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.

Ahoy there folks, haven't been on the board much lately, been slogging my way through all the models I rapidly accumulated in the past few weeks and I'm finally seeing the home stretch here. The "Iron Sights" should be field worthy very soon!

I've pretty much got the last of my infantry models based and it's looking like I'm about ready to start painting. I've got my cans of black primer and a box of citadel paints and brushes ready to go, only...well I guess I'm getting cold feet about making "the first attempt" as it were, you know what I mean, I basically don't want to end up like this poor chap as oh-so-eloquently illustrated here...

http://www.tsoalr.com/view.php?date=2003-10-27

Now, I already have the guide on painting and modeling techniques from GW and we also have those handy articles about painting techniques so I won't be asking about those here, since they take care of the basics of layering and dry brushing and whatnot. The main questions I have are the following:


-Do you make use of those "Magnifying Lamps"? You know, the ones with a 3-5x Diopter lens and an illuminator behind it for the fine detail work? If so, what should I look for?

- How exactly does one apply varnish? I've been hearing so much conflicting information whether to or not varnish a model it's getting me more confused rather than anything. Ideally I'd like to shoot for a "semi-glossy" appearance to my infantry and vehicles so I'm not sure in what order to apply gloss/matte varnish to the model

-When does one flock and paint the base? I'd assume after all the painting is done to hide the paint and glue marks under the pva glue and sand, but I'm not sure, the GW paint book is not very clear on this either.

-Oh! And should I completely flub up the paintjob, what do you recommend for paint stripping that won't melt the figures into goo?

And that covers it for now, I'll probably be back here in a few days gibbering in madness as the wave of colors overrides all sense of decency.

I flock and paint the base when I'm finished the rest, mostly because the model is the most fun part, but definitely flock after painting or you'll end up with black grass. If you want this, or want to paint it later, then go ahead.

As for stripping, theres an article on how to do it in the articles section. Automotive cleaners are pretty good for this.

Sorry but I can't help you with the varnish, I only use gloss for glass bits like lights etc..

EDIT: Haha, I love TSOALR.

Not sure on all the painting advice as I am still in the midst of painting... and repainting my own army, BUT I do know of a very good striping agent for your plastic and metal mini's. Its called Purple Power, it is an automotive cleaner, it can be found at any Wal Mart and it will not hurt your models. It will break the bonds of the superglue but will not damage the plastic. I did try Simple Green first, the purple power works SO much better.

Freaka

ok quite a few questions to answer

first for stripping paint, I use "simple green" its non toxic and easy to use. empty the bottle into a bowl, add miniatures, put a plate over the top so it doesnt smell. come back in 24-36 hours and scrub them off with a toothbrush under running water. works every time.

as far as the bases go. pick a color that is not going to clash with your army's colors. example for my blood angles I'm doing chardon granite.

put the sand or gravel on before you prime them so it has a coat of paint. when the miniature is DONE you want to paint the bases. this is to make sure you don't accidentially mess up the base paintjob if you are using inks or washes and they run off the model onto your base.

basecoat the base in your chosen color (grey, brown, desert browns, etc) then brush that color over the sand. then pick a lighter shade of that color and drybrush it over the base to highlight it.

varnish is its own animal. depends on if you want a glossy or matt finish to your models. I use citadel matt spray, but a lot of people have had mixed results with it. if you use it like primer and spray in 1 second bursts rather than holding the trigger down and use less than you think it generally comes out ok.

a note about priming while we're on point. for spraypaints the weather is critical. don't try to prime if it is over 80 degrees or below 55-60. your paint will either fuzz up or bubble. same can happen if you put on too much paint. also avoid high humidity.. it can send your minis right into the simple green to get a bath.

place the miniature face down (or a line of them) spray the back of the mini from the angle i've shown. spraycan is atleast 6-8" away from the miniature. I hope the diagram (bad as it is) makes sense.

after you do the back let it sit for a couple of mintues to dry. then do the front at that same angle. this gets the miniatures from underneath.. a frequently missed area when spraying.

stand them up and spray the front and back again at the same angle. take the time to make sure you spray your sand on your base too. after these have dried you can go back and hit the sides and anywhere that didn't quite get enough primer.

I really gotta stress again the 1 second bursts. its always better to do slightly too little primer than too much. you can always paint some really watered down chaos black onto the mini if it isn't quite enough coverage.

and make yourself a test mini. paint it from start to finish and see if you're happy with it. then do another one with any changes you thought of making. this will help you get a cohesive paint scheme going.

NaZ

The diagram is awesome, if a bit large.

I apply krylon clear coat spray varnish after painting. Same technique as priming, just not as much.

I also base and flock after painting. I use playground sand and then a heavy wash of Liquitex Burnt Umber which gives it a dark earth color while letting some of the natural brightness of the sand shine through the top.

Thank you so much for all the advice lads, this is definitely giving me a bit more confidence in making the first plunge.

Suggestion, start off with a small unit of rank and file, 5 models maybe, and don't go overboard on the details. Just see how your color scheme goes together and flows

u wana paint ur first vehicle 'eh wel i sugest you paint metal bolt gun metal with a wash of tin bits and if you want camo you can put maskin tape on riped up and paint peel the tape of an you have camo well post coment back and tell me wat vehicle it is and i giv mor i deas

Yeah the vehicles I'm particularly worried about, I've got in no particular order:

3 Dreadnoughts 1 Venerable 2 Normal
2 Rhinos
2 Predators - 1 Annihilator/1 Destructor
2 Land Raiders - 1 Crusader 1 Terminus
1 Land Speeder
2 Whirlwhinds
2 Baneblades (un-assembled as of this moment)


Those puppies are what's really terrifying me at this point so, yeah, any advice for a first time painter would be deeply appreciated.

The advice I'll give is:

A bold and attractive colour scheme makes your army look good, regardless of the actual quality of the painting

As such, paint a test model first, and be absolutely sure you're happy with the scheme before continuing. With all my armies, I've painted a test, and then waited a week. If I'm still happy, I'll continue. (As an aside, my latest test model failed the test. He only made it to 4 days before I settled on a new colour scheme)

After you've painted a test, paint a group of five. At this stage, try to get a routine down. This is the stage where you'll find if your chosen scheme is going to be a bitch to paint (Colours to be wary of - White, Yellow, Red and Black).

Highlight red by adding flesh. Adding white makes it pink, adding yellow makes it orange. Flesh is a happy medium.

Large amounts of black generally make models look like flat, featureless shadows.

If you paint a camouflage scheme, make sure you don't paint real camo, or it'll do what camo is supposed to do. Break up the outline of the model and make it look like a fuzzy blob.

Neatness comes before painting quality. I always start painting the entire model the colour most of it will be (ie, I'd paint the whole of an Ultramarine blue before continuing). This means you don't get the syndrome I so often see of models with patches of white undercoat showing in the recesses, and means even if you manage to miss part of the model, it isn't too obvious.

When in doubt, undercoat white.

Apply the initial colour in several, watered down layers. It'll produce a smooth, even coat that way.

Remember the base is part of the model too. Don't paint it bright green under any circumstances, and don't paint it a colour that clashes with the rest of the model

Seeing as you're doing marines, where possible, use helmet-less heads. Especially for important models. The face is a crucial part of the model, people look at it first. So spend a little more time over it.

As for varnish, I usually spray a layer or two of gloss, and then one layer of matt. The gloss gives better protection, and the matt takes the edge off the shine.

Don't undercoat or varnish anything in unusual weather conditions. If it's hot, cold, windy, humid, raining or anything else, it can do unusual things, especially to varnish. I usually do spraying inside my garage, to be sure, after having a squad of marines where i sprayed while it was extremely humid. The result? The varnish dried white. Ruined :(


That's all I can think of for now. Hope I haven't scared you off. Painting an army is extremely satisfying, just take it slowly to begin with, and be absolutely sure you're happy with the paint scheme before you end up with half a yellow army you hate.