12.8.14 Painting Eldrad's Glyph

Here's a post on painting the glyph on the back of Eldrad Ulthran's robe.

This one's for you, Samuel.

Decided to go big for Shawn's Eldrad.  He said it would be great if I painted it like the one in the codex but using his colours.  Always had a problem with the glyph on Eldrad's cloak.  It doesn't flow with the cloak.  It's painted relatively up and down.

Used without permission.

Kind of like how this turned out.  Surf Aqua washed with Leviathan Purple.

Normally I don't plan out my details.  I just free hand it and let the brush decide where to go.  When getting to this point on the model I thought of you, Samuel, and thought I would do a little explaination of how to plan out and paint details.  This case specifically eldar glyphs.  Same technique can be used for anything.

You'll notice when using dots as landmarks where points will end or begin that the glyph is similar to the Star of David.  Or at least using dots as marks.  Three are for the triangle.  Two are for the arms of the triangle and three for the legs.

Time to start filling in design.  Wanted to use the contour of the cloak when painting design.  Since cloak is flowing the lines shouldn't be that straight.  Dheneb Stone is used for the basecoat of the glyph.

Time for lines.  You'll notice a problem that glyphs left arm is higher than the right arm.  One can explain this away that the left side of the cloak is higher than right side.  Of course that is nothing to worry about now.  Just keep it it in mind for later.  You'll soon notice it isn't a problem anymore.

Time to fill out design.  Here is where you fix the mistake mentioned earlier.  You can broaden the left arm while raising the right arm so they look even.  While working on this you might making other mistakes.  Such as under the eye right leg is closer to middle leg than left.  This is fine.  Next step will correct this.

Here the Blood Red placed inside the eye is used to correct places where the paint was too much in some places.

Dheneb Stone is used to paint the other triangles.

Time for the finishing touch.  Skull White is placed over Dheneb Stone.  Skull White was a little chalky and clumpy.  Dipped brush in water and made a little pool of thinned down white.  This allowed for a smoother finish of white and cleaner glyph.

Better idea would be to thin the paint down on a pallet and pull from there.  I prefer a wet pallet.  A wet pallet is a container with a sponge and acrylic paper that you wet.  It has a cover so the paint won't dry up and can be used later.  That has been particularly useful for me with Surf Aqua.  Its had paint in it for a week that was still good and ready for use.  Great side effect is if there isn't enough water you can tilt the wet pallet container get some water and apply it to the brush or paint.  Very handy.  David told me about this tool.  Thanks, David.

slainte mhath