The Lost Ones - The Road To Making A Picture

[Breazer]

I am currently working on a new picture involving a bunch of Saxon warriors lost in a snowy forest. Since I usually take pictures of miniatures that I am likely to use in one of my games and this is somewhat of an exception (for now) I thought it would maybe be nice to take you on a little journey building up to this picture.

Over the past 2 years I have been collecting several cool looking warriors from Footsore Miniatures. I really like their miniatures and I think Bill Thornhills sculpts are very characterful. I got the idea to make something like this because of all the furrs these warriors wear.

I imagined them walking through a dense forest that was covered in snow. Them having lost their way and perhaps finding themselves behind enemy lines. They would try to find out where they are and tread carefully not to get caught by the enemy.

These are the miniatures I plan on painting. I have also ordered some snowy landscape to dress up the picture which should arrive tomorrow.

Things will likely move pretty quick once I get going since I'm very eager to capture this shot!

[Breazer]

I finished the main subject for the picture.

[6milPhil]

Looking good. 

[Breazer]

Thank you Phil.

As I expected I went kind of on a spree once all the things I needed for the picture arrived.
I quickly finished all the miniatures.

[Breazer]

And the picture I was working towards.

The Lost Ones:

[Charlie_]

Wow, that was quick! With a title like 'the road to making a picture' I thought this was going to be a lengthy project!

Very impressive. Dare I say it your painting here looks much better (even better) than on your plastic medievals - better sculpts to do it justice, maybe? They are very nice minis.... In particular you've made the one with the big beard look fantastic.

[Breazer]

Thank you Charlie. It was my intention to turn it into a more lenghty thing but once I made the picture I couldnt really contain my enthousiasm. Which I think is a good thing in the end.

The painting difference probably has to do with me knowing it will be for a picture. Several pictures are shots of miniatures meant for gaming that also look nice in pictures. The ones I personally find better looking all have miniatures painted specifically for a picture.

[Bloggard]

fantasti-co.

I've tried to do something like this in the past - and not got close to the immersive elegance of your images.


*is there a post / tutorial about how you then place them so flawlessly in a '3D' set (i.e. there's landscape both behind and in front)?

I can think how I'd do that in PS in a very laborious, 'by-hand' manner, but I doubt even then it would look as naturalistic as you've achieved.

[Breazer]

@Bloggard: basically the background is a printed one. I use two somewhat large white lights. Set up my cam and suffle the miniatures around so they are right in the frame.. I use some small pieces of terrain to fill the image, hide the bases and create a sense of depth. It also often blends the background a bit in with everything else. On the foreground is usually a larger piece of terrain. A bit of rock with some grass or rocks on it.

After that I add a few things in photoshop like the snow and a bit of mist etc.

I have a very simple set up to be honoust. I'm sure you can recreate something like it.

[Bloggard]

oh I see - the foreground is 'actual' terrain - not an image photoshopped in - I was thinking the latter for some reason.

looks great anyhow.

[Breazer]

It shows up better in my next picture where i used some of the same pieces.. I'll post it soon in my other thread.