Isabelle

[Hinton]

This is a mini that I received a while back as a gift from another painter (who shall - for now - remain anonymous; you know who you are, though). I've been in a bit of a painting slump and I wanted to get something done.

This also gave me a chance to mess around with my new camera. I'm still not used to it or exactly what settings will give me the best pictures; hopefully more practice will produce better results.

Comments, advice and critiques are welcome and appreciated.

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/5446/isabelleip9.jpg

[Eastern Front Studios]

nice job on the ground work id like to see a top down view of the water.it looks like you have added things prior to the gloss/resin?

[Ritual]

You seem to have managed to get the paint very smooth, which is good, but you need to get some depth into both the skin and the hair. Painting skin this way can look allright on a mini with perhaps just face and arm uncovered, but on a naked mini you need to get more depth. But good work on the smoothness! :)

[Frustrated Father]

Very nicely done - base stands out nicely with the water that you've done.

[Hinton]

@EFS: Thanks. I did add things (rocks, paint, sand, etc) prior to pouring the resin in. Here's a photo from the top: Top-down photo (http://www.freewebs.com/hintone/Pictures/Top.JPG).

@Ritual: Thanks. I'll definitely aim for getting more depth on my minis.

@FF: Thanks. I was a bit concerned with how it would turn out (my first time doing any kind of water effects), but I think it came out ok.

[Eastern Front Studios]

Hinton thanks for sharing :) .I have a picture when I was in the army in Crete and the water was a as blue green as can be from the coral /algae but a stunning little scene it would surely make..the illusion of depth is always fun..how deep is that one, it actually looks to have some depth.

[Hinton]

Hinton thanks for sharing :) .I have a picture when I was in the army in Crete and the water was a as blue green as can be from the coral /algae but a stunning little scene it would surely make..the illusion of depth is always fun..how deep is that one, it actually looks to have some depth.

You're welcome. I did think about adding some kind of coloring to it, but decided to hold off. The base is a piece of polystyrene foam cut into a circle. I then hollowed out a little over half of it to a depth of about 1/8 inch to hold the resin.

[Frustrated Father]

Good idea with the foam - on a side note, Valloa does her own bases now and she has those hollowed out resin ones which you can accomplish the same thing with these days as well. Just a thought, and it might save you some time. :D

[callumrice]

I like seeing your models Hinton, your always trying something else. Get out of that lull your in with your painting and go get em! Anyway, I mostly agree with the above, love the water, not so keen on the hair. Its very yellow with no depth. Eyes are good this time though!

[Eastern Front Studios]

Nate Id like to see the bases ..Valloa can you show some pics by chance?

just wondering Hinton did you use the one step water from Woodland Scenics or a 2 step mixture?

[Frustrated Father]

Head on over to her site.

http://valloasvale.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_30

[callumrice]

AAAAHHHHH...... Now I know where 'Vike got those "paving" bases from he sent me for entry in the last IP. Lovely bases, definately worth a few purchases.

[Eastern Front Studios]

thanks Nate I will add her a link also good stuff indeed.

[Hinton]

just wondering Hinton did you use the one step water from Woodland Scenics or a 2 step mixture?

It's a 2 part mixture (resin/hardener) called Crystal Sheen that I picked up at the local craft store.

[Eastern Front Studios]

Hinton I have seen some but the first thing that threw me off was the the pieces of resin you were supposed to melt were yellow((one step type))..unless tinting it straight out the pack wouldnt work..I have delt with 2 step also seems to work well..but even years later still seems somewhat tacky..how is the crystal sheen?..course on a dio you wouldnt be handling it much..but no one wants a big finger print on the water ;) since thats what people looking at it usually do..ohhh nice..finger straight to the water.

[Hinton]

The Crystal Sheen dries completely solid in about 24 hours. It takes a while to set up, but once it does it's absolutely solid. No fingerprints on that stuff.

[matty1001]

@EFS, i have used the one step melt pellets in a test (i threw it out after, it was just a test) but it dries clear (even though the pellets are yellow) and you need to make enough for what you want as it dries in 10seconds.

[Eastern Front Studios]

matty thats wild I figured the intial color was the final result and most people tinted it, ten seconds..wow sounds like plastic

[matty1001]

Yep, i had done one layer and it wasnt enough, so i heated up a second layer, the two didn't melt together and i got a lovely 'split' between them. But yea, rock solid in 10seconds. I was just about to add reeds and my dad said i shouldn't bother as there was no way they were going to go in lol

[Wren]

I just saw something called "Magic Water" (http://www.unrealdetails.com/) at the Hobby Town when I stopped by to buy glue. Has anyone tried it? It sounds pretty good - two part cold mix that doesn't shrink or bubble and is pretty much designed for the kinds of things we would use it for. I was tempted, but it was $30 and I don't have anything immediate I need water for.

[Eastern Front Studios]

Matty doing multiple of layers seems this would work well..pour and tin and repeat..might have its uses

Rhonda yeah sounds good but pricey indeed.If model railroad guys like it thats a sign its very realistic.