My first try at painting models!

[AoS Noob]

Hey y'all! I found a store that sells commons for a dollar, so I figured I'd try to learn how to paint on these inexpensive models. Let me know what you think!

[Mr Mystery]

Not bad at all for a first try :)

Apologies if this sounds at all condescending, but whilst you've gone for a basic paintjob, your application is neat and tidy, and the colours don't clash.

Next step is to try out some washes - you won't believe the difference they make!

[AoS Noob]

Thanks! ill give that a try next! How do you choose a wash color and where do you apply it?

[Mr Mystery]

Depends!

I favour doing a basecoat like you've done here, then applying a mid-brown wash to the whole model. That helps to bring all the colours together.

Then as needs be, a colour for colour wash, so green on green, red on red to bring out the main colour etc.

Best to get hold of specific wash paints though. GW's are superb, but I've heard good things about Vallejo :)

[Morgrim]

Brown or black washes are your standard ones to apply all over a basecoated model. Brown works best for models with earthy colours like browns and greens, for models that you want to look a little dirty like many basic troops, or any model with mostly warm colours like reds and golds. Black washes work best for models with lots of cool colours like blues and purples and silvers. A neat basecoat and a wash and your models are at tabletop standard and will look good together.

Oh, and just letting you know that the mods may move your thread down into the painting section, so if you can't find it later check there.

[AoS Noob]

Oh awesome! I didn't know there was a painting section. I'll have to go check that out!

[AoS-King]

That's your first time? Thats really good for your first go! Mine was a total mess haha.

[Erik Setzer]

Next step is to try out some washes - you won't believe the difference they make!

Yes! I was just about to say, "Throw some Nuln Oil on that rat and he's done!"

Not kidding. I've painted a bunch of Skaven like that, and they look perfect. Base color, Nuln Oil applied liberally, and even the bits left outside the cracks just add to the general grungy, dirty feeling.

The local GW manager (who's since moved on to being some bigwig in the retail office in Dallas) also introduce me to the magic of Agrax Earthshade, which can shade darned near anything if applied properly.

[AoS Noob]

So I moved on from Walmart acrylics and bought the starter paint set... Super disappointed with how much paint comes in each little cup! I'm shocked!! I read the box again though and I guess 3ml is right for what I got, but definitely feel a little ripped off still. The paint goes a long way, but not THAT long...
Anyway I painted this guy then took your advice and used the Agrax Earthshade all over him. I could have been a little more deliberate and less liberal with the shade color,19148 but lesson learned for next time.

- - - Updated - - -

19149

Here's the front

[40kGamer]

Great progress and way beyond my first foray into painting! If you paint a lot you'll eventually develop a formula for everything and every color. The basics that you are starting to get down are:

* Primer
* Block paint colors
* Wash
* Clean up colors (if needed)
* Highlight to taste

keep up the great work!

[Mr Mystery]

Wot he said :)

And don't be afraid to experiment.

There's hundreds of painting tutorials online, covering hundreds of different techniques and effects. Some are really superb, others not so much (too much yapping, overly technical explanations).

For me? There's but four things you need to get to a decent tabletop standard.

1. Even undercoaf. Spray cans are your friend here!
2. Neatly applied base coat colours.
3. Washes and a suitable brush for applying (right tool, right job)
4. Some skill in drybrushing - a technique which whilst really quite simple, take a little practice to get just right.

GW's painting video are good - they move at a reasonable pace, making them easier to follow. The lighting and camera angles are likewise good for seeing exactly what they're doing, how and where.

And the top secret fifth tip?

Patience. Very, very few of us go from NooB to Golden Demon in no time. Put advanced techniques on the back burner, and take your time getting your confidence up on the basics :)

[Path Walker]

One tip I can give from looking at your model is to either:
a. take your time and let each colour dry before moving on to the next one
or
b. get a cheap hairdryer to speed up the time each colour takes to dry

[AoS Noob]

Thanks for the tips!! And keep them coming! Dry brushing is definitely harder than it looks like in the tutorials. I found that one trick to getting cleaner base coats is to pre plan the colors so that the layers can be applied in sequence... I was all over the place painting these and I think that's why there aren't clean lines. And I didn't realize I wasn't waiting long enough to let them dry!

How long do you have to wait between colors??? I'm color blind so it's hard for me to tell when colors are blending if they are still wet... :// definitely will start adding some patience to the process though! I think I got a little over ambitious to paint the first one! Haha

[Mr Mystery]

Sadly, blending is something I've never quite got my noggin round.

However, after lots of trial and error and the odd tantrum, my best results have come from not actually blending the paints together... Instead, get your paint really watery - consistency of full fat milk, and do one layer. Once dry, do another layer, leaving some of the first. The change in translucency might be the very dab you need :)

But, that's quite an advanced technique if you ask me, even if it's only because it took me yonks to be so much as acceptable at it!

[40kGamer]

Wet blending is a trick. If you want to make it 'easier' (if that is possible) sneak a little Vallejo thinner and Vallejo Slow Dry into each of the two colors you are working with. I usually go with one really bright and one deep in the same color family. Paint a little of the bright on the edge you want glowing and add the dark to the opposite side bringing it up against the bright. Now use your brush to mix the two along the line they share gradually pulling more bright or dark into the mix as needed. It is fiddly and takes a few attempts but once you get the feel for it it can give you some nice effects. Although it tends to take a lot of time to paint models this way. :)

Make sure your blended area has time to dry before you add and bright edge highlight or deep shadow color... the retarder can add 10-20 minutes to the drying time depending on temp and humidity.

Sir Mystery's method works well too and I have used it successfully when doing some non-metallic metal. Another weird advanced thing to play with if it ever suits your fancy. Object Source Lighting is another one of the more advanced concepts that I'm still toying with. So many things to try out and learn as you get comfortable with your basic technique. ;)

[Mr Mystery]

Yup. All about taking your time and building up your confidence.

When it comes to trying out new techniques, have a hunt around on your leftover sprues for sacrificial bitz. Better to practice on those, than risk mucking up a model with an otherwise prized paint job :)

For example? I'm currently painting my Ad Mech army for 40k. And I've started with my Knights, on account they're quite easy to do, and eat up my points.

But the next unit I'm doing are my Kastellan Robots - for these, I'll be experimenting with my new airbrush, and Tamiya's clear colours (other brands are available!). But I don't much fancy starting on those.

So I'll be diving into my bitz box for suitable relics from the past. Once dug out, whatever the model is will be my first foray into airbrushing - but not being part of my army, I'm happy to bodge it in the name of science (FOR SCIENCE!). Hopefully, it won't take me long to get that down - only thing I need to work out on the airbrush itself is how to lower its spray psi...

[IImmortalized]

Very good first attempt. Just keep practicing and try looking up techniques. (I.E. Glazes, Washes, Blending, Layering, Feathering, etc.)

Also thinning your paints is something that important and will help create smooth surfaces when used correctly. It takes time to get an idea of how to do this well however.

[Mr Mystery]

Oh, and treat your brushes right!

Probably the most underrated advice is to look after your brushes. When I'm painting, I want the paint no more than halfway up the bristles, and ideally just sitting on the top, rather than penetrating all the way through.

If you get paint all over them, it'll dry in between them where the bristles meet the handle. This forces the bristles to splay, and eventually knackers your brush before its time.

And for drybrushing, get a dedicated drybrush - if you use regular ones, that also knackers them!

[40kGamer]

Oh, and treat your brushes right!

Probably the most underrated advice is to look after your brushes. When I'm painting, I want the paint no more than halfway up the bristles, and ideally just sitting on the top, rather than penetrating all the way through.

If you get paint all over them, it'll dry in between them where the bristles meet the handle. This forces the bristles to splay, and eventually knackers your brush before its time.

And for drybrushing, get a dedicated drybrush - if you use regular ones, that also knackers them!

Great advice! You absolutely have to look after your brushes! Never dip too deep into the paint... something I took too long to learn myself.

[grimmas]

Oh and get good brushes. Windsor and Newtons aren't much different in price to GW when you get them on Amazon and make controlling the paint much easier.

A bad workman blames their tools but have for ever met a good crafts person who has poor tools?

Also have a look at the GW painting guides and YouTube channel they are really helpful these days and get hold of a copy of White Dwarf weekly issue 94 (imaginatively titled The Paint Issue) It has some excellent advice or the various techniques.

And last but not least use the biggest brush that you can manage for the area you are painting it'll make things much easier to control. Iff course you'll need a brush with a good point

[Mr Mystery]

Yup.

Citadel's Fine Detail Brush might be their cheapest, but it's also largely useless unless you're really really really good, and doing something really really really clever.

In defence of GW's current brushes, I'm finding them vastly superior to their previous range.

I've used this one to paint the majority of my Imperial Knight models (https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/M-Base-Brush), and frankly it's been a god send. It's a semi-chisel tip, with shorter, thicker bristles than I'm used to. This means they don't flex as much. So for simple paint jobs such as those I favour, I find I get far better control, especially when edging (I'm still the sort to paint the perimeter of where the colour is going, then fill in the space). Plus, it's resilient tip (oooer, sounds a bit rude!) means I can do line highlighting nice and neatly, because it just doesn't splay as softer brushes are wont to do.

And when it comes to brushes, it's all about value, not price. Cheap brushes are typically really rubbish, unless you've got lucky with finding a supplier. The joy of Citadel Brushes is that you know they're up to the job at hand!

[grimmas]

GW bushes have varied greatly over the years from sable to nasty synthetics. The existing range are pretty good to be honest (but can be a little inconsistent). I prefer the Windsor for standard brushes but no one does the other brushes like GW, I find the dry and wash brushes really useful. Size wise I've not even taken my 00 and 000 out of the packet and I only used the 0 for eyes (and tend not to bother that often)