Fire Elemental Familiar: Figure 221 of 266

   This past week I knew I was going to be short of time again, with just having returned from Nashcon, and the holiday on Monday; so I picked out one of the remaining figures from the Familiars set: the Fire Elemental.
      I prepped the figure in the usual way; soaking it in a dish of water with a couple drops of dish- soap added, then giving it a light scrub with a soft toothbrush, and then rinsing and drying it.  I then glued the figure to a white-primed 7/8" fender washer with Aleene's Tacky glue, and then glued the washer-mounted figure to a tongue depressor with a couple drops of the Elmer's glue.

      Rather than go with the usual red fire, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to again try the green fire I had used on the Kobold Shaman a couple weeks ago.  I began by paitning the entire figure with Nicole's "Neon Green".  When dry, I gave the entire figure a wash with Iron Wind Metals "Dark Green" ink, using a wet brush.

      When the ink wash was dry, I mixed a little of the "Neon Green" with some White, and added highlights.    I then started working outwards toward the tips of the flames with slightly thinned Crafter's Acrylic "Holiday Green".

   Next, I added a further outer layer with Americana "Leaf Green", and lastly, I painted the tips of the flames with Accent "Forest Green".  I also used the "Forest Green" to paint the elemental's eye sockets.  Then I went back and added eyes with Folk Art "Metallic Emerald Green".   Lastly, I painted the figure's base White.
      When everything had overnight to dry, I gave the figure a coat of Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish" early the next morning.  Midday, I flocked the white areas with Woodland Scenics "Snow" flock and late that afternoon I sprayed the figure with Testor's Dullcote.

     Well, I'm generally pleased.   I'm not sure if I like it with the empty hollow eyes, or whether a pinpoint highlight in each might be an improvement.

Figure 221 of 266: Complete

Virina, Female Demon: Figure 119 of 265

     This week I painted Virina, the female demon, from the BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guys) set.  As I pondered how I was going to paint her, I got in my head to do her in all black, and then I thought it might be neat to give her bright red hair to contrast with the black body.  I then happened to see a picture of some pumpkinhead figures someone had painted and had done cool fire-glowing eye effects on the jack-o-lantern heads; and the idea came to me that perhaps instead of doing plain red hair, it might be cool to try and paint the hair like glowing fire.  Since I have 200-some Bones figures to paint, the opportunity to do experimenting with stuff like this is one of the things I like.

         I prepped this figure in the usual way; soaking it in a dish of water with a couple drops of dish soap added, then giving it a light scrub with a soft toothbrush, and then rinsing and drying.  I then glued the figure to a 1" black-primed fender washer with Aleene's Tacky glue, and glued the washer to a tongue depressor with a couple drops of Elmer's White Glue.
     I then painted her all black, doing my best to avoid the hair.

Next, I gave the whole body a drybrushing with Duncan "Slate Blue" to add highlights to the black body and wings.  Her hooves and horns I drybrushed with Folk Art "Medium Grey".

I then painted her hair Apple Barrel "Lemon Chiffon".

I then carefully drybrushed over the "Lemon Chiffon with first, Americana "Tangerine", and then Ceramcoat "Bright Red".

     And, lastly, I went over the hair with Apple Barrel "Apple Maroon".  I then painted the ring on her hair, first with Ceramcoat "Bronze, and then added highlights with Ceramcoat "14K Gold".  Next I tried to add reflected light from the hair onto her shoulders, chest, arms, tail, wings, and face by lightly drybrushing them with the "Tangerine"  Finally, I added eyes with the "Lemon Chiffon" and then added black pupils, and then touched up any exposed white areas of her integral base with the black.
       The next morning I gave it the figure coat of Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish".   Later in the afternoon I flocked the base, and the next day I sprayed it with Testor's "Dullcote" spray varnish.

     Well, I like it, but I'm not totally happy with the figure, I think the black body turned out looking cool, but I don't know if the hair effect really works, and I still need to work on my relected light effects, as I think they came off heavy-handed.

Figure 119 of 265: Complete

Large Fire Elemental: Figure 55 of 265

This week I wrapped up a project that I have been working on for a while now; the Large Fire Elemental from the Fire it Up set. It also is marks my completetion of the Fire it Up set.   Ever since I saw the illuminated samples Reaper had on display at their booth at Historicon, I have been thinking about how to do this myself.  The one thing I didn't like about the ones I saw at  Historicon was the tealight bases, which to my tastes were too tall, and in the case of the Large Fire Elemental, too small in diameter for such a big figure.

    So, since last Summer I had been thinking about a way to solve the problems I had with the look of the tealight base.  I bought a pack of cheap dollar store tealights, and began to play around them.  The first step I tried was to remove the cover from one of the tealights. This was easily accomplished with the tip of a hobby knife blade inserted in between the base and cover of the light.  This solved the height problem, but not the base size problem.  So I began to ponder ways to expand the base. At first I wanted to use a metal washer, since all my other figures are mounted on washers, but I resigned myself to the fact there was just no way I could use one that I could think of, and still have access to the switch underneath the light.  So I next look at plastic bases.  I pulled out a large 2.5 inch base I had in my bits box and got the idea of cutting out a circle in the center for the tealight base to fit into.  By clipping off the three tiny pegs that act like feet on the bottom of the tealight, the tealight base was a perfect fit for under the large plastic base.
   The figure would still not be able to sit flush with the black plastic figure base, but instead would be elevated about a quarter of an inch above it.  I felt this was an acceptable amount, and I could build up a small mound with Milliput around the tealight base for the figure to 'sit' on.

I now set about working on my plan.  First, I did my usual prep to the figure of soaking it overnight in some dish soap and water.   Then, I cut a rough circle in the plastic base.  I only needed it large enough for the light itself, the battery compartment, and the switch mechanism to fit through. I then drilled a hole up into the underside of the figure.  I tried to go as far up as I could without risking poking though the figure.

The next step was to glue the base of the tealight up under the black plastic figure base.  I used E-6000 glue for this.

When dry, I then glued the figure over the light, to the top of the bulb-holder/battery compartment.  You'll notice in the photo below that I had to glue a little section of popsicle stick between the figure and the switch compartment, as without the light's outer housing the switch is not held firmly in place, and this bit of wood, would act as a cover to the switch holder, and prevent the switch from popping out.

I as now ready to build my Milliput mound around the tealight base to hide it, but I was concerned about getting the putty into the switch and other small openings in the tealight base.  To fix this I found a small plastic lid I had, and cut it down so it made a nice little housing around the switch.  I also glued some bits of cardstock around the tealight base to cover any small openings that the Milliput might get into.

My last step of construction was to build up a mound around the tealight base using Milliput, that would look like a rise in the ground the Elemental was standing on.

I masked the figure with a bit of masking tape and newspaper, and sprayed the base with flat black spray paint.  For the figure, I used the same paint scheme that I had used on the Medium Fire Elemental last week.   I began by giving the outer edges of the figure, the base, body, and upper arms, a drybrushing with Apple Barrel "Apple Maroon", and then just inside this, working my way towards the center, and down towards the bottom of the base, I gave it a dry brushing with GW "Blood Red"

Next I did the oranges, doing a drybrush with GW "Blazing Orange" first, again painting just inside the previous color. And then I  did a drybrush with Americana "Tangerine"

Now I moved to the yellows. I did a drybrush in the center of the body, around the bottom of the base, the face,  bottoms of the arms, and the center of the fireball hands, with GW "Golden Yellow. This was followed by a drybrushing with Apple barrel "Yellow"

 My final steps was to add heat highlights with Apple Barrel "Lemon Chiffon"  to the very bottom of the figure, the center of its "torso" , the face, and the hands.   Then I added a bit of white to the "Lemon Chiffon"" ,and did some small pinpoint highlights on the parts I mentioned above. I didn't like the fact that this figure had no face, so I gave it some eyes by painting on two smudgy black eye shapes, and then painting inside these with the "Lemon Chiffon" with some white highlights.  I also did a mount with a "Lemon Chiffon"and white mix. When all was dry I painted the figure with Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish", and then flocked the base.  I used a bit of dried coffee around the base of the Elemental  to represent singed grass, and when the flocking was dry I gave the immediate area around her feet a light drybrushing with black to make it look like burnt grass.  Finally, I gave the figure a coat of Testor's "Dullcote" spray paint.

The figure as it appears with the tealight turned off.

Photographed in a darkened room with the tealight turned on.

Photographed in a lit room with the tealight turned on.

Below is a short video of the figure to show you the flickering effect of the tealight.

I'm really pleased with how this figure turned out.  It was a fun project to complete, and makes a nice novelty figure on the table.

Figure 55 of 265: Complete

Medium Fire Elemental: Figure 54 of 265

This week I painted the Medium Fire Elemental from the Fire It Up set.  I did my usual prep of soaking it overnight in water with a little dish soap added, and then rinsing and drying.  I then glued it using Aleene's Mighty Tacky Glue  to a black-primed 1 inch fender washer. I then glued this to a tongue depressor with a couple drops of white glue.

I wanted this figure to appear as if the source of its heat was coming from its core, so I wanted it to be hottest and brightest in the center and darkest and coolest as you reached the outer edges.  To do this effect I had to think of the figure almost two dimensionally, and luckily the sculpt lends itself to that.  I began by giving the outer edges of the figure, the wings, body, and upper arms, a drybrushing with Apple Barrel "Apple Maroon", and then just inside this, working my way towards the center, I gave it a dry brushing with GW "Blood Red"

Next I did the oranges, doing a drybrush with GW "Blazing Orange" first, again painting just inside the previous color. And then I  did a drybrush with Americana "Tangerine"

Now I moved to the yellows. I did a drybrush in the center of the body, and the wings, and the bottoms of the arms with GW "Golden Yellow. This was followed by a drybrushing with Apple barrel "Yellow".

  My final steps was to add heat highlights with Apple Barrel "Lemon Chiffon" to her chest, stomach, the raised leg, her brow and nose.  I also put two dots of this color in her eyes to give them a focus. Then I added a bit of white to the "Lemon Chiffon"" ,and did some small pinpoint highlights on the parts I mentioned above.  When all was dry I painted the figure with Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish", and then flocked the base.  I used a bit of dried coffee around her feet  to represent singed grass, and when the flocking was dry I gave the immediate area around her feet a light drybrushing with black to make it look like burnt grass, as reader 'adeptgamer' suggested on my previous figure, the Hell Hound.  Finally, I gave the figure a coat of Testor's "Dullcote" spray paint.

All in all I'm very pleased with how this figure turned out.  I think I'm finally getting the hang of doing the shading for fire on these translucent figures, (and solid figures as well).  With my first attempts I was almost afraid to cover the translucency. I also was working under the false impression of fire being darker at he base and lighter at the edges. Which is how we paint most normal figures, with lighter highlights on the outer edges.

    Next up, for my Christmas special, I will do the large fire elemental....and this one will be electrified! :)
A preview:

  Stay tuned...

Figure 54 of 265: Complete

Almaran the Gold, Paladin: Figure 43 of 265

This week I painted the Paladin, Almaran the Gold,  from the 30 New Bones Set.  While studying this figure, I found myself picturing him all decked out in white armor (as do-gooders tend to be). :) After doing an all black figure last week, I thought it might be interesting to try my hand at an all white look.  I did my usual prep of soaking overnight in dish soap and water; then, when dry, I glued the figure to a black-primed fender washer, and then glued this to half a tongue depressor,  for ease of handling during painting, with a drop of Elmer's white glue.

I began by giving the whole figure a wash with diluted black ink, with a tiny drop of dish soap added to aid it running into the crevices on the figure.

After this had plenty of time to dry, I gave the whole figure a heavy drybrushing with plain white paint. I then went back with a fine tipped brush, and filled in areas that hadn't been hit thoroughly enough with the drybrushing, in an attempt to help even out the tone, and brighten some of the broad flat surfaces and make crisp edges, as well as hit some of the harder to reach recesses.

Next, I painted the gown of the angel on his shield and the ribbon hanging from his back with  Americana "Salem Blue." I also painted his face, as well as the faces and hands on the shield, and face on the armor, with Apple Barrel "Apple Flesh".  I then painted his hair, the sword's grip, the unarmored part of his gloved hands, and the flexible part in the elbow and behind the knees, with Americana "Charcoal Grey". I also painted what I thought was hair, but now think is a hood, on the shield, and armor, heads with the same color.   I then gave the ribbon and gown a wash with Medium Blue ink.

At this point I added some highlights to the ribbon and gown with Anita's "Baby Blue". Next, I gave all the flesh areas a wash with Windsor Newton "peat Brown" Ink.  Then, when dry, I added highlights with the original "Apple FLesh" color. Next, I carefully drybrushed all the hair with Folk Art "Golden Harvest, followed by Americana"Moon Yellow, and lastly added highlights of Apple Barrel "Lemon Chiffon" with a fine tipped brush. I also painted in his eyes at this point; white with  a black dot for the pupil.

Next, I went to work on the metallic parts.  First, I  painted the end borders of the ribbon with Folk Art "Metallic Blue Sapphire".  I then painted the wings, sword hilt, and some of the decorative elements on his armor with Ceramcoat "Bronze". I then gave these parts a wash with the "Peat Brown " ink.  When they were dry, I went back and painted highlights on these parts with Ceramcoat "14K Gold". I also painted his sword, as well as the sword on the shield, with GW "Chainmail", and then highlighted it with GW "Mithril Silver"

My final step was to do the fire on the flaming sword.  I began  by painting all the tongues of flame with the "Lemon Chiffon".  I then worked my way towards the tips of the tongues adding, in order: Apple Barrel "Yellow", Americana "Tangerine", Americana "Burnt Orange", and finally, Apple Barrel "Apple Maroon".  I then went back and thinned some of the "Tangerine", and painted a light coat along the blade right beneath the flames, and along the edged of the shoulder armor opposite the flames, to give the appearance of reflected light.  I then went back over these areas and added some dabs of thinned "Yellow".

   I then let everything dry overnight, and then painted the whole model with Cermacoat "Matte Varnish".  The next day I flocked the base, and after a period to dry, I sprayed the figure with Testor's "Dullcote".

In general, I'm pleased with how the figure turned out, However, I think I could have done the reflective light a little batter, but I was in a hurry to get done at that point.

Figure 43 of 265: Complete

Playing With Fire: 6 & 7 of 264

I thought I'd jump in and try and experiment with some of the translucent figures this time, so I washed two of the small fire elements in dish soap, and glued them to black-primed fender washers. The first one I worked on was the ball of fire, of which, for some reason, I forgot to take work-in-progress photos.  I began by washing in red ink, then when dry I washed in black ink, thinking it would give a good shadowy effect to the fire. I then, then the ink was dry, dry brushed a dark and light orange, and a dark and light yellow.  Overall I was disappointed how the black ink wash turned out, making the fire seem muddy and dull.
  So on the second one, I skipped the black ink wash, and washed just with red ink.

Then I did a drybrush with dark orange, and then a drybrush with light orange.

These were followed by a drybrush with dark yellow, and then light yellow.  On both figures, when the paint was dry, I coated them with brush applied Ceramcoat 'Matte Varnish'. Then when the varnish was dry, I flocked the bases, starting with a small circle of dried coffee grounds immediately around the fire, to give the impression of burnt soil or grass; and then I put an edge of regular green flocking around the perimeter of the base.

Below you can see both of the fire figures side by side..  Of the two, I think  like the one on the right, without the black ink, better. Though the other one does have a certain dark, oily fire quality about it.

Figures 6 & 7: Complete