Skarre: Still Shading Skin

Continued on with the Skarre bust today. I knocked down that shadow a bit, and then promptly brought it back up by putting in my deep shadow color, which is purple. Not a dark desaturated purple like I use often, but a saturated violet. I have a lot of work to do yet on smoothing and some placement issues, but I like the color.

Skarre: Shading Skin

I started this one a while ago, then worked on other things. Now I'm getting back to her. Didn't do a ton, just started laying in some shadows for her skin. It looks smoother in person. I'm wondering if what I should do is put in a lighter transition shadow.

17!

Wrapped up Halmar today. The OSL isn't great, but he's supposed to be a short project and I want to move on to other things. I like the stark contrast on his face, but the rest is kinda meh. The bottom is basically untouched by the OSL, which I think is correct based on where the light is and how he's standing, but may not be so correct based on what looks good.

ReaperCon Roundup

ReaperCon 2016 has come and gone. Went, had a good time. In the competition, Takhi got a gold and the diorama got a silver. Both are what I expected.

While I was there, I painted this guy (16!):

He's another Bones figure for gaming.

I also started this one, meaning to practice some OSL. Didn't get real far at the con and want to move on to other things now that I'm home, so I'm finishing him up quick and dirty, but with the OSL. This is with maybe 4-5 hours of work. I need to do the belt and mess with the orange a bit, then do the base, and he'll be done. Blends are not exactly smooth and I'm not sure I'm happy with the OSL effect or not. I decided to go with a pretty stark look to the OSL, and I think some parts carry it off better than others.

15!

Here's Micon, all finished with his base!

Micon: Almost Done!

Finished off Micon's armor and the leather straps today. As you can see, I also put on his head. I have started on his base by putting some sandy paste on the base. He's a gladiator, so he'll be standing on sand.

Not thrilled with the belt and I'm undecided about the armor. I like it, but it could be better. Also not sure if I'd use the bright reds and blues for shading on the metal again.

Micon: Armor Base

Started on his armor - just the base coat so far. I'm going with TMM on this guy. I don't think TMM looks good unless the figure is large or has a fair bit of metal. That means I don't do it real often, so I need the practice.

Also just noticed I forgot the rings that hold the fringe on.

Micon: Black HIghlights

Highlighted the black cloth today. I'm not sure about the belt, but other than that it's moving along nicely. Next will be the metals.

Micon: Red Highlights. Black Cloth Base.

Finished up the red cloth on Micon with highlights, and started on the black bits - the wrap on his arm, the fringe, the padding on his lower legs. I like the black, but it's definitely giving him a grim look. Which is fine - he's a gladiator, after all. Killing for sport is not exactly a happy fun profession.

The black will get highlights next time, which will be - you guessed it. Same blue as I used in the shadows on his skin and on the red.

Micon: Shaded Cloth. Also, Finished Diorama (14)!

Put shading on Micon's red cloth. I went with blue in the shadows, just like his skin. I'll need to clean it up a bit, but overall I'm liking it.

Also, finished the diorama, finally! I painted the floor on the base this time. Much better.

Micon: Skin Highlights, Cloth

I finished Micon's skin today. Not the best job ever, but good enough. I've moved on to the rest of him, starting with his clothing.

Micon: Skin Highlights. Queen: Base Coat

I started, but did not finish, the first layer of highlights on Micon's skin. I need to finish the first round, then put in a higher highlight, and then do some serious smoothing. He also has a few scars on there that I'm going to have to figure out how to deal with.

And I started with a base coat on the Queen's skin. I'm debating whether I want to do her, particularly the hair, in a realistic color or something more adventurous. Also, so far I'm loving the super porcelain smoothness of the resin, and I think I'm going to like the larger scale.

Micon: Final Skin Shading

Put in the deepest shadows, and smoothed it out a bit. I'll move on to highlights next and then decide if I need to smooth it more. With my close up vision going due to age and needing to use a magnifier, I find it's hard to tell. Looking without the magnifier, just about everything looks smooth. Looking with, nothing does. I know the reality is somewhere in the middle, but I just can't tell anymore.

Micon: Shading Skin (Again)

Blue for shadows this time, and I'm much happier with it. I need to go one more level of darker shadows, then smooth it all out some.

Also put together my next project. This is the Queen of the Broken Coast, a limited edition bust from Privateer Press that I picked up at Adepticon earlier this year. I haven't done a bust before, and she's in a larger scale than I usually do to boot. So, should be interesting, and a nice change of pace.