Many Mithril Pages @ Faerylands

Maenas · Sun, Nov15 2015 12:46pm

Little ruling for all willing to vote:
1. All contestants are to vote for other one than himself, since we cannot control this we would entrust everyone's honour wink
2. You should only vote once, and for your preferred entry. (don't know if this poll app. controls this either)
3. To know which entry to vote you can check evolution and final pictures of all the entries here: http://mmp.faerylands.eu/viewtopic.php?id=773
4. Non contestants are also allowed / encouraged to vote and to argue or justify their vote if they think they need to do so.
5. There are no prices, this is just for fun and for sharing our painting processes and tips, it is also for encouraging our community to paint this little wonders that have taken a little part of our heart.
6. It is completely optional to reveal your vote, and to post comments, don't feel obliged, just do as you feel.

======================
There is a common theme to all the entries and this time was (*fun mode on): "Manly men, or how to wear a long beard and it's multiple uses"

Here are the participants:
1. Orc -- m84 Radagast conversion -->final pics
2. Milo -- m91 Woodmen Elder -->final pics
3. Gerold -- m27 Theoden, King of the Mark -->final pics
4. Maenas -- m89 Beorning lord -->final pics
5. Ddaines -- MB300 The Balrog of Moria -->final pics
6. Turambar -- CHR2009 Broggha Hillmen Chieftain -->final pics

Arthadan -- LT5 Gamling the Old ----> Out of contest thought it's related and nice wink -->final pics

Edited to add the sixth vote ruling point.
Edited to add links to the final images for the commodity of everyone!!

Last edited by Maenas (Tue, Nov17 2015 8:13pm)

Milo · Sun, Nov15 2015 2:59pm

Time for comments:

Gerold :
+: Good choice for colors, and the base is a nice improvement of mithril ones.
-: I am confused by the thickness of the paint. Maybe due to your paints which have dried too much in pots ? roll

Orc:
+ : You did a really good job. Conversion is wonderfull. I like the face also.
- : 1-2 more layers on cloak would improve shadow rendering. I prefer mate than bright colors. hmm

Turambar:
+ : This is another master piece. Everything is signed: composal, base, painting, conversion and atmosphere is there again. cool
- : 2nd lance, 2nd shield: I do not catch the meaning of the drawing (if any ?).

Maenas:
+ : You highlighted many details I did not see before. Great paint job. The white flowers are really nice.
- : The green plant is too big on the base. your painting deserves a diorama wink

Ddaines :
+ : Very new balrog with an old mini. Well painted, almost alive. Again Master of diorama is here. Atmosphere on 2nd pictures is great.
- : too green for a balrog (my taste), no wings ? lol

Last edited by Milo (Sun, Nov15 2015 2:59pm)

Maenas · Sun, Nov15 2015 5:04pm

Comments from my side too ^^ (copying milo's formatting of his answer because I think it's a very good idea to highlight something positive/negative

1. Orc:
+ I loved your conversion from the first moment. It looks like brand new reference, congratulations.
- Transitions fo colour are a bit abrupt, should improve blending imo.

2. Milo:
+ Diorama is fantastic, trees look super real (they are real are they?). Tree-house idea is a nice one. I also like the soft colour you have chosen.
- Roofing of the house is a bit lacking... if it rains they are going to need raincoats. wink On the other side the base is a bit too elaborated and it would possibly enter the diorama category of an ordinary contest. It does not matter here, anyway, so I just point it out.

3. Gerold
+ Loving the contrast between browns and blue. Brush strokes at the backside of the cape give the impression of a "furry royal quality coat", do not know if it was intended or a little bit accidental, but it could result into a way of working capes if developed further.
- Sharing Milo's thoughts about paint thickness, I would add that some mithril's basecoats are so thick that they almost fully obscure C. Tubb work. Plus I am no (this very last year) almost stripping all of Mithirl's if I am to paint them asap.

5. Ddaines
+You have a natural talent for terrain in my opinion, my favorite picture is the third one. I like your unwinged Balrog, give a new "air" to the miniature. On the paintwork side I think you are constantly improving since I first saw your paintwork, now it's a lot smoother and precise.
-I would have made the base at least one inch bigger at the side of the advancing feet, now it's a bit adjusted to the border. Imo some greenish parts work, someothers not quite that much.

6. Turambar
+ I love the aura of your work the same way I love mithril's. Perfect base imo., gives the appropriate impression complementing the miniature without distracting to much from it. I envy your bases LOL
- Some tunic's red lines (mostly at the back) are wrong you should go and correct them ASAP please! ^^ I would say that you should improve shadowing and highlighting but you have a particular "washed out" style in which I am not sure those would work, and I love it as it is so won't say anything less.

Arthadan
Looking forward your participation on the next one, since I liked your non mithril mini a lot.

Last edited by Maenas (Sun, Nov15 2015 5:05pm)

Turambar · Sun, Nov15 2015 5:16pm

ok, I will follow Master Milo´s example.
And I think every member of this "painting league" should place comments, serious, objective and construktive.
That always placed "nice" isn´t helpful. So- I will try my best:

Gerold:
Unfortunately the paint is too think, or it seems that way. I miss better shading, better saying shading in general.
Especially on the beard which suddenly gets white, without gradation.
Without shading a miniature seems to be flat and without deep. Also a threedimensional figure.

Orc:
This is a well done conversion. The shading could be done much better. Especially the backside. Where are the purses of the coat?
I like very much the dove and the base with those autumn leaves is very good.

Milo:
A figure??? Where is the figure????? I only see a house in some very huge trees . . .
The diorama is formidable. But: for my taste- in comparison to the figure- much too big. You are concentrate to the diorama instead on the figure . . .
There is some shading- but too less for my taste. Especially the backside of the coat looks a bit flat.
I like the color choice and the detail on his back: a tree- though I do not understand the meaning . . .
The base is superb. Again autumn leaves which I like very much. And the texture of the trees is brilliant! Real trees- I suppose . . .

Maenas:
Here the shading is fantastic! Shading skinn is alwasy the most difficult part. This skin is perfect!
Also the beard and the bearskin is perfectly shaded and the details on the weapons are well done.
I don´t paint eyes anymore, because I thing the scale in painting eyes is too small. Often eyes seems to be too big . . .
Master Meanas did a great job on these. A closeup-photo of the face is welcome.
The base is magnificent with all its little details. At this place I would like to say: where the heck is an appropriate base????????????
A shame to put all this on that awful mithril-standard-base . . .

David:
David´s shading is perfect. But remember: the figure is more than the double in size of the rest of the participents and he uses an airbrush
which is very difficult indeed. In order to colour and "extras" like wings or not his colour choice is brilliant! COLOURS !!!!!!!!
Though I have to add:
A little bit "out of". The balrog is more 75 scale size and therefore much easier to paint than 32 mm scale figures!
Using the airbrush is very skillful and he earns my depest respect for this result.

Hopefully I did not offend anybody. This is my oppinion.

Last edited by Turambar (Sun, Nov15 2015 5:18pm)

Thingol · Sun, Nov15 2015 6:31pm

Can I left my vote.... !?!?!

Mornedhel · Sun, Nov15 2015 7:12pm

Difficult, I would like to cast a vote for diorama, one for painting skills, one for color schemes...

ddaines · Sun, Nov15 2015 11:10pm

Well now the entries are all in and to follow the format I too will post a couple of what I hope are constructive points on each entry. I try to view all miniatures from a scale distance and not as close-ups as we are all different in terms of style.

Gerold:
Good use of Theoden for this conversion and the colours used are pleasing to the eye, the blue cloak is a nice contrast to the muted tunic.
Because this is a 32mm figure I prefer to view it Thumbnail size rather than enlarged size. Personally I do NOT paint facial details these days, instead I use ink washes and let them do the work of showing where the eyes should be and I think you might find this a good technique to adopt Gerold.
Good idea to go for a marble effect on the base.

Orc:
Nice figure and the added beard had turned out very well.
Again I try and view from the thumbnail image although these are smaller than Gerold’s thumbnails so I have to judge from the larger pictures.
I would suggest maybe using a wash or subtle dry-brush technique to emphasise the folds on the robe as the shading looks a little harsh in the enlarged image. Look at Elroi’s paint ups and you will see what I mean. The contrasting colours such as the green scarf on the front add interest.
Again another nice figure set off well by the backing image.

Milo:
I’m glad your first image is of the Woodman, LOL. This is a nice figure and you have done a nice job on it, I like the small touches like the tree motif on the back of his robe. The raised details such as fur trimmings and beard have come out well and further enhance the figure. My favourite picture is the first one with the three trees leading skywards.
The whole diorama is nice and I like the idea of tree houses, but I would go back and add some more figures to the scene as he does look a little lost.

Turambar:
A simple but very effective conversion enhanced by one of Master Chris’ trademark bases and natural materials. I am a great fan of Christoph’s painting style and compositions which seem to show a much larger scene than is actually physically there.
Not sure what Chris had in mind as a setting, but I visualise a windswept, barren hillside and the backdrop compliments in a subtle way.
I like the colour palette used for the clothing and equipment which compliments each other without blending in.

Maenas:
Very nice Beorning – a dry-brusher’s dream. Plenty of textures here. I think the details have been nicely picked out on this. Nice base as well Maenas – detailed fern looks really good.

Well, that’s the first out of the way, I await with eager anticipation the next category.
p.s. Regarding the green on the Balrog – this is a photographic effect not an actual applied colour; I think it is where I have tried to apply the yellow over the brown/black base coat and yellow being quite a weak paint has allowed the base coats to show through. I also used a gold colour to dry-brush certain areas.

orc · Mon, Nov16 2015 4:55am

Time to my commets too:

Gerold :

I like the colors you choose to paint your miniature, sepcially the cloack! Really nice and original idea paint the base with marble efects!.need improve the shading...but we are going to have more chances here ! wink

Milo:
I like very much detail that you painted in the shelter as it gives lots of personality. Only I want to recommend use the degradations . The first two pictures, are simply magnificent, I love how the woodman looks among the trees and that autumn environment. In my opinion, was left the House because takes too much importance... buy other side is perfect for play wargames and be invaded by orcs!! big_smile

Turambar:
You have the difficult skill to give your “creations” a unique distinticve stamp!that makes that your works are easily recognizable. The base is pride, so as the miniature and its sourrondings, “recreating the atmosphere” that gives his personallity characteristic in your creations. Perhaps lack you depth in some detail in the miniature painting. smile

Maenas:
Perfect Skinn, Perfect Shading, perfect base decoration!!!….don’t worry like mithril collector you are… if you modify the standard base…because with your painting skills you are giving to much value to this miniature!! cool

daines :
I love the first picutre to much! The Balrog is Scary!!! The choice of colors is excellent, looks great and after see your work here I want to have my own balrog too:D big_smile …great skills with the airbrush!! and Wonderful work in general... may be, can apply some more shading in some details.

In my opinnion the best way to improve the painting techniques is paint a lot of!!So we have a big chance to participate in this contest! By my side, is the first time im involved in this kind of contest and I must say I’m very glad to participated with all of you because I really enjoyed!
I hope more colleagues join us!!!

Last edited by orc (Mon, Nov16 2015 5:03am)

Milo · Mon, Nov16 2015 9:41am

I totally agree with what is said about my work. I like very much these comments. smile
Here some answers to few questions asked.

Maenas wrote:
trees look super real (they are real are they?)

Yes.. and no.
Trees are made of
- Truncs from a bush which froze & died in my garden last winter
- Branches from a seaweed which I do not know the name but is often used in diorama making
- leaves which are hand built from my cherry tree leaves, dried & mashed & filtered until proper sizing.
- Glue for branch (one by one), and leaves (spreaded)
- 1 nail per trunc on the base

wrote:
Roofing of the house is a bit lacking... if it rains they are going to need raincoats.

Indeed. It is mostly due to lack of material underneath the straw.

Turambar wrote:
There is some shading- but too less for my taste. Especially the backside of the coat looks a bit flat.

Agreed. The miniature is very flat on the back. I tried 4 different shadowing & color schemes without a good result. ==> I need to practise more & more for leather painting. tongue

Turambar wrote:
the detail on his back: a tree- though I do not understand the meaning . . .

As the back was not very nice, the tree was added for improving the coat. No meaning except "woodmen land".

ddaines wrote:
I would go back and add some more figures to the scene as he does look a little lost.

Please remind the miniature was painted alone. Then I worked on diorama following MMP members advices to do so.
1st: miniature is painted as a stand alone one. I will add pics of it
2nd: I made the base only (with 3 truncs as shown on picture), with a hole for the M91 base so that mini can be removed from the diorama base.
3rd: looking at the truncs, I felt it deserved to be improved with branch, leaves
4th: looking at the trees, there is space for a woodmen house, let's go for it ! ==> It will be usefull for more woodmen than M91. (Well spoted David. wink )

orc wrote:
I love how the woodman looks among the trees and that autumn environment

I am very happy that everyone seems to like it. This is the initial "little diorama project" (as explained above).

Last edited by Milo (Mon, Nov16 2015 9:43am)

Gerold · Mon, Nov16 2015 2:06pm

Hi folks
my vote went to Maenas (M89 - Beorn). I like his style the most: clear highlights, clear details, and eyes very well done. Also nice base additions.

But the other entries are also very well done of course. Radagast is a nice conversion, the woodman has well chosen colors and an original design on his back, Broggha had almost my vote, but he had details that needed to be improved, especially the red lines. The Balrog has colors that reflect the green shining of his weapons, and that is very impressive to me. I even don't think of trying that!

About my own figure (Theoden) : yes, I realised some of the paints I used were too thick, and also shading wasn't very well. For the beard I got my inspiration from the King of France in the serie 'Vikings' : he had a beard that starts brown at the skin, and then the hairs turn into white. I tried to imitate that.

Ok, next time better and thank you all for the feedback!

Milo · Tue, Nov17 2015 9:51am

About the 1st challenge winner, I feel the on-going trend is the right one, but so far, 7 votes only ? Where are other MMP fellows ? hmm

Come on everyone, put your votes, add comments, no matter you are involved or not in this good challenge. yikes

Last edited by Milo (Tue, Nov17 2015 9:52am)

Thingol · Tue, Nov17 2015 11:02am

Ok guys my vote is left..... here are many great figures... and I'm known here as a huge fan of Master Turambar's work... and David's work also... but this time I voted for woodman Elder.... charming diorama with nice painted figure... Also other figures are nicely painted, but simply I do not like to see painitng eyes on such a small miniatures... it simply do not fit on them.... good luck to the potential winner smile

Last edited by Thingol (Wed, Nov18 2015 7:50am)

Turambar · Tue, Nov17 2015 8:45pm

Eight members who are interested in this????? Not bad. Could have been less . . .
Anyway- I would like to say congratulation to Master Maenas´ work !
. . . to be continued . . .

ddaines · Tue, Nov17 2015 9:05pm

Gerold wrote:
Hi folks
my vote went to Maenas (M89 - Beorn). I like his style the most: clear highlights, clear details, and eyes very well done. Also nice base additions.

But the other entries are also very well done of course. Radagast is a nice conversion, the woodman has well chosen colors and an original design on his back, Broggha had almost my vote, but he had details that needed to be improved, especially the red lines. The Balrog has colors that reflect the green shining of his weapons, and that is very impressive to me. I even don't think of trying that!

About my own figure (Theoden) : yes, I realised some of the paints I used were too thick, and also shading wasn't very well. For the beard I got my inspiration from the King of France in the serie 'Vikings' : he had a beard that starts brown at the skin, and then the hairs turn into white. I tried to imitate that.

Ok, next time better and thank you all for the feedback!

There is a colleague at work who has the same colouring dark to light or light to dark depending on which way you look at her tongue - as it is a She, I should add it is her hair and NOT her beard (which is pure white lol ).

You may want to consider using chalk pastels for shading as these work well most of the time - you do have to seal them with a spray sealer though.

Just to echo Christoph's comment and apologies to Pete Seeger, but "Where have all the MMP voters gone, long time passing?
Where have all the MMP voters gone, long time ago?"...... smile

Theobald · Wed, Nov18 2015 5:38pm

"Eight members who are interested in this????? Not bad. Could have been less . . . " (Turambar, yesterday)

Well, I do understand a certain disappointment about the number of reactions from the company here. But I would like to point out that I was very much interested in this "painting leage 01" and followed all entries and pics. I can imagine that there are more members but me who did the same and also liked the results.
What may have caused this misunderstanding is the small number of people taking part in the poll. I am aware that everybody here was invited to take part in the poll but, as for me, I did not. Why? Well I am of the opinion that first of all those who took an active part should be allowed to vote. That still is my point of view.

Maenas · Mon, Nov23 2015 10:26am

Ok so.... Thank you all for participating on the voting and on the first league. Congratulations to all participants, and to all that commented and shared, also to all those that were just reading this lines. I'm hoping to see more participation on the next one, now that this one is almost, if not, finished.

I really liked the positive feedback that we shared here!!!

PS.: Maybe all the finished pictures can be used on the database if needed! ^^

Ori · Wed, Nov25 2015 9:16pm

I am allways late, sorry. I voted anyway.

Maenas · Thu, Nov26 2015 9:21am

Ori wrote:
I am allways late, sorry. I voted anyway.

en---
Thank you for your participation Ori!! Have a look at the painter's league thread we are preparing it's second edition wink --> http://mmp.faerylands.eu/viewtopic.php?id=772
sp---
Gracias por participar en las votaciones Ori!! Échale un vistazo al hilo de la liga de pintores, estamos preparando la seguna wink -->http://mmp.faerylands.eu/viewtopic.php?id=772

Last edited by Maenas (Thu, Nov26 2015 9:23am)

Turambar · Thu, Nov26 2015 9:49pm

Perhaps- Master Ori has got the opportunity to join . . . ? It is not too late- still . . .

Ori · Fri, Nov27 2015 11:13am

Turambar wrote:
Perhaps- Master Ori has got the opportunity to join . . . ? It is not too late- still . . .

Uufff... I havn't painted a figure in the past 9 years.

orc · Fri, Nov27 2015 11:44am

Come on master Ori.!!...the idea is share with your faeryland companions and friends ours adiction to mithril minis! big_smile

Vamos companero!!! animate!!!!! wink

Ori · Fri, Nov27 2015 10:50pm

For now I will only vote your paintings....

No spare times with a child around and a second one comming in four months.

Maenas · Sat, Nov28 2015 5:11pm

Ori wrote:
.... and a second one comming in four months.

Let's celebrate this newcoming at the pony!

Many Mithril Pages @ Faerylands

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#1 Sun, Nov15 2015 12:46pm

Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#2 Sun, Nov15 2015 2:59pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#3 Sun, Nov15 2015 5:04pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#4 Sun, Nov15 2015 5:16pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#5 Sun, Nov15 2015 6:31pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#6 Sun, Nov15 2015 7:12pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#7 Sun, Nov15 2015 11:10pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#8 Mon, Nov16 2015 4:55am

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#9 Mon, Nov16 2015 9:41am

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

Maenas wrote:

wrote:

Turambar wrote:

Turambar wrote:

ddaines wrote:

orc wrote:

#10 Mon, Nov16 2015 2:06pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#11 Tue, Nov17 2015 9:51am

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#12 Tue, Nov17 2015 11:02am

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#13 Tue, Nov17 2015 8:45pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#14 Tue, Nov17 2015 9:05pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

Gerold wrote:

#15 Wed, Nov18 2015 5:38pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#16 Mon, Nov23 2015 10:26am

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#17 Wed, Nov25 2015 9:16pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#18 Thu, Nov26 2015 9:21am

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

Ori wrote:

#19 Thu, Nov26 2015 9:49pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#20 Fri, Nov27 2015 11:13am

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

Turambar wrote:

#21 Fri, Nov27 2015 11:44am

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#22 Fri, Nov27 2015 10:50pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

#23 Sat, Nov28 2015 5:11pm

Re: Mithril's painting league 01 - Votings

Ori wrote:

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