“If you rest, you rust.”
-Helen Hayes
After a much longer than expected hiatus, we're back to photography and blogging. There was a big life change after Christmas that led to me moving to a new place and all the stress and anxiety that comes with getting the Flying Dave Ranch settled and getting back into the photo groove.
I've been trying for over a month to get the mojo back, with some spectacular failures that thankfully you guys will never see and my CF card is glad to be rid of. What helped me break through was getting to try out Monsterpocalypse and taking pictures of some of the models for the game.
With one success under my belt, I felt confident enough to pick up a few figures, throw open the back door, get down in the dirt, and TAKE SOME PICTURES. Then I went back inside because it was 22 degrees and I wasn't wearing a coat (or shoes).
In Photoshop, I cropped this one down to size, colored in the green Gauss Flayer and the green eyes, then ran the whole thing through a little cross-processing. I don't remember which processing I used, but I promise to take better notes in the future.
I promise? That seems a little strong... How about, I will try to take notes at all?
Yeah, that sounds juuuuust right.
Be good,
-Dave
There's nothing to save I know
You live till you die
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"Though the time is dark, my faith shines."
Who said pink was a sissy color? Brother Marine Cuddles would like a word with them...
This Space Marine is a 32mm plastic wargaming miniature produced by Games Workshop.
Be good,
-Dave
Bite your tongue Swear to keep your mouth shut
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One could be forgiven for assuming I have an unhealthy fixation on the Adeptus Mechanicus. There is just something about a cyborg monk that sets me all a'flutter, and this particular 32mm model hits all the right notes. I added the little arms, aka mechadendrites, taken from a Dr. Octopus Heroclix figure. I actually need another Doc Ock just so I can make a mold of the arms to use in future projects!
In setting up this shot, I pictured the Tech Priest as an Explorator, leading exhibitions out into the galactic fringes in search of lost knowledge.
These members of the Cult Mechanicus were something of a breed apart from their kin. Any Techpriest was free to join their ranks where they undertook to complete the Quest for Knowledge across the stars in order to seek out undiscovered data, chart uncatalogued phenomena, find forgotten archeotech and learn of new unknown forms of life. As such, research stations, explorer vessels and any outpost of any distance from a Forge World are likely to be manned by Explorators of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Their brethren would call them foolish for their actions though they consider themselves as intrepid adventurers that explore the unknown reaches of the galaxy.
The exploits of successful Explorators are known to found many great prizes that have enhanced the Quest for Knowledge though many others have met grisly deaths in the hostile galaxy. In some cases, the actions of an Explorator have unleashed cataclysmic horrors on Mankind due to their ill-conceived prying though such events are rare.
An Explorator will not be visibly different from a fellow Techpriest though they will be a senior official within a warband.
I love the idea that the guys trying to learn how to save human kind are sometimes the ones who destroy entire chunks of it.
For this shot, I found a mossy tree stump that was flat enough for the Explorator to stand on (his feet are tiny). I tried several different zooms, some where it was just him and a vast expanse of moss and some, like this, that were up close and you can see the cool details of the plant. The pulled back zoom looked pretty good, but, because the model is only head and shoulders taller than a US Quarter, I lost the details of the figure. Maybe next time I'll post both versions.
Taking him into Photoshop, I first did a little selective coloring on the moss to make it a more rusty orange (to better suit the whole machine motif), then painted the spotlight the same way I do robot eyes. Finally, I felt that his robe was a little flat. There have been many complaints about how I paint my miniatures; the most common being that they are too dark or that everything is brown. Because of this, I went back and painted over his robe with a little red, set to Overlay, which really made the guy pop.
EXIF for the EXIF God:
| Camera: | Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi |
| Exposure: | 0.002 sec (1/500) |
| Aperture: | f/2.5 |
| Focal Length: | 50 mm |
| ISO Speed: | 400 |
| Exposure Bias: | 0 EV |
| Flash: | Off |
| File Size: | 3.6 MB |
| File Type: | JPEG |
| MIME Type: | image/jpeg |
| Image Width: | 3306 |
| Image Height: | 2592 |
| Encoding Process: | Baseline DCT, Huffman coding |
| Bits Per Sample: | 8 |
| Color Components: | 3 |
| X-Resolution: | 72 dpi |
| Y-Resolution: | 72 dpi |
| Orientation: | Horizontal (normal) |
| Software: | Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows |
| Date and Time (Modified): | 2009:02:13 13:36:56 |
| YCbCr Positioning: | Co-sited |
| Exposure Program: | Aperture-priority AE |
| Date and Time (Original): | 2009:02:13 13:16:03-06:00 |
| Date and Time (Digitized): | 2009:02:13 13:16:03 |
| Metering Mode: | Multi-segment |
| Color Space: | sRGB |
| Focal Plane X-Resolution: | 4433.29532497149 dpi |
| Focal Plane Y-Resolution: | 4453.60824742268 dpi |
| Custom Rendered: | Normal |
| Exposure Mode: | Auto |
| White Balance: | Manual |
| Scene Capture Type: | Standard |
| Compression: | JPEG (old-style) |
| Global Angle: | 30 |
| Global Altitude: | 30 |
| Copyright Flag: | False |
| Photoshop Quality: | 12 |
| Photoshop Format: | Standard |
| Progressive Scans: | 3 Scans |
| XMPToolkit: | Adobe XMP Core 4.1-c036 46.276720, Mon Feb 19 2007 22:40:08 |
| Orientation: | Horizontal (normal) |
| Metadata Date: | 2009:02:13 13:36:56-06:00 |
| Creator Tool: | Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows |
| Format: | image/jpeg |
| Color Mode: | 3 |
| ICCProfile Name: | sRGB IEC61966-2.1 |
| Viewing Conditions Illuminant Type: | D50 |
| Measurement Observer: | CIE 1931 |
| Measurement Flare: | 0.999% |
| Measurement Illuminant: | D65 |
| Color Transform: | YCbCr |
| Flash Return: | No return detection |
| Flash Mode: | Off |
| Flash Function: | False |
| Flash Red Eye Mode: | False |
Be good,
-Dave
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Since the weather is still in the low teens outside, I thought I'd take this opportunity to do a fun little tutorial. This one isn't so much about any photographic techniques, but instead I wanted to go into making sets for either your toys or any miniatures you have.
Today (well, last night actually) I built this bit of wall out of things sitting around the house. For this project you will need a few simple things.
Tools:
- Hot Glue Gun
- Acrylic Paints
- Paintbrushes
- Exacto Knife
Materials:
- Popsicle Sticks
- Thick, Sturdy Plastic
- Cardboard
- Little Metal Scrapbook Things*
- Flock
To start, measure out how large you want your wall to be, then cut the plastic to form the base (I used plastic from a toy package) that your wall will stand on. If the plastic is wobbly, use the popsicle sticks to strengthen it.
Next, cut the cardboard to make your wall. For this, I used the inside "handle" of a box as it was the right size and the corner was torn, giving it a cool worn look. Cut up another popsicle stick and use the pieces to prop the wall up. Using your exacto knife, make small, even incisions in the cardboard and slide your Little Metal Scrapbook Things inside to make cool rivets.
By now your hot glue gun is heated up and ready to go. Assemble the pieces and glue them together, taking care not to burn your fingers like I often do.
When everything is assembled, it looks something like this.
Before we paint it, I like to give it a coat of primer to help the paint stick. Any can of spraypaint that says Primer will do.
With paint (I didn't paint the back. Shhh!):
Once you get it painted, you'll need to add some flock to the base. What this means is adding some material to help create the illusion of solid ground. Most people use sand, but here I have a mixture of cinnamon, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Normally it isn't a good idea to use organic materials as flock, but I've added a nice thick coat of aerosol sealer to keep anything from rotting.
Safety note. Kids, cinnamon and red pepper powder can feel like a near lethal combination when inhaled. Even a little bit is going to really hurt. My nose is still runny!
So now you've assembled, painted, flocked, and sealed your wall. Now what?
PICTURES!
Be good,
-Dave
*I have been informed by my lovely assistant April that the Little Metal Scrapbook Things are called Brads and can be found in most craft/scrapbooking stores.
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