The quest to become a better painter...

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**Murdius Maximus**

Hello all!

This is a primer (see the pun there) to announce that I will be starting this blog to document my journey to become a better painter. I recently started playing 40K and now have a whopping 13 games under my belt. I chose to play Blood Angels. I really like their fluff and I honestly like the challenge they present to play.

But enough of that. I recently commissioned a model from the fantastically talented Rollin All One's Commission Service (he has a blog on these forums you should check it out) and after receiving the model I decided, "Whoa...how can I do that?"

Thus I have decided that since there is a lack of painters in my area willing to show me the ropes I will just post my progress up here and take advice from the many, many talented painters that I have seen here. I will probably upload some pictures in the next day or so, but for now I just wanted to get a feel for how people would react to a blog like this.

I am a horrible painter. In fact, I just butchered a few models last night in a vain attempt to learn how to wash. They are hopelessly ruined. I have discovered however that I enjoy painting immensely and not only find it relaxing, but remarkably satisfying. I want to get better and create models that I am even more proud of. Bear in mind that you WILL NOT see professional quality for a lot of this blog. You will see mistakes, total screw ups, laughably bad painting, and total disasters. But hopefully you will also see improvement. I hope that you all will give advice constructively and freely, but also remember that I am very new to this hobby so a lot of this will take time for me to get right.

Let me know what you guys think. Would you like to see a blog of this journey?

**bebopdrums2424**

Murdius, welcome! Youre already on the right track by butchering models to experiment and learn on! Thats the fun. Just hopefully its not a 45$ Finecast

Ive got a big tray of minis that never were finished but i cant help to throw em out because it represents my whole painting life lol!
This community is pretty big but, if i may, recommend a few specific users blogs to check out, if you havent already. Everything here is absolutely worth the checkout and the amount of incredible creativitity on this site is endless, but the below listed blogs are heavy on painting and the users seem to paint for the joy of painting, not so much even to build an army. In that regard, plus the talent level, its worth checking out their work and it certainly keeps me inspired.

BB

**Murdius Maximus**

Wow! Just had a look at your blog Bebop...and crap am I a LONG way from that kind of work. I like your sculpting. I have some of the green stuff, but am honestly pretty intimidated by it as I know nothing of it. As said as soon as I can upload my current disasters I hope you can give me some pointers!

Thanks for the recommendation on the other blogs! I will have a look at them tonight when I get off work after Wednesday Night 40K therapy lol! Tonight it is my Blood Angels vs my best friend's Necrons and Orcs.

**Murdius Maximus**

Attempted a wash on my beloved Sanguinary Guard. I love these units both on the tabletop and to model but the wings are a pain to get on there. I consider this my best wash so far, though it is horrible by the standard I've seen here. Do I just dip my brush and slather it on there or is it more of a technique like detailing?

**Murdius Maximus**

Another attempt to wash a Sanguinary Guard. I like this overall but the pack and wings are still pretty muddy because I think I got a little...enthusiastic with the wash.

**TheDraconicLord**

The wash will make everything "muddy". You need to apply a decent ammount so it gets into every crack, nook and crany. enhancing details and providing some shading. You just have to be careful NOT to let it pool on a flat surface, that's just unnatural.

Now what you do, is highlight it back up. Paint the base paint where you need again and start applying highlights

Your gold looks pretty good too. Metallics are always a pain in the arse to paint!

**Murdius Maximus**

Thanks! I plan to highlight again after I finish washing the squad

or at least attempt it hahaha! Fun fact: rookie mistake #1 for me was using a layer gold instead of a base gold to paint the model. Can I apply layer the same way as a base to brighten it back up?
what is the best method to keep it from pooling on flat areas? I kind of just dip my brush and slather it everywhere then spread it as best I can so that it doesn't pool so badly. Kinda works but it gets too dark too fast. Could my brush be the issue? Or am I just using too much wash?

**San76**

Hi Murdius, great to see you getting into painting.

You know, for a starter model the sanguinary you posted is pretty good mate. Definitely better than my early attempts.

Washes are great but you can get some issues. If you are up for a few tips I've found on my journeys:

- you definitely can re-do some of the base colour post wash to get rid of some of the muddiness. This actually can look really effective.
- if you just want to control the wash a bit more try diluting it with some glaze medium or water. This will lessen the effect of the wash but make it a lot easier to control. You can always add more later if you need to.
- if you varnish your model before washing your life will get much, much easier. A smooth (gloss) varnish will let the wash flow into the recesses a lot easier.
- if you don't want to varnish, and you just want to shade a recess, get a brush with some clean water on it and draw the water along this recess you want the wash to go. Then get some wash and touch it to the water and capillary action will draw it along the recess. I use this on shoulder pads a lot.
- when doing whole panels I tend to varnish, then cover one armour panel totally with the wash. Then, using a clean brush and water, I clean off the panel. I tend to find this tints the panel, fills the recesses, but avoids excessive muddiness or tidal marks.

Anyways, hope these help and I look forward to seeing more pics! Subbed

**Murdius Maximus**

Thanks San! I actually don't have any varnish...looks like I'd better go get some.. Also I think that I need to really expand my paint base. I have a squad of five devastators primed with Army Painter Dragon Red ready to paint and assemble. I have Mephiston Red (Base), and Evil Suns Scarlett Red (Layer) but am thinking that I will need to get some red wash? I feel like the black wash that I am using is really bringing down the color. Will a red colored wash achieve the same effect as the darker one as far as shading goes?

Also, anyone have any recommendations as far as paints that I should get? My army will have gold emblems and skulls, and while some of my assault marines I have done in the last few days have just been primed, then detailed then washed (they look like complete crap, I'll post one tonight) I plan to go with the Evil Suns Scarlett red for the base color, which I know is a layer but I really like that color red as Mephiston red is a little to dark but I find that it makes a nice color to prime with.

**Galorn**

Nice start man, You already have one of the most importan basic bits down. "paint in the lines" It's going to be interesting to see where you go from here.

**Murdius Maximus**

Galorn wrote:
Nice start man, You already have one of the most importan basic bits down. "paint in the lines" It's going to be interesting to see where you go from here.

Thanks Galore! Noob question...what is paint the lines?

**Galorn**

Murdius Maximus wrote:
Galorn wrote:
Nice start man, You already have one of the most importan basic bits down. "paint in the lines" It's going to be interesting to see where you go from here.

Thanks Galore! Noob question...what is paint the lines?

no slop into areas where a color looks odd such as shoulder pad rims etc.

**Murdius Maximus**

Oh! Yeah I see the other models here and edging and straight lines seems to be paramount so I copy the best I can lol. Gets better every model!

**Galorn**

Murdius Maximus wrote:
Oh! Yeah I see the other models here and edging and straight lines seems to be paramount so I copy the best I can lol. Gets better every model!

Good everything is built on not painting outside the lines. where you want color to be defines the lines. all shading blending etc is just an elaboration of that one basic thing.

**San76**

Some gloss varnish is a great investment mate. Not only is it useful in using washes but it makes decals a lot easier to use and protects your models against chipping etc from handling.

What you can do in the meantime though it wash in your dark wash, then recolour everything except the recesses in thinned down mephiston red, followed by your Scarlett red. This is a really effective way of getting the bright colour you want with shadowed recesses.

As for the red wash, I'm afraid I can't really help you as I have little experience with red. I imagine though that it might intensify the red hue, I doubt it would shade the recesses; I think you are still going to need a dark wash (brown or black or a blend) for that.

folks swear by different brands of paint. I use a lot of GW, I also use vallejo - especially in the airbrush (because I am lazy and they make airbrush ready paints). Minitaire do some nice ones too.

**Murdius Maximus**

Some of my pre washed Furioso Dreadnought. I am TERRIFIED to wash this because it is my favorite unit andI am proud of how it turned out thus far. Any tips for washing this effectively?

**bebopdrums2424**

Hey there

So your gold blood angel looks really great! As stated earlier, metallics are challenging and yours looks pretty smooth. Also, the wash looks fine. As long as you dont have some unwanted texture, you can always start over or paint over and highlight up. With your big guy. I find on bigger models, i start with mid tones and actually paint shadows, All those large flat surfaces arent conduscive to washes. Painting your shade might prove better results, but perhaps take longer. Though, you also have a lot more control. I dunno. Just an option. Have fun!
BB

**Galorn**

bebopdrums2424 wrote:Hey there So your gold blood angel looks really great! As stated earlier, metallics are challenging and yours looks pretty smooth. Also, the wash looks fine. As long as you dont have some unwanted texture, you can always start over or paint over and highlight up. With your big guy. I find on bigger models, i start with mid tones and actually paint shadows, All those large flat surfaces arent conduscive to washes. Painting your shade might prove better results, but perhaps take longer. Though, you also have a lot more control. I dunno. Just an option. Have fun!
BB

You can also use a precise application of thinned down paint wash to build up shadows the way Bebop suggests as well, it just takes many more layers.

**Murdius Maximus**

Hey guys! Busy weekend what with the fiance spending her first weekend with me in like six months and band practice today so didn't get much done. BUT! Here is an assault marine work in progress. Right now I altering the red and detailing. Still lots of cleanup to do and have to finish the jump pack but figured I'd show my progress

Also bought another squad of Sanguinary Guard. Waiting until next paycheck then will prime these guys white and get them started! Also have a Devastator Squad I need to paint and assemble...lots to do lol!

**Murdius Maximus**

Time for another wip pic! I have chronic ADHD. I put the guard down for a bit and decided to focus on a Death Company with Power Sword. I LOVE these guys on the tabletop. When my friend and I game I can just see the dismay in his face as these monsters come rolling in! Definitely my favorite BA unit. As always thanks for dropping in and having a look

**bebopdrums2424**

That mini is begging for a brown wash. BEGGING. Oblige him...

but as i said earlier. Your base coats are pretty neat and tidy. Thats alot of the work right there! Keep up the progress