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Hit me up if you need help on messenger dude! first order is washing the model in Agrax and then seeing where we're at!

Would if I had it! I'm sure that I picked some up some time ago though I'm damned if I know where it's gone!

Really struggling with the axe blades though, any thoughts on an easy yet effective technique? I don't just want to paint it silver.

Relatedly, best product for removing existing layers of paint without damaging the model?

Ok, so I got some agrax earthshade. Don't reeeeeally see what the fuss is all about though I'll try it out on a few more models when this guy is done.

Tonight has mostly been working on the axe, which I'm so far very happy with, just need to glaze in the next shade down according to this tutorial that I'm folloeing. Contemplating adding lightning bolts running between the lighter areas, though I'm eager to not over do it, and want to play to my strengths which for the time being may mean keeping things simpler for the sake of this competition.

I need to put more focus on the face (hit me up Nerdy, you're the king of the visage!) and revisit the armour, bringing the highlights back out after my stint down Agrax Lane.

So, here he is for now...

Tonight's update, really happy with how the axe turned out, though less so the eyes - he almost looks as though he's wearing a batman mask...

Wow Kitchy you've just progressed in leaps and bounds mate! so so much better than some of your early work, the axe really does look cool, i'm not sold on the eyes glow yet it maybe a little bit too bright and needs to be softened around the edges (hard to do at that scale) but everything else is coming along so well, your application of paint is heaps better now, the layers are smoother and much thinner. re applying your base coat as a highlight now you've washed the model will be next step, then you only need to add some lighter paint in with your base for a final highlight and bingo-bongo! finished awesomeness :-)

Nice Libby. Excellent work on the axe.

EDC

nerdfest09 wrote:Wow Kitchy you've just progressed in leaps and bounds mate! so so much better than some of your early work, the axe really does look cool, i'm not sold on the eyes glow yet it maybe a little bit too bright and needs to be softened around the edges (hard to do at that scale) but everything else is coming along so well, your application of paint is heaps better now, the layers are smoother and much thinner. re applying your base coat as a highlight now you've washed the model will be next step, then you only need to add some lighter paint in with your base for a final highlight and bingo-bongo! finished awesomeness :-)

Thanks buddy, I finally found my sweet spot when diluting paint - 3:1 medium to paint (well, Citadel paint anyway) seems to work really work for the blending technique that I was taught

I agree about the eyes, I think all that happened there is a started out too dark, with regal blue, and worked up to Alaitoc, Teclis, and Temple Guard Blue - I think the regal was just too dark and melds too much with the black cowl that he's wearing. I'll revisit that late tonight with a view to lightening it up more, which should - I think - improve the overall impression. Then glaze guilliman blue over the whole eye area to soften it down a little. The competitions tomorrow and I'm out most of tonight for my Dad's birthday - cross your fingers that I get him done in time please!

I did revisit the armour again, shading with regal on the undersides and alaitoc on the uppers. I did rush it though so will be tidying it up tonight. The only complaint that I have about trying this xenithal approach with termy armour being that the shaded areas you want to catch with a xenithal approach are on their own blocky surface, which kinda takes away from the effect with little soft blending to be done - it's all about the hard edges!

evildrcheese wrote:Nice Libby. Excellent work on the axe.

EDC

Thanks buddy, much appreciated

Didn't get in til gone 10pm, it's fast approaching midnight and my hands are getting a little too loose for comfort, so I'm having to call it a night. Fingers crossed this works out!

feth me I won!!!

Well done on the win, a worthy victory. I bet it was because of that yellow! Was this at a FLGS or GW?

Thanks bud! It was a local GW, to be fair I haven't seen any of the entries, can't help but wonder if I was the only one lol


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Well talk about deflated, turns out I was the only entrant :(

Not worth winning :(


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Aaaaaand I'm good! The prize was to get a model painted by the manager, which I declined as I prefer to paint my own. So he's offered a clam pack mini as a prize instead! Now what to choose.....!

Shame that you were the only entrant, but you certainly can't complain about a free clam pack!

EDC

Yeah man, though I wish there'd been other entrants as I predominantly wanted to test myself against other people. Next time though...!

A win's a win Kitchy! :-) well done for having the gumption to enter and it paid off! a clampack is a great prize and you should still be chuffed at how your models are turning out now.

Thanks man, that's much appreciated

Decided on a Necron Overlord which I'm gonna paint up for my Dad's force - god knows I have enough in my own queue lol

That's enough for today

Stuff has come along away, gives me hope as a painter.

That said, its stellar now.

Also, no one entered into the contest cause they saw your entry and realized they had no chance!

Haha thanks man, you're too kind never thought I'd "give anyone else hope" lol

Please excuse me just a sec.

feth YOU BLACK PAINT! feth YOU!

And now back to our regular broadcast. Any tips on painting black please? This melon-fething Necron scheme is absolutely killing me. I've tried blended black, edge highlighted black, just made my first attempt at nmm black and NONE of the fethers look right AT. fething. ALL.

Crons don't seem to lend themselves to such a flat colour, they're so thin that you have absolutely no space to play with for highlights without making them not black. I must've had these damned models for maybe 2 dog damned years now and everytime I pick them up I just feel like I set myself further and further back.

Help me Dakka Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.

If I may offer some input on painting black. Are you going for a matte black, or more of a satin/sheen look?

If the former, here's an example of what I do, and how I achieve the look. Note the casing on the Heavy Flamer.





Now, to achieve this, you simply paint the area you want black with a few thinned coats of black paint so you have even coverage. After that, you drybrush dawnstone (Or a similar grey shade, I prefer the nice neutral grey of Dawnstone myself) over the edges, corners, and raised areas of the black surface. Be sure you use a small brush and get a nice thin line of grey drybrushed along the edges.

After this is dry, take some Nuln Oil wash and apply it so that it coats the interior portions of the black areas but does not really get on the drybrushed edges where the grey is most prominent/most applied. Do this once or twice, allowing the wash to dry completely between coats. Also feel free to let a little Nuln Oil flow into the areas between edges such as gaps or what-not. If you get a little wash on an edge on accident, use a clean brush to 'wipe' it away from the edge where the Dawnstone is most prominent before it dries.

Once it dries, you'll have a nice highlight on a good matte black that isn't over-stated, but is subtle and still visually there, allowing the edges to be seen clearly and cleanly.

I hope this helps. Take it easy for now and if you have any questions feel free to let me know.

Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-

Definitely a satin black, I could always just hit it with an edge highlight or dry brush before finishing with a gloss varnish, to cheat my way to getting that xenithal highlight look, though for this project it just doesn't feeeeeeel right (painting them for my dad, want to pull off a master artists piece of work despite not actually being a master artist!)

For a Satin black you coud use the above technique and finish with a brush on clear satin varnish on those parts.

Might try it and see how it looks on a test mini.

Best of luck & take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-

Nice work on the Overlord, I really like the choice of colours.

EDC

Thanks EDC. I like the cape, and see how it'll look finished already with a nice glow coming off those blue orbs - just really need to sort this black out.

I got some black & white pictures which I've collaged together, which should help with placement of highlights and shades, hopefully that'll help take me to the next step. Also spent the night gathering source images.

Red_Thirst, thanks for your help too - off the back of our chat I've been looking at black cars to see how they respond to light placement / reflection.

Fingers crossed tonight yields better results, may need to invest in some of that magic Dettol stuff again though

Edit - image dump

Had chance to splash a little more paint on this guy. Still not 100% happy with the black, though I think I'll leave it there and perfect it over future models.

Nice work dude, really like the blue on the cloak.

EDC

Thanks man, it still needs a little more work, a couple of light glazes of white should do the trick

So, had my first game of DnD the other day. Got a bit excited in the lead up as it gave me the excuse I needed to pay Hero Forge a visit!

Long and short of it, I present my latest WIP - Silas the Half Elf Bard. Think Jack Sparrow's adventurous alcoholism combined with Tenacious D's humorous musicality and you get an idea of who I'm going for

First layers down today, still a few coats to go!