Blood Angels Captain Gaius

[Pig Of Sparta]

It's probably time for me to step back in here and say something. Everyone has made some very valid points, and I appreciate the time that folks are taking to give me feedback.

 

First off I'd like to thank Alex (Starks 333). Had he not taken the time and had the patience to give me the help and instruction that he did, then this mini, when submitted would have been a much, much poorer quality than it is now. If you want to see how much poorer, here's how he looked before I re-worked the red:

 

http://i347.photobucket.com/albums/p456/pigofsparta/Golden%20Bolter%20Entries/GBECcloakshadefront.jpg

 

I recognise that trying to pass this mini off as a Blood Angel was a mistake, but I can't fix that now. I had hoped people would see past the not 'blood reded-ness' of the armour, but as has been said before, people like what they like and don't like what they don't. I strayed too far from established convention for my mini to be accepted in the context that I'd intended. That and my poor choice of colour for the cloak.... what was I thinking?

 

I was really proud of this mini when I finished it. The problem is that I've entered several painting competitions now and 'lost' (not placed) everytime, with the exception of the one I mentioned in the post above at my local Gaming Group. Because I came second at that one I thought it was a good sign. I got my hopes up, which in retrospect was foolish. The performance of a mini at one contest it obviously not always a clear indicator of how it might do in another one. But it did give me hope that I might be getting somewhere. What devastated me most when the results were announced for the GB was the feeling that all my work, and to a certain extent finger crossing had been for nothing. I realise that there were hundreds of others in the same situation, not just in this competition but in every competition and I feel for them too, but obviously I was more concerned with myself (self-less person that I am :)).

 

What added to my disappointment was that I had been told by members of this forum as well as the guys at my GG, that it was a really well painted mini. Now I might get into a little bit of hot water for saying this, but it kinda felt like all the people who'd said that didn't mean it. (I'm not saying you didn't, I'm saying it felt that way...) That kinda made it worse. Now, in the cold light of almost a week later I can see past my disappointment and that it isa well painted mini, but I made some poor decisions when finishing it off. It is, in fact, without a doubt the best mini I've ever painted, so far.

 

I am going to continue to push myself, to learn new techniques and to paint better minis and if Starks333 is willing to continue to teach, I am willing to continue to learn. I now know what not to do with a painting competition entry, so now I've got 8 months to build on what I got right.

I'm not saying I will win this year as I could paint the most amazing mini ever that no-one else liked, and that is one of the things I've realised as a result of this competition that makes winning any painting contest even harder than it already is; it isn't enough to just be able paint really, really well, you've got to be able to do it on something and in such a way that more people like it than dont. That I think is the key.

 

Maybe some of my rambling replying will make sense. I've stayed away joining from the colour theory debate because I paint by feel and by eye (like jah-joshua) and I don't really understand most of it (except the basic RGB type stuff) but I appreciate both proponents taking the time to give me and others their insight.

 

thanks

 

James

[Aerixis]

I love it its really good!

 

AS was mentioned, red can be quite a challenge to highlight, but dont worry.

 

Instead of taking the colour 'higher' for the highlights, I tend to take the mid-tones darker.

 

For example:

 

Dark Flesh and Scab Red basecoat.

Red Gore and Blood Red layers, leaving the dark flesh in the recesses.

Baal Red wash to warm up the layers.

Blood Red final layering.

 

Now that'll give you a really beautiful rich red.

 

Now, to shade it, gently wash Scorched Brown into the recesses ov the armour. Scorched Brown contains a slightly blue pigment so it helps the shadows look a tad darker.

 

Then as a final highlights, dont mix Blood Red with ANYTHING at all, but decided on what outcome you want.

 

Bright.

 

Warm.

 

 

Bright highlights would need thinned Bleached Bone applied to the edes, built up so it blends to a nice solid Bleached Bone.

 

Warm highlights require you to mix Blood Red with Macharius Solar Orange or Blazing Orange (if you still have any, Fiery Orange works best). Again, water it down a little and build up the layers on the edges. A final highlight of Blazing Orange then Bleached Bone finishes it off nicely.

 

Thats just my two cents, because I too unfortunatly dislike getting pink highlights on red, but nonetheless you've done an excellent job here buddy!

[sisko11]

That's the same recipe I gave to no avail...

 

POS, good luck to you sir, honestly try not to take it all so seriously, best results and creativity often happen when you simply feel like it, not because you are under pressure. I'm not sure how old you are or how long you have been at this, but you are already on the upper scale of talent on a painter's forum, and in the top 5% if you throw in everyone in the hobby. I look forward to your next effort!

 

Stark, I swear to god last thing lol - Only cmyk red is made of yellow and magenta, the whole system is designed to be as broadly flexible as possible, but is not particularly accurate especially when it comes to primary and secondary colors. CMYK is a convenience, a system made to be widely usable not specialized. The reason in particular why it doesnt apply to mini painting (maybe slightly to glazes and washes) is that it is a subtractive color system, it achieves it's effect through tranluscent inks on white. You remove saturation from the halftone to brighten colors. You add to darken it. Any addition will darken the result, any removal will brighten it. Obviously adding one paint to another does not work this way, the results are pigment dependent.

 

Real pigments are made from anything that gives the color, a metal oxide, plant extract, chemical dye, anything that gives the right result through the visible spectrum to the eye. The result is based on the chemical and molecular composition of the substance itself, they are not made from mixes of 4 colored inks.

 

This is the thing about paint, and in many ways light itself. It has absolutely nothing to do with yellow or magenta, it is quite simply the color unto itself. Cadmium Red is generally regarded as the 'reddest' (and most expensive) pigment, and that is derived from a metal. Cadmium yellow and orange likewise regarded some of the most saturated and pure versions of those colors are derived from Cadmium sulfide, with the sulfur providing the yellow. Titanium white, cobalt blue etc etc etc. All this to say, 'real' red has nothing to do with yellow, the only time that applies is cmyk, and as I have attempted to demonstrate here multiple times, optical spectography, spot colors, and naturally occurring pigments operate under vastly different rules and the source of the color is decided optically, not by a recipe book.

 

Obviously at this point, I am not going to change your mind on my own, but I honestly urge you to look further into it.

In the end I feel the debate was interesting if not always to the point. Stark I apologize if anything I said was overly antagonistic and though I do not agree with your take on things in this one case, you clearly have looked into things and take your work seriously and I respect the hell out of that. I look forward to seeing your work in the future!

 

POS, You mention you paint by eye like Jah... Stick to that! there is no better instrument, no better tool to have than a trained, well experienced eye. Once you refine and build your knowledge of theory and as you expose yourself to ever more diverse sources of information, you will always and forever be improving. Eyes first, the hands will follow! :P

 

Sisko11 out! lol