Jump to content

WIP - Njal Stormcaller


Golf33

Recommended Posts

I'm painting this mini up for a mate, to be the centrepiece of his army - so I'd greatly appreciate any advice you can give to help me make it really good!

 

The brief is:

armour - Cote d'Arms 212 Dark Grey (the old, dark Space Wolves colour scheme)

right shoulder - blood red

face - old

hair & beard - white (old)

wolf pelt - arctic wolf

runes - glowing blue

 

Here's progress so far. Unfortunately the JPEG compression has slightly saturated the pictures - in reality the armour is pretty neutral, the highlights are GW Space Wolves Grey + Bleached Bone and the shadows are GW Scorched Brown + Black Ink + 212 Dark Grey. I don't seem to be able to fix it as the uncompressed pics are correct :lol:

 

It's a first try for me highlighting the red up to white, so any suggestions there are welcome!

 

Next step will be the face, then hair, trinkets, glowing runes, and wolf pelt last. I figure the glowing blue runes on the armour should be fairly easy, on the red shoulderpad I am thinking a light purple highlight outside the rune with blue & white inside?

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/5351695972_6fb07b1148_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5087/5351696008_62d9b53542_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5001/5351696102_e5952ee445_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/5351083699_ea0eac68a1_o.jpg

Link to comment
https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/219322-wip-njal-stormcaller/
Share on other sites

These are somewhat dark, I agree. But that doesn't matter as long as it's pip - would be much worse if the final picture were too dark. ^^

And I think it's a great idea to paint Njal's beard and hair white. He IS an ancient warrior after all and has every right to look that way, too.

Wonder why GW showed us a "youngster" like theirs...

Next update. I've painted the girdle and holster - aiming for a 'weathered leather' look but not sure if I've got enough contrast - but not sure where to go from here to increase the contrast :D Hopefully the photo will be better.

 

Ideas about increasing the contrast in the leather girdle, or how to make it look older, would be great!

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5355945335_dcde552517_o.jpg

  • 3 weeks later...

Progress!

 

The leather is done - it may get another going-over towards the end, will have to wait and see how it looks once everything else is finished.

 

Wolf pelt is done (except for the eyes and claws) although I may drybrush some slightly darker tones over areas that would be in shade (e.g. the back left leg where it curls under the leg armour), just to bring out the shape a bit better.

 

Very happy with the face, though it isn't me that should say it :rolleyes:

 

Comment away! Your suggestions & feedback bring warmth to Njal's frosty-cold hearts...

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5409490593_ef0a74deec_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5217/5410103178_6bd15ab3e7_o.jpg

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/5409490679_581c744208_o.jpg

  • 3 weeks later...

I've done the face, and basecoated the hair & beard. They'll get done up as grey/white hair.

 

I haven't tried many faces before, tips or suggestions for this one would be very welcome!

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5058/5457736059_64881c9623_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5092/5457736287_2521f66517_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5094/5458345444_500842f535_o.jpg

Hair is finished, lucky charms finished, skulls/bones finished. Comments / suggestions welcome - in particular any tips on eyes, I'll be buggered if I can work out how to paint his beady little peepers...

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5297/5466757141_ca116e22a0_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5216/5467354250_876bd95c8d_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5139/5467354796_9e5a2daedb_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5467354672_cf98ea747d_o.jpg

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5467353596_a34a31a781_o.jpg

eyes can be tricky depending on the sculpt and scale of a model, ill outline my method but keep in mind that I would change / adapt it to the difficulty of the sculpt so on very small eyes I would advise simplifying the method.

 

When painting this small less paint is always more , you will have more control with less paint, so having to go back 3-4 times to get the shape you want is much better than going in and trying to blob alot on in the first attempt

 

-I give the eye a thinned wash of leviathan purple to pick out the outline (depends how dark the skin tone is as to how much it stands out)

-fill in the outlined area with fortress grey

-then add a iris with chosen colour ( blue brown green ), and dot a pupil with chaos black, the pupil placement is by far the trickiest part to make look realistic and really promotes character in a model when done right

-clean up/go around the iris with skull white to increase contrast. and if you can manage it a VERY small dot of skull white on the pupil to simulate reflection.

 

also the skin around the eyes is usually darker so a very thin thin leviathan purple wash to tint the colours is very effective.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that some people favour dotting white in either corner of the eye to create the effect of the pupil inbetween. i personally don't like this approach but some people swear by it so use whatever works for you.

 

With regards to the model so far the only things that seem like they could be really improved are the runes on the armour , try picking them out with your edge highlight colour, and also the shadows on the face look a little too dark.

 

Hope this helped + keep up the good work + updates

 

J

Thanks peers, some good ideas there! I think the tricky thing about these eyes is that the sculpt has rather pointy eyeballs - there is a deep recess under the eyelids, then a rather sharp point sticking out of the middle. I may try filling in the recess with paint so I have a smoother canvas to work with.

 

Armour runes will (eventually) be done in glowing blue, if I can pull it off :-)

I see your looking for sugestions on the eyes, heres how i did mine. http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=223278. Also dont be afraid to add another highlight on the very tips on the armor, it really puts the zing into the model. great work so far man keep it up !
  • 1 month later...

Life has been rather crazy lately so progress has been slow.

 

In this update - decorative teeth, the cross of the Crux Terminatrix, a redo of the tanned hide (slightly warmer tone), touch-up around the eyelids, the claws on the wolf pelt, a start on the cyberraven and the shaft of the staff. I'm going for a reflective, black staff - basically a sky-earth non-metallic metal technique but darker.

 

Comments welcome as always!

 

Staff:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/5602069259_6d1181d985_o.jpg

IMGP2717 by Golf33, on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/5602653332_ea4171def7_o.jpg

IMGP2716 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

Raven:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5069/5602653522_e9468ace92_o.jpg

IMGP2718 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

Pelt, claws, face touchup, other decorations:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5602653640_33c70154f8_o.jpg

IMGP2719 by Golf33, on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/5602653746_507d2ceb5f_o.jpg

IMGP2722 by Golf33, on Flickr

Trying to decide whether to put in glowing runes (assuming I can make it work) or not. I'm a bit worried that they draw the eye to the edges of the mini rather than to the centre.

 

Mockup in Photoshop:

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5110/5602298053_af4c413fb7_o.gif

Rune-test by Golf33, on Flickr

More progress, though not on the runes (I need to build up courage to tackle those!). Gold trim now completed:

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5226/5622866839_f4863a4831_o.jpg

IMGP2735-20110416 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

The ring under his terminator honours is really tricky to get to, especially since I should have painted it before doing the bone & stone bits:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5142/5623453762_17971e4bf0_o.jpg

IMGP2737-20110416 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

 

A wizard's staff has a knob on the end, a knob on the end, a knob on the end...

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5265/5623453360_819de3bff8_o.jpg

IMGP2728-20110416 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

... and various other gold fittings:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/5623453150_1ab14c4918_o.jpg

IMGP2725-20110416 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5265/5623453252_9dd0c6af12_o.jpg

IMGP2726-20110416 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1404/5623453318_6fa2fa5daa_o.jpg

IMGP2727-20110416 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

From underneath:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5147/5622866581_fd5e0cd91a_o.jpg

IMGP2729-20110416 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

 

Last but not least, his birdy. I was a bit worried this would end up being a bit "Long John Stormcaller" but I think I managed to avoid that:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5304/5622866643_50b758a8b1_o.jpg

IMGP2731-20110416 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

Comments & suggestions welcome as always ;)

  • 1 month later...

The birdy is finished. Bit of source lighting on the cyber-eye and an attempt (not entirely successful) at NMM bronze for the fittings:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2091/5726066162_65e56bb15a_o.jpg

IMGP2790 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/5726066092_c6f0001bf7_o.jpg

IMGP2787 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

The pelt is finally fully finished, with the addition of eyes. Also in this shot, the NMM boltpistol handle and holster fittings and the basecoat for the holster gem:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2567/5725510239_c534cc54b3_o.jpg

IMGP2782 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

Something I am not happy with is the NMM steel fittings on the back of his leg; any suggestions on how to fix it would be very welcome!

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5082/5725510755_93924018e3_o.jpg

IMGP2786 by Golf33, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5269/5726065772_400e0b251c_o.jpg

IMGP2783 by Golf33, on Flickr

  • 1 month later...

I think I'm nearly finished! Cleaned up some of the armour highlighting, finished the leather straps and thongs, did the gem on the bolt pistol holster, and brought the blending on the greay & red armour up a bit brighter.

 

@Loyalist Wolf - are you happy with the armour runes like this, or do you want some blue poured into them?

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6138/5933479320_5cdf26b93d_o.jpg

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/5932920439_b7c20c28a7_o.jpg

 

First go at lighting on the staff. Not sure if this is done or not - any suggestions for improvement would be very welcome!

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6001/5933513198_6697c47c4e_o.jpg

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5933513294_19fda546c4_o.jpg

 

Comments & suggestions welcome as always!

First time seeing this thread, so I'm catching up. Love how it's turning out. Really makes me want to redo mine. The runes, I think, came out great, and I wouldn't bother making the armor runes glow.

 

I know I'm late to the party by a few months, but regarding eye pupils, the trick I've discovered very recently is using a 0.005 Micron pen (your choice of color - I just use black) and just dotting a fortress eyeball. Since the ink will easily rub off, despite drying, you can dab it with an acrylic medium or the GW gloss varnish works too in a pinch.

 

Oh, also I'd slap the raven with a thinned out Devlan Mud/Asurmen Blue wash (2:1 ratio) to push back those highlights to be subtle. I'd also hit the raised areas around the primary feathers with a semi-gloss to gloss varnish to help pick out that blue undertone (after you've matte coated the model, should you do so).

 

Again, LOVE the model. I assume (judging by the date) that this model is not finecast? Too bad, curious to see someone paint up a finecast Njal. IMO the only SW out of the push that can possibly claim to higher detail.

  • 1 month later...

Started work on the base. I was going to use a temple floor base from Micro Art but couldn't find any stock, so I've knocked one up in Milliput. Lesson learned - leave more overlap around the edges, so there's room to apply leverage and get a clean snap.

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6038023875_5d3ebc4ff2_m.jpg

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/6038027039_d23c00b70f_m.jpg

 

Partly painted, here's where Njal will end up standing on it:

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6044900559_702861b1f9_o.jpg

Partly painted, here's where Njal will end up standing on it:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6044900559_702861b1f9_o.jpg

 

OKay that Njal just looks seriously pissed off, like someone took his beer kind of pissed off.

 

Very cool.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.