Darren Carnall's creative corner

[Ven]

WOW! Now, this lineup looks real familiar!

Rock on Darren!

honestly, I would LOVE to have that many heads to repaint and do a picture like that...

 

[Darren Carnall]

AWWW darren please tell me one of those obi wans are mine

Also been beefing up my arnie ready for your head and i have even managed to get my grubby hands on a minigun

firstly.... you got a minigun? Arghh, I hate you! (not really) lol...

and secondly.... yeah, one of those Obi-Wans is yours. And they were all sent out yesterday afternoon. You should have it soon!! (No Arnie yet though... sorry. But this was finished first, thought I'd send it right away)

WOW! Now, this lineup looks real familiar!

Well having this many completed heads all together.. it's almost a shame to not take a pic of them all together lol

 

[chapuchi]

No problem Darren!

Thanks for the tips, I'll be putting them to good use soon enough! I always wanted to ask - but never knew how to until I saw you on these forums...but how much do your heads cost w/o and with paint?

Allen

the dry mud was a mixture of sandpaper (all over the coat), followed by a thin wash of dirty pale mud colour (yellow ochre, plus various shades of brown and grey). The thin wash lightens the colour of the coat, and makes it a little less shiny. Also adds some age.

After that it was a case of painting, flicking (finger flicking over stiff bristles etc) and dropping various dirt and mud shades in different ways and different layers, to try and create a natural look of wear and tear, as if he was living in the coat. I always refer back to images of the real clothing and screen caps from the movies to get an idea of how mud builds up... where... in what patterns... and what shades. (wet mud at the bottom is usually darker for example than lighter mud that has splashed higher up and dried)

Thanks for the comment about the eyes!

 

[Darren Carnall]

Chapuchi, feel free to pm me and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Ok folks just a heads up, I'm going to try not to let it interfere with things (answering emails, painting etc) but my Dad died suddenly last night, so I may not be completely 'with it' over the next few days.

I got a call from my teary younger brother (28) saying I had to get to the hospital quickly, it was Dad. When I got there I was taken to the small room they have set aside for family members and had it all explained to me.

Dad had apparently been suffering with chest pains on and off over the last four days, but it always went away so he thought it was ok. This time (he was food shopping with my brother, and on their way home when the chest paints came back) he went to the hospital as they seemed stronger this time. They got the half hour bus journey to the hospital and went into A&E (accident & emergency). After giving over his details to the woman on the main desk, he was handed a form and told to go through to the next part where someone would look at him. Just as he was handing in his details at the next desk he just collapsed, and my brother said you could tell his body was struggling in some way internally.

Apparantly he'd had (to use the words of the nurse who briefed us) a 'massive, massive, massive heart attack'. They'll have rushed him straight into resus (picture a scene in ER.. the frantic flurry of people you see when someone collapses)

When I got to the hospital they were already working on him and barry was waiting in the family room, in pieces. We were eventually told that it wasnt looking good, and if we wanted we could go through to watch them work on him, so we did.

There was the usual pipe in his mouth and someone squeezing a bag to help him breathe, and instead of chest compressions by hand they have a machine now, that clamps over the bed, and has a giant 'pusher', that hydraulically compresses the chest. It's quite fast and violent, and not particularly pleasant to see, but it's there for a good reason.

They'd been working on him for about 50 minutes, had given him 8 cycles (I found out afterwards from Jane who does this for a living that a cycle is 2 minutes of compressions followed by a shock) so they'd thrown everything at him, but his heart was so damaged that it wasn't going to work. Eventually they gave us warning that they were going to try one last time and then if there was no improvement they were going to call it, which they eventually did.

anyway... other than the funeral arrangements, I'm going to have various family members calling me for details of how it happened and wanting to grieve (Dad had 2 sisters and a brother), and I'll have to figure out what's happening with his possessions in his flat... so I'll be quite busy for a while. And to be honest I'm finding it quite hard to concentrate at the moment anyway so even when I'm not doing all that... I may not be around much.

Having said that I may just get back on with things on Monday, I'm sure I'll speak to you all soon

Darren

 

[icruise]

That's just terrible Darren. I feel for you and your family.

 

[Dark_Spidey]

Darren, I was truly saddened to learn of the passing of your dad and I send you my most sincere condolences my friend.

 

[Mooncat]

Sorry to hear about your Dad,

sounds like you and the family had a traumatic time,

Sincere condolences on your loss

 

[chapuchi]

Hey Darren,

I'm terribly sorry about the news...but I'm sure everyone will agree with me on this one, but don't worry about being late to reply to us. Take as long as you want, as this is a difficult time for you and your family. Don't worry about us! Keep your chin up my friend.

Allen

 

[great1]

Sorry to hear about your loss Darren, I can't even imagine how it must feel to lose such a close family member.

Danny

 

[mrhatrulez]

You and your family have my deepest sympathies.
Try to take care of yourself during this trying time.

 

[orbitingx]

I want to express my deepest condolences for your loss of your father.

I couldn't imagine what that pain must be like.

I send my prayers to your family.

 

[Lord Vicious]

God darren, that's terrible news! Please don't worry about painting heads and replying our messages and take all the time you need.
I can only imagine what you must be going through. I wish you and your family all the best in this difficult time. Hang in there, buddy...

 

[The Craw]

thats a horrible ordeal to go through. you have my prayers buddy.

 

[Customikey]

You've been added to my prayers, Darren. There is nothing more important than family. I wish yours well and I'm glad that you all can be there for each other. Be well, keep healthy, and come back to us soon.

 

[P@CK@R@CK]

I lost my father years ago in a very similiar way. I'm so sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you and yours.

 

[Batty]

Darren, I'm very sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[drjedisith]

darren my friend. i am very sorry. if there is ANYTHING i can do. do not hesitate. you and your family are in my prayers

 

[C-Phan]

Truely sorry.... take all your time my friend.

 

[MaulFan]

Darren, I'm very sorry for your loss. As a fellow artist I know sometimes dealing with something like this is best done by burying yourself in your work, but your post reads like you feel obligated to keep pushing on with your work and I don't think you should feel that way. You need YOUR time right now, your customers can wait and if they can't have the courtesy to understand your current situation and support you doing what you have to then damn them.

 

[Caohanach]

Darren, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My prayers for you and your family.