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Vampiress Diorama

904 views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Da Mighty Camel 
#1 ·
This, is my latest work - only my second diorama too [my first being the Night Lord Apothecary]. I chose to work on this because it was different than what I normally do, being taller less hairy than a dwarf and rather less armoured than a space marine. I also wanted to do something a bit special and different. This was achieved mainly with the base, as you'll see.

I would give you a run down of what I've used on her and such, but I never take note and use whatever comes to mind and sometimes go back and rework parts at times depending on advice and so forth. But.. for the base, I used milliput extensively. I used a large fantasy monster base and a cavalry base which I shaved down the edges as much as possible then added a layer of milliput. I embedded the gravestones then taking the vampire glued to her base I pushed her in and cut out the shape to fit her in. Then adding sand I then drybrushed it various browns and greens before adding a layer of flock and a bit of static grass near the base of the gravestones.

I gave her pale skin but with a purple wash - though I had to highlight again and the purple is less visible now. The green was worked up from VGC Olive Green and mixed with various greens to get a nice dark green, highlights were done with Rotting Flesh. The red bodice was started from a Dark Flesh and Bestial Brown base, I added in various red shades for latter layers and highlights. The leggings were green but I changed them to a light brown which works much better, the staff was done greys - was going for a sort of marble look but failed. Though it worked out alright. The gold worked alright, wasn't sure about the top of her head but it worked ok. I did a little bit of freehand on her sleeves, was going for a Fleur De Lys but I need to work better at freehand,

Anyway, the pictures... Two; Vampire and then the base.





KU
 
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#2 ·
This is a beautifull diorama. Really like it indeed. She is very well done painted, very evil look. The base looks awsome. The look of the gravestones is very.. err.. gravestonish. The look like stone lol.

Hmm.. something to complain on :rolleyes: .. it's not a very big deal about it but the layering on the pants. from dark brown to light brown is maybe a little extreme. Even more blending between the colors.

Love the diorama! Keep it up!!
 
#3 ·
I really like it as it is (bar a few things, I'll come on to them in a sec), but I think it could have been so much more.
I think that if you'd tried painting the whole thing a bit darker, as if it was at night; and tried some subtle source lighting from the skull-staff, it would have been beautiful.

But I'm not trying to put you down at all mate, she is a lovely piece, and you should be happy with her.
I think you could probably do another layer on the leggings between the dark and the light, as Fannaka said, it is a bit harsh. The edge of the diorama is my other big gripe, it looks a bit rough, especially compared to the hard straight edges on the bottom of the base.

I do like lots of bits though, the cat especially floats my boat ;)
I think you should be less down on your freehand, it looks great :yes:

-t.
 
#4 ·
I did just notice, the pictures are slightly darker than I would like - looks a little sharpish with the blending. Might be the case but no worries really.

Minus_T - I wasn't brave enough for light sourcing, so I stumped for a nice simple skull. And yes, the side might have been better. I should have looked to this before I started painting it really. Other people have mentioned about more of the skeleton would be better, I would have but I didn't have anything else than an arm. Oddly.

KU
 
#6 ·
I think that look very good. I like how she is raising the dead. I have her too but mine is really pale with light grey clothes. I think she could do with a little more work on the face. She seems to go too sharply from pale skin to shaded areas. You should make her flow some more from one to the other.

I suggest you take some white or pale grey paint and water it down. Use a Detail brush with the tiniest amount of this paint on it. Carefully and slowly smooth over her lighter areas working towards the darker areas of her face. This will help to sharpen up her highlights. The idea is to have the lighter areas on her face expand and cover more of the darker areas because the shading looks too heavy.

Obviously she needs shading but with more of her face merged she will look more unified. You said you have trouble with marble effects, I know exactly how to do that. To do say a dark marble effect you need to paint the area black or dark grey. Then take a drybrush and apply only the smallest amount to the bristles. The colour of paint you want is to be slightly lighter than the base colour of the marble.

You apply this paint to the model like you are sponging it. Marble is often made of several subtle layers. Imagine you have a sponge with dark grey paint and a big black wall and you are trying to get a mottled effect on the wall. This is what you are aiming to do with the Vampire only on a much smaller scale.

Once this is done you need a detail brush. Again give the brush only the smallest amount of paint. Paint in jagged streaks over the area. Then repeat with a lighter colour. These streaks will work best if they look random and don't follow each other preciesely. The colours you use are up to you.

If you started with black lighter greys will be easiest but scaly green or browns can work too on top of black or grey. The rule to follow is that the steaks be distinctly lighter than the base colour and the sponged colour. Light marble effects can be achieved by doing the same thing with only light base and dark streaks.

Experiment with it, hope this helps.
 
#7 ·
Mouthrax - Yep, that was the ideas behind it. To make her both a gaming piece and a small showcase piece. :)

Leech - The flesh does go rather sharply, you're right. It's a little less so in real life but not much. However, I think it adds more to the effect that she's not alive. The near sudden contrast does add to the idea she's no longer breathing and that the flesh would necroses, hence why I also washed it with purple. So thanks, but to suit my idea of how I pictured her it works. But normally, yes the blending would be smoother.

With the marble, you mean stippling. I was looking towards a more advanced look of how Gareth did his on his Blood Angel Chaplain. It didn't work but the overall look is pretty good I feel. I try to avoid drybrushing unless it's on a base, especially something like stippling on such a small piece. But thanks, might see what it looks like on a larger piece.

KU
 
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