Soldados Pulp Alley Stuff

[Argonor]

Thanks for the positive vibes guys.

I'm working on painting some more characters up at the moment, terrain is easy, faces not so much.

I feel the other way around - faces come easy to me, finishing terrain not so much... 

[soldado]

I feel the other way around - faces come easy to me... 

I'm not jealous, I'm not jealous... dammit I'm jealous

anyways, here's the results. Not sure the colonels wife will be pleased with him consorting with the harem dancer

[Argonor]

I'm not jealous, I'm not jealous... dammit I'm jealous

Don't be, you have a lot going for you - I would love to be able to churn out terrain like you do!

Who makes that nice dancer, by the way?

[soldado]

Hi Argonor

The dancer is Nalani by Reaper minis

https://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStore/dancing/sku-down/03531

Painting Skin and by extension faces is the bit I most fail at with character models, generic troops I can get away with a quick splash and wash but some models deserve more work.

[Argonor]

Hi Argonor

The dancer is Nalani by Reaper minis

https://www.reapermini.com/OnlineStore/dancing/sku-down/03531

Thanks!

Painting Skin and by extension faces is the bit I most fail at with character models, generic troops I can get away with a quick splash and wash but some models deserve more work.

The important thing to do when painting (detailed) faces is for me to use at least 4 layers of progressively lighter tones, and, of course, it requires a little practice, but as soon as one 'cracks the code' it is more or less the same one does with each and every face thereafter. If the skin tones are  balanced, blending is not really required for minis meant to be looked at at an arm's length (on the table).

I find Foundry's triads very handy for this - I most often mix intermediate tones, and sometimes also darker and lighter tones to expand the colour range of each triad.

[soldado]

cheers Argonor

I'm getting there slowly, well I think so anyway

[Menelduir]

Really, trouble with characters?
I should be so lucky to achieve the results you have with the dancer and the investigator.
I have him primed up right now, I doubt I will achieve result comparable to your work!
I always tend to do mass painting, units and the like, lack of patience/technique for major personality figures.

Then add in your great scenery!

Overall very inspirational thank you for posting.
Now it is time for me to get working on some scenery too! 

[soldado]

Thank you Menelduir

You're too kind, I've seen your blog and you have excellent figures and terrain.

It's been a long number of years since I painted 28mm figures, having concentrated on 15mm since getting back to gaming 4 years ago. Doing skin satisfactorily (for me) has proved to be the biggest challenge of moving up a scale or 2.

At the moment I'm building up characters to form leagues for those players in the club who don't have models and to fill in the ones specified in the Tomb campaign. These are trickling in from models bought off members here and on ebay so they  tend to get done in fits and starts rather than as a block.

I need to get on with the gangs for the campaign. They're built and primed but just a mental block on my part really. Same with the fair ground terrain bits for the campaign.

[d phipps]

Excellent work, Soldado! I can't wait to see them in action. 

[soldado]

So I tried Argonors suggested method.

It worked on the big guy, not so much on the blue girl.

And an owlbear dune stalker from Oathsworn Miniatures.



Thanks to Argonor for the pointers and to you all for the comments.

[Argonor]

You're welcome.

I am not sure what it is you don't like about the blue girl; is it the overall paler expression of the face compared to the limbs? if so, it is something I refer to as 'flat-lighting', where I cover too much of the first, darker, layers with the later, lighter layers. Can happen very easily, especially when painting relatively small areas needing a lot of definition - also still happens for me now and then when painting other kinds of areas, if I do not restrain myself. Only real cure is to either apply a wash or start over with the dark basecoat and build up again, maybe skip a layer between basecoat and main colour or between main colour and final highlight, depending on the desired effect/depth of colour.

I wouldn't go back and change anything on her, though, she looks fine to me, and animals often have differently coloured facial features (and you can always pull out and repaint a mini if you grow tired of a certain detail) - your minis are ace and when placed in your fine terrain make for a wargaming treat. 

[soldado]

Cheers Argonor

My main issue with Sekhmet (Blue Girl) is that there is not a lot of definition, she has very smooth limbs as opposed to Sokar (Big Guy) who is fairly ripped and therefore easier to define with high lights.

I have Reapers Avatar of Thoth as well who is similar in size to Sekhmet but is more like Sokar with the muscle definitions, so we'll see how he turns out.

Although these wont be used in the Tomb of the Serpent campaign they may well find use as the bad guys in pulp games of


Hasslefree's Not SG team are in the paint queue somewhere.

[d phipps]

Great stuff, Soldado! THANKS for sharing. 

[Kamandi]

The classic solution for classic columns is a visit to a cake decorating supply store.

[soldado]

Thanks David

Kamandi, thanks for the suggestion. I was looking at other methods more due to cost as even the cheapest sets tend, when factoring in I need 25 columns, to be more than I want to spend over all All I've found is sets of 4 for around 3 -4 pounds, the Dowel pins were £2.50 ish but I'm now thinking that I may just buy 15mm dowel rod cut it down to the needed length and then do printed paper wraps similar to the how I've done the walls.