Gotrek and My First Attempt at OSL

I have been a fan of Gotrek Gurnisson since I was 12 years old. I always wanted the old Gotrek and Felix models, even if the sculpts were squishy and plain. When I saw that Gotrek was back, I was a little perturbed that he didn't have his trademark star-metal axe. I then read the final book in the Slayer series and all my concerns have since evaporated.

I wanted to try a bunch of new techniques on this model, some worked well and others were a learning experience. I tried glazing for the first time and am totally satisfied with the results, but my first OSL (object source lighting) attempt wasn't at the same level. These first 3 photos show the model finished and fully based, but the lighting wasn't quite right. Further down there are some pictures without the snow, but with better lighting, so the details (and flaws) are a bit more visible.

On this properly lit Gotrek, you can see a bit of the OSL work, as the dim red light glows on his right boot and a bit of debris. The problem is, the source is way too over the top for the amount of light on the ground. I found myself doing too much too fast, and the axe now looks less like it is glowing, but still an interesting effect. You can see in the following pictures how much orange and red ended up on the blade.

Vince Venturella has a video on OSL, and he explained in it that most OSL should be very subtle, because objects in normal light don't glow very much. If the model was painted much darker, as if it was in a cave or a tunnel, the bright orange and red would have suited the lighting, but now they just look a bit silly. By contrast, I think the glazing on the hair and beard turned out quite well. The effect doesn't fully translate to the pictures, but there is a nice range of colours and depths, and some good contrast. I also did a bit of glazing on the skin to create redder, shadowy areas, and they turned out fine. Overall, I think the piece is a pretty good result for me, but I can see areas that need definite improvement.

I will post a few progress photos down below, and please feel free to leave a comment with tips, suggestions or any feedback for how I could have approached the OSL or the model differently.

Progress Pictures

Comments

Miniature Makers: A (not at all) Definitive List

For nearly 20 years, I have been captivated by the miniature hobby. For most of that time, the only company I was truly aware of, was Games Workshop. The giant in the room, GW certainly has an impressive range of sculpts and a strong design vision. In the last few years, I have become aware of a wide range of other companies, brands, and sculptors, who have their own unique visions about what miniatures are. This will be a living list of the miniature manufacturers that have been recommended to me, or that I have purchased from. It is a very diverse list. Some manufacturers focus on their own proprietary games, and some just sell bits. I have not ordered from all of these companies, so your mileage may vary!!! If there is a company that you love, and it is not listed here, drop me a line and I will add it to the list. Pictured above - https://www.blacksunminiatures.co.uk/product/guardian/ * - Companies with a star were suggested by hobbyists on Reddit and throughout the community...

Stargrave Loot Tokens

I thought I would show off my Stargrave loot tokens. They are pretty simple, but I'm really happy with them. I followed the same method I used for my Frostgrave tokens, but I put a bit more effort into the data loot. Both sets were made from spare/old 40k bits. These data loot were made with bits of foam-core, foam insulation, a toothpick and some old eldar bits. The screen are just craft foam that I painted green, and then mixed that green with white to do the screen details. These terminals look good on the field! The physical loot tokens are super-duper simple. I probably could have put some more effort in here, but I wanted to get playing! These are just 3 pieces of 40k bits stuck to a base. Nothing fancy! I glued on some plastic plants that looked a little bit sci-fi to me.

Rangers of Shadowdeep - Scenario 1: Ableheim

This is the first scenario I created for my Red Brothers campaign, and I had a blast creating and playing it. Since playing it I have made a few tweaks, and I'm sure you will have some creative tweaks as well! I love playing with randomized mechanics, especially when I am trying to create a narratively driven game. Setup: Ableheim is a town that houses corruption and cult activity, the warband has been sent to investigate and destroy any corruption they find. A mob gathers to watch the warband, getting increasingly agitated. Victory: - Find and destroy the corruption; - Exit the table through the starting path Mechanics: Houses When a character investigates a house, roll a D6; If a 6 is rolled, that house contains the corruption. If no 6 is rolled, the corruption is in the last house. If a D6 roll fails, add +1 to the mob counter. When the corruption is found place 1 cultist, 1 cultist archer, and 1 demon in the house (or near it). Mob The mob consists of 3 villagers/militia model...

Hobby Dungeon

Search This Blog