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 recently purchased the Dark Vengeance Starter Set, and have started on the DA Tactical Squad. It's my first 40K endeavor.

I'm using Buypainted's Tutorial and colors from Youtube. With my airbrush I started with black primer, then grey primer from a 45 up top with a white top down primer. I'm went with VMA Olive Green as the base Layer, I prefer the darker look. I found the lighter colored primers along with the Olive basecoat proved enough of a lighter green for highlights. I'm not going to spray the VMC Livery Green as Buypainted did, top down over the Olive green. The color difference is too extreme and it's not a Model Air paint. The first time I tried it I had Livery Green micro drops where the colors blended on the model. I'm an airbrush newbie and versus endlessly troubleshooting my airbrush or paint thinning, I'm just going to stay with the Olive Green base coat...

I did the weapons and powerpacks/backpacks(unattached)separately. After a satin varnish I used Citadel Nuln Oil as a wash. I washed all the Leadbelcher areas, and stuck to the edges and recesses on the portions that I painted Mephiston red. The weapons look outstanding.

For the actual SMs, I'm planning on only washing the recesses and not the larger flat/smooth areas like I did with the weapons and powerpacks. I'm wondering if Nuln oil will suffice, and I have some Agrax Earthshade on hand. I'm wondering though if I should go with something more along the lines of Biel-Tan Green Shade or Athonian Camoshade. I don't know what either shade looks like on paint, and don't have either on hand to test out on a painted sprew. Anyone have any recommendations?

As far as my Varnish woes. I went with Vallejo Satin Varnish. I'd let the varnish dry about an hour and a half. I had 3 weapons, 2 packs, and 1 SM(the other SM I screwed up and it was soaking in simple green) The SM I varnished ... frosted in front of my eyes as I was trying to take a picture of it with my phone in under my desk lamp. I was holding it really close to the lamp... for a few minutes trying to get the focus and light correct. I think the heat from the lamp caused the frosting. Is that possible? My weapons were varnished at the same time, and have no frosting. If it was an issue of over spraying the Varnish on the SM, any hints on when to stop? I had my air pressure about 20 when I did the varnish, and did several light coats with a Sotar 20/20(fine tip needle/nozzle). It's hard to tell if I'm hitting all the areas, so perhaps I just over sprayed the SM?

I think your varnish problem was 2 fold.

1. Too much varnish

2. Not enough cure time. Let that stuff sit overnight to fully cure.

Also if you are going to wash over varnish and I find the results better when I do. Use a Gloss Coat. It is a harder shell giving you better protection for your mini's, and you will notice the the washes wont stay on the large flat surfaces and will seek out the nooks and crannies. When you are done with that layer go back and hit the model with a satin or matte coat to finish it off.

Good luck and post some pics.

Hey thanks for the reply.

Thanks for the tip on the Gloss coat prior to the wash.

Gloss Coats are, as I learned, a really nice tool.
It basically creates a "safepoint". Which means you can correct minor mistakes way easier (e.g. with a q-tip and some water if fresh, or some IPA/mineral spirits if a bit more cured) plus it prevents chipping of your freshly pristine basecoat.

With vehicles, I now tend to prime, spray the basecolor all over and then apply a first glosscoat rather quickly. Handling the miniature even carefully sometimes causes chipping which is, you guessed, bad.
After completing the basecoat for smaller areas I highlight, gloss again and apply oil washes. Also a good foundation for one of the last steps that is decals bevor finally sealing oil and decals in with a matt varnish.

I have frosting or "ghosting", its got to bed one of the worst things in model making.

I did however after many years of being worried about this problem have a solution!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winsor-Newton-Galeria-Matt-Varnish/dp/B002AF6QTC

Buy this, thin is about 50/50 or 70/30 with water and airbrush it on. Its simply awesome. Nice matt finnish.

I used it on these models! No frosting in sight!

I also gloss them with future floor varnish to protect them. So they were gloss before.

 darefsky wrote:

Good luck and post some pics.

After starting over on my first two miniatures, I added the Plasma Cannon unit and all 3 are coming along nicely. I still have some touch up to do. Should finish up today... hoping my varnish doesn't ruin them ... again.

Beil tan green is the green your looking for. It makes the mini darker than GW calibre green (spelling) so it's perfect for the the darks. Using the c word green and middles, and warboss green or moot green for lights. Also the glaze green works great on this scheme to help blend.

 Psychopski wrote:

 darefsky wrote:

Good luck and post some pics.

After starting over on my first two miniatures, I added the Plasma Cannon unit and all 3 are coming along nicely. I still have some touch up to do. Should finish up today... hoping my varnish doesn't ruin them ... again.

Links are broken man.

 darefsky wrote:

 Psychopski wrote:

 darefsky wrote:

Good luck and post some pics.

After starting over on my first two miniatures, I added the Plasma Cannon unit and all 3 are coming along nicely. I still have some touch up to do. Should finish up today... hoping my varnish doesn't ruin them ... again.

Links are broken man.

So... am I missing something on Dakka Dakka? The pictures work fine when I first insert the image and view the post. When I come back they're no longer working.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kal-El wrote:
Beil tan green is the green your looking for. It makes the mini darker than GW calibre green (spelling) so it's perfect for the the darks. Using the c word green and middles, and warboss green or moot green for lights. Also the glaze green works great on this scheme to help blend.

Awesome, thanks for the reply....