How do you grime up your little men (or women)?

[therealjohnny5]

So i'm trudging through my successor chapter and want to dirty them up a little more with dirt and grime rather than lots of battle damage (sorry goatboy) and was curious what techniques you guys use? anyone use actual sand and pva on the feet and lower legs? On my vehicles i've had good success simply dry-brushing mixes of brown, grey, and tan covered by a devlin mud\ gryphon sepia was...but that's on a vehicle...Also was wondering about FW powders if anyone's used them...thanks

[The Mighty Git]

Weathering powders are a great way do add dirt, grime, rust and dust. The Forgeworld and Mig powders are excellent with a good variety of colors. Super easy to use too.

The Git

[BlackKnight15624]

My Ultramarines have dirt-resistant power armor, so they can always look straight out of the codex on the field.

But if you did want to weather your stuff, weathering powders are good. I've had some success using them on my orks, but they are a little tricky to figure out. Find the instructions for using them before you try it.

Also, depending on what theme you're going for, stippling on your base color onto some of the lower parts of the model (i.e. if you're making them muddy, stippling some scorched brown mixed with gloss).

[UltramarineFan]

My Ultramarines have dirt-resistant power armor, so they can always look straight out of the codex on the field.


Haha, well, they do look good that way it has to be said.

[Big mek]

My Ultramarines have dirt-resistant power armor, so they can always look straight out of the codex on the field.



OMG... lol, a 2+ inv save vs mud, with reroll ofc... gotta get me one of those ;)

[gorepants]

+1 for powders. I also use oils. All over a gloss varnish.

http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showpost.php?p=63596&postcount=25

I'm using the oils half way between lining the shadows, streaking and filtering, then powders to soften and dirt up. This is after doing 'damage' with a dark grey (like BlackNight describes but with a sponge, non highlighted so it looks like paint wear). There's some more detailed blah, blah, blah in that post about what I've tried.

I think sand would be too big - a grain of sand scales up to about the size of a piece of gravel, so isn't likely to be stuck on someone.

[odinsgrandson]

I find that the simplest method is to water down some of your brown or gray paints and apply as a glaze over the lower parts of your minis.

Mind, I pretty much always do this after applying Battle Damage (http://gardenninjastudios.blogspot.com/2010/04/battle-damage.html) and chipping. It is better to just follow the link if you want details on how I do that.

[Aldramelech]

A light drybrush of bestial brown works quite well

[Drunkencorgimaster]

A light drybrush of bestial brown works quite well

Yeah, I could not agree more.

[norge187]

OMG... lol, a 2+ inv save vs mud.....

Laughed so hard nice hot coffee camo out my nose haha....:)

on a more serious note i've always wanted to try the powder's.What keeps the powder from coming off? Would a matte varnish help in this case. Never used it before.

[gorepants]

on a more serious note i've always wanted to try the powder's.What keeps the powder from coming off? Would a matte varnish help in this case. Never used it before.

If you don't seal it, the powders will come off with contact. BUT, if you do seal it, the dilution will weaken the strength of the pigments (from opaque to almost clear). If you apply them wet (either mixed in a carrier, like white spirit, or onto a model covered in said white spirit) you get a better idea of the colour balance.

I seal using airbrushed matt varnish. The only thing to look out for here is that the varnish soaks into the powder - I have a model with some pale lumps where it didn't totally, and now the raw powder can be seen clearly.