Solauren's Miniature (RPG) Painting - Update (Aug 26)

[Solauren]

Hello everyone.

I've recently (in the past few months) taken up hobby painting. Specifically of RPG (D&D) Miniatures.

I thought I'd get peoples opinions and such from here, since Facebook has been a bust.

All the images below are clickable links to the images on Photobucket.
All Miniatures were painted using 'Americana' paints. Not specifically ment for Pewter, but they are decent enough.
(That, and if I decide to stop painting miniatures, or using that paint, I can give the paint to my mother for use with her ceramics).
Before painting, any second-hand miniatures are stripped by a multi-day soak in a jar of Brake-Fluid.

First, some of the Chainmail Miniatures from Wizard's of the Coast. (pre current Plastic Incarnation)

Group #1 - Crested Felldrakes
One painted the 'standard' scheme, and another painted red. I also have a Purple and a Blue one I haven't taken pictures of yet.

Standard Scheme (Gold Frill, Green Body)



Red Scheme (Copper Frill, Red Body)



Group #2 - Spitting Felldrakes
I also have a Red, Brown and a Dark Green one I have yet to photograph. This one is fairly close to the standard color scheme.



Group #3 - Elf Miniatures.
First, a 'Grey Elf Snakestrike Duelist'. Basically a 'chick' with a Spiked chain. This one is painted to the 'standard scheme'. I just finished another one to my 'Home Army' scheme.



This is a Grey Elf Warsinger (Bard). She was done close to the 'standard' scheme', with color customizations for my 'Home Army'.


This is a Grey Elf Wizard. He was done close to the 'standard' scheme, with color customizations for my 'Home Army'. I just finished a second that is similiar, but with Brunette hair, and none of the gold coloring. I figure you have to 'earn' gold.


Group #4 Miscellanous Chainmail.
I'll break this group down as I upload more. For the most part, these are as close to the 'standard' scheme as I could get.

First, a Half-Dragon.



Next, a 'Young Red Dragon'. The other 2 shots of him didn't upload for some reason.


Next, a 'Tiefling Fighter'. Unfortunately, she recently fell on the floor and was stepped on by a certain 270lb+ person (me). The center part of her hair 'snapped' off, and I haven't fixed it yet. I have a feeling she's upset with me...



Next, we move onto Reaper Miniatures.
As of right now, the only one photographed is this guy: An Iron Golem.
His head is like that so he can stare down the plastic Iron Golems (from the Underdark Miniature Expansion) before he beats the tar out of them.


Next, we move onto Lance and Laser. Specifically, the Dragon Mount


I also did another one, where the only difference is his belly has a Gold color.

Now, how about some classic miniatures?
Like say, Ral Partha?

I was lucky enough to find and pick up a copy of the Ral-Partha 'Draconians' set. It was complete except for the insert that came with it. Now, they stand on my shelf all day starting at Huma (see below)

An Aurak (Gold) Draconian



One Sivak (Silver) Draconian



Sivak (Silver) Draconian #2



Some Boaz (Brass) Draconians




For some reason, the Bozak (Bronze) Draconians have yet to upload.

Some Kapak (Copper) Draconians





And here is what they stare at/guard against....
Huma, on his mighty Silver Dragon/girlfriend. Note: I don't have the Dragonlance that came with it originally. This is a second hand purchase I repainted.



Next, a Ral Partha Dragon of mine with a bit of a identity Crisis. It's a Red Dragon of Krynn I painted Green. I already had one I painted Red (picture pending), so I figured....
I have the rider and Dragonlance that came with this one. One day, I'll get around to duplicating it for the other dragons that should have it.




And finally, 2 of the 3 variants of the 'Ral Partha Land Dragon with Lancer'. Version 1, and Version 3 respectively. I picked them up to subsitute in for Spike Felldrakes. (The joys of running an Elf-centric campaign)






Now we move onto some real bad-asses.
Grenadier Miniatures

Specifically, the Dragon Lord Series
First, 2 Dragons from 'Series 3'. (I have 2 of the 12)

The Red Dragon...



The White Dragon...


From Series 2, I have the Frost Dragon (painted by my wife), and the Swamp Dragon (painted by myself), pictures pending.

Finally, we move onto Dragon Lord series 1. The only one currently photographed is..
The Blue Dragon.



I own the entire series (except for the mail-order send away, 'The Dragon Lord', but that might change shortly), but have yet to photograph them. I was lucky enough to snare them up on E-bay, complete with the 'Altar -Ring' and gems that came with them (yet to be painted). I plan on making a model Temple to display them in as a 'scence'. Something like a cross between Stonehenge, and a Roman Temple.

[ebs2323]

nice job. they sure blow my 40K models out of the water. Im not much of a artist so I can't give you much adive.

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

I think your brushwork and so forth are pretty good, but you need to look at making them a little more '3D' by using ink washes and dry brushing. I cant see any evidence of washes or dry brushing in any of the pics.

Your blue dragon for instance; I would give it a dark blue wash with ink or watered down acrylic, allowing it to settle in the nooks and crannys before wiping off the excess. I'd then give it a light dry brushing all over with a very light blue or silver mix, to make the surface look scaly and shiny. I'd maybe even give a very light wash all over with black for definition. Done correctly it adds a lot of life to an otherwise very flat paintjob.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

I agree that your colors are solid, but your work needs some kind of shading.

Are these models metal or plastic?

[Solauren]

Metal. (specifically Pewter).

And I'm using water-based acrylics right now. Attempts at Highlighting have been, well, have stripped off the existing paint jobs. It might be 'needs more then 2 days to dry', or it might be the paint is broken down by water as a design feature (easier to clean up a kids craft mess).

I'm debating sealing one or two, and then trying to highlight over that.

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

I always used acrylics with my miniatures, there were no problems with it taking the paint off. I just painted the base colours as you have, then got a very watery mix of dark colour and dripped it onto the model and let it dry. Once it's dry pick your highlight colour and load your brush with it, then wipe off the majority of it with a tissue. You then brush over it like you're looking for finger prints, and the dry brushing picks up all the high areas very lightly. Dry brushing silver and bronze onto vehicle models is a great way to add wear and tear, I used it all the time.

I'm utterly useless at practical stuff and even I managed to do this no problem. My only issue was doing too much, and my models all looked like they'd been underwater rusting for months. Check out the Warhammer website, they're bound to have painting guides that show these techniques. They make a world of difference.

[Solauren]

Assuming that I still can't get the highlighting to work without stripping off old paint (yes, I know...) would sealing the primary paint job and then highlighting work?

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

I think it would look a little odd, but I suppose in theory it would work. I'd use matt sealant if I were you though. It might make the wash run a little odd, and it might take ages to dry and not sit right.

I still cant wrap my head around how you're managing to remove the first layers of paint. It's not something I ever saw when painting miniatures, and I'm a ham-fisted twat.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Wait...Are you priming your models before you paint them? Metal models are notorious for the amount of paint that just flakes off of them, so you might want to use a nice primer, like automotive primer, before you paint them. If you are already using primer and the paint is still flaking off...do you wash the models to remove the release agent?

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

Good call, a tin of primer might be what you're missing. I used to make Warhammer 40k armies and to start off with I'd put the lot on a tray and prime them with a can of Halfords car primer.

[Solauren]

Well, as an update....

I did a little research, and even spoke to a the only other person I know that uses this particular brand of paint.

It's supposed to be 'easy to clean up and remove'. It's basically 'really cheap' paint.

My mother paints ceramics with it. And she uses a good primer I might add. She can't put finished ceramics outside (she's painted a few really good fairy pieces that sit in the garden, along with a few gnomes) until they've been sealed, as rain water will take the paint off. It takes a few good solid rains, but still, 'freaking rain water takes it off.

So, I'm looking into getting some better paints. Reaper Miniatures is probably going to get my paint business now.

As for the existing ones, I'm going to pick one, seal it, and try highlighting it post-sealant. If that works, I'll seal and finish up the rest of my miniatures that are already painted, and that's that.

If it doesn't work, my miniatures might be going swimming in brake fluid, and getting repainted.

[Solauren]

NEW UPDATE

I just tried to seal the miniatures. Specifically the 'Lance and Laser' Dragon Mount, above. I even used the sealer made by the company the paint is from.

Guess what....

As I was brushing on the sealer, some paint came off!

At least, it looks like that, could be that the sealer just made it look grayish for a bit.

Man, 30 minatures painted, and it turns out someone tripping with a pop could ruin them....

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

I am so tempted to go buy something from the Games Workshop store in Edinburgh and paint it up, just to check it out. I dont remember ever having this problem with a metal or plastic miniature and acrylic paints. You're a jinx, Solauren! You been nasty to any old gypsy women lately? Desecrated a sacred Indian burial ground?

[Solauren]

I am so tempted to go buy something from the Games Workshop store in Edinburgh and paint it up, just to check it out. I dont remember ever having this problem with a metal or plastic miniature and acrylic paints. You're a jinx, Solauren! You been nasty to any old gypsy women lately? Desecrated a sacred Indian burial ground?

No to the Jink, routinely to the gypsy, and not in a few weeks

In all seriousness, my wife and I have come to the conclusion it is the paint.
Reason being; We looked up how much it costs per vial, and it's like 6.00 Canadian for 2 Fluid ounces. THat's approximately 1/3 the price of any decent modeling paint.

Oh well.....

(Insert massive amount of cursing)

Incidently, the Dragon Mount came out so badly, it's going for a swim in Brake Fluid

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Sorry to hear all that painting was for nothing. But now you get a chance to make it better!

[Kenny_10_Bellys]

Actually I found a number of simple tutorial videos on Youtube showing painting of miniatures, you could go have a look see. They show washes, highlighting, drybrushing, priming and preparing, etc, etc. Very informative.

[Solauren]

Actually I found a number of simple tutorial videos on Youtube showing painting of miniatures, you could go have a look see. They show washes, highlighting, drybrushing, priming and preparing, etc, etc. Very informative.

Links would be nice.

And to further highlight the crappyness of the paint: I took one of the dragon mounts and ran it under hot water for a minute last night, before dropping it into some brake fluid to strip it.

The miniature was partially stripped. And I had sealed it for a high lighting experiment. Talk about crappy.

On the other hand, my nice collection of Reaper Miniature paints have arrived. My wife tried them already, and thinks they are wonderful, so my miniatures will be repainted!