As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

[Painting Miniatures] vs the unending tide of grey plastic

DayspringDayspring the PhoenicianRegistered User regular
Unending tides of resin and/or metal are also accepted.

Hello friends!
If you have ever picked up a paint brush, touched a paint brush, looked at a paint brush, or maybe just thought about a paint brush one time, you are welcome here.
We have a lot of ridiculously good painters here, but don't get discouraged; practice will help everyone improve, and sharing your progress with the thread is a great way to keep motivation.

Here are some finished works, works in progress, and conversions that I plucked from the last few pages of the previous thread:
Matrias wrote: »

gallery_48834_11347_183109.jpg
Kneel wrote: »

7b7oj2y8seoy.jpg
Mayday wrote: »
wolf.jpg

And a small bonus - testing macro rings on my camera again:
iron_close.jpg
Sharp101 wrote: »
Group shot!

2owUHDD.jpg?1

-Loki- wrote: »
833900_sm-.JPG

And a group shot of the current Bayou boys.
833903_sm-.JPG

honovere wrote: »
blue lenses or glowy green?

pfnm7lv.jpg

First thing I've painted in awhile, a Hero Forge mini for a friend's D&D character. I think I did alright but I can't take pictures for shit.

waa3ksznv5yi.jpg0iambkso8i8j.jpg
Nova_C wrote: »
14502799_10154953148649796_6143956563878262201_n.jpg?oh=e5b7b7723699244cca4747d8e3475d7a&oe=5860A875

Hunters and stuff:
DSCN0455_zps7sjhxdkr.jpg

And some Mournfang, which I am very pleased with, but it did take my, like, two months to get through four of them, so...
DSCN0457_zpsdgcwvaqh.jpg

Echo wrote: »
Now we're talking.

CuWI5Z5WEAADPfi.jpg:large
nOuG90A.jpg?4
Dayspring wrote:
Cu5y4p6UsAATt7M.jpg
CvXRr6DUsAEWvzv.jpg

My Warhammer stuff online: Youtube Twitter Insta
«134567103

Posts

  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    edited October 2016
    Hey it's one of mine!

    Tomorrow I'm going to start painting my Hybrid Iconward, and I'm determined to use Painting Buddha's 'loaded brush' wet blending technique.

    I'm simultaneously excited and terrified.

    Kneel on
    Want to see more of Kneel's slapdash slatherings?
    Visit him at Monstrous Pigments' Instagram and Facebook pages!
    3EnCIQg.jpg
  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    Well shucks, now I really need to get back to work on that Sons of Horus marine.

  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    Hey, @Echo are you interested in some Sons of Horus transfers? I'm gonna have quite a few spares probably.

  • Sharp101Sharp101 TorontoRegistered User regular
    First Prince is almost done. Just the wings and a few touchups to do. Had some fun with the GW blood effects last night!

    PR7UcPL.jpg?3

  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    edited October 2016
    Bloody hell. Nice!
    How do you do your gold? It looks simple but somehow much nicer than whatever I'm able to achieve.

    Mayday on
  • TheColonelTheColonel ChicagolandRegistered User regular
    Games Workshop hooked me again and a few friends and I decided to go crazy and start 30k. Some in progress shots from my first Thousand Sons marine.

    IBplamC.jpg?1

    bHP7Rai.jpg?1

  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    I did my part keeping the OP small by not posting anything in months. You're welcome. :P

  • Sharp101Sharp101 TorontoRegistered User regular
    edited October 2016
    Mayday wrote: »
    Bloody hell. Nice!
    How do you do your gold? It looks simple but somehow much nicer than whatever I'm able to achieve.

    Thanks!

    The new GW high pigment metallics are really nice. Very shiny. 1.5 coats of brass, boltgun highlight, and a brown wash is all I did. Turned out great!

    Sharp101 on
  • BreakfastPMBreakfastPM Registered User regular
    I made it into the OP again!

    Let's make this another amazing thread! I'll try not to bring down the quality too much :P

  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    I made it into the OP again!

    Let's make this another amazing thread! I'll try not to bring down the quality too much :P

    Don't worry, I'll be sure to tank it for all of us shortly.

    Just finish up the touching up of the basecoat and going to wash my Battletech minis and then I'll try some photos, first time I've painted anything with a brush in like a decade. Fingers crossed on decent results.

  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    edited October 2016
    I can't wait till I show you guys how my Antor Delassio turned out. Pics tomorrow!
    I am SO grateful for this commission. It's the first time someone requested a whole bunch of minis for level 2 out of the three I offer, and this squad is fantastic because each one is different so I get to try out new things. I've learned a lot about manipulating colour! And the fact that they're black allows me to REALLY go nuts on the coloured details, it's just super fun to paint!

    Mayday on
  • frayfray Registered User regular
    Still plugging away at my nids, but I also felt like trying something completely different. Not sure I like the silver highlights on the brass, but otherwise I'm OK with how this guy came out.

    s1r03cbyghp1.jpg

    rsd.JPG 71.8K
    "I told you," said Ford. "Eddies in the space-time continuum."
    "And this is his sofa, is it?" said Arthur.
  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    edited October 2016
    So a recent FB group suggested that folk post a 'painting progression' series of images. I obliged, and will do so here.

    This first image is from 2004-ish. It was when I thought drybrushing was da bomb, that rushing models for the tabletop was a must, and right before I abandoned WH40K in favour of World of Warcraft. Behold my awful Tyranids:
    zizp7s3qvjxx.jpg

    In 2014 I self-administered a huge health-check, cutting back on some bad habits and replacing them with, theoretically, something therapeutic. I figured I'd return to painting (as opposed to playing) Warhammer miniatures, and was amazed by the newest additions to the Tyranid army, in aesthetics if nothing else. I decided to buy the Tervigon/Tyrannofex kit, as well as a handful of paints, and proceeded to build the latter option.
    3b4ton8y2k9f.jpg

    Nearly three years on from that point, I've knuckled down a lot in terms of painting technique, mediums and patience. Earlier this year I repainted that Tyrannofex:
    cpbv1m0atbth.jpg

    ... and am continuing to improve my skills.

    What's everyone else's progression like? Show yaw'salfs!

    Kneel on
    Want to see more of Kneel's slapdash slatherings?
    Visit him at Monstrous Pigments' Instagram and Facebook pages!
    3EnCIQg.jpg
  • McGibsMcGibs TorontoRegistered User regular
    edited October 2016
    I started Imperial guard in 2009/10 when their 5th edition codex came out and my recent graduate as finally had disposable income to spend on plastic army mans. I had a few test paint schemes before I settled on this one (including a horribly thought out night-vision green/yellow drybrush) but no photos survive. The older of these guys can be seen on the bottom, and they're pretty muddy. I had some experience making military models with my dad as a kid, and I'm supposedly a professional artist, so I at least had some ground to stand on when I started.
    403171-Cadians%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Pig%20Iron.jpg

    And here's the last thing I finished.
    820034-Chaos%2C%20Helbrute%2C%20Khorne.jpg

    McGibs on
    website_header.jpg
  • KneelKneel Ten thick coats Registered User regular
    Jebus, that Helbrute is beautiful! In the... most not-beautiful way conceivable!

    Want to see more of Kneel's slapdash slatherings?
    Visit him at Monstrous Pigments' Instagram and Facebook pages!
    3EnCIQg.jpg
  • BurnageBurnage Registered User regular
    This thread continues to be both awe-inspiring and intimidating as fuck.

  • Sharp101Sharp101 TorontoRegistered User regular
    edited October 2016
    Sounds fun!

    First mini I ever painted, I think it was grade 9? About 15 years ago now.

    random_model_from_my_display_case_1_20091028_1979008507.jpg


    My first real army was Chaos, around 2001-2002.

    FIQbAZm.jpg
    bFA6WJc.jpg

    I5NiJQd.jpg


    I then had a small Salamanders army after the Armageddon Codex came out. 2002-2003?

    B8Qi8MX.jpg
    FhnCjKG.jpg

    vOE0e4W.jpg

    Took about a year off after highschool. Started working for GW part time in my first two years of University and worked on random things.

    random_model_from_my_display_case_10_20091028_1314499453.jpg
    img_1591.jpg

    vetsquad.jpg

    random_model_from_my_display_case_5_20091028_1619260856.jpg

    Really got my groove in 2007-2008 when I did a fully custom Death Guard army. Won my first and only painting award at a large Canadian Tournament (Astronomi-con)

    dsc00282.jpg
    img_8779.jpg
    img_8662.jpg

    Since then I've worked on stuff steadily.

    img_1736.jpg
    img_1741.jpg

    choppa_boyz_1_20090422_1194033208.jpg
    skorcha_wagon_3_20090302_1097921101.jpg

    img_0240.jpg

    My latest large project was my Dark Eldar Coven army I painted 2 years ago.
    qxQPbY6.jpg
    LgB7n7z.jpg


    Thing I'm working on now is a set of Chaos Daemon Princes, painting the Khorne one right now!

    PiHMZkM.jpg?3

    Sharp101 on
  • -Loki--Loki- Don't pee in my mouth and tell me it's raining. Registered User regular
    Holy shit I finally made the OP.

  • ChrysisChrysis Registered User regular
    Damn, I missed it. I'll have to make sure to post more stuff around page 100 this time :)

    Tri-Optimum reminds you that there are only one-hundred-sixty-three shopping days until Christmas. Just 1 extra work cycle twice a week will give you the spending money you need to make this holiday a very special one.
  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    edited October 2016
    ...aaaand I received the blessing of Nurgle today. No photos, sorry!
    FFffffuck's sake, this is the third time within a month, at this rate I'm gonna ascend within a week.

    Mayday on
  • ExtreaminatusExtreaminatus Go forth and amplify, the Noise Marines are here!Registered User regular
    I started actually painting my models back in 2009. I don't have pictures of the models I painted before then, because I was a silly goose and used enamels so they all just ended up looking like dumbass blobs of paint.

    Anyway, when I first started using acrylics, I was...not good.
    QM0mIzK.jpg
    I was using craft paints, not actual model paints. I started coming here for help and I learned a lot!

    But I got better. And started playing with conversions!
    Bm6BlD7.jpg
    BZQjveI.jpg
    I6nSFRC.jpg

    And I posted some of it here, and everyone was really awesome at helping me learn and grow. And I kept getting better for it.
    cjZd7k0.jpg
    bsX3Vda.jpg

    And I just finished a pretty sizeable Word Bearers 30k army because of everything I learned here (and semi-constant prodding from @Dr_Keenbean).
    CqyQ50x.jpg
    K54EnXx.jpg

    And still, after all these years of painting and getting incrementally better, I am still not as good as I want to be.

  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    Never has a forum name been so appropriate? :P


    I actually did the progression thing a while ago in the last thread, but that just means I have a nice little image to link already standing by~
    The first bits were my original painting foray from high school. Grade 10 or 11, with paint straight from the pot like a goddamn boss.
    The second pictures are from a few years later when I was in university and decided I wanted to change the colour scheme. Still painting from the pot. *thumbs up*
    The next go was two or three years later when I was on my last leg for 40k. There are some subtle highlights on the red completely lost in that photo, but the fire warrior and crisis suit there were when people first talked to me about commissions. While cool, I think that also shows what a low bar we have to shoot for sometimes. :P
    Then I moved onto Warmachine because I had some friends who got me to give it a whirl. Call those the first minis I really put proper work into, going to town with layered highlights and thinning my paint on a palate (those Styrofoam trays you get meat in are totally palates).
    The MERCS come from only a couple of years ago now, when I got back into painting in force. They're still probably my favourite thing I've painted to date.
    Finally, more Warmachine from when I was still painting my stuff because I hadn't grown completely cold and bitter towards the game. ;P

    HLPTuCl.jpg

    And the bonus image of the commissions I did this summer that I severely undercharged for, because life is a constant lesson in how you do everything wrong the first time. <3

    nZ1sDeh.jpg

  • KoregKoreg Registered User regular
    I love those Mountain Kings. I wish I could get blue to do that.

    If, if Reagan played disco He'd shoot it to shit You can't disco in Jackboots
  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    No tricks. It's literally the Reaper ultramarine triad airbrushed. No in-betweens, nothing fancy besides a couple of extra highlights on stuff like the fingers and face. It's all lighting otherwise. ;P

  • KoregKoreg Registered User regular
    What color purples are you using? I have the reaper royal purple triad and I'm not a huge fan of it.

    If, if Reagan played disco He'd shoot it to shit You can't disco in Jackboots
  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    edited October 2016
    Hey I made it to the OP! awesome. Now I just need to make that fucker look presentable. I got 3 more of them, because duh you always need more.

    But I have a bones giant spider monster thing I need to paint for a competition on saturday. Also I got a light box and 2 lights so hopefully my pictures wont be complete shit anymore!

    edit: I'll get pictures of that mini on friday, hopefully he turns out well, I'm running out of motivation on him at the moment.

    DiannaoChong on
    steam_sig.png
  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    This one is more unfinished than the previous ones, but I'm sick so fuckitallll

    bangel.jpg
    As always, I'm having trouble capturing the red gradients on photos. Might need to work on some better lighting.

  • see317see317 Registered User regular
    Mayday wrote: »
    This one is more unfinished than the previous ones, but I'm sick so fuckitallll
    still better than I do
    As always, I'm having trouble capturing the red gradients on photos. Might need to work on some better lighting.

    I wonder if a more neutral colored background may help? Rather than white paper go for a beige or other neutral color.
    I may be misremembering, but I thought I read somewhere that bright backgrounds tend to mute foreground colors by fiddling with the way your brain reads contrast.

  • MaydayMayday Cutting edge goblin tech Registered User regular
    Oh, that's good to know. I always photograph finished models on a dark grey background, so hopefully it will turn out better.

  • AsherAsher Registered User regular
    I think this is the first time I haven't made it into the OP.

    Time to go and walk into the ocean I guess :P

    I put models on Instagram now: asher_paints
  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    Koreg wrote: »
    What color purples are you using? I have the reaper royal purple triad and I'm not a huge fan of it.

    Nightshade / Imperial / Amethyst is what I have, though I think I only used Imperial and Amethyst on there. Even then, it was a glaze outside of the original bit of the palms. Again, something else that appeared much better in the pictures than on the model. I had a nice gradient at one point that I botched when I did some other cleanup.

  • Redcoat-13Redcoat-13 Registered User regular
    I'm pretty sure the paint jobs I'm currently trying to do on my Infinity models is about on par with the paint jobs people in here were belting out when they started.

    PSN Fleety2009
  • -Loki--Loki- Don't pee in my mouth and tell me it's raining. Registered User regular
    To be fair, Infinity minis are bonkers detail.

  • FrowbakkFrowbakk Registered User regular
    A light wash can work wonders.

    Your sig was too tall.
  • Khade97Khade97 PE10, UKRegistered User regular
    Hey guys,

    Figure this may be the best place to ask as it doesn't relate to any specific game system. I am looking for a range of Aztec style miniatures (preferably 28mm and in plastic) - does anyone know of anything?

  • JJ Rabbit GangmemberRegistered User regular
    edited October 2016
    I'll join in this post your progress malarky. One of my first models and then the past few years and latest half finished bits. I think I've posted all of these before. I'm a very sporadic painter.

    51ujZnU.jpg

    In-between in the spoilers for more.
    4 years ago apparently

    FkeMd.jpg

    A year later.

    U1MNHEg.jpg

    hLK7tGC.jpg

    Later still

    8gHlftE.jpg

    zZxfl7o.jpg

    9JOyo8g.jpg

    iryFbzF.jpg
    Then the newer bunch of stuff
    A0VXMJF.jpg

    These are probably my fav finished pieces from the past year or so.
    PcSFiCu.jpg
    and whats lying about now
    dBRflnj.jpg

    C4k5GVt.jpg

    FWC4hwp.jpg

    I reckon 20 or so years of on/off has done me wonders. Even if I still paint straight from the pot now and again. Posting all this has made me realise clearly I have a small selection of go to colours.

    J on
  • DraevenDraeven Registered User regular
    Nothing wrong with having a small selection of colors you paint them well.

    Morskitter wrote "Spikes, choppas, tentacles, magic? Can't hold a candle to Sergeant Pimp here."

  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2016
    Khade97 wrote: »
    Hey guys,

    Figure this may be the best place to ask as it doesn't relate to any specific game system. I am looking for a range of Aztec style miniatures (preferably 28mm and in plastic) - does anyone know of anything?

    Eureka Miniatures has a range in metal.

    The Assault Group also has a range in metal.

    Outpost Wargames has a range in metal.

    Just at a first cut. Not plastics, I know, but there's a litany of smaller companies out there that have ranges or one-off models. An old thread at The Miniatures Page led me to those above. The thread's from 2011, so some of it may be defunct, but they're out there.

    I have this weird feeling I've seen something in plastic in the last year, but the memory escapes me. :/

    Nips on
    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • ArcticLancerArcticLancer Best served chilled. Registered User regular
    @J I'm thinking I just realized you sneaking in a destiny reference. That revolver looks awfully Vanguard-y with the orange V and whatnot ... :P

  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    The amount of miniature companies out there is really astounding. I went looking for alternative models for skaven last night, as I wanted to do something custom for a non skaven model, and I found a site where a guy detailed out for every unit skaven has, at least 2-3 alternative models from other lines and most of the companies I had never heard before, even when seeking out smaller mini's companies in the past for neat things to paint.

    How do people find these sites to buy $60 amazing models I have never seen before in my years of this hobby? My mind was blown.

    steam_sig.png
This discussion has been closed.