NaMoPaiMo: Week I: Questioning my Sanity

For once, I started the month off with an already prepped model...but I still didn't start painting until day three. Working at the barn & traveling around left me worn out this weekend & unwilling to do more than curl up on the couch and read with Lucky snuggled up next to me.

(Tired out Lucky accurately summed up my energy level over the weekend)

That being said, thanks to my prepping, it was an easy thing to start on my model, on Monday, by starting with a yellow base coat. While I'm not sure how common colored base coats are in the hobby, I've found that they are quite helpful. They add a little extra to the overall color, even if it's very slight.

I nearly forgot that I stated in my entry that I would do acrylics & pastels on this Kirin. Bearing this in mind, I decided that the scales would be done in acrylic, while the actual "horse" part of the Kirin would be done in pastels. Based on my sketch, I wrote down that I would have an emerald green for the scales, as Kirin are described as having "jewel like scales". I also knew from my sketch that the body would be a light color-maybe a cremello or some other light coloration. Admittedly, I've been pondering the colors of the horns, hooves, mane and tail. 

Starting off with the scales, it became clear that between my priming, base coat and now the dark green, I was fast losing the definition of the sculpted scales. I was hopeful that I would be able to save them even knowing that there were more layers to come.

Continuing with the process, I started to add shading to my scales basing them off the hues seen in an emerald and using a green colored Betta Fish to aid in shading. It was at this point that I questioned my sanity. Not only was I struggling to find where I had made the scales as some had already been lost, but I was questioning why I'd made them so tiny to begin with! It was hard to apply a rough mid-tone to the scales. 

I finished the mid-tone color I wanted each scale to have, and it was at this point that I decided that I was going to ignore the sculpted in scales. Too many of them were lost or would soon be lost in the next wash of paints. 

In between layers on my actual model, I was also working on pasteling several models. I was testing a new technique to see if it was something I would use on my NaMo horse. I'm glad I tested it. While I liked it at first, I soon grew annoyed with it. Now, it was probably my application, but trying to soften the acrylic paint shading, surprisingly, annoyed me more than just using a flat base coat. The closet one I liked, and would use again on a dark horse, was my Morgan mini by Maggie Bennett. I actually shifted him over to the pastel table as I wasn't getting the effects I wanted on him via paint. 

(The pastel models some with paint shading some without near the start of their journey)

The next step on my NaMo model was to add in the rest of the shading. First, adding light tones on him followed by darker tones. When I do this I try to not use black, white or even grey. I prefer to use colors as I find they add more to the model than the neutral black, white and grey. Even more so in this instance with the scales. I decided to go with a blue and yellow (though I first used a lighter green than the base and didn't like it). You can see in the picture below that I wasn't as restricted in my application of the scales and more free-flowing.

To finish off the scales, I went over them with a wash of the original base color. To do this I used a thin, nearly watery, wash of that dark green so that it softened the shading but didn't lose the details I just put on. While I know it will look better once the scales are glossed; I can't help wanting a more shimmery or jewel like look to them. I will have to see what I have in my bag of tricks (and maybe phone a friend too!)

The next day (Thursday), I started off the day by bringing out good ol' Paint. Paint is there to take on just that-paint. He's my test model for paint thickness, color, etc. This time, Paint got brought out for extensive testing. While I do not have metallic paints on hand, I do have nail polish. More than is probably healthy for someone who does not use nail polish outside of painting model horses...

(Four polishes-convenient spot of green paint for glitter polish to go over)

Anyway! First, I pulled out four green polishes to test thickness, color etc. Two paints were immediately removed as one was too thick when applied while the other was just not the right color, even if it was a thin coat. The other two were a glitter polish and a nice dark green. I set up a test area that mimicked the scale pattern on my kirin and first put on a single layer of each.

Upon seeing the lovely thin coat I could get with the dark green, I put a second coat of glitter polish down (to see if I liked that better than a single layer) as well as putting some over the dark green. I was quite pleased with the glitter polish over the dark green and decided that would be went I used on my kirin. 

(The test area for top two polishes)

From there I was more focused on my horses that needed pastel layers than my NaMoPaiMo horse. That being said, I did get one layer of white over the yellow so that my kirin was no longer dominantly yellow. As much as I love what colored bases do to subtly shift a colors, I am more than happy that 80% of it is gone! I will do at least one more white layer of acrylic (if not two) and will than start on my pastel layers. I'm aiming for a cream colored horse with dark brown points, mane and tail. I'm thinking the scutes will be gold, but I might use paint one last time to see what I like better with the green scales.

(Much better!)

I did get one last layer of white over the yellow on Friday, as I was having quite a rough day (honestly over something silly that I shouldn't have let bother me...but alas, it did). It was a struggle to make myself do even that, but I'm happy I did that small bit of painting as it did improve my mood. Now I just need to seal the model and I can move on to pastel work.

This week I have also finished several models that I started either in January or even last year!

So that's all for my week in NaMoPaiMo. No painting today as I was at the barn giving riding instruction lessons with another instructor. I also have a mini/action figure on Team Minis Painting Minis, but that's a blog for another day. 

Till the next time!