Wednesday, April 1, 2015

trying a new backdrop.

I am still painting lord of the rings figures (and re reading the Silmarillion!) and I feel that taking photos against the backdrop of one of my Stoelzels buildings will just not do.  To this end I have printed off a few backdrops to try and give a more 'middle earth' feel!
This week I have been painting an iconic figure - a ringwraith!!
For such a simple figure to paint, it was quite daunting as black is a difficult colour as too many highlights change it from black to grey.  I used silver and gold for the metalwork just to add a bit of colour to the figure.

 I have seen some very good paint jobs on ringwraith figures using a more brown/black tone to look like aged and worn robes but I felt that was a bit beyond my capabilities.  I decided to stick with the black and grey version.
 The mounted version rides a black horse with the only colour coming from the gold and silver metallics and brown harnesses.  I think he looks nice against my country side background!
 He would have looked nice with a flaming sword!


A final shot of the pair of them against a map of middle earth.  Just need to buy 8 more sets of dark riders!
That's all for this post. Have an enjoyable good friday!!!

10 comments:

  1. Good choice of backdrop, I think.

    I agree that black is a difficult colour to highlight. Sometimes, dark blue is suggested for highlighting black hair; perhaps this would work on such robes as well?

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    1. I might do the next one dark blue high lights. I feel that the ones I have seen are by much better painters than me!!! I might push myself out of my comfort zone for the next one!

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  2. The background improves things for these type of mini's.
    I've seen these highlighted with several different colours, dark green was unusual but very striking.

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    1. I do like my new backgrounds. I might print off a few more for some variety. There are a couple of dark green ringwraiths type figures on the GW website and I really like the look of them. I will try it when I get more figures!

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  3. Two stunning models CW - absolutely first class. I think you've done a terrific job on them. Far better than my simple drybrushing 'em with charcoal technique. Lovely figs.

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    1. Thanks Blax, but I like the look of your models as well. I think we are always more critical of our own efforts than those of others and it takes a lot of nerve at times putting your own efforts up for public scrutiny!

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  4. Replies
    1. Thanks a lot. Not much variety to it though....

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  5. It must be a trick of the light or something but all but the last photograph looks like the figures are standing on a sphere ! (could be me too though)
    It's very diffficult to pull of what is in effect a completely black figure, but you've done a very good job of it without it appearing grey ! I wondered if using both gloss varnish for highlights ans matt combinations would work ?

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  6. Lol! No sphere Zabadak but shelf may not be level. It was put up by me!! I might try different colours for the next one and maybe different effects to see how they look. Might be helpful to be able to distinguish them from each other on the table..

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