Jump to content

The "Forgeworld" painting style.


Recommended Posts

Hey,

 

I'm not really asking a specific question here, but there is a difference between GW's painting style and Forgeworld's.

 

GW's painting seems very precise, clean and fine. Lots of edge highlighting; all over, thicker then thinner and lighter tones. They rarely seem to whether, instead favouring a fresh-out-of-the-showroom feel.

 

Forge world on the other hand seem to embrace a dirty, darker feel. They seem well at home in the Grim Dark. The sculpts tend to be more adult in nature. They tend to weather heavily, letting weathering powders and effects show shape and tone. Edge highlighting seems to be done rarely.

 

Compare the Raven Guard Vanguard Veterans from GW with the Raven Guard Assault marine from Forgeworld;

 

http://www.games-workshop.com/resources/catalog/product/600x620/99120101105_VanguardVeteranSquadNEW05.jpg

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Images/Product/AlternativeFW/xlarge/rgup3.jpg

 

The HH/30K armies from Forgeworld certainly embrace this weathered, desperate feel.

 

 

Personally I love the Forgeworld approach to painting. So I guess the point of this thread is to request any tutorials, guides or tips from you fine folk that covers the FW style.

 

 

Thanks in advance!

Link to comment
https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/310759-the-forgeworld-painting-style/
Share on other sites

While I love what FW is doing for the Heresy, the slew of new models, and their more realistic and toned down way of painting their figures, I think most of the paint jobs on the FW website are... not spectacular. It's particularly telling when they do teaser pics of a painted figure - usually primarchs - and people think it looks 'meh' until we see some unpainted pics.

I think the main reason for this is the fact that, for some reason, GW won't let 'Eavy Metal touch the FW models. So all of the painted FW stuff is done by the FW staff, who aren't professional master-crafted painters.

 

Basically:

 

GW stuff....done by painting servitors

 

FW stuff...done by hobbiests for hobbiests.

I think it is just a question of chosen painting style. GW's 'eavy metal team has adopted the particular style the OP mentions, which has as its main distinguishing feature the big emphasis on edge lining. It has a more 'cartoony' quality.

FW has a more 'realistic' style, as also used in 'regular' scale modelling. 

 

To each his own, though I greatly prefer the more gritty style myself (like this mini ).

 

 

To get back to the original question of the OP: there are tons of resources available for painting in that style, mostly look at the WWII stuff.

 

I can recommend the Art of Modelling magazine (www.artofmodelling.be) or Military Modelling (www.militarymodelling.com). Both are good magazines, though I like the former best for painting techniques.

^ what he said. I prefer the clean style myself, as you can see from my army, but I do admire the weathered look when it is done right and you can learn a ton by looking at examples outside of the hobby. Google "Chuck Doan models" and prepare for your mind to be blown...

Thanks for the feedback and links folks. I've been having a play and this is where i'm up to. It's not going to win any awards, and i'm not the best miniature painter by a long chalk, but I do like the weathered feel that's creeping in.

 

http://oi58.tinypic.com/u3nva.jpg

In my experience, Forge World's style looks amazing up close, but when fielded during a game, or photographed from a distance (such as group photos), it looks less impressive.  Since they have much less emphasis on hard edge highlights in favor of a more naturalistic and 'gritty' look, when you look at a model at more than 2 feet away, or in a mass group, it can appear to be lacking a certain amount of detail.  Whereas the 'eavy metal style can look cartoony up close, but much more vivid and detailed when viewed in a showcase or on the tabletop.  

 

I try to take the best of both approaches when painting my minis, but it's tough to strike the right balance.

In my experience, Forge World's style looks amazing up close, but when fielded during a game, or photographed from a distance (such as group photos), it looks less impressive.  Since they have much less emphasis on hard edge highlights in favor of a more naturalistic and 'gritty' look, when you look at a model at more than 2 feet away, or in a mass group, it can appear to be lacking a certain amount of detail.  Whereas the 'eavy metal style can look cartoony up close, but much more vivid and detailed when viewed in a showcase or on the tabletop.  

 

I try to take the best of both approaches when painting my minis, but it's tough to strike the right balance.

 

This is probably why FW mostly relies on their large vehicle sculpts and impressive dioramas featuring hundreds and thousands of marines to "wow" viewers from far away. And then for the individual sculpts we get things like Primarchs and sneak preview legion kits in display cabinets where viewers will inevitably get in real close to get a good look.

 

I like both 'Eavy Metal and FW's styles so I'm kind of at a loss. I thought of striking a balance but it feels like subtle highlights would just lessen the pop and impact that GW's "cartoony" style will have from a distance, although would probably look best up close. FW's style is much easier to paint if you know all the techniques simply due to less edge highlighting, so it has that going for it, plus the weathered look some people like.

 

I like this style a lot:

 

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2014/3/30/598669_sm-.jpg

 

 

I think this one just goes full blown on both styles, with the crisp highlighting of 'Eavy Metal, in addition to some blending, AND painstakingly highlighted sponge chipping. It looks amazing and it's the ideal I aspire to, but I already know it's going to be way too much work to do for an entire army.

 

Thanks for the feedback and links folks. I've been having a play and this is where i'm up to. It's not going to win any awards, and i'm not the best miniature painter by a long chalk, but I do like the weathered feel that's creeping in.

 

http://oi58.tinypic.com/u3nva.jpg

 

 

I think that looks amazing. Might even be better than FW's display version of the RG upgrade kit since the colors are more vibrant.

I think the main reason for this is the fact that, for some reason, GW won't let 'Eavy Metal touch the FW models. So all of the painted FW stuff is done by the FW staff, who aren't professional master-crafted painters.

 

Basically:

 

GW stuff....done by painting servitors

 

FW stuff...done by hobbiests for hobbiests.

I wish I could lock the servitors in my basement and put them to work.

That's a sweet looking marine, Nex. What is he? Reviler? Carachodon?

It's someone else's old school Rogue Trader era Space Sharks but he used the updated 6E tactical models and added some modern Carcharodon tattoos. I like how he kept the base Goblin Green laugh.png

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.