8 replies to this topic

[ACK D0cR0ck]

I have finally began work on my Lords of Darkness army.(I posted the Rhino earlier)
Remember I'm a newbie painter so any tips will help.

Here's what I have so far:

Chaos Space Marine

Spoiler

[Grimaldus]

Very nice brother , waiting to see the rest.

[ACK D0cR0ck]

Possessed Marine(Working on a gore effect by mixing paint sand and glue)

Spoiler

[CruciasNZ]

Impressive Doc, keep us posted man!

[Apulo]

Moofed at the request of author

[ACK D0cR0ck]

Thanks all, more on the way.

In contrast to popular style I paint each mini one by one, not batch painting, sure it takes longer, but it makes each unit an individual instead of a carbon copy of the next guy.

[Draco Ny'ade]

nice man

[NeoBiggs]

Well, I have a few "tips" for you...

First, stop using whatever primer you are using! I can see the "fuzzies" all over your models which means you are either using Armory brand primer or just a crappy can to begin with. The only other conclusion I can draw is that these models have been sitting out for a while in which they have collected a lot of dust and it was coated with primer. I can't stress enough how much better your models will look without the fuzziness all over them.

Second, think of painting like a coloring book - paint within the lines. Take the time to make sure you aren't crossing over onto other parts of the model as it will make the paint job look sloppy and rushed. If you get paint on a part that you shouldn't have, take the time to go back and cover it up. If you took an hour just touching up various areas, it is worth it. Think of how many months/years they will be sitting with these mistakes that could have been corrected so easily.

Third, invest in GW washes or make your own. Badab black for the metal parts is a must. Those chains, tubes, and other areas will pop out and you will see how they become an instant win. If you wash the rest of the model, make sure the majority gets into the recesses and does not pool on the flat surfaces leaving ugly globs that are very noticeable.

Fourth, invest in brushes. If the reason you are getting paint on other surfaces that weren't intended because of the size or quality of brush you are using, it is an absolute must that you invest in variious size brushes. Ideally you want 3/0, 00, 1 as a basic start to painting miniatures and then you can add in other sizes if it fits your preference. I use the ones above and about 3 others (mainly fine detail brushes all the way up to 20/0, and a drybrush) all Kolinsky Red Sable. Now when I buy brushes, I usually pay $10-15 a piece, which if you do the math, can be upwards of $100 for a set, but that is how passionate I am about painting. For you, even a cheaper set from a craft store would be fine for now, its better than nothing!

Fifth, for realistic gore/blood effects. I recommend the following recipe.. Find Tamiya Clear Red paint, and then mix that with a little bit of chaos black to darken it just slightly. This recipe is super easy and produces some of the best blood effects you will see on models to date! Also, try to envision the battle as it happens and as the blade hits the flesh, how the blood would splatter onto the weapon and onto the miniature itself. Creating the illusion of realistic blood splatter enhances the effect!

Sixth, drill out your gun barrels! Pick up a small vice drill/hand drill at the local hobby store or order online, its like $5-6 and worth it. To add ease to the process, use a nail or something with a sharp tip to create a guiding hole in the center before using the drill bits (also $5-6 bucks for a nice dremel set of various sizes) as the drill bits themselves unguided can sometimes move to the sides which will give an uneven barrel hole.

I hope this helps. I do not know your age (which is also a factor) and since you said you were a newbie painter, I wanted to take the time to give you some good pointers (something I wish people did for me when I first started but I learned the hard way) and after hundreds of hours of watching painting videos, tutorials, trial and error, I have come a very long way. I have also spent close to a grand on painting/hobby supplies and own 2 sets of namebrand paints (GW and Vallejo) plus about two dozen pigments, various thinners/mediums/retarders/etc. on top of all the scenic crap I own, brushes, airbrush/compressor, and I could go on and on. But again, I am passionate about this hobby, you could get by without all of that stuff by following what I had posted.

I look forward to seeing more of your work and how you progress over time! Don't be afraid to try new things and if you want to do a good job, take your time. The little bit of extra effort will go a long way. You are gonna be stuck with the models regardless so its up to you how you want them to look! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[ACK D0cR0ck]

Well, I have a few "tips" for you...

First, stop using whatever primer you are using! I can see the "fuzzies" all over your models which means you are either using Armory brand primer or just a crappy can to begin with. The only other conclusion I can draw is that these models have been sitting out for a while in which they have collected a lot of dust and it was coated with primer. I can't stress enough how much better your models will look without the fuzziness all over them.

Second, think of painting like a coloring book - paint within the lines. Take the time to make sure you aren't crossing over onto other parts of the model as it will make the paint job look sloppy and rushed. If you get paint on a part that you shouldn't have, take the time to go back and cover it up. If you took an hour just touching up various areas, it is worth it. Think of how many months/years they will be sitting with these mistakes that could have been corrected so easily.

Third, invest in GW washes or make your own. Badab black for the metal parts is a must. Those chains, tubes, and other areas will pop out and you will see how they become an instant win. If you wash the rest of the model, make sure the majority gets into the recesses and does not pool on the flat surfaces leaving ugly globs that are very noticeable.

Fourth, invest in brushes. If the reason you are getting paint on other surfaces that weren't intended because of the size or quality of brush you are using, it is an absolute must that you invest in variious size brushes. Ideally you want 3/0, 00, 1 as a basic start to painting miniatures and then you can add in other sizes if it fits your preference. I use the ones above and about 3 others (mainly fine detail brushes all the way up to 20/0, and a drybrush) all Kolinsky Red Sable. Now when I buy brushes, I usually pay $10-15 a piece, which if you do the math, can be upwards of $100 for a set, but that is how passionate I am about painting. For you, even a cheaper set from a craft store would be fine for now, its better than nothing!

Fifth, for realistic gore/blood effects. I recommend the following recipe.. Find Tamiya Clear Red paint, and then mix that with a little bit of chaos black to darken it just slightly. This recipe is super easy and produces some of the best blood effects you will see on models to date! Also, try to envision the battle as it happens and as the blade hits the flesh, how the blood would splatter onto the weapon and onto the miniature itself. Creating the illusion of realistic blood splatter enhances the effect!

Sixth, drill out your gun barrels! Pick up a small vice drill/hand drill at the local hobby store or order online, its like $5-6 and worth it. To add ease to the process, use a nail or something with a sharp tip to create a guiding hole in the center before using the drill bits (also $5-6 bucks for a nice dremel set of various sizes) as the drill bits themselves unguided can sometimes move to the sides which will give an uneven barrel hole.

I hope this helps. I do not know your age (which is also a factor) and since you said you were a newbie painter, I wanted to take the time to give you some good pointers (something I wish people did for me when I first started but I learned the hard way) and after hundreds of hours of watching painting videos, tutorials, trial and error, I have come a very long way. I have also spent close to a grand on painting/hobby supplies and own 2 sets of namebrand paints (GW and Vallejo) plus about two dozen pigments, various thinners/mediums/retarders/etc. on top of all the scenic crap I own, brushes, airbrush/compressor, and I could go on and on. But again, I am passionate about this hobby, you could get by without all of that stuff by following what I had posted.

I look forward to seeing more of your work and how you progress over time! Don't be afraid to try new things and if you want to do a good job, take your time. The little bit of extra effort will go a long way. You are gonna be stuck with the models regardless so its up to you how you want them to look! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

I am 21
I use Krylon Primer
One model takes me 4-7 hours so those are still WIP's I've touched them up since
I DO use washes and use the smallest brushes available in my area/have an airbrush available which I plan on using for my NMM's

as for drilling the barrels, im waiting until I get a job again before I buy the hobby drill/vice. (Should I drill the flash suppressor as well)

I personally liked the globy gore(as per GW's tut) but I will try what you said as well.