After seeing all the great models from Games Day 2010 and John's endless stories over the amazing paint jobs that he saw there, I decided to enter a model into Golden Demon in Chicago next year and try my hand at it. My goal: pass the first cut.
So I have planned out a long road map and decided to first practice blending on models that I have laying around gathering dust. Mind you, I have never ever mixed paints, left alone blending. I am a painter of harsh contrast and for a lot of models that works great. But to get to a higher level, I have to step back and start over.
So here is an old (but great) model that came to me painted through the barter bucket. I decided to try to do some blending on it's right leg (blue to white) and the back of his pants (grey to white). This little bit took ages and the left back leg still looks like @#*. I don't really know what I am doing and it's a little scary, but fun nevertheless.
I am taking this model camping next week and do some more painting on him.
My goal is to end up feeling comfortable dreaming up a cool model and come up with something halfway decent. But that is for much, much later.
Hope you will follow me along on this (scary) path.
Mike
Blending is change, and I fear change my friend. Still, I too keep saying I'll have to try it sometime. I just don't know when that time will be?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see that Games Day is coming back to the midwest. Once I heard this, I started planning my entry(ies) for next year.
ReplyDeleteI'll be sure to keep an eye on your progress.
Good luck.
Oh man, blending is sooo fun!
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to these progress reports!
All the best for your scary journey Mike. Embrace the fear and the change. If things don;t work out, you can always go back to your previous excellent work that has graced these internet pages : )
ReplyDeleteCheers
Dave
I too have begun practicing my blending more. I've used it often in the past, and find a light wash overtop layers can help the look of the blend.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm experimenting with now is acrylic floating medium. Basically it's a clear liquid that you mix into paints instead of water to thin them and it takes longer to evaporate. This means your paints stay wet longer and can be mixed/blended wet even on the model.
Available at most any art store.
thanks all
ReplyDeleteInner Geek: I guess start with an old model and do something basic as a leg or sword, maybe you will get inspired?
Dave Taylor: thanks for the kind words
Dave G.: Wow, that's a good tip, I will check that thinner out asap
Mike
SCWH