Famous Familiars: Walking Book and Stilts

 

Hello everyone... I've been busy painting those two old figures I found in the attic and I am glad to say that I have finished them. There is still one more to go, which I've started but not yet finished from the little cache I uncovered so hopefully you will be seeing that figure soon. 

I know, I know that the picture above isn't the best snap. I took it with my phone out in the garden as normal but I think my photography skills aren't like they once were, especially compared to the images you see below. In the future, when we have clearer skies I'll take some better snaps for posterity. I'm glad I photographed all of my work years back so I have a clear record of what I achieved now that my old painted collection is no more. 

The Old Orlygg was a pretty decent painter, though at the time I didn't feel it. Funny that... wish I had the same grasp of colour and skill with a brush now.

I painted the Walking Book first and I was pretty pleased with how the feet came out, though my flesh mix was too pale in the end. I really need to stop adding white when I highlight... its such a bad habit that results in washed out highlights but I guess its something I need to relearn over again. I ruined the look with the sand basing, so for future models the sand is going to be glued on the figure before work begins to try and avoid that pitfall. 

The Walking Book's pages pleased me, I was able to freehand lines to resemble writing quite easily though I miss my inks of yore when doing this. Watered down '80s paint doesn't quite have the same vibrancy. I might come back in the future and rework this model, especially the base and the toe nails.

Stilts was a different story, in fact he was a revelation. Something just clicked in me when I was painting his body and I felt that my old Realm of 80s style was suddenly back. I messed up the hooves somewhat with the basing and that certainly needs a little rework when the third familiar is ready to show to the world. But what do you guys think? Has progress been made from that initial plastic skelly?

Its nice to look back at my old work to learn some lessons. For the next figure I need to work on three areas:

1) Sort out the basing first and looking at these old figures has reminded me of the yellow wash I used to put over the top of a base to tone it down. That is a pretty quick fix. 

2) Stop using white as a highlight. With the Monster Paint Set mostly restored there are some nice alternative shades in there... though I might just bite the bullet and look for something more modern in Ian's astonishing gift. 

3) Attempt a deeper colour vibrancy through careful mixing and basecoating. I'm pretty sure I achieved that with Stilts. Its funny, thinking back all these things used to 'just happen' without much thought. The green flesh I'm so pleased with 'just happened' with the Stilts figure too. 

Armoured Mite and Daemonet are two big inspirations for the next figure. I was pleased with the metal mace on the Liche and love how I produced such a dark, greasy look with the Mite. I'm pretty sure it was Chainmail with lots of black and blue washes with two layers of highlights. Basecoat and bright silver on the edge work. This is how I'd like to get my armour and metals looking in future. I love the blue and purple of the Daemonet - clearly white hasn't been used to produce any basecoats here... boy it really is a bad habit (: I'd like to work with purple (the Monster Set has a lovely shade) and maybe try to get a better red look too. 

Daemonette, Beastling and Toad were other figures I once had. Again, there is lots I'd like to relearn here. Looking at Toad first, it notice I've used spot colours to provide contrast to the green skin... something I would love to try again... I remember as I type that back then I used a lot of colour harmony with the paints I mixed up. Certainly something to add to my list of improvements. Hair is also foxing me, and the White Wizard I've been working on certainly shows this. Looking at the Beastling its now obvious I need to go darker with my shading (too much white again, methinks) and try and pick out the look of the hair rather than what has been sculpted. Finally, Daemonette. Looking at her I'd say more red in my flesh mix. I've already tried this with the White Wizard so we will see next post how things go there. 

Phew... lots to achieve next month. 

I'll leave with my old Creeping Claw. If memory serves, this was a speed paint. With a rotting flesh base by the looks of things. At the time, May 2020, I wasn't happy with the result. Now I'd dearly love to be able to produce something like this. I guess I'm having nostalgia for nostalgia... how funny...

The next chance to paint will probably be next Saturday morning, so expect more from me next weekend.

Until then, all the best everyone.

Orlygg