Really need some help with these...

[ErikB]

I am working on this batch of 8 barbarians, mostly HF, one Darksword.

The two on the viewers' left, Sana and Volk, are 80% done but I am having a very hard time with them and could use some advice.  The others are obviously not done, yet.  I am hoping to apply the lessons learned from the first two, Sana and Volk.

The muscles and flesh don't look right, the contrast of Volk's musculature is too stark (funny, stark means strong in German), and her face is a disaster once viewed up close.

Her gold armor, flesh, and the inside of her fur cape are too close in color and I am not sure what to do about it at this point.

Advice and criticism is most welcome.

Modified: forgot to include the (very, very bad) cell phone camera image.

[von der Tann]

Can't see anything - sorry.

[Cubs]

Right, very common mishap there, one I have suffered many a time.

Assuming you're layering from dark to light, you're highlighting the muscles too early. If you keep the deep shadow for areas that would be in shadow, then only add the muscle highlights near the end, you'll get a more subtle transition from dark to light.

Inotherwords, paint your mid flesh shade right in the creases between the muscles as well and then use lighter highlight shades to pick out the muscles.

It's really tough with models that have ultra-muscle definition. I spot a Redbox Games Njorn there (my faves too). There's a couple of them in this thread on the Great Escape Games site - http://forum.greatescapegames.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=5&start=10

See how I've left the dark shadows just for the areas under the clothes or in deep recesses and left most of the muscle creases in mid flesh shade.