Games Workshop Dudley Painting Competition Feb 2011

I decided to enter the Painting Competition to test my painting skills against some of the other guys, I'm still learning but it's interesting to assess how I'm getting on.

Here was my entry, the Oiler Grot: (thanks to the unknown member of staff who took the photo)

As you can see, despite it being a relatively small model there was a lot to do; that is to say there was a lot of colour on there. The skin was from a method published by the 'Eavy Metal team in White Dwarf 350 I think, which showed a 4-step layering process on how to paint Orc and Goblin (or their 40k friends) faces. It was just a case of adding the same kind of technique to the rest of the body and I had a well-shaded, if pastelly looking grot. The claws (and teeth, had it become an issue) were inspired by the same guide, though there were only 2 layers to this very small step. The squig was interesting, I painted that red following a guide to painting the Skulltaker that was published way back in White Dwarf 342. A lot of layering the same colour over and over again to make a solid colour, and the effect is surprisingly convincing if viewed from a distance. Close up though, it becomes more clear that I need practice, and possibly some better lightbulbs. The metal parts and the leather straps were inspired by the same article. The bag across the squig's mouth was painted in a dirty kind of yellow that I'm hoping to use across the whole army, and though you can't see it, I'm painting the clothes the same way. Everything else, well, all I could do really is look at the figure online and use it as a reference. I think I did quite well, I used the right techniques in the right places, it just needs some practice.

Need to do a bit more on the base though. I spoke to Stevie T afterwards and he said for how bright the skin is, the model would work a little better if I blacked out the rim and made the sand a little brighter - a cold sort of bright. What I'll probably do is highlight it up again with another coat of Dheneb Stone around the edge, and black out the base. Whatever I do will have to work across the whole army, but I'm a long way from that yet...

In other news I turned around and bought the Dungeons and Dragons starter kit. Well, I've always wanted to give it a go, and I've got to start somewhere. I'll let you know how I get on with it in a future blog...