Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

well, with scheptisism about the red/blue/purple marines, I have decided to go for an old chapter i found: celestial Lions.

I started with a reprime of the rhinos.



Then darkended the recesses with heavy charcoal.



Then did a coat of glorious gold.



I originally wanted to go with the original lighter blue of the chapter. I also wanted to keep it metallic.

So i went with a silver and tried to do a Guilliman Blue glaze over the top.



Not what I was hoping for. So i opted for a darker blue metallic of artic blue. I was a bit more impressed with these results.





Its a bit different than the true celestial lions colors. I tried to whether the edges with gold and you can see the darker undertones from the pre-shading.

Once again, any suggestions on improving this would be helpful before moving onto the raiders and storm talons.

The preshading looks to have worked rather nicely, but the edgelining is sloppy, honestly. I'd skip it, altogether, if you can't keep it neater, or mask back off and spray a softer gradient. As it stands, it's working against you.

I'm almost surprised how nicely the metallic blue came out, though. I'll reserve judgement on the scheme until I can see it in a more complete form, but the finish itself is great. It actually looks like very deeply, evenly blued steel.

 oadie wrote:
The preshading looks to have worked rather nicely, but the edgelining is sloppy, honestly. I'd skip it, altogether, if you can't keep it neater, or mask back off and spray a softer gradient. As it stands, it's working against you.

I'm almost surprised how nicely the metallic blue came out, though. I'll reserve judgement on the scheme until I can see it in a more complete form, but the finish itself is great. It actually looks like very deeply, evenly blued steel.

What do you mean by the edgelining? Are you referring to the pre-shade needing to be cleaner before going onto the gold, or the lighter gold being applied to the edge to get a worn-down paint effect? I can do strait edge lines for the edge fade if that is what you were referring to.

Please explain if you dont mind.

Waffles

Ah, yes. I was referring to the lighter gold applied to the edges. It wasn't clear to me that you were going for a weathering effect, hence the unevenness - to my eye, it looked like a crude attempt at highlighting.

 oadie wrote:
Ah, yes. I was referring to the lighter gold applied to the edges. It wasn't clear to me that you were going for a weathering effect, hence the unevenness - to my eye, it looked like a crude attempt at highlighting.

I could do either, just still unsure what would look better.

I could do a typical delvin mud base to the track area and highlight everything else, but again am too unsure what would look best, much less if this paint scheme is going to stick around unlike the two others before it.

I think it's harder to convey "worn and scratched until shiny" on gold than it is with silver over gunmetal, perhaps since we're more used to seeing the effect on steel. If you want clear weathering, I might try something more distinct, like sponged chipping that shows some imagined underlying primer or the like. If you don't want them quite as battered as that, then clean, overall edge highlights with your lighter gold would look spiffy, leaving the weathering job to washes and/or pigments for light surface muck around the lower portions.

Personally, I think the all metallic scheme lends itself better to a relatively clean look, so I'd go with the fine edge highlights and no or minimal weathering. The preshading and edgelining will give the shape(s) plenty of depth and definition and I think the novelty and visual impact of your chosen scheme will carry it from there, without the need for bells and whistles like weathering. That's my thought, at least.

I like the gold and blue, I also like the weathering but I can see why people are unsure if its weathering or highlights. I'm sure just straight highlights would look cool too, can't wait to see what you come up with.

So what is the concensous?

1) Highlights or weathering?
2) clean, slightly dirty, or dirty?
3) this paint scheme or another?

Preshading doesn't work with metallic base colors.

 Capamaru wrote:
Preshading doesn't work with metallic base colors.

Not trying to call you out, but it did. It was actually a bit heavier than I hoped. Especially around the side doors the Pre-shade is heavily noticable with the color almost coming out as a bull's eye with it a lot lighter in the middle of the door where the pre-shading did not touch.

I will try and get a picture to show this tonight


Automatically Appended Next Post:
So for others: Yes, pre-shading does work with metallic colors.



The door is an obvious shad spot, as well as the top ridge being much darker than the rest of the model.

well, getting closer with this rhino. It still is not quite there, but getting close.








Automatically Appended Next Post:
Again, if anyone notices something that is blantantly "off" about this, please let me know.

I can use all the feedback I can get.


Thanks everyone,
Waffles