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And many more layers.

More and more yellow each time, and then some added orange to the shading as they weren't looking so orange after all the yellow.


Highlights next, heads on, then the flame details...

Yellow is challenging and you've done a great job.

Not really hard to paint yellow. just don't start with a black primer

Diorama turned out very well. Yes, I'm catching up.

Thanks Gits'. Means a lot coming from someone as well versed in yellow as you.

Thanks Red'.
I started from a dark brown this time rather than my usual black.

It's just a matter of layers. Multiple layers cover the lower, darker layers, and lighter and lighter shades means each layer doesn't need to cover so well.
The relative transparency of yellow (and to a lesser extent, the orange) helps with blending the layers together.

Good to see you pop in and catch up.

On that note, be sure to pop over an vote for your favourite piece in the LoER terrain contest:
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/763287.page#10138559

The Hellblasters now have their heads on, I've blacklined the crevices (although using brown), and highlighted the edges.


I think I'll stick them on their bases before moving on to the flames and smaller details; easier to get at certain angles.

I really like those big plasma doodads, they look ace.

Wow, that's a really strong yellow. The unit is coming along nicely.

That is some nice yellow

Thanks Graven'.

Thanks Snrub, I think it's the orange/brown shading; it gives it the contrast to shine.

Thanks MT.

They've now been attached to their bases.
Went so far as to drill through into a foot of each and have them pinned. With them glued on top of the basing (inc' grass) without it being easy to flatten a space for each foot they won't be quite so secure, the pin should help.

Why'd I finish the bases before attaching them? I wanted to use the airbrush to blacken some of the grass and didn't want to blacked their legs at the same time.
Why blacken? Plasma burns, of course.

I'm focusing on the bases in these photos so don't expect the figures to be in focus.


Now to start on the blue bits...

Beautiful deep yellow bud, well done.

The yellow has turned out really nice . Sooooooo many steps, but the end result is better for it.

That yellow is superb Dr. H. Really well done, and consistent across the set as well.

While I'm not a fan of spacemarines, the numarines look a lot better than the old ones, and their guns look big and nasty as well. Nice paintjob on that yellow as well, makes me cringe just to think about painting that...

Thanks Cam'.

Thanks Theo'. and you've not seen absolutely every layer. But it's no more than any of my other paintjobs. Multiple thin layers is the way to go.

Thanks Fango. That's what comes from doing them all together.

Thanks CK. I have no problems with painting yellow (or any other "problem" colours) beyond any "easier" colour. It's all in the multiple layers; you can see in the above photos from the last few posts, early layers are not smooth coats. You have to persist with thin coats and the smoothness and coverage will come in time.

And with that, some blue added:


I had planned to paint the blue flames on the shins as well, but now I'm thinking that that would have been too much.
There will be some more blue touches about the place, but nothing major like the shoulder pads.

I think I'll do the metals next and see what grabs me as to what else can be blue.

Dark blue eye lenses maybe? Also the plasma glow in blue?

Oh yeah, those were a given, should have mentioned that. Forgot about the guns until I turned to paint them, the guns need painting too.

Certainly is would be silly to do the plasma coils anything other than blue after choosing the blue flames to match the plasma theme.

Good call on not going overboard with the flames, Doc. I'm sure it'd look fine with them on the shins, but it looks great without it too. Blue plasma would seem the way to go. Keep it cohesive. I'd go a different colour for the eyes though, if you haven't already. Orange or purple maybe.

Lots of thin layers... There has to be another way... Nice work!

Loving your work sir. Going to have to paint me some yellow now.

Thanks Snrub. Eyes are often one of the last things I do. they'll be chosen to match the rest.

CommissarKhaine wrote:Lots of thin layers... There has to be another way... Nice work!

Ta.
Lots of thin layers is much easier (but not necessarily quicker) than one or two thick coverage layers, to get a look like this.

An alternative is to prime/basecoat in white and then blend to the shadows (I believe this is how JAH paints). But you'll still need many layers to get the blend looking good up close*

*The point being, that for the tabletop you don't need blending like this. A quicker spray coat primer, base colour, wash and dry-brush will do if you are not looking at them closely (and could potentially look better than the subtle shading/highlighting I do, from that distance).
But for display, and close-up photographs, many layers, wet-blending, and all the tricks in the book are the best way to get the "best" look. There's no major shortcuts. Just a matter of how close do you want to get; you can get 90% of the look with 50% of the effort, but for some of us 90% isn't enough.

Still further to that, develop your own style of painting. You don't have to aim for realism (as I do, with exaggeration for scale), you could go for a cartoon style, cel-shading, etc.
I've seen a few people paint in layers, but only have 3 or 4 layers total that don't blend together. You can clearly see the layers and they look like contour lines on a map, but done well, and consistently, it can still look good.

Thanks Graven'. You do that.



Not a lot of progress over the weekend. Went to a cousin's wedding on Friday and was spaced out for Saturday, and had Sunday off as usual.
Still, the metals are on and the weapons coloured in... but not finished yet.
Just to give you an idea of where the colours are going.

Of course I went for red guns... that's like par for the course on Marines.

and in other news:
Be sure to check out the next round of the LoER terrain contest. This time run by Monkeytroll and doesn't finish until after Christmas. No excuse not to join in... although I may be too busy myself as I have Birthday and Christmas presents to do in the same time frame.

Honestly Dr H... I must admit that I'm not a big fan of the red guns. Otherwise I love them.

Not a problem, Gits'. What is it that you don't like about the red? Just a feeling, too much primary colour?
I did try to keep the red more muted than the yellow and blue with a brown undercoat. Maybe a wash of dark purple is needed (trying to keep it on the blue side of red rather than the orange side).

Still, been fiddling with small details, and I painted the squad leader's head.

He does look quite intent on that auspex.

I like'em, though I second Gitsplitta on the red. I feel it takes awya from the plasma glow.

The primary marines are coming looking really good, Doc. That yellow is just superb.

I'm ambivalent towards the red gun casings. They're not bad looking by any stretch of the imagination though.

I noticed that (the muting of the red). I just think it's one too many points on the color wheel. It stretches the figure out in three different directions & doesn't really compliment either of the other two colors... it's just kind of there.

That being said... primary primaris is a very cool idea, and my opinion is hardly strong enough to re-consider the project.

[pirate]Yar, shiver me timbers[/pirate] Happy talk like a pirate day.

Thanks CK. See below.

Thanks Snrub.

Thanks for returning, Gits'. I see what you mean, and this was why I muted the red a bit.
But, as evidenced by the comments from you all, I was too subtle (as I often am).

I do have a view on equipment like this that is much of it is standardised and not part of the colour scheme.
I know most painters will aim for a fully harmonised colour scheme across each miniature, and yes this can be more pleasing on the whole.
However, for that I can see a squad of marines, for example, discussing their colour scheme and matching weapons, pouches, and purity seals like a group of teenage girls; "Should I take the red gun or the black gun?" "I like the green purity seals, they match my eyes better..." "does my bum look big in this?"

So I tend to paint bits of standard equipment in "standard" colours, purity seals are always red, pouches are always a khaki green...ish, SM guns are red or black.
I kind of like it when they don't quite match the colour scheme as it reinforces the "standard equipment" look to it.

I will tend to avoid wildly clashing colours, as I don't want people to feel sick while looking at them, but slight discontinuity to the scheme as a whole I think is fine.
The trick is to not use a strong colour for these things.
Hence muting the red.

and therefore, more muting was in order...

A purple wash and a grey dry-brush later.


Just need to decide on some squad markings or any other such details and these are done...ish.
and eyes/lenses, must remember those...

The blightbringer is waiting his turn on the painting desk (which is why you haven't seen much of him recently)
and I've just pulled out the bits for the next lot of miniatures from the box and they are waiting cleaning of mould-lines and the like on the modelling desk.

That's better. It brings it a little bit closer to the blue. Just close enough that it doesn't feel "off" if you know what I mean... but still definitely red. Nicely done.

Yeah, agreed, muted tones work really well.

That muted red works heaps better.
Blends in much better with the silver on the guns and doesn't detract from the blue plasma glow.

That's an excellent fix ( and a well-thought out explanation as well, love it when peope actually think things through)

Thanks Gits'. Towards the blue was what I originally intended, but was not bold enough. ta for the push.

Thanks Graven'.

Thanks Snrub.

Thanks CK. I spend a lot of time thinking about things for all my models... part of the reason my projects take so long.

With a final push they can be called done.
No major details in the end.
A skull to call out the squad leader, various lights and dials about the place and ... that's about it.
Prepare your sunglasses (plasmaguns, geddit?):

Zoom-able, vote-able, will be up for sale later...-able...

On to the next.