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Post by kiladecus on Nov 6, 2012 5:48:57 GMT -9
Ok. The MIDIAN KNIGHTS are out... time to plan ahead... I watched JOSEPH: KING OF DREAMS the last night, and for the last couple of weeks have been researching the Egyptians gods and artwork... So can you tell what I have brewing? ;D Originally (in 1999), the MIDIANS and the JIN'DAN were rivals (I have the armies set up to rival one another based on territory... kind of an "arch-enemy" kinda thing). Well, nothing surprised me MORE to find out that when I went to release the MIDIAN KNIGHTS, they were actually BEAST MEN! The Midians were simply a "chaos" version of the Jin'Dan (high-tech desert-dwelling nomads). I had a terrible urge to do beastmen, and therefore, the Midians changed. That worked out well, because I wanted knights, but didn't want to draw people on horseback. The JIN'DAN are changing, as well. I am going for the whole Ancient Egyptian feel, and the elite warriors are going to be the most challenging of my "career." This is where YOU come in... I like adding a large figure to each of my sets, and this is going to continue. What creature do you think would look good along-side Jackyl Warriors? I am thinking of something large (and was considering doing elephants with cannons mounted on them), but if you are going to have creatures like the ones in the MUMMY movies, then the "big" figure need to be special! Maybe a Sphinx? What are your thoughts. Feel free to add pictures, as well! I may also include some Mummies... with a TWIST! The hard part of this will be to incorporate future army ideas without making them overlap one another. Some more ideas: Thing "Stargate" only more organic.
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 7, 2012 6:54:25 GMT -9
Ok... I have 100 other things I am SUPPOSED to be doing, but I can't seem to help myself. As far as the "Sphinx" goes, I resurrected an old character, and drew this image. When I played the RPG I made called "TECHNOWARS," he was the commnader (and chief NPC). He took out 4 squads of troops using thermal detonators and flying over them... Our team locker the blast doors and we thought he was dead. He showed up time and time again after performing many such acts. He was my FAVORITE character of ALL times. Here is AVALON! 'Nuff said!
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Post by magpiestear on Nov 7, 2012 13:12:24 GMT -9
These are really nice Kila. will definitely have to pick these up when you release them. I like Avalon a lot. And you know there's only one thing he could possibly say don't you.....................(with a suitably deep, gruff voice) "It's Gordon and he's Alive!!!!!!!!!!"Couldn't resist
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 8, 2012 5:04:57 GMT -9
Here is the final version of the figure. This set will be a great under-taking! I am looking at about 20 figures (approx). This army will be useful in any game, but will DOMINATE in ERA OF WAR!
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 8, 2012 11:26:34 GMT -9
Here is BAST (or BASTET, if you prefer). I have quite a bit to do with this set, and it is going to take some time. I have to say the results are looking good so far. Next is SEKHMET, OSIRIS and RA! Other planned figures are SOBEK, ANUBIS and so forth. There will also be humans for these gods to command. There will be a couple surprises, as well. This set has the potential to be HUGE, and have a LOT of options in it (not ONLY for EoW, but ANY game you play using these). This could very quickly become my favorite set yet!
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Post by cowboyleland on Nov 8, 2012 12:33:14 GMT -9
Kila, these are really looking good! Bastet's left elbow looks a bit like it bends the wrong way. Could you try it without the highlight on the gold "armband?" Just see what you think
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 8, 2012 12:38:54 GMT -9
I was hoping no one would notice... At 1 1/2" I am sure it will not be as noticable. ;D
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Post by cowboyleland on Nov 8, 2012 16:36:13 GMT -9
Suit yourself I find I Parduze more (too much ) when it has been too long since I did something myself.
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 8, 2012 16:59:49 GMT -9
I appreciate all the feedback I get... even the "negative" stuff that is constructive. It actually was a fore-shortening issue. You are right, the way the arm was colored didn't help the situation any. That shows that you blew it up and looked it over very well. That makes me feel good. It wasn't one of those "Nice" or "Beautiful" blanket comments that people blindly throw out there.
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Post by hackbarth on Nov 9, 2012 3:12:10 GMT -9
Nice! Beautiful! ;D
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Post by Rhannon on Nov 9, 2012 4:45:12 GMT -9
I think that after this release, I am going to release the core rulebook, and then I may go into semi-retirement. I knew this venture wouldn't be earth-shattering, but when I give out XX number of codes to download my figures for FREE, and only HALF of those people download it, it shows that I can't GIVE my stuff away. SO... this is nearing the end, I am afraid. Hei Dave! You must stand on. Time and calm. Time and quiet. Also Permes, my friend, explained this question to you. In this hobby, unfortunately, there aren't large numbers (sales, money ...). So, first thing, this hobby should remain first and foremost a passion to share with friends, few or many they are. After ... With time you will see your quality results. About codes ... you know why I do not use them. Ciao
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 9, 2012 8:15:12 GMT -9
I know! ;D And I want to say THANK YOU! You have been my best supporter! I am grateful for that!
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Post by hackbarth on Nov 9, 2012 8:44:30 GMT -9
Seriously now.
I'm loving this new set. You somehow managed to hit the Alien Ancient Egyptian Gods feeling in the spot.
As usual, my 86¢ (and counting) on it:
You nailed it with the bigger sun/serpent symbol on Avalon's head comparing the final art with the first drawing. Very good improvement! What could be better: the elbow joints in the armor look unequal sized. I think it would be better if the left arm one was bigger, to the same size than the right arm one. I think that the figure would be much more menacing and the "alien lion" feel of it would be enhanced if you managed to pull off legs in the digitigrade posture, like the Bastet is.
Talking of her. Yes, cowboyleland pointed it already and really isn't a big deal, the right arm has a strange positioning of the elbow. But what I think is a more visible fault is that I cant see what really is going on with the left arm. What is she holding? Is she holding something or her arm is some sort of implant? Seems like a pistol. I think it cold be a better way of displaying the figure if her arm was a little rotationed so that we could see what and how she is holding. and at the same time show some claw! And for my personal taste, I would enhance the digitigrade posture of her even more!
The concept of the figures is really good. The face of the Bastet draws the eye in a way that is remarkable. I would love to have these figures in a more relaxed setting, out of their armor too.
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 9, 2012 12:57:10 GMT -9
Thanks for the input. Once again, it is a fore-shortening issue with Avalon's left arm. I was trying to get it to look like his arm was more in the "background." You are BOTH right about BAST. She has a pistol in her left hand. I may have to change that up a bit. Here is her nemesis, so-to-speak: SEKHMET On Facebook, I had a fun little quote about how she thinks she's so special and stuff, because she replaced "me" as the protector and healer... and so forth. The quote was from BAST. I had fun with that.
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Post by Sirrob01 on Nov 9, 2012 15:49:34 GMT -9
Don't give up, although haven't had a chance to build many of your models yet I personally like your artwork and style. Now I wont normally give feedback as I feel wrong giving feedback to people who can actually draw when I'm still struggling with freehand drawing two legs at the same proportions and not making all my women look like they have some grotesque deformity... Anyways if you want here are some things you might like to consider again I already like what you release but if you want to appeal more to the masses, here are some suggestions: ~ Group your RPGNow overview page into armies, at the moment everything is jumbled together, probably okay for those of us buying the lot but if you were trying to start out it's not as clear cut . ~ Soften your preview images a little at the moment the high contrast black vs the then coloured mini is a very harsh. I'm not to sure why you went to black but I actually really liked your original promo style more, than the newer one: I picked the above two as the same miny is on the cover of each but the left one looks much better than the right . With the mini's taking a much more dynamic role and filling more of the space and I ahve mre of an idea of what im getting with the right one I'm not even sure if the big blue dragon guy has a head . ~ I think your posing/drawing style/detail/design(ie nothign to thin no 100s little nocks to cut out) is really good. Probably the bit thats letting you down is colouring. I know you hand colour and for me I like that but the masses are now used to watching DBZ and other digitally coloured shows. I probably cant provide the right advice here and I'm not even sure how to describe it. If you could smooth clean (struggling for the right word) the coloring up a little...sorry maybe Rhannon or Parduz can describe what I mean... ~ A couple of sets seem to have a strange double border grey inside the black but it looks odd and detracts a little from the mini's eg the warriors of taurus ~You have some nice picys inside the codexs don't be afraid to use those a little more..okay this was quick and its small but gives you an idea . They may not be perfect but they show your stuff on the table. ~ Lastly a couple of poses of each warrior type, people love variaty . Now I've found a bit of a cheat for this and you already tend to draw in that way. I always draw the base model with one leg front and one side. draw two heads 1 straight on and 1 to the side. Draw 3 arms one bent forwards one cocked in and one pointing up or out (i ditch that 3rd one sometimes but it works well for heros or Sargents etc From those few parts you can get with a bit of manipulation 3 different legs - straight on (both bent out (same leg mirrored yes a cheat), Lunge Right, Lunge Left. 3 Heads - straight, left and right. Arms - you can dual wield to weapons, have a weapon and shield or weapon and waving people forward. Even minor stuff like flipping shields so you see the back when hes facing forward and slightly changign the arm angle helps. You can then go all out and throw the odd helmet on a few, before you know it you have 16 different mini's. IT does mean you are drawing kind of weird I don't tend to draw a finished miniature but rather draw a page full of bits. This would work even without using a computer as you could draw and colour all the bits, the colour photocopy cut them out and assemble them into different miniatures using glue and scan them back in....I hope that makes sense I hope the above is some help and please don't take offense or give up just trying to give some hopefully helpful feedback, dont pack your drawing hand away ....
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 11, 2012 9:47:35 GMT -9
Sir Rob 01 - First off, thanks for purchasing my sets. ;D Secondly, I am still "new" at this and am trying to carve my path through the underbrush. I am trying to find the right "fit" of my style and such. The reason I have only one pose (at this point) is I am trying to get some army options in the hands of the public. I want them to be able to the figures to play ERA OF WAR with (when it comes out). My original plan was to release the ten armies (which I have added some new ones) and then the core rulebook so people could pick and choose what the want. Once I get everything out, I will then go BACK and re-release the sets with more options and ultimately more figures. The existing ones will still be usable, but the new ones will have more variety. As far as computer shading, I agree that the industry standard is going that way. My figures are more for the player that wants that nostalgic feeling. Sure, DRAMASCAPE does GREAT maps, but INKED ADVENTURES does as well. I for one prefer the feeling of figures like PERMES and OkumArts to the figures that are CG-rendered. The "cartoony," hand-drawn style has more of a character behind it. The CGI figures look like mannequins in a department store window (in my opinion). I admit that if I took some classes, and developed some computer skills, then perhaps my work would look better. As far as the covers go, well... there is ONE MAJOR reason that the covers have changed. Someone ELSE did the WARMANCER Set One cover. Pure and simple. The black with the figures scattered is the best I could do. It is kind of my trademark style, and I realize that this is something that needs to change. By pointing out the head of the Dracotaur, that REALLY made me realize just how badly this was set up. As far as the figures, I think when someone has a dozen figures in the set, then it can get a little "cluttered" when they ALL appear on the cover. A few people (like REIVAJ and MESPER) do this in a way that it shows the buyer what they are getting, without over-whelming them. I am doing some "flips and changes" with this new set. Look at SEKHMET and BAST. They are the SAME figure... one with wings and one with a cape (that needs to be re-colored in the WORST way). Sekhmet is a Bast 180 flip, and a couple other changes. Sekhmet has a scythe, and Bast has a pistol that you can't see (this, too, is going to be changed). Once I get to the "bird-heads" (Ra, Osiris and so forth), they are going to be the same character only flipped and such. I must be maturing as an artist (and a person) because no one likes it when someone points out their flaws, but I realize you did this to help me become a better designer and publisher. I studied marketing in college, and I pride myself on that. I guess I over-looked the simple concept that people DO "judge a book by it's cover." I guess I need to slow down on trying to get stuff out there and polish what I have, first. Thanks, Rob! I can't promise I can embrace ALL of these changes at once, but I hope you will see some new changes coming alone shortly. Thanks again!
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 11, 2012 15:22:52 GMT -9
Is this closer to what you were thinking?
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Post by Sirrob01 on Nov 11, 2012 21:21:52 GMT -9
Liking that the new cover Glad you took the feedback in the spirit it was offered I've been sitting on nails for 2 days hoping I had not offended , which is why I normally dislike commenting on stuff but I didn't want you to stop drawing, backed me into a corner you did . BTW I'm liking the minis above and my wife is hanging out for the catfolk (JIN'DAN) above (She has a thing for tiger/lion people)
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 12, 2012 7:36:37 GMT -9
WHAT? ME get offended... Yepper, you know me well! I am getting better at not taking criticism as personal attacks. (Besides, I know that isn't in your nature, from what I know of you on here). Thanks again for the pointers. I still am not sure what you mean by "double" outlines... Is it on ALL of my sets?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2012 17:42:52 GMT -9
I still am not sure what you mean by "double" outlines... Is it on ALL of my sets? Hmm... perhaps you should OPEN your FINAL files (repeating: FINAL - not working!), and then just take a closer look. Magnify (using "+") and examine each figure and sheet after sheet. Please take your time...slowly, one by one, magnify more if needed... Then open another set, repeat etc. then another. In other words just do your "homework"... observe and compare... ;D WHAT? ME get offended... Well, you know it wasn't my intention, right?
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Post by Sirrob01 on Nov 12, 2012 22:16:02 GMT -9
Mesper has some wise words there Not every mini, although the 2nd page of Tauria seem to show it the most and against the pink dress of the Tauria Mage it makes for an odd contrast: I'm not sure what it is maybe a scan boundary? It doesn't look so bad when zoomed in but when viewed as the whole mini it seems to wash the colour out visually. I missed this bit: Not so much the full CG look or coloured look, still hand colouring and hand drawn (I dislike CG paperminis as well but I know people like them so each to there own). More just cleaning the colouring...Hmm this is hard to describe, dont change your style (then its not you anymore) just make it clearer, cleaner and crisper. I think you can achieve this by drawing and colour the miniatures at a larger size then scaling them down after scan but that's a full on guess. I have no expertise in this field but sometimes David Okum posts a drawing preview and I can see his mini's are drawn huge (or he owns a massive eraser and pencil): cardboard-warriors.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=downloadattachmentpage&board=okumarts&thread=2894&post=30035However I don't really know as I do rough line drawings then effectively ink them in inkscape and cheat colour with gradients, although I'm working on learning cellshading and blended cell shading, one of the reasons I dislike providing feedback I'm learning myself although I know my biggest let downs are a lack of practice, patience and focus.... I wish I had your grasp on colour theory, shading and highlighting as I can see when looking at your mini's the shading/shadowing and highlights are in the right places, metal looks metal, fabric has the perception of folds, the right area's are in shadow or light. Just at the moment it seems sometimes blurred or non-crisp
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 13, 2012 1:53:57 GMT -9
As far as coloring goes, I look at a picture and "see" where the sunlight would "hit" it. I guess it is a "gift." I dunno... I know what caused the double border on the WARRIORS OF TAURIA. It can't be corrected at this point. I had a friend enhance the borders for me (since this was my first solo set, I had a few issues with it). A friend volunteered to thicken the borders for me, and he added his borders over mine. I try to examine the final files, and I do this in the alignment stages. No, I do not blow them up and scan in the pixel stages. I know my limits, and am afraid that if I DID, I would NEVER release ANYTHING due to the fact that I am very critical, and easy discouraged. The reason my figures don't have a smooth texture to them is my coloring, pure and simple. I t is my style, and who I am. I have tried to use GIMP and other programs for coloring, and it really doesn't work for me. I like the freedom of placing the folds or highlights where I want them... and I feel that I can only do that by hand. I can/am willing to embrace certain ideas and criticisms, but some things I can't/won't change. Not that I am stubborn or rigid... just that I have to stick with what I know, even if it makes my work "sub-standard" in some people's eyes. (I will regret this phrase, I am sure...) It all comes back to what I am familiar with and what I think works for me. Thanks again for the feedback. I am NOT offended, and your thoughts and suggestions are very helpful. I am planning on changing the areas I can, and will continue doing the things the way I am that I feel I can't change. ;D All in all, your suggestions are helping me to become better. That is what friends are for... to help you become a better person. (Not that I am THAT bad... I don't think).
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Post by Sirrob01 on Nov 14, 2012 22:57:01 GMT -9
Kiladecus I've looked over a couple of the other sets now and none of those have that odd bordering the Tauria have. In fact the other sets are all much crisper and cleaner (brighter) as well, Possibly just got a bad scan on that set
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 15, 2012 3:23:54 GMT -9
Well, no. I did the set and released it. A friend volunteered to add thiker borders for me (which made the set easier to cut out) and helped it, but he added the borders to my original files. As a reult, you have the "original" border (the grey one) with the "new, thicker" one over top of it. Since this was my first time doing the lay-out all by myself, I was still trying to figure (for once, no pun intended) everything out. That is why that set was set up as landscape instead of portrait. That's all. I am slowly coming around.
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 17, 2012 19:29:36 GMT -9
Well, Sir Rob 01 is TRULY #1 in my book! ;D These posters are REALLY looking great, and I will hold off posting any more until they are "finished." Back on topic, I have been "cleaning up" the images I started on this set, but they are STILL not what I was hoping for. I have been working on BAST's hand, and did the re-color of SEKHMET (below). Still not happy with the results of the figures. I may scrap this project for now and re-visit it in the Spring. I have quite a few other projects going on right now with other people, and I am MONTHS behind where I need to be with FIELDS OF WAR* *-Not to be confused with "ERA OF WAR." ;D
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Post by kiladecus on Nov 17, 2012 19:45:26 GMT -9
That was the "old" veriosn of SEKHMET. Here is the new one...
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Post by Sirrob01 on Nov 28, 2012 22:37:01 GMT -9
like the deep red cape, looks more regal which is what I guess you wanted
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Post by hackbarth on Nov 29, 2012 2:52:35 GMT -9
I thought that I commented on the new Sekhmet, but it doesn't show here...
So there was something bothering me about Sekhmet, and i couldn't put my finger on it. Now i know, it was the profusion of bright colors. I know that the look of the Jim' Dan are based on gold and bright metals with a regal color chart, but Sekhmet was over the top even for this, the new dark cape was a move in the right directiopn, he is much better now.
Since i commented on the color, there isn't much else to talk about. After all, the figure is a good new take on the Bastet figure and all that I talked about it applies, except my critic about the weapon arm, that is fixed. I just would like that the digitigrade posture to be enhanced, to put emphasis in the alieness and felineness of the figure.
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Post by kiladecus on Dec 7, 2012 9:42:03 GMT -9
I will revisit this set in the new year. I wasn't 100% happy with the way it was looking.
I am working on another army that I have been waiting to do for about 12 years... it is the coolest set of figures I have seen yet... and that is saying a lot! More to follow...
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Post by hackbarth on Dec 7, 2012 10:58:46 GMT -9
I'm a little sad. I was eagerly waiting for these models.
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