Well, i just started watering down my paint, and WTF it works, i assumed it was all lies :-) As soon as i did it my highlights actually blend together

Anyway, the modelling diarys are a bit of a ghost town so i figured id show the archon i painted today here(2 and a half hours of my time wasted). Just wondering whether i should go for some freehand swirly bits on the armour in gold, reckon itd be too much?

Funnily enough, I find blood red doesn't need watering down - just use a couple of thin coats straight from the pot over red gore for easy blending

But otherwise - watering the paints is a must if you want highlights to look smooth.

Oooh, nice idea for the archon, ingenious.

And yes, paint + water = good. Paint + water + a drop of dishwashing liquid = Better! (sometimes.)[how scientific of me].

Oh, and put either red or purple on the tongue, would make it look more like a tongue.

Other then that, awesome!

Will do, ill add red and purple washes. Do you add dishwashing liquid directly to your paints droz? or do you just add it when youre mixing colours?

I use two cups when i paint, one of pure distilled water, the other of 2 drops of dishwashing liquid and water mixed. I wash brushes in plain water, and use the dishwashing liquid one for mixing paint. The paint remains as one, and doesnt pool in certain areas. It keeps it consistant.

However, dont use this while drybrushing, otherwise you get a horribly bubbling mess. Which is never good.

Lol why did you assume it was lies?

Good job on the reds

[quote=Zordana]Lol why did you assume it was lies?

Good job on the reds [/quote]

Well...i dunno...i just thought 'water?! its gotta be something more than that, everyones highlights look so smooth, its simple, theyre just really really good' :-)

I actually looked up your 'painting red' tutorial Zordana, before starting this army, its worked a treat so far thanks.

You can tell that your paintinga has improved alot with watering down the paints. Works a charm.

Keep up the great work mate

what kind of ratio should you use? 50/50?

i was using about 50/50 water to paint on the darker highlights then about 25/75 on the final ones. But i only just started doing it. It really depends on the colour i guess.

Heheheh, it works, and you just figured that out!

It really shows how much of an improvement it makes, eh? :-D

looking good, as for the gold swirly bits id say just do gold trimming.


jod

[quote=waargh]

I actually looked up your 'painting red' tutorial Zordana, before starting this army, its worked a treat so far thanks.[/quote]

Awesome! It wasn't too vague or anything was it? Sometimes I think my tutorials are a little vague.

[quote=Zordana][quote=waargh]

I actually looked up your 'painting red' tutorial Zordana, before starting this army, its worked a treat so far thanks.[/quote]

Awesome! It wasn't too vague or anything was it? Sometimes I think my tutorials are a little vague.[/quote]

Nah it was good, you outlined the main principle of highlighting from a dark colour up to blood red or a slightly lighter orangey red, which is all the advice i needed, and now reds one of my favourite colours to paint

But what really annoys me most is gold, gold is pure and simple, the eboneeser scrooge of colours. It doesnt cover well, and covers even worse when you add water. And then you add water anyway and it seeps into everything else and i start swearing and throw the miniature at the ground.

Pretty please can i have some tips on gold Zord?

i find that starting from tin bits and mixing up through dwarf bronze to shining gold works well, then highlight shining gold with mithril silver, but dont add to much mithril at once as it changes the gold very fast.


jod

When I paint gold I start with err... whats the regular gold called? Anyway I start with a med gold + scorched brown. Then highlight with watered down gold. Then add a little mithril to the gold.

Im pretty sure that's how I do it, I havent painted gold in a while

Edit: Hang about, last time I think I used VGC Tinny Tin (really dark browny metallic colour) + Gold for the base, then highlighted with gold, then gold +mithril, and a tiny final highlight of mithril.

Ah, ok, ive been using burnished gold as my final highlight, i should get some mithril.

Any silver would probably work, i just use the light gw or vallejo silver cause its brightest.

There are multiple ways of doing gold, but this is my favoured technique.

I use a base coat of either Terracotta or Terracotta mixed with VMC Brass. Then VMC Gold, then gradual highlights by adding small amounts of silver to the gold until you achieve the level of shine you want.
I then give a wash with Lich Purple/Brown Ink/Black Ink watered down to get the desired pigmentation then lightly stain the gold with that. I will then paint in a slightly more concentrated version of the was into the crevases with a fine brush. You can go to black ink if you really want to.

I will be posting a pic of the Black Templars Grand Marshal in my CMON Gallery soon which is an example of my technique.

Good luck with it.