Mick photographs Miniatures (updated 26/5/2020)

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

The figures were primed with black acrylic gesso applied with a brush. I find this the quickest way to prime and undercoat because there is no set up, no smell and the paint dries quickly.
If you look closely, there are spots where the paint is missing. These were touched up. I primed 32 figures in as many minutes.
This photograph was adjusted in Photoshop to emphasise the mid tones so that it does not look like a black blob.



After priming, all of the figures were damp brushed (overbrushed) with white gesso. this make it much easier to see the features and also acts as a white undercoat to the highlights.



 Soldiers from pre 1700 periods often look best with random colours of apparel. I have found that the best way to create the effect of random is to be very structured.
I sorted the figures into rows. The pikemen come in packs of 8, so I placed these as a row. Then came the next pose of 8 pikemen.
The other figures were packs of 4 so they went in front. Soon I had 4 rows of 8.
I then spaced them out so that I had 8 columns of 4. If each column of 4 has a colour scheme, then no two poses have the same colour scheme.
I took a column and painted some parts of the clothing on 4 figures with deep red.



Then I took another column and painted some parts of the clothing on 4 figures with bright green.



 Here is the same picture straight from the camera, before cropping and white balance.

[fred]

Thanks Mick - you are fairly tight in on the shot then, not needing a lot of cropping. Sometimes to get depth of field for a number of figures, I've taken a shot from a fair way back, then cropped very heavily.

Like the approach on the multi coloured figures - I've done something similar in the past - and it does seem to help with getting a more random final appearance

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

The Canon EF 100mm Macro Lens was quite expensive but it allows you to enlarge things massively.

[fred]

I've got a 18-205mm zoom (IIRC, its been so long since I've had the DSLR out). I'll have a bit of a play over the weekend, so what I get to.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Inspiration, History and Great Sculpting.



100mm Macro Lens, F6.3, 1/25 at ISO 100. Slightly adjusted contrast in photoshop.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

New background - Faded black Denim

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

I have been testing the painting guide with new figures from Gringos 40s.

I am quite pleased with this - both the painting and the picture.

Canon EOS 60D with EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM at F 8.0 and 1/60th with ISO automatic at 800.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Experiments with model terrain and picture backdrop. Inspired by Vietnam war films.
Still not quite what I want to achieve but at least promising.

[Codsticker]

The background with the Buddha looks very natural.