WIP by Mars_2000 - Winged Nazgul (Christmas gift from 2014)

Mars_2000 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 03, 2015 8:47 pm

Hi Everyone,
This is my first WIP post in which I would like to do some introduction to actually ongoing projects of my dioramas and figures paintings. In next days,weeks or months (depends of my laziness

) I will try to present here a current stages of my works and progress made.

OK. So let's start...
The newest, just started, project is a kind of display diorama for small regiment of Minas Tirith solders (box of 6 Knights on horses , box of 12 on foot men and Battlecry Trebuchet set). I am using for this an original scenery set of Ruins of Osgiliath bought ages ago...
This diorama is made as two parts set which can be placed in two ways:
1. First way (for display purposes) - as long defense line

2. Second way (for gaming pursposes) - as rectangular defense building - kind of "stronghold" point

And here is the latest stage after few hours of work (roads painted + styrofoam base painted with "earth color" prepared for static grass deployment).

Actually, I am working on some smaller details such as additional pieces of ruin and stones and kind of withered tree.

And here few words about other ongoing project - an epic scene with duel between Balrog and Gandalf on Khazad-dum bridge.
Scene made from styrofoam is already almost fully painted and now it's time for painting Balrog and Gandalf.

Lava is not finished, yet (will be darker) and rocks will get some extra highlights as effect of fire reflections.
Early stage:

Actual:

I will be very happy if you share any comments about my works or provide guidelines and suggestions for improvements :roll:

warrior of the north · **Posted:** Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:28 pm

Looks good so far I especially like the "you shall not pass!" diorama.

Grungehog · **Posted:** Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:40 pm

wow, the you shall not pass looks deadly, gandalf better not fall into that lava, he's no balrog

Reto · **Posted:** Sat Jan 03, 2015 10:00 pm

Looking good so far!

Mothball · **Joined:** Fri Nov 30, 2012 3:23 am **Posts:** 116

Excellent!

GothmogtheWerewolf · **Posted:** Sun Jan 04, 2015 12:38 pm

This is amazing work, keep it up.

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Sun Jan 04, 2015 3:06 pm

Nice Work

I am not usually a fan of that hot wire technique for clifts. However, you did an exceptional fine job. The rock looks very good. The lava also looks great.
I am looking forward to seeing more :yay:

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Sun Jan 04, 2015 3:24 pm

Painting the stair on the back ground would add a lot. :twisted:

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Sun Jan 04, 2015 3:38 pm

Very nice piece, little to add as you seem to have most things covered even the OSL

Mapper · **Posted:** Sun Jan 04, 2015 7:47 pm

Nothing to add but praise to your bridge piece, your skill level is way above mine. Regarding the osgilath ruins, I find if you finish off the bottom of the stairs piece, it looks a lot better.

Mars_2000 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 04, 2015 10:56 pm

Many thanks to all of you for nice words and good comments with suggestions.
Highly appreciated.

Referring background for duel diorama, different background pics are considered (but still looking for this "special" one ;-)

, a high quality moria style graphics or movie pics to print it and put on back)

Mapper wrote:

Regarding the osgilath ruins, I find if you finish off the bottom of the stairs piece, it looks a lot better.

Indeed...your stars looks perfectly. Thanks for tip.

As today was quite short for me (loooooong taking family dinner at parents house) , I have only managed to finish painting of remaining details for Osgiliath scene.
But fortunately, as tomorrow I have a day off, I am going to glue all parts to diorama base and start applying static grass and other greens, too.
Will take and post some pics as well, when job is finished.

Mars_2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 8:59 am

After couple of days of silence, I would like to update my WIP , a little bit.
As Osgiliath ruins are almost done and pending delivery of boxes with MT armers, which will be standing there, I have returned to my Khazad-Dum scene.
So...I've decided to stand against Balrog face2face :shock:

to finally challenge my poor painting skills and below there are few pics of progress made in 3 evenings spent so far.

Naturally, I’ve started from exact cleaning of figure , filling gaps with GS and 3x undercoating it with white primer spray. Then next 2 evenings were sacrificed for paining of the body.

I must admit here, that this fellow is truly time consuming one

. I think I do nothing else than paint … and paint … and paint … and paint all these black skin spots…and no end of these and still so much to OMG !

It is also because I have not decided to go for shortcut and didn’t use any drybrushing or spray whole surface into black and then painting only red and yellow lava cracks because I hope that first of all I will improve my techniques by this “challenge” and secondly I count for nicely looking monster at the end…

Your thoughts are highly appreciated

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 9:25 am

I'm delighted you are pushing your painting and not just being satisfied with ok jobs.
This is looking really nice, the heat is starting to show through nicely.
Look to adding a few areas of white on the hottest parts, the shoulders. It will give a little extra punch.
To do a proper paint job you can't rush, it took me a month to do the troll on my diorama challenge but it was worth it.

tkoellne · **Joined:** Fri Jan 09, 2015 7:32 pm **Posts:** 14

Since you visited my WIP I wanted to give it a look - your monstrous Balrog!

I'm a bit jealous of how your transition from the middle of balrog to the outer spots is coming out. DAMN it looks nice. I just painted mine white - then Flesh Gitz Yellow with a very thin Blood-Red-Shade. I daped the "miniature" with kitchen paper....maybe i should repaint the recesses with a better transision. Anyway i really like your paint job.

Furthermore your Khazad-Dhûm Bridge "You shall not pass" is absolutely stunning!
AMAZING!!!!

Greetings from Germany,

Tom

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 9:06 pm

Keep at it. This is shaping up to be awesome!

Mars_2000 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:08 pm

tkoellne wrote:

Since you visited my WIP I wanted to give it a look - your monstrous Balrog!

I'm a bit jealous of how your transition from the middle of balrog to the outer spots is coming out. DAMN it looks nice. I just painted mine white - then Flesh Gitz Yellow with a very thin Blood-Red-Shade. I daped the "miniature" with kitchen paper....maybe i should repaint the recesses with a better transision. Anyway i really like your paint job.

Furthermore your Khazad-Dhûm Bridge "You shall not pass" is absolutely stunning!
AMAZING!!!!

Greetings from Germany,

Tom

C'mon Tom

Mine is not better than yours...you should be proud of your Balrog , absolutely :yay:

And I don't think you should repeat any of so far made steps. Just keep going

The only difference maybe is such that I have used "less" kitchen towel , but more of wet blending between colors from yellow through orange into dark red.

However, with one I do agree in 100% with you :wink:

Indeed, I am really happy with results so far achieved on my almost completed "You Shall Not Pass" diorama.
I can't wait the moment it stand on the shelf ready in house of my father (as it is a birthday gift for him) lighted up from top by 2 small spot lights (red and white leds) over the main heroes to bring more drama :-D

Sithious · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:18 pm

Awesome, and it is a gift, that is amazing and generous of you.
Keep up the great work.

Mars_2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:06 am

Once again I would like to thank everyone for given comments and interest in my started WIP, here.

Today, I am throwing few quickly made pictures after made small progress in painting of my Balrog.
Every part of wing consumed roughly 2 hours of time spent and so far I have managed to cover almost 3 out of 4 wing parts.
It is just one layer of black so far, but I am going to repeat whole process to reach full even coverage of wings and then do some highlights with grey color of wing bones and membranes.

And already now I have a big dilemma...
What kind of varnish I should use to finish the miniature ?
I have a feeling that its black body is quite matt and I am not sure if it looks nice and natural. But, I also don't want to ruin it , when I decide to cover it with glossy lacquer, which is later hard to replace...
Any ideas if his black skin to be more shiny or not ? Please, help me with choice.

And here are pics:

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:24 am

Matt finish for me.
Will you adding some yellow, everything looks a bit too orange at present.

Mars_2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2015 9:39 am

Gandlaf the Grey wrote:

Matt finish for me.
Will you adding some yellow, everything looks a bit too orange at present.

OK. Thanks for tip.

Yes..I will break little bit these orange areas with making some of them as more yellow and some with darker red.

WIP by Mars_2000 - Winged Nazgul (Christmas gift from 2014)

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