Three feet vs three inches
Here is the thing, I like the metric system but imperial has more human measurements. But more than that it is an old rule, where I heard it I don’t know but here is how it goes.
You look at miniatures in two ways: at three feet away, and at three inches away.
Here is a study.
Blood Bowl Dwarves painted at Character level
Blood Bowl Dwarves Rushjob painted at Tabletop level
If you look up close its clear which ones are painted in the superior style, at least technically. The character level one has lava style blades, true metallic metal, Maybelline style hair/bears and deeper shading. However which one got more likes in the local hobby shop's social media page? You already know the answer otherwise this would be a very short article. It was the tabletop level one but why?
The three feet and three inches rule in action.
So how does that work everyone is seeing it on a screen. Well…
Some people are seeing things on their mobile so for them what they see is this, one lot with dark coloured miniatures with maybe some bright grass. Another lot with bright colours that pop off the screen! Both have oranges for sure but the character level is more subtle more textured, has more depth, which is great when you’re three inches away but when you’re three feet away the Dwarf with the so bright it hurts orange is seen that’s one you are drawn to.
How to use this information?
So, one of the best paintjobs I saw was when I was working for Games-Workshop it wasn’t when someone dropped something in for golden demon it was a kid’s minotaur. Because as the above example it looked great far away, because of its bold lines. How can you achieve similar results?
Push your contrast.
Push your contrast beyond your normal limits, not deep blue and blood red, instead fire orange and bright aqua. By pushing your contrasts to the extreme when looking far away they catch the eye more easily. Blacks against whites and so on.
You can do this with darker colour schemes as well but you have to push in certain areas. Take for example the Dark Angels from Warhammer 40,000 they are classically painted in quite a dull way, all green with a very dark tint. Okay so, bright rims on the pauldrons in gold can help. Bright glowing eyes. Pushing those highlights to new leaf green at the top of the model and let it be deep sea green at the bottom. It is always possible to push.
Be less messy.
When it comes to those two above, the guys in orange are wearing a bright orange body glove, but the guys in other are in football uniforms with obsidian armour, skin exposed on the legs as the model’s design would suggest. Less parts means less complications means brain think shiny.
Basically, your brain is dumb it pretends to be smart when it talks to be people and such but the minute you see a shiny, it says ooooh shiny. Look at diamonds and gold you think rarity is the only thing that drives their value?
In simple terms? Simplify your colour scheme and make it high contrast.
Quick conclusion and review
You are painting for either 3 feet away or three inches away
Push your contrast
Simplify your colour scheme
I hope that this helps you on your painting journey
Until next time friends.
Keep those brushes wet