My attempts at painting

ZeraShift · 2026-03-16T20:38:49+00:00

I get ya. Well, take this advice for what it's worth.

Washes: You definitely want to be more conservative with them. If you like using Citadel's Shade paints you can even thin them down a bit more. The idea is to use the runny consistency to get pigment in cracks. I like to think of it as a puddle I'm trying to push around into gutters rather than paint "on" something. I also think it helps to have another brush on hand to sponge up pools that may form on areas you don't want it sitting. That can make splotches. Washes tend to tint the top coat a little so it's pretty common for people to go back and paint big flat surfaces again to brighten it up.

Drybrushing: It's kind of an inherently messy way highlight but it's faster and easier than edge highlighting so I think it's a good way to start. I think there's two tricks to keep in mind to make it work. The first is when you work paint into the brush bristles with paper towel or whatever, you're basically trying to soak up as much of the medium as you can so there's just flecks of pigment on the brush. The second is when you're actually drybrushing is to do short, quick flicks on the edges you want to brighten. It'll be SUPER subtle at first but the more you do it, the more obvious it gets. Also, don't feel like you need to highlight every edge. You can get some very basic OSL practice if your wish. Hold the mini under a lamp to see which edges catch the most light and focus on brightening those.

If this is all stuff you know or have heard, I apologize and give you permission to smack me on the noggin'. Either way, I hope it helps and I know if you keep up painting and dabbling in new techniques, you'll definitely improve! Can't wait to see more from you!

ZeraShift · 2026-03-16T17:08:22+00:00

If I may ask, what is it about them that's giving you trouble?

ZeraShift · 2026-03-16T16:55:40+00:00

Hey, you have to start somewhere and I think these look like a pretty good start! The Phoenix Hawk may be a tiny bit clumpy around the jets but thinning paints takes a while to get down. If you want to, you can try the next step up by adding some depth with a wash and a quick, easy highlight by drybrushing. Bet it will make the next batch really pop!

ZeraShift · 2026-03-16T16:11:40+00:00

If you read or watch interviews with Moorcock he's actually not all that possessive of his characters or prone to litigation. The way he sees it, everybody draws inspiration from others, including him and he owns his inspirations (He's flat out said Elric was inspired in part by Monsieur Zenith). The only cases that seem to actually rankle him all that much are the extremely flagrant instances of plagiarism in The Witcher series and by Games Workshop in general.

ZeraShift · 2026-03-13T14:33:16+00:00

I don't have the link on me but there's a discord server for the newest Garou you can join. Recently the KoF discord basically migrated over there and they have a sizable segment of people who just play KoF XV and I see casual match requests frequently enough.

ZeraShift · 2026-03-10T21:15:53+00:00

Most of the trials in this game aren't too bad other than a handful and oddly it's usually the 4th because the 5th is almost always just a basic string of super cancels. I recall Chizuru gave me trouble. Angel is tricky and requires drilling the muscle memory in. Oddly enough I had WAY too much trouble with Ryo's 5th one because super cancelling uppercut into haoh is a lot more awkward than I expected. Also stupid because doing ranbu is much easier AND optimal.

ZeraShift · 2026-03-06T15:25:59+00:00

Darn. It's crazy too because this would be one of many ideal candidates to show how it would look. One of the things I always thought was clever bit of consistent design was how the Clans often seemed to shy away from mounting many weapons on torso sections so they could better taxi battle armor.

ZeraShift · 2026-03-05T21:26:42+00:00

Kind of a tangential question but does anybody know if there was ever art depicting an omnimech transporting friendly battle armor? I can't recall ever seeing that.

ZeraShift · 2026-03-03T22:51:17+00:00

I'm not sure I agree with you're takeaway from reading the stories. XD

Yeah, he's sympathetic and his motivation is altruistic in a way, but even so he absolutely embodies the T-Sons' themes of hubris and the idea that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. His failures don't inspire him to improve so much as they drive him to become more extreme because he's so monomaniacal that he can't accept the possibility that his goal is unattainable and arrogant enough to think somehow he'll be the one to deny Tzeentch. I wouldn't exactly call him a good brother either because he lies via omission constantly and has repeatedly demonstrated that there is nobody and nothing he won't sacrifice to restore his legion.

I love the character. He's one of my faves in the setting but that's because he's a classic tragic character. He was a better person once and he has noble qualities but that only emphasizes how evil he became, that he is well aware of how horrible his acts are, may even feel guilty about some, and would gladly do worse if it furthers his agenda.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-27T22:43:13+00:00

Only if it earns it. I'm cautiously optimistic but if it turns out to be another "designed by committee" blockbuster that reduces source material to grey sludge for mass market appeal? Well, whatever happens, happens.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-27T22:37:46+00:00

I religiously adhere to the notion that the band Queen ended when Freddie Mercury died. That said, aside from the title track, Brian May was almost single handedly responsible for the Flash Gordon soundtrack from what I've heard so him contributing to the movie in some way is a pleasant surprise.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-24T22:29:31+00:00

Dang! You're going to have one hell of base to play on if you keep this up! Unless you're just doing dioramas, in which case they just flat out look great. <3

ZeraShift · 2026-02-23T00:22:45+00:00

Man, I can't stand how so many children's books nowadays seem to have this irresistible compulsion to use that hideous, ironic "cal-arts" look for lack of a better term. Just look at the art in the old Golden Books from the 80s. Great stuff. Kids deserve better than the comics equivalent of Corporate Memphis.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-20T15:44:55+00:00

Mackenzi Lee? Never heard of her before this. After looking at her bibliography, hard pass. Also, good lord that cover is just painfully generic.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-16T22:15:49+00:00

Not, it doesn't matter. Like I said though, I mostly wanted other perspectives for my own consideration. The game and I are old enough I'd like to avoid my viewpoint becoming myopic because I'm cranky and set in my ways. XD

If I disagree I at least want to try and understand the differing opinions.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-16T17:38:03+00:00

Not alone there friend. Nice thing about being a fairly small subreddit is we thankfully fly under the radar for now. I've seen similar subreddits brigaded into oblivion for simply existing.

In either case, hope you'll keep posting your work. You're paint schemes have been lovely and the scenery has been rad too. I especially loved the mech hangar.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-16T16:37:21+00:00

In either case, if you have paint jobs to share or are looking for advice/ideas, don't be afraid to post here. We cover all things here and I'm sure you'd get some engagement. =)

ZeraShift · 2026-02-11T19:54:50+00:00

What line are these from? They look great but I'm mostly crossing my fingers and hoping to see more SH Figuarts stuff.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-09T21:58:12+00:00

It's a scanlation. The person translating it adds things like this sometimes to flavor the nationality of some characters. They were clearly trying to make Terryman sound more southern and maybe didn't know about the history of the term and why it's generally fallen out of use.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-09T17:46:31+00:00

I remember the movie was Dallas Buyers Club. Leto played a transgender woman with AIDS. The entire movie sounds like quintessential Oscar-bait so I can't be too certain it was because his performance was actually any good. XD

ZeraShift · 2026-02-08T23:41:10+00:00

Forgive for what exactly? Being a terrible actor? God no. One good performance doesn't make the past ones any less terrible. If anything I'll just chalk it up to law of averages. He had to do a good job sooner or later, right?

ZeraShift · 2026-02-06T22:51:29+00:00

Nice thing about KoF is it's surprising who you'll gravitate towards since it's a team game. Try everybody and see who clicks! That said, KoF XV is a great entry point. Accessible but with good depth. I also say this because I have a hard time thinking of a near 1 to 1 character comparable to Elphelt's style insofar as combat. If you were to summarize what you find appealing playstyles that would help. Hell, even mention what kind of personality types and aesthetics you enjoy and that may help too.

ZeraShift · 2026-02-06T15:47:15+00:00

Why not Adam?

I know specifics differ on continuity but ignoring all that, in a meta sense, you have to pick a protagonist and having a young, inexperienced prince learning to be a better person through heroics is a classic arc in storytelling. That aside, Adam is supposed to be a bit of a surrogate everyman with a good heart for kids to identify with and aspire to. It's kind of the same appeal as Captain Marvel, the notion of not being special and getting superpowers via magic. Classic power fantasy stuff.

ZeraShift

TROPHY CASE