Blade Maiden Leader
by Daniel Cook
I started with the skin. I tried using Rob's method, but I couldn't get the washes right ( I think I need to make them thinner) so I based in GW Elf Flesh, washed with GW Chestnut Ink and highlighted with Elf Flesh/Skull White. I glazed it all with thinned Flesh Wash. I actually did the eye with the old black line and two white dot method. Her nipples (everyone mentions the nipples so who am I to piss against the wind?) are just washed with the Flesh Wash.
Her armor was done two different ways. The chainmail areas are based in a thinned Liquitex Payne's Grey (A very dark blue grey like navy blue). I then drybrushed with GW Mithril Silver. The gauntlets are based in GW Chaos Black and then painted GW Boltgun Metal and washed with Black Ink. I based her sword with the black and then painted it chainmail and a drybrush of mithril silver. (I definitely need to work on my armor and swords painting.) The hilt of the sword is based in GW Vermin Brown and coated in GW Shining Gold (I don't like this gold at all).
The fur is a base of the Payne's Grey and a drybrush of a GW (light blue) and Skull White. The leather armor(?) is based in Chaos black and then painted RP Royal Blue Silk and GW (light blue). I attempted to blend the blues on the leather armor parts. i was more successful on the inner cape and loincloth.
I am not too happy with the hair and tassle. I can't really describe how I arrived at the look that I did. It was an experiment that went horribly wrong and ended up like a brown with some thinned RP Lantern Light Yellow as a highlight. Whatever. I do like the tassle holder and the small discs above it. I painted them to look like bone and considering their size i think they came out pretty good.
I also made my first ever attempts at jewels. From my experienc I have learned this. Extender will help the layers go on more smoothly, base in white if you go highlights on the lowest layer and choose something other than a yellow gem for your first try. I will follow all my own advice next time
.The base is just a square GW slotta base and some generic railroad flocking.
Overall I am pretty happy with this piece. I am used to painting Reapers which are 30mm instead of this 28mm Chronopia fig. I need to work on cleaner lines. If you look at Rob's Blade Maiden you'll see that his piece is very clean ( no out of place lines, all the blending is finished nicely. Everything looks "real"). I am also jealous of Paolo's shading on this fig. And Jennifer's looks fabulous as well. Dominic's hair is great (so's the hair on his Blade Maiden). I would like to get better at all these things and it is great to have so many examples for inspiration.
A moment of reflection
When I first thought about taking up the mini-painting hobby in April of this year, I checked the Internet to see what info I could find on it. In my searches I found three sites on the first day that were and still are absolutely essential to me. I found Paul Raukas' Miniature Gallery, Laszlo Jakusovsky's Hot Lead and the page you're looking at now. I emailed all of these men and asked them questions. They all responded with some of the kindest and most helpful advice and encouragement I have ever come across. I knew that if I took up the hobby I would be among good people doing good things. It was a no-brainer (and luckily so was I). I found the Abyst page of ViC and was deeply inspired by Dominic and Dirk and all the others. (I don't think Laszlo's was up yet.) I too hoped to be placed on a site with these men and their work.
I thank you all and especially Dominic for having this forum. I thank each of my egroup listmates whose advice and encouragement and critique has helped me achieve things that bring joy to my heart and my home. With their help I am able to meditate while painting, create my own art and even create gifts of my own making for the people I love most.
I am honored to be here.
Dan Cook (getting off the soapbox)
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