Diorama: Dummy, Ranger

Kept working on the dummies, adding shading to the sack. Also decided which one I'll use, so I'm only showing that one. The other one I've stopped working on.

Also got back to working on the ranger that will be in the diorama. I started her ages ago. Today I deepened the shading on her skin.

Back to the Diorama

The diorama isn't going to get finished before ReaperCon, but I want to finish it anyway, and preferably get it far enough along that it's worth taking to get feedback.

To that end, I've worked some on the tree and continued painting the practice dummies.

6!

Here's Karzoug, based and finished.

There are flaws - plenty of flaws. But he's as done as he's going to get.

Candles

I spent most of my time today putting sealer on Karzoug. However, I did get the candles for his base pretty much done. I'll look them over for any last details tomorrow, then seal them as well. Then it's just a matter of waiting until I've got enough poly on his plinth, then painting the top of it for his base. That probably won't happen until Wednesday, so I'll be back to the other project tomorrow.

Karzoug: Done! Probably.

Finished the highlights on his  red robe, did the cleanup I needed to do on him. So, I think he's done now. I'll take another look tomorrow and make sure, then start putting sealer on him. He doesn't get a number yet because I still have to base him.

Speaking of his base, I started on the candles that will go on the base. I'm only showing one, but there are two. I need to smooth the gold on the underside of the holder.

Also started on the other project I'm going to try to get done for ReaperCon. That means I don't have a lot of time to finish it, so I can't practice everything - I'm just going to have to do it and hope for the best. It's unlikely I'll get it finished, but I'm going to try.

Here's the base itself. The tree is going to go on top of the 'rocks' to give it a little additional height.

And, the tree I'm working on. This one uses foam for the core, I've built up wire for the branches. Also got a different paste to cover it - I'm hoping the opaque stuff will be easier to cover with paint. I'm going to put another two, maybe three branches on it, and build up the top more so the top isn't so flat.

Karzoug: Outer Robe II

So...not quite done. Almost there, though. I did bring up the highlights on the red just a bit. They still aren't photographing well. And I shaded the back of the robe and started highlighting. I'd like to have finished it tonight, but I made decent progress and it'll be done tomorrow.

Karzoug: Outer Robe

Did shading and highlights on the front side of his red robe, cleaned up a bit of stuff, and base coated the back of the robe. I'm happy with the shadows. The highlights...I may bring up a bit more. They don't look anywhere near light enough in the picture, but they look better in different lighting...and I don't want to go too far into yellow with them. So I am undecided.

Karzoug: Staff, Robe

Based on feedback, I went back to the crystal and made it a ore saturated purple. Also put shadow and highlight on the grip part of the staff. I have a bit of clean up to do now around those areas. Then, I started roughing in some shadows on the red robe. They're very, very rough right now, but it's a start.

Karzoug: Robes, Freehand

Today I re-vamped the border on his robe and put in some freehand. I'm pretty happy with the result, I think it's made a big difference. The end is in sight on this guy. It's just the red robe and the red bit on the staff that I have to finish now.

Before I settled on this scheme, I did some trials in Paint .NET before committing to it. Why? Well, if I'd tried and it didn't work, I'd have had to redo the thing. Again. Here's what I tried. Note that the sketched in stuff is pretty rough; the point was to get an idea what it'd look like, not to make it perfect.

The first was a pattern along the border. To me, it just made the thing look more confusing and muddled.

Then I put in the purple border. This seemed like an improvement.

And here he is with 'freehand' on the border. Look! Wingdings font CAN be useful!

Karzoug: Sash

Worked on his sash today, as well as the tassel. Also tried some freehand on the edge of his inner robe...wasn't happy with it, painted back over it. I'm going to have to try some experiments in Paint .NET to come up with a scheme I like, I think.

Karzoug: Fiddly Bits

Worked on the random stuff in his belt, and the gems on his staff. Next will be the sash, the tassel, and that last bit of his staff. Maybe freehand on the border of that robe.

Karzoug: Gold

I worked on all the gold bits today - his jewelry and medallions, the brackets on his staff, and so on. Also found a patch on his back that should have been the orange 'inner' robe, so I did that quick.

I think he's starting to come together.