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Hi Everyone,

New to the forums and new to painting. This is the second marine I've painted. It looks what I would call "C" or "D" quality. I'm having trouble getting it to just pop out at you. As you can see, I've done some basic highlights with ultramarine blue and codex grey. The look rather sloppy, and I've messed up the red eyes on the skull I'd intended on the bottom. But overall, I just feel that it looks sloppy and doesn't get that nice, brushed, polished and professional look that I've seen from some of the really great painters. Just on observation, I was hoping you all might have some tips. Feel free to be as brutal as ya like!

Thanks in advance.

[img]

Did you drybrush the edges? What colour primer did you use?

I did some light drybrushing overall, but the drybrushing I did concentrated on painting the bulk of the model - like the shoulder shield. Should I be concentrating on drybrushing the edges of the model and then highlighting those drybrushed edges? I think what it's lacking is proper highlights.

--edit--

Oh, primer! I used "The Army Painter" grey colour primer. I'm not sure I like it. :(

You should use the 95cent walmart flat black (or the gray one) spray paint for primer IMO. Really cheap and it goes on nice.

Otherwise I would say that it looks just fine for your 2nd model.

Are you useing GW paints and brushes?

Also the bolter will bring the model together nicely. For your bread and butter marines you don't really need to go crazy on the paint. Save your energy for your special characters.

Ma55ter_fett wrote:You should use the 95cent walmart flat black (or the gray one) spray paint for primer IMO. Really cheap and it goes on nice.

Otherwise I would say that it looks just fine for your 2nd model.

Are you useing GW paints and brushes?

Also the bolter will bring the model together nicely. For your bread and butter marines you don't really need to go crazy on the paint. Save your energy for your special characters.

Go crazy on every model.

Will take you WAY longer to paint, but the end result... looks SO GOOD.

Not bad for a first try though.

For the shoulder pads, I think you got the highlight reversed... personally I'd paint the inside of the pad a brighter color, and put a dark color outlining the ridge in a very thin strip, to give the impression that the ridge is casting a shadow on the plate itself.

I'd also suggest trying to use the color your using for a highlight in a much wider highlight around all the main plates, and then using a much finer line of Ice Blue to do an extreme edge highlight.

Before you render a final verdict on the model and if you like it or not, be sure to finish the gun and base it... those aspects can completely change how a model "feels".

Ma55ter_fett wrote:You should use the 95cent walmart flat black (or the gray one) spray paint for primer IMO. Really cheap and it goes on nice.

Otherwise I would say that it looks just fine for your 2nd model.

Are you useing GW paints and brushes?

Also the bolter will bring the model together nicely. For your bread and butter marines you don't really need to go crazy on the paint. Save your energy for your special characters.

My standards might just be too high. I'd like my army to look badass!

So the flat black walmart spray paint primer works well? That'd be nice to try. $14.99 for crappy primer is a bummer!

The blue looks nice and solid, definitely better than the blue I can do (just one of the reasons I switched from Ultramarines to Blood Ravens).

Your highlights look fine. It seems that your main issue is lack of depth. That's not an issue with washes. Just do a wash (Devlan Mud is the default), let it dry, then paint over it with the same color and leave the wash in the cracks and crevices. Now you have shadows.

Also, why the heck did you buy the grey primer?

Ultramarine Blue is the exact color you need! its a base coat and primer all in one!

It looks quite decent, but a better photo on a neutral background would make it so much easier to critique.

scipio.au wrote:It looks quite decent, but a better photo on a neutral background would make it so much easier to critique.

Ya - I'll take a better one tomorrow and edit the OP.

If it's the Uniform Grey color and you just want rid of it, feel free to toss it this way I love the stuff.

And yeah, if you get one of the blue colors of Army Painter, it's most of your painting job done right away on marines. I also will cast a vote for the flat black walmart brand. If you want to get fancy, get the Krylon Camo colors. Really good stuff there too, and it comes in some useful colors.