"Hardhome" - epilogue

One good turn deserves another. . .

In a most generous gesture, ICM has honored me by graciously posting images of "Hardhome" on their Facebook page.

Heartfelt thanks to the ICM team!

AJR

"Hardhome"

The Night King - Painting IV: Finishing/Wrapping-Up

03.07.2019--The eyes have been chromatically glazed. 

04.07.2019--The armour/torso is DONE!  

05.07.2019--Phase I of the exposed arms is done! As is the head!!

06.07.2019--The figure is effectively DONE! The only items yet to be painted are the hands, and I will begin on those tomorrow DONE! after the figure has cured overnight on its permanent display base. Once the hands are done, it is a matter of final detailing/outlining, and integrative weather- ing over the next fortnight or so. . . 

09.07.2019--Save for the strap pins of the greaves and vambraces, and the fine finishing on the "claws", the Night King. . . is. . . DONE!!! 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Painting II: The Upper Half, pt. 3--The Arms

30.06.2019--The arms are primed!

01.07.2019--The arms are 50% undercoated; and. . . the figure is completely assembled!!!

02.07.2019--Undercoating of the arms has been completed!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Painting II: The Upper Half, pt. 2--The Torso

28.06.2019--The torso is primed!

29.06.2019--The torso is undercoated. . . and Phase I lacquers completed!! FOLLOW-UP--The head has been permanently attached to the torso, and the torso/head unit to the legs.All that remains unattached are the arms. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Painting II: The Upper Half, pt. 1--The Head

Painting the upper half of the figure will be more about planning than painting. All 4 components will be painted to some extent individually before being permanently attached to the torso. Once the upper half is completely assembled--and permanently attached to the lower half, the remain- ing painting will be executed in situ. 

The head is now primed. It will be undercoated by mid-week.

17.06.2019--The head is undercoated! Including a tonal grisaille (Vallejo Flat Black) around the eyes, mouth, and the sides of the nose to set the values for what is to follow. . . I AM DELIGHTED!!! 

18.06.2019--The pupils are in! The pupils of the NK are a study unto themselves, as they are not circular, but 7-pointed! NEXT: the blue non-human iris/sclera. . . 

19.06.2019--Phase I of the eyes is DONE!!! AND THEY LOOK AWESOME!!!

21.06.2019--The head is effectively DONE! All that remains is the tonal integration and detailing that will be done once the head is permanently attached to the torso. 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Painting I: The Lower Half

If you have an unequivocally matte, toothy surface, then you will wonder how you ever did without the AK-I Weathering Pencils! Anything but, and your response will run the gamut. Me? I'm not bowled-over to the extent I had anticipated (hoped?), but they definitely are a useful tool that will see a considerable amount of use, especially on the scale modelling front. . . 

So. . . while this will not be the first figure I "paint" in pencils, it may very well be the first figure that will be painted predominantly in non-oils! The lower right leg is done and curing in the oven-- 

I can honestly say that it was one of the most enjoyable brush sessions I have ever had! The final weathering is still to come, and I may begin the process later tonight. . . 

As a sidebar note, I intend to limit the oils as the primary medium to the breeches and the ex- posed flesh--and possibly the vambraces. . .

08.06.2019--Phase I of the legs is now DONE! In anticipation of what is to follow, I have perma- nently attached the gambeson skirt to the legs. . . FOLLOW-UP--The gambeson skirt has been basecoated and Phase I shaded--all acrylics. 

10.06.2019--The gambeson skirt is now highlighted. I used the AK-I Weathering Pencils from the B&W set, and the Liquid Pigments (LPs) from LC's Hulls & Wooden Decks set. Accent high- lights were applied with Flake White (oil). 

11.06.2019--Phase II shading (including outlining and tonal contrasts) has begun. . . It will not be considered done until final finishing.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Painting I: UCing

LET THE GAME BEGIN!!!!!

I have completed the uc'ing of the components comprising the lower half of the body. How I pro- ceed henceforth, however, has yet to be determined. . .

There is a new medium that I intend to use: AK Interactive's Weathering Pencils. These are ba- sically watercolour pencils, formulated to be used primarily over a matte, toothy surface. What has yet to be determined is their applicability and utility on a multi-media surface. . .

Hence my quandary. I have some excellent hi-res images of the NK that will serve as my primary reference in the painting of this figure. IF the pencils perform as hoped, then this may be my first figure "painted" in pencil! If I encounter limitations, then I will apply the pencils as a textural wea- thering layer over a foundation of oils.  

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Painting I: Priming

The lower half of the figure--legs and gambeson skirt--is now primed! I used Floquil Primer as a base, applied at low pressure to create a somewhat textured surface, overshot with Stynylrez Black as an achromatic "screen" of non-visible areas (e.g., interior of skirt). . . NOTE: The lateral join seams of the gambeson skirt will in all likelihood need to be filled with epoxy putty: for what- ever reason, the liquid cement did not generate a workable bead that could be finished.  

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Night King - Painting: Intro

As I mentioned earlier, the lower half of the figure is DONE(!); and priming is scheduled to be completed by the weekend. . . 

The painting arc of the project will be comprised of four distinct sub-threads:

• Painting I: Lower half of the figure.
• Painting II: Upper half of the figure.
• Painting III: Scenic Setting (Groundwork)
• Painting IV: Finishing/Wrapping-Up

The upper half of the figure, or rather its components--head/torso and arms--will be primed indivi- dually. The head and torso will be pre-painted, then permanently attached to the lower half of the body, once the gambeson skirt is dry. The arms will be first undercoated, then attached (assem- bled) to be completed in situ.

 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003