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.

I'm working on, well, the thing in the title of the thread. I've attached a pic to this post just so we're all on the same page (can someone tell me how to embed in the post? thx).

This Big Mek is an old, out-of-print, metal guy I snagged on Ebay before I really knew what I was doing. I cut a space marine bike in half right about the seat, stuck him in (with superglue), then filled the gap with green stuff before gluing the other half of the bike in.

While we're all here and you've seen the picture, feel free to drop any miscellaneous feedback and stuff. Yeah, the paint on the bike ain't too precise, but we're talking Orks here so I'm just gonna run with it. But I actually do have a problem.

See, when I bought this punk he didn't have an arm. I grabbed one of the empty-handed arms you use to make Boyz hold their shootas, twisted the hand 180 degrees, and used green stuff to make it look like it was holding the handlebars. Issue is, the new arm isn't primed. I've got black spray paint primer, which will obviously screw the whole model over, so I'm not using that. Does anyone have advice on how to get out of this?

Lastly, if I've done anything that dishonors the ancient traditions of modeling or offends any relevant deities, be sure to let me know. Still kinda new at this. Thanks!

A number of companies make a brush on primer, even gw I think.

Your painting is perfectly fine tabletop standard especially for a beginner. I would much rather play an army painted like this over a sea of grey.

Your first step to improving is to start thinning your paints a bit and keep practicing that brush control. Be careful if you ever decide to try and bend the whirly bit on the sag straight, I recently snapped one of mine.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm just gonna leave the SAG bent. Plus, it's Ork technology—it'll help explain the hilarious random effects. As for paint thinning—what's it good for, how do you do it, etc.?

Thinning your normal paint makes sure you don't clog the details when priming your model. Remember to make sure you let it dry a good amount of time before adding the second layer or else you'll be wiping of the first layer when putting the second one on (that happend to me also allot of times! And you'll spend loads of more time fixing the damage done).

And as suggested you could also use the GW primer that is already thinned with oil like stuff. Same goes for this to let it dry for at least 20min before adding another layer of paint to avoid the extra work.

And indeed a great table top beginner finished model as Bangbangboom said.

As for some small painting tips:

1) Practice, practice, practice.. and then practice some more Ever heard about the 10.000 hour rule? It's true what they say; to master a skill fully you need at least a 10.000 hours of practice.
2) Tryout some washes: You can use the GW washes to add more depth to your colors (it is also an easy way to make you model more interesting to look at and to cover up sloppy base color painting). You can also thin your normal paints with water to create your own washes. Just experiment and practice on applying.
3) Try to build your colors up from the shade color to the lighter variations of the color. (for instance: apply shade base tone, use a wash to increase depth, then dry-brush very carefully with the highlight color (usually the color you want it to be))
4) Try to add some diorama to your base before glueing your model on to it. You could use white hobby glue and mix it with sand from your garden to make a sandy past and then smear it on to the base. Let it dry for a day and then repeat the steps at my tip 3 to add some colors. After painting you could also add some static grass by applying the white hobby glue to some parts of the base with a old brush and then sprinkling the static grass on to it. (don't forget to tap of any excess grass or else everything will be covered in it when you move your model )

Good luck and keep up the good work!

It could be "Cleaner" If that even applys to Ork

But it could defiantly be more orkeyer

More scraps and rust and 100% more dakka, even if it is just for show

Remco: I'm not done with the model yet. I'm planning on a Nuln Oil wash and then drybrushing over the wash. As for the base, I'm sticking with some simple flocking and I can do that with the model on the base.

I don't know if I'm going to wash the red/yellow parts of the bike. Might just stick with a layer of 'Ardcoat.

Oh hey sure, please do as you like! I'm looking forward to see the end result.

Cheers

Unless you want a really shiny Ork, I'd skip the ardcoat completely. It can really ruin a paintjob.

I'd go for a matt varnish instead. Much more orky!

For the colours on the fig now, I'd recommend a sepia wash on the yellow and a brown wash on the red just to give it some depth.

Yep avoid ardcoat and keep the black washes for the metal.

I've been secretly plotting how to model this particular set-up for a while now. I think what you REALLY need is a scoop, mounted to the riders left, that funnels unfortunate grots into the gun. It'd be like a sidecar/vacuum cleaner hybrid, with a tube attached the the back of the gun.

Otherwise, totally delightful. It's gone from stationary HQ artillery to tank.