Mako's Expert Procrastination Thread

[masterkdog 398]

Looking good as always. Perhaps you can introduce another key concept to the Blacksmiths. They all like different coloured raindows. Better yet I see a tie dye T-Shirt in the works. I am sure you could pull it off...

[Mako 1,572]

Man, the metals are bad enough to do, tie dye would kill me

Have at least finished Sledge, just before @Kueller starts and finishes the whole box

[Kueller 800]

7 minutes ago, Mako said:

Man, the metals are bad enough to do, tie dye would kill me

Have at least finished Sledge, just before @Kueller starts and finishes the whole box

So friggin Awesome, beautiful!

Been doing Sledge today lol

[Zirenius 11]

21 hours ago, Mako said:

@Doc from the look of it, I have more chainmail and chains to do on Cinder and anvil... aargh. But I'm in too deep to back down now!

@Zirenius thanks! It's taken a long time and probably far too much practice to get to this point   

 

Hopefully get time for the last touches on Sledge in the next day or so, I'd like to get him ready for basing at least!

I can imagine... just to be curios, can you recommend any printed or online resources about properly blending colours in miniature painting?

[Mako 1,572]

@Zirenius If I'm honest, most of what I've learned was done the hard way - I've had lots of great advice from some top class painters I know, but in the end it comes down to getting brush on model! Often times it's involved trying things, and asking for advice on how to get it to work the way you wanted it to afterwards. That's not hugely helpful though, I know...

The basic rules are to thin your paints more, use a bigger brush with a better point, and do more but thinner layers. That applies to basically every painter, no matter what their level, so it's pretty safe advice

That, and paint a lot then put it up somewhere you can get feedback (I'm terrible for not reading all the painting threads on here, but there's quite a few good painters about to offer advice, or you can always tag me to poke me for feedback!)

There are some good youtube videos on improving painting I believe, might be worth a wander around there. Mostly, read and watch anything that looks interesting but remember that no one person knows the 'right' way - take what works for you from each person, and forget the rest

[Zerachial 134]

@Mako Sledge looks amazing!! Really like that effect. I've got to get through Hunters and Brewers but I think Blacksmiths might have to be next on my painting table. Of course I paint nearly as fast as you do so maybe we can face off against each other with fully painted Blacksmiths in... say... 2030?  

[Zirenius 11]

23 hours ago, Mako said:

@Zirenius If I'm honest, most of what I've learned was done the hard way - I've had lots of great advice from some top class painters I know, but in the end it comes down to getting brush on model! Often times it's involved trying things, and asking for advice on how to get it to work the way you wanted it to afterwards. That's not hugely helpful though, I know...

The basic rules are to thin your paints more, use a bigger brush with a better point, and do more but thinner layers. That applies to basically every painter, no matter what their level, so it's pretty safe advice

That, and paint a lot then put it up somewhere you can get feedback (I'm terrible for not reading all the painting threads on here, but there's quite a few good painters about to offer advice, or you can always tag me to poke me for feedback!)

There are some good youtube videos on improving painting I believe, might be worth a wander around there. Mostly, read and watch anything that looks interesting but remember that no one person knows the 'right' way - take what works for you from each person, and forget the rest

Thank you so much. It's a good thing that the learning process here is actually a big part of the fun. Also, your advice looks sound regarding any creative pursuit. It does sound similar to a lot of stuff that I was taught in music. Anyhow, I need to find some of these good youtube videos now. 😁

[Malritch 410]

@Zirenius ... although not exclusively a painting one... I subscribe to Tabletop Minions channel on YouTube... as well as Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic channel. I have found both to be helpful.... from a beginners standpoint at the very least.

 

 

[Mako 1,572]

Ok, I've not been doing much painting lately. Well, not of models. I have however been making cakes:

[Zerachial 134]

ok so I've got a birthday coming up...

[Mako 1,572]

Turns out, decades of hobby skills are surprisingly useful

[Kueller 800]

WOW! Its my Birthday a week today 

[Malritch 410]

@Mako Epic Awesomeness!

[Mako 1,572]

I had to get back to models eventually, right? So here's Silence (complete with the team symbol I've been using, that being Silence he's keeping mostly hidden):

Him and his base need varnishing, then I can put the planned little puddle of green goo on his base and he's sorted. But man, this was not a fun piece. He's got more low res details and unidentifiable things than any of my blacksmiths, and felt like a bit of a chore from just after I finished the head. Still, he's done and that means I don't have to paint him again, but can go and do something more fun like a blacksmith, Obulus, Brainpan/memory, or dropping heavy things on my toes

Dirge is still on the sculpting table, but as soon as he's done that gives me a team of 6 fully painted at long last!

 

[Kueller 800]

Looks Awesome Fella! Even If he was no fun to paint lol

[Mako 1,572]

I’m tempted to crack out obulus next, but given I’m using 3 slightly different colours of feather, and probably a couple of extras on dirge, the big man’s cloak is going to be a big task!

[Zerachial 134]

I like it! May I offer a suggestion though? You might consider black-lining between the hood and the face. I think it needs a sharper contrast. I'm perfectly willing to be wrong though.

[Mako 1,572]

That's an interesting one - I almost never blackline, as I don't really like the cartoonish look it results in (not a bad thing, that look, just a style preference for my current painting). 

But there are definitely points on that blasted headscarf that aren't very clearly separated, especially his left cheek - its only now I've painted him that I can properly see where the fabric goes! Now you've had me look, I'll definitely be going back over the edges, drawing the flesh tones tighter and bringing the edges of the fabric up a little more.

Thanks!

[Zerachial 134]

3 minutes ago, Mako said:

That's an interesting one - I almost never blackline...

I find that very interesting myself since I assumed that's exactly what you'd done around the grey border where the silver skulls are!  Perhaps it's just the base coat, or wash, you used but that certainly was what made me think of suggesting it in the first place. 

[Mako 1,572]

That’s pure basecoat, scalecolour graphene grey. Does look a bit like blackline doesn’t it! I promise it’s just the base colour though 

Secret admission, I don’t use washes... for all my other painting efforts, I just can’t get washes to play nicely. They never go where or how I want them to  

[Zerachial 134]

30 minutes ago, Mako said:

Secret admission...

I feel like this should be a new hashtag. 

My #SecretPaintingAdmission is ... er... I miss when dry brushing was the best technique I owned. I actually was able to paint whole armies! 

 

(Also - my washes never go where they're supposed to either. I've given up on them and prefer lots of glazes now)

[Mako 1,572]

I was hoping to get Dirge sorted out this week and post him up... turns out my conversion keeps getting more and more involved so now his body and feet are almost the only original bits left! Got to sculpt the front of his wings, tidy a few bits up, then he’ll finally be ready for paint. May even get him done before steamcon

[Kueller 800]

Well Done to @Mako for Winning the Artisan Best Painted Award at SteamCon 2017 with his beautiful Morticians (:

[naiconn1981 85]

Well done Mark.  It was good catching up with you over the weekend, had to leave early so missed the presentation.  The peacock tail paid off!  Lol. 

[Mako 1,572]

Cheers guys, was good to talk in person for once!

I had fun catching the train home with a bag full of new toys and the giant heavy brick that is dark souls

Just to catch my thread up, I did this just before setting off for Steamcon:

Which finishes a basic 6 model team for the morticians (it's only taken me three seasons...)