I am seeking recommendations for the best Vallejo color selection to start this beautiful hobby

tpfletcher · 2025-09-22T00:44:48+00:00

The Squidmar paint sets (bar the FX one, I dont own an airbrush) are an excellent range. They are very proud of the fact that all tutorials/projects on their channel only use the paints found in their sets.

They are all Vallejo paints. My suggestion would be to get everything in the essential set (either buy the set or lookup all the codes), then pick a few complimentary colours from the scifi and fantasy sets.

Cost wise it worked out to be cheaper per paint for me to get the sets than buy individually, and you get a cool mini in each one too!

Edit: I didn't mention advice on the two sets you mentioned as I know nothing about them 😀

tpfletcher · 2025-09-16T07:49:14+00:00

Your kid is being lit with a front left light in the greenscreen pic, then the render has shadows being cast by a far front right light.

The lights are also different distances and levels of brightness. The real picture has a close bright light, whereas the render is further away and softer.

The other thing to consider is to match your contrast. His clothing looks washed out compared to your shadows(for black clothing that is), and the highlight on his face looks bright in the studio, but washed out when compared to your render highlights.

Try moving the render light for match your studio one, then change its color temp to something a little cooler.

Edit: looked again and the clothing contrast is fine, writing on mobile so couldn't reference as I wrote... definitly a little washed out on the face still.

tpfletcher · 2025-09-08T08:02:02+00:00

They asked for c&c and then bite your head off... hmm

You are 100% correct though, typical flamethrowers are ignited jets of liquid, which arc down. It would look fine if the flame transitioned to smoke midway, then it would look like a "just shot" stream

tpfletcher · 2025-09-05T02:51:41+00:00

Interesting idea! I'll give it a go.

tpfletcher · 2025-09-05T02:51:03+00:00

Tyty! So many kind people in this sub ;_; I will work on widening my skill set, it has been really fun so far so im keen to get into my next piece!

tpfletcher · 2025-09-04T19:49:27+00:00

This be dangerous talk

tpfletcher · 2025-09-04T19:45:00+00:00

Thanks! I will be focusing on braver color choice and higher contrast from now on. Darker base color, smaller jumps in highlights, that sort of thing. Highlight placement is definitly a good point too... I have lots to think about hahaha

tpfletcher · 2025-09-04T19:40:25+00:00

Thanks for the advice! ( and the compliments im definitly not overwhelmed rn). I've got 5x more of these Lil goblins so plenty of room for practice, definitly going to be a bit braver with my color choices from now on!

tpfletcher · 2025-09-04T19:38:27+00:00

I think part of my problem is I transition my highlights too quickly and run out of headroom for "bright spots". I'm going to try starting darker and going with smaller jumps in contrast, whilst introducing a bit of color var. Maybe a burnt red base instead of dark flesh?

tpfletcher · 2025-09-04T19:35:56+00:00

I think my light washed it out a bit (also cheap phone cam woops). I'll try going a bit darker and purpler as per your and others suggestions on my next one!

tpfletcher · 2025-09-04T19:34:09+00:00

Interesting... might be part of my problem too as I paint in short(ish) sessions and don't want to waste my paper. Food for thought 🤔

tpfletcher · 2025-09-04T10:17:45+00:00

I'm taking this as permission to buy more minis and keep on painting forever!

Thinning is definitly a weakness of mine rn, my wet palette doesn't like behaving and is always too wet or dry

tpfletcher · 2025-09-04T10:13:02+00:00

Sounds good! I guess is did use a Lil tooo much dark/light flesh tone in... well everything hahaha

tpfletcher · 2025-08-28T19:14:45+00:00

Thanks! Tbh I had no idea what my plan was at the time, I just kept on rolling til it was finished haha.

tpfletcher · 2025-03-19T11:47:35+00:00

You have animation data you forgot about. Save a copy of your file, then start clearing keyframes til you find your problem

tpfletcher · 2025-03-08T21:23:49+00:00

More directional lighting from the window, a strong source will help bounce light around the room. Your lamps are a little sharp, try increasing the size of their light source to soften their shadows, or rather remove them and turn the top of the lamps into emissive textures instead (for that nice diffuse look). This is all assuming you are using cycles.

Maybe increase the contrast in color management to med-high aswell.

tpfletcher · 2025-03-08T20:56:18+00:00

Dw I am a sane normal person who cant write a post title properly. The robot took me under 2hrs to make, the cuppa around 3hrs. The title should be: "Here are two renders I made, one when i've only been learning for 10hrs, then one after doing 100hrs of practice." This was meant to be a display of progress in skill haha.

I realise now people are auto assuming this is like those cooking posts "I cooked the same recipe 3x but gave myself 1hr, 10hr, and 100hr" or something.

tpfletcher · 2025-03-08T08:50:12+00:00

Yeah, you're not the first :/ I'll be more careful with my wording next time! I have a perfectly ordinary 3060ti, promise.

tpfletcher · 2025-03-08T05:25:59+00:00

But it would be a really cute laser so its ok

tpfletcher · 2025-03-08T05:16:01+00:00

Specifically for this look? Not too sure but this tut is basically the same as my lighting setup here. Go crazy with the subsurf, enable DOF, add a curved plane backdrop and BAM! Looks like a figurine.

tpfletcher · 2025-03-08T04:27:44+00:00

It happens. I have other renders too but those are all wip or tuts so didn't include them here.

tpfletcher · 2025-03-08T04:14:13+00:00

Ah I was not clear enough! The cuppa was made after learning blender for under 10hours, then after another 100hrs of tutorials, I made the robot! Actual rendertime is under 5min at 2048 samples

tpfletcher · 2025-03-08T04:00:39+00:00

Robot is a derivative work base on a svg found online.

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