatures :-)
The transparency of the dress is mind boggling! Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteThanks! That was definitely an interesting effect on something that large. I had done it a few other times on smaller pieces :-)
DeleteThis is one mind blowing job you did.
ReplyDeleteA work of beauty, she looks magnificent.
Thanks for the kind words! :-)
DeleteThat is a true work of art! Beautifully done.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, as always!
DeleteI´m amazed - this is even better than your average figures, which are already top notch and mind blowing. You nailed the transparent cloth effect and revealed the technique behind it in just two sentences - while I still couldn´t paint it, I think I got a better idea of what you did here.
ReplyDelete... I wonder who won the first place in the contest, if this just ranked second? ;)
Thanks for the kind words, and I am even more glad that I was able to give that coherent description... getting too wordy may have made it hard to digest the basic principle! :-)
DeleteAmazing work James. I was wondering when you would get a hand on these amazing mini's. The sculpts are just gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I was very lucky that someone wanted this as a commission... then there was no choice! :-) Now folks want some more, so that means more chances to paint nifty figures like these!
DeleteThat is an amazing piece. Having drawn lots of faces myself, and knowing that you are an artist, I'm assuming you started with some sort of underpainting to get things laid out. Lovely work.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks! Yes, the Shaded Basecoat definitely lays out the lights and darks right away. From there, it really becomes a series of refinements, just like a regular 2D painting. The more refinements, the more 'realism'.
DeleteThis is true art - love it!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for the kind words!
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