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.

Hi all, I have a slight dilemma with painting the black fire for my 40k Bad Moons. Basically I'm just wondering if you guys have any helpful hints or tips when free handing stuff like that? I can't draw for squat so any help is good help on this one. I feel like the flames come out looking more like either A.) Worms or B.) Waves with epilepsy. Unfortunately I dont have a camera to post a pic, but hopefully that gives a decent enough idea.

Thanks!

I'll chime in with my 2 cents. I've flamed all sorts of things, from pc cases to auto body panels to 40k models (see below)



First, everybody has their own style. I do a lot of hot-rodder or "crab claw" flames, but it's all personal preference. For the flames on the Deff Choppa above, I started with my darkest shade and roughed out the basic shape. I then worked in, using lighter blues until I reached the base of the flame. (Base of the flame is hottest, and burns the brightest!) After all is said and done, I went in with black and cleaned up the edges, making the flames sharper.

As for shapes, I go with a very rounded flame tongue. I also try to tie them all together. The hardest bit for me is to avoid symmetry. Flames can be irregular, as it leads to a more realistic and visually pleasing effect.

I'd say do a google image search on hot rod flames and find a selection of images that are the style you're shooting for. Print out the source images, and practice, practice, practice (back in college I'd sit in lecture and flame the edges of my notebooks). If your current attempts are coming out sub par, the source images can help. Use them as inspiration, but try not to directly copy. You'll find your own style faster, the more you experiment.

Good luck, and be sure to show us your results!

'Da Blue wunz go fasta'?

Hm...generally when I have to make a freehand design, I have to draw it onto the model, at least roughly, to help me out. So I don't really know what advice to give you, if that's where I'd have to start.

A technical pen is your friend when doing small flames. Try flames like teek on paper or get a hot rod mag and trace the tips till you get what you like then fill in the boarders.

That's a great point. If you're just planning to do black flames on yellow (or any other light color) for your bad moons, a Micron pen will be a great help. A very fine tip will help you control the shape, direction, and thickness of your flames.

Ok, so it took me a little bit to get a camera, but I have some pics of most of the first flames I've done.. I'll warn you now that these are not only the first models I've attempted to put flames on, but also the first models I've ever painted. In hindsight, I think it could've been worse. I'll work on a couple models and post progress on here. Lately, I've been practicing on paper and at least now I've got a handle on how I want the shapes to look as well as how to achieve it. The hod rod research and strangely enough thinking about crab claws while I draw really helped me out!

I think the next natural step will be to get a Micron pen as you guys suggested.. I'm not nearly as skilled with a brush as I am with a pen.. and even that isn't saying much.

Here's some pics of some of my initial attempts:
First model EVER!
Weird tree flames?
Looks More like tiger stripes
Top down view
Kinda...
Closest to flames I've ever gotten and similar to what I'm shooting for..

The last one is sorta the direction my flames are gravitating. But I'd like it to be much cleaner and less accidental lol.. I've tried doing flames on paper the way Teek does it, but I naturally seem to go back to making them more sharp, so I'll stick with that till I get better. Any advice on how to make your style of flames Teek? Mine always end up looking more like lava lamp than fire..

Thanks again for the advice everyone! Hopefully I'll be back soon with improvements. And to anyone else reading this... THINK CRAB CLAWS!

You want fire? I'll give you fire (I've always been proud of my 'flamey' models)....My living saint.



...and a close up of her sword...



Remember how flames go...the origins or base of the flames are white, the flames go yellow, orange, then red as the flames reach their highest point, not vice versa, which is a common mistake.

Paint hot area white, may take some coats, paint surface grey first, then white...less coats of white that way...once your area is painted a strong white....yellow wash, after wash, paint the hottest area of the flames white once more, then highlight first yellow, orange, then up to blood red (dont go any deeper/darker than blood red) the more levels of highlighting you use cause your flames to look more and more real.

I think this blade used something on the order of 6-7 levels of shading from white to red....and THATS how you color fire. I've done blue flames (on a tzeench sorcerer) the same way...simply change the colors.

I've noticed how all you guys have fire that seems to shift pretty seamlessly between darker to lighter tones. Is all that done with layering?

I'm trying to work on some Daemons actually and your tip on how to do flames is going to come in extremely handy soon, so thanks! (Assuming we're talking about a Tzeentch Lord on a Disk)

Layering/highlighting is the way to go.

hey shane you got rid of gary buecy(sp?) thank god that guy irritates me


Yea I was going to suggest drawing it out first ON THE MINI. It helps alot. Also seeing as your prolly going to be painting ALOT of flames. Looks like its time for you to practice practice PRACTICE drawing them on paper. Eventually youll get a flow in your hands on how to do it better

breadhat wrote:Hi all, I have a slight dilemma with painting the black fire for my 40k Bad Moons. Basically I'm just wondering if you guys have any helpful hints or tips when free handing stuff like that? I can't draw for squat so any help is good help on this one. I feel like the flames come out looking more like either A.) Worms or B.) Waves with epilepsy. Unfortunately I dont have a camera to post a pic, but hopefully that gives a decent enough idea.

Thanks!

With pen or paint.
Draw a straight line where you want the flame(I use a mechanical pencil for this).
Fill in with paint or pen by going back and forth across the line.
It works great for Bad Moon black flames.

Deadshane1 wrote:You want fire? I'll give you fire (I've always been proud of my 'flamey' models)....My living saint.



...and a close up of her sword...



Remember how flames go...the origins or base of the flames are white, the flames go yellow, orange, then red as the flames reach their highest point, not vice versa, which is a common mistake.

Paint hot area white, may take some coats, paint surface grey first, then white...less coats of white that way...once your area is painted a strong white....yellow wash, after wash, paint the hottest area of the flames white once more, then highlight first yellow, orange, then up to blood red (dont go any deeper/darker than blood red) the more levels of highlighting you use cause your flames to look more and more real.

I think this blade used something on the order of 6-7 levels of shading from white to red....and THATS how you color fire. I've done blue flames (on a tzeench sorcerer) the same way...simply change the colors.

She is awesome, but how did you make the flames on her sword? Because if I remember correctly her sword is without flames.... Did you use green stuff or how?

Thank you for answer

I'm not sure how to go about the shape of them, but if you use a lot of highlighting, they look really cool. I say just let them flow from side to side. Also, make the tips different heights.

Bobinator on CMON does the best flames I've ever seen:

http://coolminiornot.com/pics/pics13/img49a7f26625fae.jpg

J.Black wrote:Bobinator on CMON does the best flames I've ever seen:

http://coolminiornot.com/pics/pics13/img49a7f26625fae.jpg

Yeah i was going to mention this model also, the flame paint job on it is just amazing!!

I found a good website for painting fire - http://hot-lead.org/advance/fire_prac.htm - There is no 'www.' at the start just that.

Here is a nice tutuorial, both for sculpting and painting flames.

http://warhammer.org.uk/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=43941