Small diorama using the new Warhammer ghosts
The local GW organizes a monthly contest where every participant paints the same mini. This time it was one of the cheap ghosts which costed like 2e due to the Conquest magazine, so it was very cheap and a good setup to try things. I wanted to improve storytelling, building scenary and using limited palette (I only used the kimera set colors for everything, and I didn’t even use all the colors, I used only 9).
Before doing anything, I quickly sketched something about the idea. Since it’s a ghost, the obvious theme is life and death, so I went for that. That gives a Light-Dark composition, so something regarding OSL could be cool. Then it ocurred to me, I could show the previous life of the ghost with a painting! By dividing the composition in two, using different lights, we can get that different very easily. Due to the way the miniature “flows”, we can control the gaze of the user and ease the composition.
First I built the structure. It is based on 3mm plasticard, which is a pain to cut, but very durable. I added some plasticard square roots to give strength to the structure. For the floor, I used the standard tiles for scale models, which are very cheap. It was time consuming to get all the floor done, but it looked very cool. I put the tiles over another sheet of 3mm plasticard, so all is pretty durable.
Then I start making the details, by putting a textured plasticard sheet for the walls to imitate the rocks of the castle. I started using modeled bricks (the ones from GreenStuffWorld), but they were way way too small. The sheet was also very easy to use and looks excellent (a bit too textured IMHO, but still great). I created the table which divides the composition by used thin 1mm plasticard as a base with a bunch of 2mm-wide strips on top to make the wood layers, then 1.5mm square rods for the table legs. The chandelier was a bit trickier: I cut the “warbanner” in the squad, and then use a metal rod for the body. For the small legs, I get thin aluminium metal and just roll it up carefully in a spiral, then glue it to the chandelier body and floor.
I started adding details like the portrait frame, which is very important for our composition, and a rug for the middle, which “really ties the room together”. I also added a book using putty, and a bottle from GreenStuffWorld. The table/rug is the middle of the composition dividing the light&dark, the orange&blue, life&death, etc, so it’s important it’s not just a void but it has elements to drive the two elements of the composition together. Finally somepeople helpfully commented to add a bit more to the corners so the composition is not as empty, so I added a storage box and some potions in the wall.
For the portrait I first tried making a painting based on a Portrait of Cardinal Manning, by George Frederick Watts, which I think it’s amazing. The expression and ascetism of his face are great matches for the literal skull on the ghost. So using thin plasticard as a canvas I painted a first version. This was terrible, in part because I had already glued the canvas to the wall and with the chandelier it was difficult to paint properly. I also got values very wrong. I eventually separated the canvas and painted over. This time it went much better. The expression still left a lot to be desired and the proportions of the face aren’t that great but I think it gets the message across. Proper painting is still something I have to work a lot more. Finally I glazed with orange + violet for the OSL.
For painting the scenery, I started with a grisaille to outline all the lights. Since I had two light sources, things were a bit complicated. A grisaille can help in two ways: First, it outlines eveyrthing giving a clear picture of how it will work. If things have “volume” and look “right” in the grisaille, they will with color. The other way they can help is by having a color base that it’s appropiate. Think about how different colors behave when you have primed with white or with black. Acrylics are usually partially transparent (unless you are using some kind of heavy body paint), so having the proper background helps with intensity (value).
After painting the grisaille, I start giving color, in very rough steps. No color is blended, I don’t wait for paint for dry, it’s not thinned, and the strokes are very very visible. However, it’s important that the strokes are following some kind of direction/pattern. The OSL should be marked, colors decided, approximate contrast, etc. After that, it’s just cleaning work, making transitions smoother, adding details etc. For some people this is the most important part of the work, but that’s just preference. Without any cleaning the artwork should work and all emotion and story should be there, it’s just a matter of presentation. I just cleaned a bit transitions, added more strokes (still visible), give proper texture to wood table etc.
And that’s it :) Here are some closeups.