A slowly growing Waaagh!
- Thread starter Tex
- Start date
symphonicpoet
Moderator
Goodness gracious, the freehand on the back of that shield is lovely! Well done!
Tex
Member
I finished it by the end of Orctober, but could not upload the pics as I was in the land of nowhere:
I'm still trying to learn how to squeeze something good out of my crappy phone-camera...toying randomly with the settings seems the best way
Making the base took longer than expected and led me to ditch 3 or 4 ot the things in the process, basically because I took the opportunity to experiment the best ways (to me) to make moss, soil and leaves. As per my habit, I tried to use as many natural elements as I could: leaves, fungi, the fallen branch between the orc's legs, lichens and little plants all come from the backgarden of my granny's countryhouse and the woods around it (obviously most of them required some sort of treatment and/or some licks of paint, but I think they have an inherent delicacy and come in such an appropriate size that artificial products cannot quite replicate their effectiveness).
I'm still trying to learn how to squeeze something good out of my crappy phone-camera...toying randomly with the settings seems the best way
Making the base took longer than expected and led me to ditch 3 or 4 ot the things in the process, basically because I took the opportunity to experiment the best ways (to me) to make moss, soil and leaves. As per my habit, I tried to use as many natural elements as I could: leaves, fungi, the fallen branch between the orc's legs, lichens and little plants all come from the backgarden of my granny's countryhouse and the woods around it (obviously most of them required some sort of treatment and/or some licks of paint, but I think they have an inherent delicacy and come in such an appropriate size that artificial products cannot quite replicate their effectiveness).
Loose Loser
Member
hehe I think I couldn't paint three up to this quality. Very nice!
Caradepato
Member
Amazingly vibrant skin like usual. You've really made this gem shine. Is that birch seed I see on the base?
Tex
Member
Thanks!
@Caradepato
No, I stopped using it as i find it a bit too large for 28mm minis; it's fir seed (or rather I think it's seed: as with birch, it comes in little cones falling from fir trees: once crushed, you get lots of crumpled micro-leaves which can be used as are or dyed; in this case I dyed them 3 tones of orange (brownish, reddish and yellowish) to resemble beech leaves, as I'm planning a beech forest theme for my next bases).
@Caradepato
No, I stopped using it as i find it a bit too large for 28mm minis; it's fir seed (or rather I think it's seed: as with birch, it comes in little cones falling from fir trees: once crushed, you get lots of crumpled micro-leaves which can be used as are or dyed; in this case I dyed them 3 tones of orange (brownish, reddish and yellowish) to resemble beech leaves, as I'm planning a beech forest theme for my next bases).
Caradepato
Member
I see. Well, neither grow in my region XD. But it sounds like its parts of the cone - so one end of each little "leaf" is the seed.
symphonicpoet
Moderator
I need to figure out how to treat plant materials better to retain its color. So far I've just dried it out and called it good, but keeping some green could be quite nice. He looks great! 
Eric
Administrator
I half half a memory of preserving lichen with glycerine when doing my father's model railway stuff, but I don't recall if it was just glycerine or if there were other bits in there to preserve the material and I'm sure that probably works with most natural bits of scenery. I'm sure some searching around model railway websites might reveal the secret sauce!
Tex
Member
On the subject of preserving natural stuff, I don't think it would be possible to keep plants green.
If you search around the web, there are some techniques to preserve autumn leaves, but they can't work for tiny things (be them green or dead), as they generally require that you keep them pressed,therefore ruining their natural appearance.
I recently started using this product https://ak-interactive.com/product/natural-leaves-plants-neutral-protection/ and so far it worked as should: plants have been preserved after a 24h bath, but I always had to paint them, as they always turned yellow.
When you paint natural plants with tiny leaves you have to take care not to overdo it, as if the paint is too thick or too diluted the leaves tend to crumble.
I assume the above product is just a water - glycerine/glycol mix and you could make your own, but experience led me to prefer the ready-made one as my home-made cocktail tended to get mouldy in no time.
If you search around the web, there are some techniques to preserve autumn leaves, but they can't work for tiny things (be them green or dead), as they generally require that you keep them pressed,therefore ruining their natural appearance.
I recently started using this product https://ak-interactive.com/product/natural-leaves-plants-neutral-protection/ and so far it worked as should: plants have been preserved after a 24h bath, but I always had to paint them, as they always turned yellow.
When you paint natural plants with tiny leaves you have to take care not to overdo it, as if the paint is too thick or too diluted the leaves tend to crumble.
I assume the above product is just a water - glycerine/glycol mix and you could make your own, but experience led me to prefer the ready-made one as my home-made cocktail tended to get mouldy in no time.
twisted moon
Moderator
lovely work again.
Painters Tongue
Member
Stunning work Tex .
Love the attention to detail.
Bases are gorgeously organic, but stylistically still compliment the figures superbly.
On the very last one with the pine seed husk leaves, is that clumps of real moss on the base that makes up the bulk of ground cover?
. Love the attention to detail.
Bases are gorgeously organic, but stylistically still compliment the figures superbly.
On the very last one with the pine seed husk leaves, is that clumps of real moss on the base that makes up the bulk of ground cover?
Tex
Member
Thank you both for the kind words
@Painters Tongue: I'm glad you're wondering, must have done it right
It's actually fine turf mixed to matt clear varnish and applied randomnly to create moss clumps; I then applied a very thinned down brown (oil) wash along the edges to simulate the root part of the moss.
On some test bases I made earlier I tried other recipes for the above mix (added light green pigment and/or yellow oil wash when dry), but somehow the didn' t look as convincing (or just too different from the moss I observed in real life).
@Painters Tongue: I'm glad you're wondering, must have done it right
It's actually fine turf mixed to matt clear varnish and applied randomnly to create moss clumps; I then applied a very thinned down brown (oil) wash along the edges to simulate the root part of the moss.
On some test bases I made earlier I tried other recipes for the above mix (added light green pigment and/or yellow oil wash when dry), but somehow the didn' t look as convincing (or just too different from the moss I observed in real life).
Ketil Trout
Member
Beautiful painting as ever, basing excellent too.
Tex
Member
@Ketil Trout & Mophus
Thank you both for such kind words
My skin recipe is quite simple and straightforward, but a little time consuming:
- as I've always used Citadel paints, I try to stick with them, even if some of them are showing signs of deterioration: on the last orc I combined them with Scale75 greens, but they didn't impress me much, as they tend to change quite a lot in appearance from wet to dry;
- I start from a dark base tone (thraka green or the likes), add a smooth layer of goblin green, then start to glaze some sort of bilious green (years ago I made my own mix of striking scorpion green+skull white+sunburst yellow - I've got some original bilious green pots, but my mix has stronger pigment and covers more) and finish adding some more white to the bilious mix.
I've just started a goblin shaman and I'm trying to make the skin a tad more realistic, adding some pink on the fingers/nose/lips...stay tuned
Thank you both for such kind words
My skin recipe is quite simple and straightforward, but a little time consuming:
- as I've always used Citadel paints, I try to stick with them, even if some of them are showing signs of deterioration: on the last orc I combined them with Scale75 greens, but they didn't impress me much, as they tend to change quite a lot in appearance from wet to dry;
- I start from a dark base tone (thraka green or the likes), add a smooth layer of goblin green, then start to glaze some sort of bilious green (years ago I made my own mix of striking scorpion green+skull white+sunburst yellow - I've got some original bilious green pots, but my mix has stronger pigment and covers more) and finish adding some more white to the bilious mix.
I've just started a goblin shaman and I'm trying to make the skin a tad more realistic, adding some pink on the fingers/nose/lips...stay tuned
Loose Loser
Member
Acrylics do tend to get darker after they dried but then again it might be that pigment load isn't that good so no matter how many times you paint it over and over again, colour underneath will always show through.
Did you try to mix green with something like screaming skull paint or zandri dust? Not all colours are mixed with white or yellow alone. I usually mix them ( green, red, blue and especially black ( with zandri or similar for highlighted black ) with screaming skull, zandri dust or bubonic brown. After I add yellow in it for highlights or white for that matter, depends from where coulor came from ( closer to white or yellow ).
Did you try to mix green with something like screaming skull paint or zandri dust? Not all colours are mixed with white or yellow alone. I usually mix them ( green, red, blue and especially black ( with zandri or similar for highlighted black ) with screaming skull, zandri dust or bubonic brown. After I add yellow in it for highlights or white for that matter, depends from where coulor came from ( closer to white or yellow ).
Tex
Member
I've only recently encountered some trouble, as my "bilious" mix is probably starting to dry up and I find it a bit...rough.
I purchased Scale75 paints for the promised matt finish, but in the end - for skin or other parts requiring a subtle finish - I largely prefer citadels, as they're easier to manage when glazed on: they have a translucent finish which actually helps in making darker layers showing through, giving the painted part a realistic depth of colour.
I purchased Scale75 paints for the promised matt finish, but in the end - for skin or other parts requiring a subtle finish - I largely prefer citadels, as they're easier to manage when glazed on: they have a translucent finish which actually helps in making darker layers showing through, giving the painted part a realistic depth of colour.
Tex
Member
A bit of an update about my ongoing projects:
- first of all, I'm working on a more elaborate naturalistic base for my Tuerto from a few pages back: as it's an unreleased mini (and a gorgeous one to me) I've always wanted to place him on something a bit "important"; unfortunately I had to ditch the tree base I showed in this thread (i went a step too far in adding colour to the moss, ruining it) and I had to build something else: I've already done the bulk of it and I'm currently painting the finishing elements (mushrooms&fungi, animals, plants)...it should not take much longer: here's a finished rabbit, next in line is the squirrel (both from Serious-play on ebay, in 28mm scale):
- the main project, however, is a proper vignette centered around this little fella:
More on this next time
Cheers
- first of all, I'm working on a more elaborate naturalistic base for my Tuerto from a few pages back: as it's an unreleased mini (and a gorgeous one to me) I've always wanted to place him on something a bit "important"; unfortunately I had to ditch the tree base I showed in this thread (i went a step too far in adding colour to the moss, ruining it) and I had to build something else: I've already done the bulk of it and I'm currently painting the finishing elements (mushrooms&fungi, animals, plants)...it should not take much longer: here's a finished rabbit, next in line is the squirrel (both from Serious-play on ebay, in 28mm scale):
- the main project, however, is a proper vignette centered around this little fella:
More on this next time
Cheers
Fimm McCool
Member
Cute !