Smaug the Magnificent

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2015 7:48 pm

This is starting to look more epic than I thought. What colour are you thinking for the tongue ?

Captain Ingold · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:52 am

Looking as glorious as he ever was! Great to see that this thread was only pretending to be asleep and that you've risen from your long slumber, Natarn. Can't wait to see it finished.

edge67 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:07 am

Oh Smaug - the most beautifully painted!

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:06 am

Coming together. The drybrushing is really starting to show the effort you have put into the sculpt. excellent work.

Natarn · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:57 pm

Gandlaf the Grey wrote:

This is starting to look more epic than I thought. What colour are you thinking for the tongue ?

Not sure yet. Probably like a flame but I really liked the blue tongue of a dragon I saw on this site by Karavatis. Super dragon, perched in a tree. The blue tongue really stuck out, in more ways than one.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Yesterday I did some rescue sculpting to the right arm, putting a bit more muscle and shape in the forearm.
I'll most likely have that claw resting on the wall of a smashed building.

Grungehog · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:29 pm

I'm looking forward to seeing this paint scheme come together, I've started painting my Smaug too, took me like 4-5 hours just to do the first layer of red, and touch up the undercoat where the spray didn't reach.For mine I am going for terracota first layer, then blood red heavy drybrush.
How far will you go with highlighting and which colours are you using?

Harfoot · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:42 pm

Epic, love it all, and the Head,WOW

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 11:17 pm

I'm not 100% on the blue tongue and give this explanation.
Karavatis dragon is more fantasy than yours, even though yours is fantasy, if you see what I mean. Therefore his lends itself to more extreme colour choices than what yours would. I'm thinking yours would be better as either firey like a Balrog or go for a dark grey

theavenger001 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2015 12:24 am

Gandlaf the Grey wrote:

I'm not 100% on the blue tongue and give this explanation.
Karavatis dragon is more fantasy than yours, even though yours is fantasy, if you see what I mean. Therefore his lends itself to more extreme colour choices than what yours would. I'm thinking yours would be better as either firey like a Balrog or go for a dark grey

I agree with this. I could see a dark grey with hints of blue in it, but not a straight up sapphire/aqua blue like Karavatis'.

abcdefg · **Joined:** Mon May 28, 2012 3:52 pm **Posts:** 273

Dark grey (with hints of blue) seconded

Natarn · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:43 pm

Gandlaf the Grey wrote:

I'm not 100% on the blue tongue and give this explanation.
Karavatis dragon is more fantasy than yours, even though yours is fantasy, if you see what I mean. Therefore his lends itself to more extreme colour choices than what yours would. I'm thinking yours would be better as either firey like a Balrog or go for a dark grey

You are right.
Mine is a real dragon - so he can't have a blue tongue!

Grey would be cool but perhaps too dark, so the tongue would not get enough attention, hidden in the shadows of his jaws. I prefer the fiery balrog idea as it would suggest the flames that he is able to spout from his mouth when enraged.

I'm not great at painting fire though. My uruk berzerkers with flaming brands are a bit pathetic. Any tips on painting fiery tongues would be most welcome!

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:11 pm

Its a little long but gives you a good idea of what to do
http://hot-lead.org/advance/fire_prac.htm

Natarn · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:46 pm

Thank you for the link.

Sithious · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:49 pm

though I agree that you should do a fire tongue.
On real earth you have this;

So blue is less fantasy than a fire/flame spouting, but in Middle earth I would see fire as more realistic. If that makes any sense.

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:51 pm

I like a blue tongue. (wait...did i just say that?)

Natarn · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:57 pm

I think the skink is actually eating a slug.

Hmmm, my gas cooker does have a blue-tinted flame.

Sithious · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:59 pm

Called a blue tongue skink. There are many with darker blue tongues.
I think it is cool, but not dragony.

Wah Wing · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2015 4:16 am

I've never seen this WIP before but I do remember reading the article about building Smaug. The painting is looking great already; adds much to the high quality of the sculpting!

Magnificent work!!

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:35 pm

It is great to see this one progressing all the way from concept to, well, almost finished.
Now then, how many coins are you going to create for the hoard at his feet?

Natarn · **Posted:** Sun Jan 18, 2015 10:50 am

Dorthonion wrote:

Now then, how many coins are you going to create for the hoard at his feet?

I think I'll pass on that one, Dorthonion, as that would mean another 8 years before it would be finished!

I'll settle for him landing on a smashed building in Dale or the remains of a dwarves watch tower.

Smaug the Magnificent

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