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Whats up,
So I've Mustered up some spare time and im starting a vampire counts army, however I'm jumping the gun abit concidering I'm so new at painting and don't know what im doing!
I read through alot of forums, bought painting instruction dvds etc. but i still can't figure out how to do this properly, I keep looking at my minis an thinking "somethings just not right".

I need some critical thoughts on my painting including: whats wrong with it, how to improve it and any overall suggestions.
(SORRY I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A DECENT CAMERA, SO IT MAY ONLY BE ME THAT MAKES OUT THE DETAIL ON THESE MINIS)



I don't know how to make a reddy vampire colour for my minis.. this mix is : scab red, blood red highlight....
The sword was painting with calthan brown , drybrushed codex grey and badab black wash.



Any comments, criticism, suggestions MUCH APPRECIATED.

Ok this is easy.

Spray every thing black primer. I'd put rocks on the bases before you prime them.

Dry brush brown on your bone parts. Then mix the brown with some tan and dry brush again. Now put more tan into the mix and dry brush a third time.

No dry brush a gun metal grey onto the armour and weapons, after that dry brush copper onto the armour and weapons.

Now pick a color for the other parts and dry brush from dark to light.

Done

can i have better pics please.

HA HA HA OTHER DAKKAITES I GOT THERE FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WIN !!!!!

From the thread title I thought this was going to be about how the VP are an asset to society and generally good in the community. But thats just me being stupid. From what I can see , it looks like the bones need a bit of highlighting. Dry brush a bit of skull white on there , and give it a brown wash. Then come back again with some nice pics. Has your camera got macro mode? Can you get better lighting?

Buy a camera.

Please. For the love of God, a camera.

If you want actual comments+criticisms, you need to have photos that can show the paintjobs a bit better.

And if you want a ready mixed reddish brown color, Terracotta works.

Your problem may not actually be your camera. You can get a better pic by:

1). Place your model on a piece of white paper and place a piece behind the model.
2). Place your model on a SOLID table.
3). Get a mini tripod for your camera.
4). When taking the pic make sure you use macro mode and timer.

Most blurs on models this size can be contributed to the camera or model moving when taking the pic...in your instance it is probably both heh....

As for what others have said until we can actually see the model detail in the pic we can make any suggestions.

Skeletons are easy. You can prime them whatever color you want. If you prime them white then just wash the whole model with flesh wash and then dry brush some bleached bone over it. Go over it again and highlight with skull white. As for the armor and weapons, just wash them black and then go back with a boltgun metal drybrush. Paint any wooden handles brown and then go back and drybrush a couple more times with progressively lighter browns.

If you prime them black then just go over any bone parts with watered down bleached bone. Then do the same wash/drybrush/highlight technique that you'd use if you'd primed them white. Paint the wooden handles the same way. Paint the metal bits with a boltgun metal drybrush.

Skeletons are probably the quickest and easiest models to paint in warhammer and 40k.

Quick Zombies -
undercoat white or grey (from a car repair shop) then paint really bright colours with rotting flesh on the fleshy bits then wash with a mix of gren & brown ink.

my skele mix is similar. base coat bleached bone then wash with a mix of brown & yellow ink (old style ink not new). For some reason the yellow is more apperent on the raised surfaces & the brown in the cracks. gives a really nice aged look. to brighten just dry brush with bleached bone until you're happy.