Painting advice please -- and gluing

[Duff]

I'd go for brighter colours since you are just starting out. Muted colours tend to look meh once they are on the table unless you are experienced anough to make them pop, especially if you are going to be relying on wahes as you start out. Plus, Frostgrave is fantasy, so who cares if they look realistic?

[Azzabat]

When I'm using muted colors I always try to pick one item and spot color it fairly bright. I red clock clasp, blue pouch, anything that breaks up the bland.

= )

[Jennifer]

First off, drill and pin.

Second off, I usually use a mix resin epoxy and then green stuff around the gaps. Strong bond within about 3 hours and the green stuff secures it. Just... Make sure you don't fuck up.

Also, I'm really upset that this is on eBay for £11 in America (but with £10 shipping) but for £35 in England. This kills the man.

It's a good looking miniature, can't wait to see what you do with it.

Here's a start on it.  Let me know if you like the browns, golds & tans.  He'll have light blue skin and white beard & brows.  Probably silver & gold weapon.   I am not the greatest with colors.  Maybe I should of gone with a white fur for kilt along with silver armor.   You think gold will work?  Ignore the boots (they'll be a combination of the belt color and kilt color since they are both leather and fur).

[Urquhart]

What skin color you have chosen? The skin will condition other colors...

[Jennifer]

What skin color you have chosen? The skin will condition other colors...

light blue with white hair & beard.

[Jennifer]

How's the skin color?  I did some mixing of colors.

[Jennifer]

I didnt want to finish the top half of the mini's skin until I got feedback on the lower half.  New to painting minis and looking for some feedback.  Guess I scared everyone away .

[throwsFireball]

They look kind of like pants. I had the same problem with some blueskin creatures I did and I sorted it by doing lots of layering. So do a dark base layer and then steadily build up, reducing the areas you're covering.

Also, I mixed in a bit of flesh tone and that seemed to help.

[jp1885]

Looks fine to me, but gently highlighting with a light cream/beige colour, rather than plain white, might help bring the flesh to life a little.

[Jennifer]

So do a dark base layer and then steadily build up, reducing the areas you're covering.

This is exactly what I did.

Perhaps I just need to continue with lighter layers?   3 layers so far.

[Jennifer]

Looks fine to me, but gently highlighting with a light cream/beige colour, rather than plain white, might help bring the flesh to life a little.

Okay so take what I have and add the fleshy highlights?

[throwsFireball]

Honestly, once you do his face and arms, it might change the perspective of it.

This is exactly what I did.

Perhaps I just need to continue with lighter layers?   3 layers so far.

I'd do a darker starting layer, personally.

[jp1885]

Okay so take what I have and add the fleshy highlights?

Try one gentle drybrush over what you've done and then, as throwsFireball suggests, do the rest and see how it looks.
Golden rule - if you're happy with it, then it's finished!

[jon_1066]

I personally wouldn't drybrush things like skin or smooth clothes, etc.  The minis tend to have a texture that dry brushing brings out.  This is great for fur or chainmail since that is exactly what you want.  But for skin the texture of the miniature leads to the dry brushing picking out highlights that you don't want (ie the texture from the mold or slight imperfections in the undercoat).  This makes the skin look kind of "stone like".  So dry brushing as a technique is great for stone but not for flesh.

Instead of dry brushing try simple highlighting.  If you go for three layers with a base, mid and light aim for most of it to be mid, recesses and edges in dark and tops of things in light.  Without blending you will still get a pretty descent result.  To tie it together you can give it a dilute inkwash. As you gain confidence you can then start trying to blend the shades.

[Azzabat]

You could also try giving it a mid/dark blue wash to stop it looking to much like fabric. GW or Vallejo are your best bet.

GW call their range "Shade" instead of washes and 'Drakenhof Nightshade' is their Blue Wash.

Vallejo call their range "Wash" and (unsurprisingly) 'Blue Shade Wash' is their Blue Wash.