Time for another Painting Jam :)
You can find all Painting Jams and answers to frequently asked questions here. Take a read! Many answers might already help answer your own.
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Mitch asks via mail:
"I have a question if you don't mind. I am painting a new guy using only oils on top of acrylic base. I have two small spots that no matter how much paint I put there, it won't stay. Went I dab with brush to blend, the paint just comes off that spot. Any ideas? "
My answer:
Ough! That never happened to me before. I can only tell what I would do, maybe there are others reading this and helping you with their experience via comments. I do hope so. So I would let the Oil dry completly via oven or with time and would spray some matte varnish over the whole miniature via Airbrush, that should grant a new closed surface where you can paint on top. Otherwise, if you are not in reach of an Airbrush I would try to do the same with just putting some varnish over that evil spot.
Mitch also asks for some input on one of his miniatures:
"This is one of my gamesday entries. Just wanted to get you thoughts on it. Gamesday is a few months away so got plenty of time for changes. Thank you for your input."
Click to enlarge!
My answer:
This looks good so far. I like the colors you've chosen. My main feedback would be to maximize the contrast, that means work out a better light situation, for example zenithal lightning. If you take this "imagined light" as a guide you get used to put your lights where they look good. Maximizing the contrast means for example: Taking a look on the skintone it looks mostly the same overall with minor bright and minor dark areas. If your range of contrast in a specific colour tone, like the skin, means 100% from darkest shadow to brightest light you worked out around the range 40~60% at this stage. The Skin could get way more highlights and shadows. So does the armoury. I hope you get what I mean and my words could help you for this project.
Painting Zenithal Lighting
A guide that shows you how you can bring your miniature into a good light situation.
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Ivo asks via mail:
"Hi!
my name is Ivo and I came across painting two years ago. I was doing mainly tabletop stuff, but I bought recently my first palette of oil paints. I love miniature painting (and modelling as a whole) with all my heart, but I'm still kinda noob at this stage.
I'm not asking about painting advice this time, but I'm really interested in making good bases for my figures. Could you please tell me what should I get, just some general tips and if you can please give me some advice where I should learn about making bases (beside your site of course - it's awesome!).
Thank you in advance."
My answer:
So you have read the article section in the jungle about basing already? Check CMON for more articles or other forums - there is no specific one I can name because other things to learn basing are far more important. You learn basing best while creating a base and being happy with the result. Share your base with others in a forum, ask for feedback and criticism. Basing can't be learned by Theory. Theory helps when you got your own experience and can build upon it. My tip on basing is: Have a plan, but don't be too stuck on it. If something changes during your basing work, like something won't fit in place, something gets broke or you glued something to the wrong place like on your plan - stay happy and accept that, it often happens with a reason and your base has to grow from itself and its build up. Create bases, do it, they are getting better and better from the experience you will find. If you are totally lost in my answer, why not search for a base that you like and rebuild it for the start?
As far as I know Miniature Mentor released a DVD with Ben Komets about Basing actually!
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Florian asks via mail:
"How did you archived those great glow effects on your TREASURE GUARDIAN?"
My answer:
I did paint the area I want glowing in the end with pure white. You can't paint a glow effect on something dark. Ok, you can but it will never have the power of a white underground. I have used Forged Monkey's Day Glow Pigments as glazes on the areas I want glowing in the end. Check the article about Object Source Lightning and the article about Dayglow Pigments that should help you. You can find all of the linked articles in german language in the article section.
Florian asks via mail:
"When you´re working with 15mm miniatures, is there something you make different, then in regular scale?"
My answer:
No, not really. I mainly take a smaller brush and accept that I won't be able to not paint a perfect eye on those models as the scale is pretty small. I also use the zenithal light as a guide to paint my highlights and shadows, even in 15mm.
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Painting Jam over and out!
Ough! Ough! Hope my thoughts could help you!
Happy Painting to you all!
Best Wishes
Roman
If you want to say thanks for the answers sent a cup of coffee to the jungle answering machine via the donation button,
Posts
to mitch,
I had a similar problem with acrylics. It was due to my fingers leaving grease (finger oil or whatever you call it) on the surface. I just cleaned it with a scott towel. (it was on a flat surface on the base so I don't know if you can do the same here). Hope this helps...
@Mordos
Thanks for your help!
@mitch: oils needs a bit more "tooth" to lay on nicely, all that linseed oil is very slippery. So the advice of Roman to let what you have now dry and put some matt varnish over it, might be the best. Matt varnish gives some "rough" texture to the surfaces where the oil paint can cling on.