Today
MV monkeys Roman and Peter head out to Blumberg-Achdorf, Germany,
where Roman will teach his second edition of the full weekend seminar, called MV's Jar's Advanced class.  The class is also a deluxe class as we are all together sleeping in a big house and food all together.

The class itself is mainly about a basic understanding of atmosphere and how to apply it to your own personal way of painting, but also about skintone, painting the color black and white and learning plenty of things about a good harmonic feeling on color theory. We even work on tattoos, OSL and basic conversion work. A good push forward in everyone's painting level this will be.




Both are very much looking forward to a group of advanced students and a big bunch of friends. Sixteen students will paint together with Roman and Peter in this fully booked seminar. While Peter is taking the class as a student too and again, he will also be Roman's sidekick in terms of support.



Massive Voodoo is really looking forward and we want to thank Hasslefree Miniatures and BigPandaV.de for their support in this event. We hope the beautiful place of Blumberg is greeting us with tons of spring sun and we get enough sleep to hold the brushes.



See you all soon on the weekend and if you want to stay connected with some updates from the class you should check Massive Voodoo on facebook.



Ready, set, paint!

Good Morning Jungle,

as active painting is not happening from my side at the moment I realized that many other creative things are happening in my brain. Of course, some, related to miniature painting. I decided to let spring also hit home in the Massive Voodoo jungle and will hit the jungle with different ideas of blog posts. If I am not painting much these days does not mean the jungle has to be silent as the jungle in my head ain't quiet itself. 

FYI: You find me writing posts these days under my personal account on Massive Voodoo, not the MV Team account. Through all the upcoming Kong Fu I am going through in the next couple of weeks I did not see it would fit writing in the words of the team. Official MV announcements and such will drop in from my side by using the MV team account. 

You will find future book reviews also linked up to MV's Miniature Unpacked area.

A book review of
Art of Asura

publised by Singapore publisher Basheer Graphics Book.


Asura online is a MMORPG game, looking awesome. I do not play.
I got in contact with the strong impact of the visuals of Asura with a cinematic trailer of Asura Online that inspired me on youtube:



Miniature related, of course:
I am really happy to have this project on my table soon, but the process of a paintjob does not start with glueing the model. It starts much earlier, in the mind, thinking, brainstorming and finding a vision.



Allright, book review.
Opening this book felt wonderful as it is a beautiful hard cover thingy and screams quality. Additional to this - together with my vision and miniature project ahead - it hit me that I home.
The book that I got is printed in english language. 288 pages strong.




There is a lot of explanations to the different races and characters in the book, many with chinese names of course, which make a full fast understanding of the story not so easy for me, but without a doubt the visuals and artworks in the book are more than impressive.


Also very inspiring for the miniature painter are the landscape concepts. They do look like three dimensional bases and have a special unique inspirational touch to them.




Black and white pages also included.

288 pages full of character and concept design that makes the worlf of Asura come to life.

I really enjoy this book and my inspirational juices are seething. I am definatly sure that this book will influance my project plans for Sun Wukong. Stay tuned, I will keep you posted about updates on this. Recently I found something from China on a local flea market. I will show it soon to show you how this inspires me for the basework of this model.

This book is a great artbook.
Also check a review to this book on parkablogs.com, 
that made me buy it myself.

Roman

Loved the latest movie, the great visuals, the connection to the animes, the additional story fluff and the music just kicks butt! Makes me want to smash color somewhere and I am pretty sure I will listen to this as soon as I paint miniatures again. Yes, I am not able to paint right now. Don't know why, but I want to know.

I call the stage I am in right now: 
Breathing, channelling inspiration, re-animate myself in sense of washing away many thoughts and habits that bind me to not feel happy. Interesting.

Speaking about painting miniatures and 2016:
Looking back on the figure projects I have painted in 2016 I can clearly see what I enjoyed there the most: A steep learning curve. I was so inspired of what I thaught myself about painting atmosphere and threw that all over my projects like a crazy gorilla with six arms. I really enjoyed that and painted plenty of projects that I did choose myself. A miniature or a bust was calling me, I quickly found my visions for the project and was able to apply them in a wonderful way of free happy painting. 2016 you have been amazing to me when it comes to painting. I burned my painting energies with focusing on learning more and more about strong visuals of atmosphere in my paintwork. Explaining stories with the choice of color and my brushstrokes. Powerful.

I was able to transport this into the early months of the new year and had some pretty much painting fun with some projects in  2017. I really had a great flow through my ideas, visions and projects. I really appreciate all the support from friends, collectors and other miniature painters. Everything worked well, I was truely focused. Then I finished a really big project that was very important to myself: Conan, by Black Sun Miniatures.



This project meant a lot to me. 
I was fascinated by the work of Frank Frazetta
ever since and 2016 was also a year where his work accompanied my thinking and color studies a lot. This project is a personal homage to his work, mainly in terms of color and ambience choices and personal achievements, but I did understand not much on Frazetta's way of working, I realized.

When I finished this project I somehow lost the spark of painting joy or felt an extreme lack of energy. Not that I think I somehow did Frank Frazetta's color work justice in my studies, nor do I think I learned everything about painting now. It is completly the opposite of it. I see more and more how far the horizons of learning to paint stretch to a neverending ocean of wisdom. Endless. I just hit another personal milestone, but somehow the energies to push my learning curve more and more did suddenly quit. A normal thing after a very productive 2016. Very normal. I just needed time to understand what is actually happening with my painting spirits. This took me a little while. Now I decide to speak about it on the Massive Voodoo blog, so far the jungle always helped me through different stages of my full time job as a creative soul. Why not now? I want to know why I lack in painting motivation on a large scale. I want to find new goals in my way of painting. What is there to study next? Superclean blending, I could try, but I am sure this is not me. Who knows. You see this ain't an easy question for myself.

Right now
if I only think about touching brush and paint I do not know where to go. No colorful vision do drop in. I can follow techniques that is for sure and techniques lead to blendings, smooth and rough ones. I learned to appreciate both when I know where to use them. All I can tell is that this is absolutelyx weird. Even after my weeks of relaxing from work on "vacation" there is no spark lighting up. As I said earlier I am pretty much looking forward to teach my upcoming weekend seminar about "atmosphere" soon. I am looking forward to the teaching aspect with nice and wonderful people.

Still, I did not touch a brush so far, but I quit on thinking this is something bad.
Everything happens for a reason and one day I will see.

Roman

 Good Morning Jungle,

incoming private coaching review.
This time with Aurélie.

I enjoyed two splendid days with a really cool paintress from Berlin.
Main subject on the coaching with Aurélie this was
"how to create atmosphere while painting a miniature".

Side topics:

 - better understanding of light and shadow
- pushing contrast
- advanced color theory




Aurélie wrote a little review herself (german only):


"Ich habe mich für ein private coaching mit Roman entschlossen, weil ich meine Erfahrungen einigen Bereichen erweitern wollte.
Als unser Termin feststand, bat Roman mich darum mir ein Thema zu überlegen und in Anbetracht dessen, was ich alles bei ihm lernen könnte, war das keine leichte Entscheidung. Leider sind es ja nur zwei Tage die viel zu schnell um sind ;) Roman hat sich viel Zeit genommen sich ein Thema aus meinen Vorstellungen zu überlegen. Die Wahl fiel auf das Thema Atmosphäre, also wie man eine Figur atmosphärisch in Szene setzt, das Gesamtverständnis von Licht und Schatten sowie das generelle Verständnis von Haut und Metall. Hierbei war es mir besonders wichtig, wie man eine realistische Bemalung umsetzt.
Die Shennay Büste eignete sich besonders gut, um alle vorgenommenen Themen abzudecken. Bevor die Büste Farbe bekennen musste, lernte ich zunächst viel Theorie. Es war aber nicht zu viel, dass man direkt überfordert wäre. Wir haben uns auch viele Bilder angeschaut und analysiert. So bekam ich ein generelles Verständnis von Licht, Schatten und Atmosphäre. Ein paar Übungen im Anschluss haben mir sehr geholfen, die Theorie zu festigen. Mir hat es besonders viel Spaß gemacht die Farben nachzumischen und ein Verständnis dafür zu entwickeln, wie man Farben in einer kühlen, warmen und schattigen Umgebung darstellt. Während des gesamten Coachings gab Roman eine klare Linie vor, ließ aber immer viel Raum für eigene Kreativität. Vor allem hat mir Roman immer alles so gut erklärt, dass ich es direkt verstanden habe und umsetzen konnte.
Das Privat Coaching hat mich ein gutes Stück nach vorne gebracht und mein Horizont erweitert. Es hat unheimlich viel Spaß gemacht und es war sehr inspirierend. Eine Erfahrung die jedem nur ans Herz legen kann :)"  



Roman:

I really enjoyed the coaching with Aurélie.
Not very often you meet someone with the same job that I have. Miniature Painting for a living.
Aurélie is offering high quality tabletop comission paintjobs and it was a real joy to talk in depth about both our experiences in the field of a full time miniature painter. Being full time since over a decade myself it was good to see Aurélie's perspective on this kind of job. This was a cool exchange and we both will definatly benefit from it.

My famous wolve task for my student who wants to understand
the principles and basic knowledge of atmosphere while painting. It was a true joy observing Aurélie while she was in the middle of it. Very often in this stage I can hear my students brain go click, click, click ... same with Aurélie. I was really looking forward starting to paint on her bust soon.


After Aurélie was inducted to all theory that is important to transport this knowledge to her personal painting process we both started a bust each with applying basic colors. Planning metals to be painted in the final stage of the paintjob we left them black. Just black for now.




Time flew by while we continued to paint on and on.
Aurélie's bust grew in beauty in the few hours she worked on her. Already a proud teacher I was really looking forward how far she can push her with her brush and my help. Metals still black, but atmosphere and skintone levels rising.



The second day was mainly painting, painting, painting and great chats about life in general once again. The special Massive Voodoo Studio painting flow was ever present and we both pushed our projects in the right atmosphere.


We started with the metals and painted on and on. Yes, we painted quite some hours in this two day coaching, but still half of the first day was mainly theory.




Thank you, Aurélie for trusting in me as a teacher and thanks for the really cool time we enjoyed together. I am pretty sure you paint on with the same high spirit of happy painting and continue to strive forward. Never stop to learn many new things and color will always be a good companion in your life :)


Feel free to contact me for your private coaching?
Right now I am fully booked with two day MV private coachings until the end of September 2017. All requests from now on will be planned up for autumn 2017. Right now I can not give you any specific dates yet, as I the second half of 2017 will be planned around weekend seminars and these will be settled in June/July.

Well 
this post was initially meant to be something else,
but you know that the jungle always was and always will be some kind of diary for me.
Now it is again. I call this a good sign.

Btw Roman writing.
I got things messed up with the accounts.
Sorryio.

I wanted to tell you how great I feel being well prepared for a 2017 full of blogging on Massive Voodoo.

How I prepare posts in advance, how many tutorials I still have in the back of my folders from 2016.
How good I feel being so well prepared and how much I am looking forward to post on MV for our readers.

... but unexpected everything came different.
After my weekend seminar in Hamburg I realized I am a little overworked, burned out. Not as bad as I once were, but still visible signals that showed me that I have to go on vacation.
Now I am on vacation since about three weeks. Sadly I was not able to head out, travel and conquer the world and its beauty.

"Vacation" for me looks like this right now: 
Not painting figures all, but I cleaned up and prepared my workspace in the studio, write my regular emails (but much slower and relaxed, thanks for your patience everyone). 

I delayed some comission work for later to be really able to paint them with my natural strength (thanks for understanding everyone). I canceled the Basing Seminar in Sweden due taking time off in August to be able to go on a travel holiday with my girlfriend and recharge. Of course we will do the class in the future. I'll be there. Why no travel journey right now you might ask? Well, I do not know. Maybe I was already a bit too well prepared. Dates like private coachings, seminars and my first exhibition outside the miniature world quickly showed me that I am not able to completly shut off from work as there is work to do.

So I calmed down from being close to a burnout with preparing stuff for a flea market in May, sold many of my books, cleaned up and cleaned up again. Did write most important emails and such and cleaned the flat again. Meanwhile enjoying early spring sun whenever possible.

Exhibition
After some days without studio and miniatures I realized that some creativity shows up through the fog of grey color again. I started to draw some drawings for the exhibition (as first I did not know what to show there, me as a full artist with miniatures, photos and illustrations) and decided which photos I will show during this event. Some days ago - as I am holding the exhibition together with a good friend and canvas painter, Susanne Ziegler - we went to the place and checked the available rooms in the castle and I realized through talks and brainstorms that my main focus of this exhibition will be miniatures as this is mostly me when it comes to my art.

I see this as a good chance to show the passion about miniature art to people who have never seen it before. A small step for humanity, but a big step for the miniature world. Therefor I am in the middle of planning explanation boards to show more about miniature painting than only the models I have painted. This will be interesting and I might bring you some more information to this when available.

romanlappat.com
I took the chance of the exhibition to put some more work to my artist portfolio homepage I got in the making since 1,5 years now. I think it could be nice, if people want to see more of my work after visiting the exhibition. Sure I will also link to Massive Voodoo, but as I have heard from my mum: Many people who do not know the miniature world do not understand the Massive Voodoo blog on the first sight. It is too confusing and she is right. So, in my vacation I am also working on this.

Several other bigger projects for 2017/18 keep my mind occoupied also. Since I decided to exhibit mainly miniatures I did quit drawing. Now I am preparing plenty of posters and art prints for the exhibition.

MV's Jar's Advanced Class - Blumberg
I am pretty much looking forward to go to Blumberg next weekend to hold my second Advanced Class ever. Greatly supported by Hasslefree Miniatures. I will meet many friends and long time students of mine and will push them forward in their understanding of applying strong atmosphere to their models. Even if I am not painting much myself these days I am really looking forward to teach. Also it will be a nice weekend around the seminar as I am heading there with my monkeybrother Peter, visiting him earlier in Stuttgart.

Massive Voodoo Blog Posts
Well, lately I have realized, that I am saying I am on vacation. I do holidays from painting miniatures and blogging, right, but still I am working on other things. I think it just has to be like that and I can not force myself to anything. Listening to the flow again, I am looking forward to some more posts by me, here in the Massive Voodoo jungle. Let's see when they drop in and when I touch a brush again. I bet on the upcoming weekend :)

Some fine music:

Hidiho Jungle Painters,

time for another fresh review on MV.

This is review #98 - if you are interested in getting to know more products or miniatures we regularly use, check the overview on the Miniatures/Material Unpacked, in short MU.
 
Today Roman will take a closer look on some miniatures from a fresh and brand new miniature board game called

"The Drowned Earth"

A SciFi based boardgame that looks like tons of fun and has some really cool miniatures and factions. They have Gorillas and you know how much we all love Gorillas here in the jungle. And this game is absolutely jungle, massive jungle.

You can find the Kickstarter and many informations around the game here:
Drowned Earth Miniature Game Kickstarter

www.thedrownedearth.com

Drowned Earth plays in a post-apocalyptic world. Towns have gone and the remains are turning forests and jungles. We like this setting pretty much! Sounds like a lot of monkey fun playgrounds. If you are interested in a let's play, check this link.
This review is supported by external photos, copyright Drowned Earth. 
 
Let's jump in the jungle, we recieved some miniatures to review:


We recieved the full faction (gang) called "the Firm". 
A group of gangsters, rocketeers and thieves.

What we know: We are pretty sure, this is pre-official release and this packing will not be the final packing of the products you support the kickstarter for. Pretty sure.


The Firm in its full glory - look at the Gorilla, we love him so much!


Let's have a look on the models now. 
First of course, "Hosk" the Gorilla with his super-energy-hammer, his blunt weapon of choice. Wielded in Gorilla arms this makes definatly kaboom when hitting its foe.

Hosk arrives in a white metal - as the other models too - and has a very dynamic pose that underlines his energy and will to smash.


White Metal is pretty hard to photograph, and this seems to be supershiny white-metal :D

Hosk arrives in four parts, which are easy to attach. The models have been designed in 3D and you can see the quality by the prepared fitting moulds. Lovely.


Even complex models, like Mirja here fits so well together that even without superglue you can attach them already. Sweet. 

Well, Mirja looks very complex at first sight, but also arrives in only four parts.

A little Artwork from Drowned Earth to show the great atmosphere of the game.

Next we got Lissz, who is definatly a lizardman hybrid ninja thing ... she looks stealthy and arrives in six parts.
 Lizardlady ...

Next we got "Wenk", who arrives in three parts (head is single too) and he seems to be the sharpshooter of the gang.

Kaneda is the Ronin of the Firm as it looks like,
he likes close combat and uzis.  He arrives in three parts.


Let have a closer look on one model, another Gorilla by the gang, called the Artifacters.
Every gang has a gorilla and a lizard, really cool. We will look at "Sage", who is a rogue and tomb raider. Exploring, less smashing.





Sage arrives in four different parts:




The overall quality of the white metal casts is good. The design of the models is pretty unique and we really like it. Some poses are really cool, some need a moment to be understood as the model is in full action.

"Sage" here, well he seems in the middle of exploring old ruins and looking deeply into the lizards eye. We really like these different poses, Sage here could also be a great model for a display diorama.


 Look me in the eye, lizard!

 Really amazing on these white metal figures are not only the concepts, but also the fitting quality. This is just superb. Everything goes where it should go, easily, hasslefree.


Have a look yourselve to the Kickstarter and many informations around the game here:
Drowned Earth Miniature Game Kickstarter

Massive Voodoo wishes James, from The Drowned Earth all the best with the  Kickstarter and many supporters and backers as this project is so well thought and great looking.

Gorillas!