Here is my perpetual problem:

I can't decide how much shading/highlighting to do because I'm fighting against two dichotomous objectives: having my ships pop and having my ships exhibit subtlety. I've been a modeler and a wargamer in the past, and I generally did subtle for the former and pop for the latter. Now I find myself in a weird middle ground. Right now I've got my ships on the subtle side to the point where if the lighting is a little too bright, you can barely tell there's any shading/highlighting. Once I'm in something slightly dim (something less than office-style flourescents) the panels start even looking too contrasted. Shown below: diffuse sunlight where it's starting to get washed out on the glads below, and the vic looks a bit over-contrasted from being in the shadow of the ISD, though in actuality all the ships have about the same level of modulation.

Anyone encounter this kind of problem before? (I.e. you have OCD and don't know what to do ) Recommendations? Just move on with life and get to painting the windows?

That's just the killer, aint it? Before you even get to OCD on it - striking that balance is often the absolute hardest thing to do for Scale Modelling... You want it to be "realistic", but you also want it to grab the attention, and realistic is usually a little... bland.

Personally, I do think you over-worry too much. Your stuff is really good. I wish I could replicate it. But I cannot.

Definitely, add your contrast and "pop" through windows... a Blend of, say, Subtle highlight and shading on the armour panels, contrasting with some really nice OSL work for Windows - or, in my preference, for Engine Glows - will really make things stand out.

I don't know what to tell you ,as I am the exact opposite side of the spectrum, Pop to the extent it probably looks cartoony (but I don't care, I like it, love me some contrast). It might have been Dras who told me 'we are miniature painters, we need to exaggerate the details to make them show at all" or something to that effect, and I may have ran with it a little far.

That said, as above, your work is fantastic DUR, but while technically fantastic and extremely well done, a bit boring at the table (which is what I try to combat, generally). Great photo example of your conundrum though as the glads wash out fast. There is plenty of middle ground between you and I to explore though ,certainly. I agree, some nice OSL could really bring it up, especially as everything else is so demure it will have no competition. Where I choose contrasting colour schemes to achieve this, you don't need to worry as much.

BTW I grabbed some watercolour pencils to add some more details/experiment to my next one, given what you've shown us. Either way, any way you do it, it is fantastic.

4 minutes ago, Darthain said:

It might have been Dras who told me 'we are miniature painters, we need to exaggerate the details to make them show at all" or something to that effect, and I may have ran with it a little far.

Sounds like something I'd say

But its definitely the case - Miniature is exaggerated. Scale Model is Demure and Accurate.

Because Real life, when expressed in smaller form, can be boring to visualise.

There's nothing wrong with shooting for - and hitting - realistic. (Bang on Target there)... But I think some nice focal points would help. Something singular to draw the eye too - and some OSL work would do that.

I love them how they look now. The thing is that by their size these models already have more contrasted detail than the ones in the movie, where the platting is more subtle. Right now your miniatures look exactly like if they were taken from the movie.

Yes, they don't pop that much, but this is the Empire.

I love them, do not change them. Honestly I wish my Imperial craft looked like yours in that pic... do you have a rundown of how you did it?

nevermind, found it. Watercolor pencils eh?...

These are how my ISDs are looking now, just a flat white primer on the ISD-I and white drybrushing on the latter. I wish I could have the subtlelties of the hull variations as you do.

Those look really good.

You can have pop and subtlety. Like in 2d art. Use the pop on parts you want to draw attention to. High contrast on faces, eyes, focus of the picture.

That is easier on human minis, pop the faces, swords, probably harder on space ships.

MC30/GR75 front areas work well for that too, and the enginge glows.

On a star destroyer I am a bit lost on what to pop. Bridge? Guns?

I don't know what I can add to this other than the ships look really good as is, very movie accurate.

19 hours ago, DUR said:

Here is my perpetual problem:

I can't decide how much shading/highlighting to do because I'm fighting against two dichotomous objectives: having my ships pop and having my ships exhibit subtlety. I've been a modeler and a wargamer in the past, and I generally did subtle for the former and pop for the latter. Now I find myself in a weird middle ground. Right now I've got my ships on the subtle side to the point where if the lighting is a little too bright, you can barely tell there's any shading/highlighting. Once I'm in something slightly dim (something less than office-style flourescents) the panels start even looking too contrasted. Shown below: diffuse sunlight where it's starting to get washed out on the glads below, and the vic looks a bit over-contrasted from being in the shadow of the ISD, though in actuality all the ships have about the same level of modulation.

Anyone encounter this kind of problem before? (I.e. you have OCD and don't know what to do ) Recommendations? Just move on with life and get to painting the windows?

You could try only playing in the ideal lighting for your chosen paint scheme.

13 hours ago, Norsehound said:

I love them, do not change them. Honestly I wish my Imperial craft looked like yours in that pic... do you have a rundown of how you did it?

These are how my ISDs are looking now, just a flat white primer on the ISD-I and white drybrushing on the latter. I wish I could have the subtlelties of the hull variations as you do.

I'd love to check out tour work but I can't see your pics norsehound!

It's funny: I look at a lot of others' work here and tell myself, "gosh, wish I could do that !" Just goes to show you we're all doomed to be unhappy

I especially look at the OSL work from some of yall and it looks like some kind of witchcraft to me!

For reference: believe me, its loads easier than you might think!

3 hours ago, Frimmel said:

You could try only playing in the ideal lighting for your chosen paint scheme.

Ha ha! I can imagine how snooty that might go.

::walks up to table::

"Window lights just a tad too warm. Sorry pal, can't play until sundown."

Now, I should really get to work on those fighters...

1 hour ago, DUR said:

It's funny: I look at a lot of others' work here and tell myself, "gosh, wish I could do that !" Just goes to show you we're all doomed to be unhappy

You know it. a pretty continuous problem.

4 hours ago, Frimmel said:

You could try only playing in the ideal lighting for your chosen paint scheme.

1 hour ago, DUR said:

Ha ha! I can imagine how snooty that might go.

::walks up to table::

"Window lights just a tad too warm. Sorry pal, can't play until sundown."

Now, I should really get to work on those fighters...

I can imagine bringing a large lamp to emulate a sun/star to tournaments. LOL!!!

"Light reflecting from a Giant Star of Death, perhaps?"

You just reminded how jealous I was/am of that deathstar lamp that got posted in off topics dras.... darn...

2 minutes ago, BrobaFett said:

You just reminded how jealous I was/am of that deathstar lamp that got posted in off topics dras.... darn...

I live to Serve. And Disappoint, apparently.

7 hours ago, DUR said:

I'd love to check out tour work but I can't see your pics norsehound!

Hmm, odd. Try this link. I was showing off using Mel's conversion kit to make an ISD into a -I version.

On 28/04/2017 at 9:37 AM, Xeletor said:

On a star destroyer I am a bit lost on what to pop. Bridge? Guns?

Bridge and the window inset. It really pops.

Holy moly, these are perfect. What colour paints did you use?