Having completed the red translucent fire set, and getting some very pleasing results with the last two figures that I painted from that set, I decided it might be fun to start work on the green translucent ghosts set. So I picked out the Labella DeMornay figure from the Haunts set to start with. I soaked her overnight in some water with dish soap in it, and then scrubbed the figure with an old soft toothbrush and rinsed it. I let it dry, and then glued it to a 1" black primed fender washer with Aeleen's Tacky glue. I then glued the washer to a tongue depressor with a couple dros of Elmers white glue, for ease of handling while painting.
In thinking about how I wanted to paint this figure, I decided I wanted to do it as a traditional white ghost, (just like Casper :) ). I wanted to make it look like it was 'soldifying' out of the green vaporous trail rising from the ground. So, to begin with I watered down some white paint to make a wash, and added a bit of dish soap to help it flow better into the creases and crevices of the figure. I applied the wash to the whole figure, and then hung the figure upside down (see photo below), because I wanted the white wash to gather at the top of the figure and be thinner at the bottom.
After this had dried, I applied the wash a second time, but this time only to the figure from the knees up to make the white thicker and more covering on the top half of the figure; and again I hung it upside down. to dry.
I now made a wash with Folk Art "Dapple Gray" paint by adding water and a little drop of dish soap, and applied this to the top half f the figure. I also did some random streaks with this wash in some of the deeper crevices on the bottom half of the figure.
After the "Dapple Grey" wash dried, I went back and drybrushed the figure with white paint; heavier at the top and getting lighter as I worked my way down to the area of the figure's knees.
When I was finshed this, I went back and filled in the figures mouth with thinned black paint. I also painted the eyes with GW "Goblin Green" and added pupils with Americana "Olive Green". I then added a tiny white highlight pinpoint to each pupil. Lastly, I painted the base of the figure with Ceramcoat "Walnut", to help hide the translucent nature of it before I flocked over it. After the figure dried overnight, I painted the whole thing with Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish". When this dried, I flocked the bases.
Normally, at this point I would spray the figure with Testor's Dullcote", but because it has been so freezing cold and snowy and rainy here, I have not had an opportunity to do any spraying in the past week. So that is why you may see some sheen on the figure. I will spray it later when I have a warm day here
I'm very pleased with how this figure has turned out. I think the blending of the translucent to opaque turned out well, and helped to give the "look" I was going for.
Figure 57 of 265: Complete (almost!)
Very creative idea. It turned out better than I would have thought. Doing washes with white and greys always causes me fits.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the positive comments. I have to say I think this is the first time I've ever done a white wash. I usually use washes to darken and create shadows. I find you really need to toss a lot of what you think out the window when working with these translucents.
DeleteI had to look long at hard at the picture to make out the details. Would love to see it, and the other translucent, in the flesh since I have the impression that it is hard to them justice with a picture.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, I'm finding that photographing these is as hard as painting them is.
DeleteIf you ever plan to attend an HMGS-East Convention, I'd be happy to bring them for viewing.
Thanks for the offer, but it is the wrong Lancaster ;-)
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