Painting white isn't probably the easiest aspect of this hobby. Achieving a solid color requires many layers of diluted paint. Depending on what effect I want to achieve I use different strategies. If I want just a "table-top" quality I start with Astronomican Grey and add white to this paint in a few successive layers until I reach satisfying effect. However, when I focus on a single mini I tend to start from slightly darker colors (browns, grays) and slowly build up the highlights. Thats's how I worked on the first version of Saruman. Excellent mini, I really like the way his robes are sculpted. I left this one with a bleached white cloak so that his white hair would add an additional element of contrast. 
The mounted version isn't my favorite. The clothes don't look so nice on this one. It seems to me that the sculptor didn't really do his best on this one. The proportions of the wizard's body don't seem right with his right arm a little too large in comparison to the left one (which is obscured by the robes). The longish right sleeve makes him look a little clumsy. Or at least that's the way I see it.
The robes on this version were painted using Andrea white set. I followed the instructions from the leaflet attached to the box. It meant giving a solid layer of the base color (a slightly darker, creamy shade of white), building it up in three successive highlights and finishing by adding the shades in the recesses.
I guess it's supposed to be a more 'professional' approach (adding shades in the final stage) and even though I'm not happy with the final effect on this one, I can see the potential of this method.As for the choice of music to this post, there was only one option I could think of.
Wow, Summoning! I haven't listened to them in a while. I remember playing the "Minas Morgul" all day long when it first came out!
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I think that if I had to paint a mostly white model, I would start from a white undergoat and then give it an enamel wash. You got good result using the slower method but to be honest it's a bit too hard for me.
Yeah, Summoning is pretty cool and I used to listen to it a lot. "Minas Morgul" was also my favourite and I remember listening to it on a cassette (who uses these today?).
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, I appreciate it.
I have to say one thing. Polish metalheads are crazy!
ReplyDeleteCan't disagree with that ;)
ReplyDeleteI remember I was playing a gig in Poznan and man, it was brutal. I almost stopped the show because I thought one guy had died. But then he imidiatelly got up and started moshing again. I've never seen anything like that in my life!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, I had a few teeth chipped as a result of getting dangerously close to the scene during this king of concert ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat band do you play in?