Hello friends and enemies! Its the season of miniature painting competitions! I have goal to get bronze or higher this year. This Cold North Open competition is only about two months a way now and I thought you would like to see me try to finish one of my most ambitious projects to date! Its the Little Witch from Ignis Art.

This is how far I have gotten. My idea is a very complex lighting scheme. The girl is wondering around moonlit forest and magically makes the mushrooms glow for extra light. Also the little critters have build a home inside the tree trunk so some candelight is seeping through the windows and the door. I am also thinking that the girls pointed finger is a light source for warm white light. The little witch is in iconic black and lilac striped thights, green dress with yellow contrast puffs and there will be white polka dot pattern on the dress. Her hair will be light brunet and her skintones very orange/yellowish. Her hat is mostly lit from the cold moonlight.

So hell of lot light play and playfullness in this one. Ill try to increase my smoothness skills and push my light placement. Ihope to have the dress and the tree ready or on very final stages when Ill post an update. I have painted this about 80-100 hours by now. I have painted this multible times and had to start over few times. This will not be a how to paint or achieve any of this kind of post. I do so much pack and forth between light and shadow that I cant describe any of it in words. But I will open my thinking and some methods of colour choice and mixing. And ofcourse answer questions and talk about display/competition painting in general.

If you wish to learn more about competition painting and judging of said competitions, I highly recommend the ethos of Miniature Painting Open 2025, written by Andy Wardle.

I hope you will be in for the ride! See you on the next post!