Advise: Personal Worst Experience on Modeling & Painting

Along my painting and modeling journey, not everything are perfectly done. Its not always "WOW!! Cool conversion & painting!!"..... There are stuff that doesn't came out the way I want it to be and of coz its really embarrassing to show it. I rather hide it somewhere.. hehe...

Anyway I do learned from my mistake and here I want to share my experiences:

1) I DON'T CARE, JUST WRITE IT DOWN!!! Everybody has something in mind that you want to convert or paint you models in your own coolest way. And all the time, we don't like to write/sketch it out in a piece of paper coz keeping in our brain is the BEST.

This became a mistake that cost me a model. I tried to convert a Kharn the Betrayer to a jumping pose, so I started to cut here and there (chopped off the arms and legs...). In the end, I don't even know how to really convert it to the posing I want!! And I don't have the design blue print. So after that day, I told myself to always sketch it out regardless you want to start the project or not.

2)ALWAYS CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLOR BEFORE YOU START TO PAINT!!! Most of the time we just go ahead paint the models without even know whether it will turn out nice or not. When something gone wrong, its already too late and you spent alot of time to paint it.

Here's my story.... I never painted Deathwing Terminators and its bleached bone armor. Without even plan it properly, I undercoat it black and basecoat it with GW Foundation Paint Calthan Brown. When I'm in the painting bleached bone process, it took me 3 days (more than 8 hrs per day) to paint 2 terminators and the bleached bone are still yet to cover the base color. Until the 4th day when my wife had a looked at it, she immediately pointed it out:

"Hey, why you paint from dark to light instead of light to dark??"
"Aren't the Deathwing Terminators are all bright color?"

DUH!!! There it hit me!!

Dark color model: Undercoat black & base color must be dark.

Bright color model: Undercoat white & base color must be bright.

Well, hope it help you guys who are still a beginner. CHeerssss

Tutorial: How To Sculpt Gemstone

When I first wanted to sculpt gemstone, I tried to checked on the net for tutorial but unfortunately I can't find any. So I just have to figure it out myself. After 2 times trying, I've done. And here I like to share to everybody who wants to sculpt it.

Tools: sculpting tool or needle or pin or pen knife. For me I use this sculpting tool. Its my favourite....




1) Roll a small mixed putty to the shape you want either oval or round and also the size. Then press it on an unused plastic sprue or you can directly press on the model's surface. Use you finger to polish it till it looks shinny. And then wait.....


2) Wait till the putty get harder. Use you sculpting tool gently touch it. As long as you find it hard, non-sticky, and creamy, it is ready! Use the flat side of your sculpting tool to press the rim (as shown above with red line).


3) Now the tricky part. Use the flat side of sculpting tool again, gently press the rim and pull sideward motion to another end.


4) You will find your gemstone pop out from the rim. Now again use the flat side of sculpting tool to smooth the edge of gemstone. And refine the shape of the rim if you find it not the way you want. If you sculpt on a plastic sprue, you can slice it out with your pen knife and then glue it to your model.

Well, there goes your gemstone. You just have to practice more to get it done nicely. If you have any questions, just post a comment here and I will answer it.

Journey Towards Tzeentch (part 4): Thousand Sons Sorcerer Dreadnought

Finally its done!! It was delayed for a week because I was playing around with GIMP editing after I read the Digital Photography magazine at library. Unfortunately...I still can't get a grip of it. Nevermind....

Here's the story of how this idea came about:

After my client told me that he is going to commission me do his dreadnought for his Thousand Sons army, I started to think of what kind of dreadnought I want. Of coz he is ordering Forgeworld dreanought... But I don't want to be same like everybody!! So I again dig info in my black library (collection of White Dwarf mag, Chaos codexes...) and browsed through the net.

And suddenly the idea came!!! Here's the question....

1) Who being insert into dreadnought?? "Space Marine Heroes"

2) How many type of dreadnought in Space Marine?? "Normal, Venerable, Ironclad, & Chaplain"

3) So whose the heroes in Thousand Sons Legion?? "SORCERER"

FINAL ANSWER: THOUSAND SONS SORCERER DREADNOUGHT!!!!

So when I met up with my client, I told him this idea... He immediately want it!

Again I sculpted the loincloth, tall helmet, gemstones, flaming edge design, daemonic sorcerer staff, fingers that hold the staff....

I don't know anybody has done this before, if NOT, then this will be the 1st SORCERER DREADNOUGHT!!!

That's all for the story... Do enjoy!! Hope you get inspired!! Cheerssss!!!

HAIL TZEENTCH!!!

Journey Towards Tzeentch (part 3): Thousand Sons Obliterators

Finally I'm able to post this work. I had a hard time taking these photos coz it kept came out blur image, and after that editing was another hard time for me. I'm always confused with the sizes of the image e.g. big size after post become small while small size after post become big. Duhhh!!!

Oliver: "Honey!! Can you help me out here??"

Wife: "Sorry, I got a lot of work to rush... You try it out yourself."

*After 3 week.... Finally its DONE!!!!

NOW I PRESENT TO YOU MY THOUSAND SONS OBLITERATOR!!!! GLORY TO TZEENTCH!!!



Thousand Sons Dreadnought will be up in next 1-2 weeks time.

Journey Towards Tzeentch (part 2): Rhino

Sorry for the slow update again. Since my wife being busy with her work, I just have to do all the photos editing myself. The problem is that I'm a noob with GIMP & Photoshop software. No matter how many times I learned it, it still can't get into my head. Well, this kind of stuff is just not for me. The obliterators already finished but still I felt that there still need to be improve. Will post it when it is 100% done.

Anyway, here's the 2nd Thousand Sons rhino I've done.




I've painted a script of sealing rune on both side of the vehicle. Instead of using the same Chaos runes, I went for my own style. I just simply moved my brush here and there, it came out naturally with some form of wording. Well, at least it closely matched the Chaos runes. I will post a tutorial for this in future.




All design here are free-hand painted and a bit different from the 1st rhino. My friends thought I used stickers!!!


My client requested that he want this vehicle to be design as "captured Space Wolves rhino"... As like the Thousand Sons Sorcerer cast a sealing spell on the vehicle and seal off the driver within to serve his will. My client also requested that the sealing rune design to be a bit like ninja manga boy sealing rune but in WH40K Chaos pattern. If you look closely, you might be able to guess who is this 'ninja manga boy'... Hehehe...

High Elf Mage

Hey guys... Here's another mini I've done back in Apr but don't have camera to take photos of it and was delayed. This is my 1st time done a miniature on a wood plinth. It really took me a hard time of a whole Apr month to finish it coz I'm testing on glazing "juice" technique. The end result was a satisfaction to me.

I want to achieve an atmosphere of the surrounding rocks float to the air when the mage casting a powerful spell. So here I used few High Elf bitz for the base and sculpted floating rocks beside the mage. I also sculpted the fire burst out from the ground (notice the small rocks on the fire??) when the mage swing the flaming sword.

As for the painting side, I free-hand painted the phoenix on the back cloak and also flaming designs on the collar; inner cloak with different color stars. The gold are non-metallic metal. I'm still thinking whether want to sell it or not... Hehe...

Anyway enjoy...



For more different angle of this minis, click here:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/232073

Crimson Fist... Might of Pedro!! (Part 4)

Finally I manage to get the drop pods done. Its been driving me crazy coz I didn't expect it to have so many little little stuff to paint. I've been rushing last Sat & Sun (yesterday) to get it done and send it out today. And I done it!!! I drive as fast as I could to the post office and get it to courier out. (Sigh....) Anyway, I only manage to get a quick snap at the dreadnoughts before packing but unfortunately not the drop pods.

Offered Opportunity...

Recently there was a rare opportunity in my life of painting. Philydorf, a free-lance miniatures' base maker from Greece offered me to use my painted miniatures (in master/display class) on his bases. He sent me 3x 60mm bases and the it was made in resin. The quality and the sculpted work is truly amazing. It really capture the Greece mythic goddess... You can see for yourselves.

Check out Philydorf gallery on Coolmini for more bases:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/artist/philydorf

Well now I have to find a suitable miniatures for it. My promise to Philydorf is to bring out the awesomeness of this base on my miniatures. Definately will not let him down. Maybe you guys can give your opinion of what GW miniatures are best suited for it. Cheerssss...

Crimson Fist... Might of Pedro!! (Part 3)

It has been 2 weeks since my last post. I've been busy rushing to finish all my work and went for a kendo seminar in east coast. Now finally I can use a bit of my time to update my blog. Here's another Crimson Fist's project that I've finished:


For this tactical Squad, I've gone for very simple painting. Nothing much except for the free-hand painted banner of red fist grabbing an ork skull.


Rhino & whirlwind. I've painted the same designed from previous rhino; while the for the whirlwind, nothing much I can do but to paint a free-hand name on it "Exterminatus"There goes all the update for Crimson Son. There are Iron Clad Dreadnoughts & Drop Pods still in progress. Stay tune....

WIP: Thousand Sons Obliterators

Here's another Thousand Sons' project I being working on together with the dreadnought. My client requested the obliterators to be convert into Thousand Sons version. It took me quite awhile to figure out what to add on. It must consist on few aspects: (1) Tzeentchish Egyptian, (2) loincloth, (3) knight pattern helmet, (4) Scrolls, & (5) gemstones.

It took me more than a week to do sculpting. Plus, those big gap between the finger weapons & hands really gave me a hard time. So here are my completed Thousand Sons version obliterators. On to a painting process....

Check out the original looks of it:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat1300081&prodId=prod1090574

Blast from the Past: Journey Towards Tzeentch (part 1)

Chaos in Warhammer 40K is a very interesting army to collect. Among the 4 gods of Chaos (Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, Slaanesh), I like Tzeentch most. The thing why it capture me is 'Sorcery'. In painting, you can really comes up with many ideas of painting it.

When my client commission me to paint an army of Thousand Sons Chaos Space Marine last year, I knew it's time to put my skill to test and bring out all the ideas to the models. After I've done many researches, the most important aspect of Thousand Sons is Tzeentchish Egyptian of 40K. So my client requested me to put the aspect into the models.

The 1st model I've painted was the rhino. You can follow this link here:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/208664


For the 2nd, I've painted a 9 men squad lead by an Apiring Sorcerer which I've specially convert to give him a icon standard.










This is the original model. Look clearly what I've done for the 2 sorcerer.










The 3rd, I've painted another same squad as above. This time my client requested to make the Aspiring Sorcerer different from the previous and add something that represent they hate Space Wolves (archenemy). It took me 2 days to design to model & 1 week to finish it.

For different view, click the link here:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/228811

Well, there goes all the past work I've done for Thousand Sons. More are coming... Dreadnought, Spawns, Obliterators.

Glory to Tzeentch!!!!

WIP: Thousand Sons Dreadnought

Sorry for the slow posting again. The problem is that I'm very blur with all those photos editing and most of the time I let my wife to do it. (But she being very busy recently...) Just few days ago I've found on Coolmini an article of posting photos, so I follow the instruction there. And here we go.

Here's the secret project that I've being working on. Only few friends know what actually this dreadnought all about. Well, its a Thousand Sons dreadnought... duh!! But I have far more ideas than just a normal dreadnought. For me, I like to do something that nobody done before and go beyond my level for each project I received; and also to give inspiration to others. You just try to guess what 'kind' of dreadnought I'm going for.


Here's the link to the original dreadnought. Check out what's the difference I've made.
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/thousandsons.htm

Free-Hand Tutorial: Thousand Sons Icon

Here's another free-hand tutorial. There are many people being asking me how to paint the Thousand Sons Legion's logo and also get the consistency. Well, its really hard for me to explain it. Anyway, I will make it as simple as possible.




A) Master Copy!! First of all, you need to get 1 logo painted. This first logo will be your master copy.

Picture below shows the step-by-step:

Crimson Fist... Might of Pedro!!! (Part 2)

Its been awhile I haven't update my blog. I've been busy rushing all the commission work. Here's a Crimson Fist Tactical Sq done last month (June).


And also this special version of Land Raider I've done. It really took me a long time to design this vehicle. I wanted it to be Pedro Kantor's personal vehicle and it dedicated to this chapter master who save Rynn world and his own Crimson Fist Chapter from Ork invasion. And finally the end result of my creation. Behold!!!


Here's a closer look on the free hand painted detail front added plate and also the side engraving free hand Crimson Fist chapter banner design & Pedro Kantor's personal banner.

Free-hand Tutorial: Imperial/Crimson Fist Icon

Here's a step-by-step on painting free-hand Imperial/Crimson Fist logo on shoulder pad or anywhere. I've done a simple one here to give you an idea. So practice on a paper 1st before going into your miniatures. If you find that your finished work doesn't look good, you can reshape it using background color.

Advise: Free-Hand Painting

Many painters are wondering how to do free-hand painting... The 1st question is to ask yourself:

1) What type of painter are you?? (Clean & tidy, dirty, free-hand...)

Some people are very good at weathering; some realistic; some here some there.... Everybody have their own style. Discovering what type of painter you are is very very important! Once you discover your gift, then keep practice on it to sharpen your skill.

*Don't try to be other painter, be your own painter - yourself!!! Or else who will be like you??*

For me, I'm a clean & tidy. I am specialize in free-hand. You can check out my gallery at Coolminiornot. I don't know how to do weathering on clothes/armor. No matter how I do it, it just doesn't look good.

To do free-hand, you must have a very good & sharp point brush. I would recommend you Rosemary Pure Kolinsky Sable Series 22 coz it has longer hair and always very sharp. Check out: http://www.rosemaryandco.com

Well, I can't find much painters teaching free-hand. So I will post here... Stay tune as more free-hand tutorial. If you have any question, just email me.

Good luck!!

Crimson Fist... Might of Pedro!!! (Part 1)

I've being doing commission work of Crimson Fist for quite awhile now. I've done Petro Kantor & Sternguard Veteran Sq in March but without any pictures coz camera sent for repair.

Anyway just post this as part 1. My client just want a "above table-top quality" standard, so I helped him put up the Crimson Fist decal and painted it. For the rhino, I wanted it to look really Crimson Fist and draw people attention. So I came up a design, I painted a freehand big chapter logo on upper hull... Check out the pictures:


As for the vincator, nothing much I can do with it. So I just went for a standard style.

Welcome to my workshop...

Well, I'm very new to blogging and don't have any idea how to do it. My friends encourage me to do it so that everyone can see how I paint miniatures....

Anyway, welcome to my workshop. Here's I will show how I convert, sculpt, paint miniatures from 'above table quality' standard to 'display quality standard'. It is also my journey to become better miniatures painter and since that I'm doing it full time at home by receiving commission work. And its been about 2.5 years already. Time really past very very fast. Well, I just let you guys see my previous work of Eldar Farseer which I've painted quite some times ago and it still one of my farvourite. For large pictures:

http://www.coolminiornot.com/index/whatm/GW/id/183124

There will be more coming. Enjoy...