Fly away...

In between bouts of snow shoveling right now (and burning hundreds of disks), so a quick post for you.  This time, some new images of the subject for the 'core' freehand video from the Painting Pyramid series.

I was just burning a few dozen of this video.  It really was a good subject for that topic, since I could even work freehand into the base itself.

She's also here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321311364295?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Getting lost in the jungle

Here was the other camouflage figure!  Once again, a Viridian from Urban Mammoth

These snipers were just the trick for something trying to hide out in the jungle.  The cloak was also a nice variation from the desert marine.

Just as with the desert camo figure, the 'other' colors, such as the rifle, were mixed with the "resident" greens that surrounded it, making it blend in even more.

And now for the contrast between the two figures.  The settings make such a huge difference!!!

Now you see me, now you don't...

Hopefully these finished images of the figure with its base demonstrates the principles of  camouflage as I see it.  That is, integrating it with the surrounding base.

Spending a lot of effort to paint camo patterns that are not complimented by the base is not terrible fun, as I see it.

To envelop the miniature in a base that is themed to match is not only fun, but very satisfying.

In addition, I tried to make the colors of the "non camo" surfaces match the environment by including some of those colors.  For instance, the grey of the gun was lightened with colors that I had used to highlight the base.  The same went for the boots and pouches.

I have also done a jungle camo figure, which I will show tomorrow!  Stay tuned.

Hiding in plain sight... part one.

Now that the first part of the camouflage set is complete, I wanted to post a few WIP images of the base.  The miniatures are what is being shown on film, but the bases relate to them in a critical way.  That's why I have been showing the steps I used to create them here.

This is the basic shaded basecoat technique to prepare the bases for glazing and shading.  Nothing fancy, just some light tans... some more yellow, others a bit more greyish.

Using Secret Weapon Dark sepia, concrete soft body black and armor wash, I darkened my shadow areas and made more interesting color patterns.

Once everything was considered to be at the level I wanted, I did some work in the middle tones, bringing in more cooler colors... essentially tan mixed with some light seafoam green.

Here are some shots of the painted mini before he was attached to the base.

The finished product will go up tonight!!  Stay tuned...

Trunko and Jeero had a new buddy to share their ride with on the great journey up north...

Seeing Red...

Here are some shots of the mini for the Raging Reds video.  As with the other videos on this kind of subject, the idea is to show as many ways to get varieties in a color as possible.

In this case, I tried to do many different reds... warmer, cooler, less saturated, and so on.  The parts of the armor that face upward have been made a warmer read, while surfaces facing towards the ground were lightened with a much cooler color.

Since I have been asked so many times over the years about how to lighten red without making it either blazing orange or chalky pink, I knew that this particular video had to be made.  That is why it was in the very first set. :-)

Off to war...

Well, the Urban Mammoth figures came in at last, so it was time to get all of them prepped.

You can see that they come in some nice packaging.  They also have a set of stat cards.

And to the minis.  These are called Junkers.  They will be used for the painting reds video, for obvious reasons ;-)

The minis prepped...

But they also need bases!

Bases painted.

The next post will show you the painted miniature!  Stay tuned...

Shades of grey

Well, no secret here!  It's a bit obvious that this Archangel from Urban Mammoth is for the "Painting Grey" video. ;-)

There are greys tinted in every shade possible... yellow grey, purple grey, blue grey, green grey, and so on.

The idea is to show that not everything that is grey has to be Codex Grey. :-)

It was a fun exercise, and I think you will have fun with it as well!

On a wing and a prayer...

I think a few of you might recognize this color scheme from somewhere :-)

As I said over and over again at Adepticon, I would work in the Dark Eldar freehand into one of the videos!  I had these in mind from the start, because they were the closest thing to the jetbikes as a non-GW figure.

The idea is to do as many kinds of freehand over as many surface shapes as possible.  That's why just about every square millimeter has some fashion of design on it.

The good folks at Urban Mammoth gave me the OK to use a few of their minis for the videos, and the Archangels have always been favorites of mine.

I tried to work in as many different types of freehand as I could, even on the base itself.  There will also be a 'side session' or two showing how I work out potential designs in a two dimensional form first.

The gals in the video are the 'flying' versions of the Vasa Archangels.

Be sure to check out the Urban Warfare figures and the game.  They do some amazing art, which leads to fantastic minis!

The Flying Tigers: The finished figure

After all the steps displayed in the previous two posts, I am left with this completed figure.

It was very fun!  I look forward to trying out some more, as I try to refine a painting DVD to be created around it.

The next figures from this group will probably have additional markings and insignia.

Enjoy!

The Flying Tigers: Stage Two

Here are the rest of the step by step images of the Archangel from Urban Warfare.  They have always been favorites of mine.

As I mentioned in the previous post, this is one of a few miniatures I have been considering for a Freehand design DVD.  There are a lot of freehand design DVD's concerning cloaks and banners, but not as many on rougher surfaces such as this.  In addition, this freehand is supposed to work directly with the colors on the figure, in a very unique camouflage. 

When I last left you, I was working on the later stages of the tiger face freehand on the wings.  I established the darkest darks on the design.

Then I went back into the middle tones... in this case, the orange/browns of the face.

I was also working on the archangel herself.  With the application of the oranges to reflect the wings, she was ready for some darker glazes.

You can see these on the hair and leggings.  I mixed the Reaper Brown liner with some ashen brown and grey to do these glazes.

The idea behind the colors on the Archangel is to have her feet and gloves be white, like the paws of a tiger.;-)

I did some final details on the eyes, and pulled out a few individual hair areas on the rest of the face.

With all the darker glazes applied to the Archangel, it was time to work back into the middle tones.  I mixed in some light teal greens with my greys, which provided even more contrast with the warmer oranges and browns.

More refining of the highlights.  I also add some tattoos.

With a few more details added, she was attached to the flying stand and the base!  Stay tuned for those finished images!!

If I were to do this as a 'how to' Freehand DVD, I would be adding even more freehand things.  Probably some numbers or insignia on the sides of the gun, perhaps on the base, etc.

I will try to give you all a heads up on which miniatures will end up being the subject of the various titles!!