This model was painted back in 2019 as a test for painting solely with oils in miniature scale. Overall I’m pretty happy with how things turned out for a first attempt, but there’s definitely a whole bunch of things I didn’t really consider during the process and would need to improve.
Parts of the model simply don’t read as metallic as I would like it too, and while I’m happy with the overall contrast and black-and-white movie feel of the scheme, the lack of defining texture is a shame. I’m very tempted to come back to this model later on and see if I can eek out a little bit more detail in parts, such as the sword and gemstones seen above.
I had wanted to go for a spectral look with the cloak, reminiscent of the ghostly horde from Return of the King, and while I feel the colours are spot on, it’s lacking a bit of light and value. I attempted a basic OSL glow around the base, but feel that the cloak itself lacks enough volume to be a believable source of the glow.
Overall, a fair bit learned with this experiment, especially in terms of blending oils on such small surfaces and using oil paint for a different purpose other than weathering.
-P