Topic: Advice needed- skeletons at night (OSL)

[Demonslayer]

Hey guys,

So, before I start working on my Chaos Warriors, I want to do a sort of scenery piece, with some snotlings in a mushroom field (more field than mushroom- I only have so many bits), an eerily glowing kettle in the center and a skeleton hanging from a signpost in the back. Now, I want to go for an eerie glow, so that means OSL.

However, I'm kinda struggling on how I should do the skeleton (it is the one from the Giant kit- a skeleton hanging from a pole, pointing in one direction with a signpost hanging from its arm), in terms of what colour I should use. I have a pretty good idea on how to do the glow, but I'm struggling with the skeleton itself. It needs to be pretty dark to form a better contrast with the green glow from the kettle, but  I can't find any good examples of a skeleton at night.

I was thinking Abaddon Black as a base, then drybrush it with Skavenblight Dinge and Stormvermin Fur. Maybe a nuln oil shade after drybrushing. Do you guys think that would work to get the basic skeleton? It needs to be pretty dark, since the scene is supposed to be happening at night, with the only lightsource being the kettle.

I'll try and post a WIP picture of just the kettle if I get a chance to this evening. Any ideas are more than welcome!

[GrandMagnus]

How about, and it's just a thought, using blue colours to kind of give a moonlight vibe?

EDIT: Perhabs as you said a basecoat of abaddon black, then maybe a drybrush of kantor blue and a lighter one of a greyish-blue (I can't remember the name, sorry. Russ grey maybe? Something with SWs).

[steveb]

try doing the skelly in scorched brown, then dry brushing with some brown shades for highlights, could do just upper surfaces as in moonlight shining down, to get idea actually shine light on skelly from above and note where bright and where shadowed.  sign could be charcoal grey (like old barn wood) with black weathering and lettering.  just a thought.  steveb

[Gneisenau]

The easiest way would probably be to just use Dheneb Stone and Devlan Mud (or whatever it's called these days).

Basecoat of Dheneb, then apply a first layer of Devlan, taking care not to let it pool. Second coat of Dheneb, leaving out the deepest recesses, then Devlan again. Repeat until the skeleton is as dark as you want it, highlighting fewer and fewer areas until only the most raised ones are pure Dheneb.

Takes a bit of patience because you have to let the Devlan dry before applying the next coat, but on the upside it's quite easy to do.

[ZeroTwentythree]

Take a look at this for some inspiration & ideas:

http://warhammer.org.uk/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=40191

[Warlord]

That was a famous undead OSL army. Saw it up on ebay a few years ago.

[Gneisenau]

IIRC Curse of Beers did several undead armies in this fashion, and sold them.

Which makes sense - once you've got the hang of it, it's much less effort to do it again.

[ZeroTwentythree]

And they look great!

[Gneisenau]

Agreed, I really like them.

[Demonslayer]

Those look very nice! Definitely something to take inspiration from. The guy who painted them said he used black, blue and white, so I think I'm gonna go with Magnus' advice of a Kantor drybrush over Abaddon black, then work my way up to something lighter. Sadly I do not have Russ Grey (which is the correct name, by the way!), but I do have a few blues and greys lying around, so I should be able to make a nice mix.

As for the light itself, I'm probably going for Waaagh! Flesh, Warboss Green (or warpstone glow, I always confuse those two) and Moot Green, probably with a bit of Yriel Yellow mixed in for the brightest parts. I'm curious to see how it will turn out !

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I appreciate it! I'll be sure to post some pictures when I've gotten the chance to paint something.

(also, note to self; pick up some damn Rhinox Hide (new Scorched) and Rhakarth Flesh (new Dheneb) already next time I'm in a GW store- seems every tutorial I've seen the past few years suggests those two paints!)

[Gneisenau]

Rhakarth Flesh (new Dheneb)

Right, that was the name!

It's a really useful color since it works so well as base for various washes - much better than pure white for most purposes.

[Demonslayer]

Ok, time for some WIP shots!


Skeleton on a stick! I went with the Kantor drybrush over a black basecoat, like Magnus suggested, which turned out pretty damn nice!


This time the skeleton's been put on a base, along with the kettle which will be the lightsource. Also included some mushrooms (out of focus), and applied a second dawnstone drybrush to the skeleton. And, of course, the green light on the skeleton )actually mostly on the stick, the light doesn't reach that high). I'm leaving the base until last, by the way, which is probably messing with the lighting effect- hopefully it'll look better when the texture is applied and the light's been painted on it.


Same model from a different angle.


The alchemist enters the stage! No lighting yet, that's for the next step. The snotling's painting with a mix of black and Castellan Green (darkest green I have), then washed with Athonian Camoshade.


Light on the alchemist! I'm actually wondering whether I should blend the light a bit more- seems like the shift from warboss to moot is a bit sudden, especially up close.


Last picture for now, with the light a bit touched up here and there, and from a greater distance, which I think makes it look a little better.

Next step will be adding more mushrooms, maybe a bird or a bug from the giant box, then on to basing!

Any thoughts, comments, feedback or tips are more than welcome!

[Artobans Ghost]

If you could make that life size , I would plant that at the end of my driveway pointing towards the house. It would go well with my family of crows that live here. It would ward off the evil doers like the utilities service men or local mp.

[Demonslayer]

So, I finally got around to finishing this project, let me know what you think!

[Warlord]

Personally, i love it, but i think people will better able to judge if you took the photo in front of a black screen...

[Demonslayer]

I'll try and find a black screen then  .