Miniature Painting

Derobane was nice enough to come over last weekend and while his spawn played with my spawn we did some painting. I recently put in a big order for minis and the first batch had arrived. There were a bunch I was dying to start painting.

So while DB worked on a few Nazis, I got to work on this piece. This is Eando Kline, the star of the first series of fiction in the Paizo Adventure Paths, and a key NPC in the Serpent Skull AP. I had not painted in months and this mini was pretty straight forward. I was quite happy with the face although I was kinda sloppy in a few other spots.

Derobane was kind enough to leave his painting supplies behind when he left and yesterday I ignored my wife and children and worked on a few more pieces.

This is a piece I've always liked. I can't see me ever using it for anything but there you go. I got a little experimental with this one. I thinned the paints and tried layering and it worked out pretty well. I let my wife and daughter pick out the color scheme for the outfit. The hair was a bit of an experiment that I wasn't completely satisfied with. When I do hair, it never looks quite right. I got some nice shading effects on the skin but I still have to master doing it on fabrics. Looking at the picture I can spot a mistake but I guess I should put the critical eye away and just enjoy it. This one turned out better then most.

The next Mini is another Paizo mini. This is Shalelu, elven ranger and a minor NPC in the Rise of the Rune Lords and Second Darkness APs. I tried something different again with the hair (green ink) and although it turned out darker then I wanted, it works. Overall, I thought this one turned out quite well. I'm not sure if you can see it in the picture but it looks like she has white eyeliner. Not what I was going for but it was even on both sides and I decided I liked it. I tried shading on the cape and it really didn't work. My attempt to fix it didn't go so well either. Rather then repaint the cape I just left it as is. If I wanted perfection I'd never finish.

The last one is the Red Mantis Assassin, another Paizo mini. I really like how the ink was able to pop the detail on the armor but it made the red a little darker then I intended. Still how many assassins would walk around in bright red armor, right?

I also spent about an hour yesterday gluing the minis with multiple pieces together. My least favorite thing about painting the miniatures is assembling them. I have no patience for it. I only got the epoxy working once and that was after Derobane told me his trick (mix and let it start to dry before applying). I tried Crazy Glu yesterday I still had to hold one piece for 15 minute before it set (getting evil looks from my wife the whole time since it was supper time). Everything is assembled now and maybe next weekend I'll consider painting some of those ones as well. Seltyiel has some crazy detail work including a fiery familiar. On second though I'll save him until I get better.