next »

[Cathar the Great]

absolutely stunning! You have a unique and wonderful style that is instantly recognizable. The freehands are beautiful, and the eyes, as already stated, are just insane. You must have the steadiest hands in the world, probably bionic? Are you from the future?

@gimp: I agree, great painters inspire me, too.

[Akatskimilan]

I'm inspired as well, but kind of in a different way.  I'll be like "I want to paint that model, but not until I'm good enough to make it like that."  Its like how Veronica has been primed for a couple of months now but I haven't started painting her because I'm not ready to do the effect I want on her hair.  Heh, I'm weird.

Oh, well, back to practice practice practice and so on.

[Bren]

I'm inspired as well, but kind of in a different way.  I'll be like "I want to paint that model, but not until I'm good enough to make it like that."  Its like how Veronica has been primed for a couple of months now but I haven't started painting her because I'm not ready to do the effect I want on her hair.  Heh, I'm weird.

Oh, well, back to practice practice practice and so on.

I think you should start painting. Don't wait too long. Do you think I'm happy with my older miniatures now that I look back? While at that time I thought I never could do better... and if I really want to paint the mini again, I buy a new one. Which until now only happened... once  Oh no I'm lying, I painted another miniature twice also but that was not really my choice. More like a commission that went wrong, so I had to paint a new version.

[Gimp]

I've used Pine Sol on some miniatures, but only to remove someone else's paint jobs.  I enjoy the history of seeing what my painting was like over the past years compared to now.  With over twenty years of painting time, that's a lot of difference.
 
If you don't paint the miniatures you really like now, you have less incentive to push your talent to the level you want it to be.  Practice is what will improve your talent.  Practice and effort.
 
There's no reason not to paint a miniature now, and re-paint it later if you want to.  I know a man who re-paints his 40K armies every few years, just to try new paint schemes without having to buy more models.  I like keeping my old work, but nobody has to that doesn't.
 
You should enjoy your painting, and accept that it can take time to improve to where you want to be; but look for the good things in what you can do now, and then try to do at least a few things better each time.  Patience is a virtue for improving talent.
 
Another reason to paint them now: things can happen that make it much harder to paint at the level you want.  You should try to enjoy it now.  I still have a blast painting, and can do a very nice job, but I can't get to the level I used to want to reach.  Life is good, but you don't always get to follow the exact path you wanted.
 
Paint, have fun, and enjoy what you can do now, while you try to get to whatever level you want to reach.  Not everyone will be able to match Bren's wonderful talent, but she can inspire us all by showing us how good these models can look, and giving us a target level to shoot for if we want the challenge.
 
Never feel that your painting is not good enough.  You don't have to be perfect to enjoy the hobby and do a job you can be proud of.

[CashlessSociety]

wow, amazing.  I can't wait to see what you do with LE Celia.   

[DentedHead]

Same here CS. I saw on the CMON page new studio painters are sought... Bren's the best I've seen here...

Dent.

[Largo_W]

*signed*

[Akatskimilan]

*Votes for Bren*

I'm curious if my suggestion from way back when about using some of the forum members' paintings in the official rule book alongside the official studio ones is still being considered.  A lot of people showed support to it.

Do you think I'm happy with my older miniatures now that I look back? While at that time I thought I never could do better...

I so know that feeling.  I often look at some of my older models and ask "What the hell was I thinking?"  or "Did I paint that with my left hand or something?" 

I'm at a loss right now.  I'm not sure which model to do next.  I have Damien, Justina, Veronica, Xavier, Nero and Astraega that are primed and a WIP Sophia that I don't really feel like finishing yet until I have a little more practice on some stuff.

[Bren]

Thanks guys (blush)

I've had contact with the Cipher people about the painting, but the problem is I'm on the other side of the Big Pond so shipping takes quite some time. So we're waiting for the right opportunity (I'd like to paint for them!!!).

@ Akat: you should paint the mini you feel like painting most right now, don't wait too long for improved skills. If you never paint anything because you feel you're still not good enough for it you don't practice also, meaning you'll never improve  My experience is that half-painted minis waiting to be finished need to be finished quickly, when I wait for more than a month (or so) I don't feel like finishing it anymore...

[Largo_W]

That is so damned true! I have an about 50% finished "Beloved of Sobek" from Crocodlie Games standing on my desk for about 2 years now and I can't just start it. I have no idea when he will be completed.

[Akatskimilan]

Yeah, its kind of like my holy zealots and monolith bearer...they haven't seen a paintbrush for well over a year.  I have a piece I have to do for a local competition (its a Reaper lizardman).  Once I get that done I'll dive headfirst back into AT.  Now that I'm not a bodyguard anymore I have time to paint

[Wen-M]

grats, Bren, a very nice color variation =D

[piratewench]

Amazing! Man, that's just awesome. *takes note of the eye tutorial* I have a question and I don't mean to sound like a retard but I've never even tried the freehand work that I see people do here, and on the official paint jobs. What I'm wondering is do you use a brush for the free hand detail, or how do you do that? I'm also looking for some better brushes and saw you talking about W&N was it? Where do you get them? I haven't seen them at our local hobby store, can you get them at a craft store? Sorry for all the questions!

[Bren]

For me it's all done with a brush. I ordered one of those fine pointed pens but I've never used it. And yes, I use W&N, I can't buy them here (here is in the Netherlands) in nearby stores so I order them online in Germany or sometimes I can find them on conventions.

Furthermore it's a matter of practice and patience  .

[piratewench]

Good to know, thank you! I'm going to be painting some this next week hopefully (after I get some commissions done  ) and one I'm going to try is Aoi. I think she'll be a good fig to try free-hand with for the first time. I think I need a better detail brush first though. *runs off to look for something suitable*