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Don't think using words like "childish" is exactly necessary...

Ill agree with others...just fine but lose the gloss unless you really like it...then keep it. Also, dont feel bad about some of the faces being funny...faces can be hard. I still cant do them worth a fark.

Taoofss wrote:I do not believe those models are table top quality. Your lines are messy, they are extremely shinny, in parts, you use way too much paint and the details are blurred. There are stray marks everywhere, and you've not done besides color the bases in. Even there, the colors are not smooth.

You came here asking for honest opinions and I feel I gave you mine.

Just being nice and telling you your models are fine the way they are is a detriment to you. My advice to you would be to take your time with the models, get finer detail brushes, buy more paint, learn to wash/dry brush/detail. And for the love of god, use a pallet and do not direct dip your brushes into the paint pots.

I asked for your opinion and you gave it, if we all had the same opinion the world would be a boring place...
I'll get a pallet and finer brushes, would you recommend any? I currently use only GW brushes.

Perkustin wrote:
While you shouldnt take any s*** you should always be open to Constructive Criticism:
My only major problem is that they have names on the bases, i dislike that (even if it is a pro painted mini!). I'm not gonna lie and tell you they are magnificent but they are neat enough and all you need is to practise a bit of highlighting or just use some washes. The operative word is practise, you dont have to be artisitic or talented to paint great miniatures you just need to put in the time.
PS. The paint isn't too thick but the varnish IS, the varnish works as a lense and makes the paints look distorted and blobby.

I'll stay away form the varnish from now on. I did it because some redshirt at an event recommended it, the paint started to chip off my models so that is why I used the varnish.
Especially the metal models had to be repainted after every game. So when the redshirt said: "It protects your miniatures, your paint won't fall off and it gives them a good look."
I decided to use it. I should have asked around in my usual store instead of listening to a redshirt.

Tazay wrote:
Ill agree With Taoofss. At first I thought my brother had painted them (He is about 6).

1. Too much gloss. Way too much gloss.
2. It really looks like a 5 year old painted them. Sorry to say. The solid blue just looks childish to me, The white and blue pants looks like you dry brushed the white over blue
3. The green on the weapons seems out of place.
4. The name on the bases seem really really childish.
5. Keep on working it at it. Youll get it eventually.

Hehe, I paint like a five year old... I always had the feeling my painting skills decreased.
Perhaps grey/ dark blue would be more suited for the weapons?

jimmy72nd wrote:
They are not bad to me, there not the best but i would happily play against them on the table top.

If you decide that you want to strip them and have another crack at painting them up then please read through this painting guide FULL PAINTING GUIDE its a wonderful guide with every technique from drybrushing to NMM (non metalic metals) written by a good online buddy of mine and it helped me alot, just check out my SM wip...lol.

Now that was a good guide!
I will definatly use that one!

Mad4Minis wrote:Ill agree with others...just fine but lose the gloss unless you really like it...then keep it. Also, dont feel bad about some of the faces being funny...faces can be hard. I still cant do them worth a fark.

Hehe, the faces suck, I'll admit it. Then again, it could be a lot worse. Hell, I cannot even draw a normal face.

Perhaps I should post my first two guardsmen I painted? I still keep them around in my army. I know they are horrible and out of place, but then again it's my army and I field what I want to field.

Also the names are part of the fluff, I write a lot of regimental fluff. So I keep the names. Sorry if it disturbs you, but then again, it's my army, I have to play with it and I have to spend a lot of time painting/ playing/ coverting it.

About what the red shirt said: Varnish is great for protecting minis, yes... but use MATTE varnish.

He likely didn't point you toward that because (for some crazy reason) GW doesn't make one...

Henners91 wrote:About what the red shirt said: Varnish is great for protecting minis, yes... but use MATTE varnish.

He likely didn't point you toward that because (for some crazy reason) GW doesn't make one...

Yes they do, Purity Seal. I'm pretty sure purity seal is a matte varnish.
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=&prodId=prod1200065
But don;t waste your time with GW.
Krylon spray paint makes a varnish called"Krystal Clear" or something. It should say what ever gloss you want. I HIGHLY suggest you get matte.
Some tips on using it, spray lightly and in thin layers or else discoloration of your models will be very present and obvious.

I'd heard purity seal makes your models go white... and I *think* it's a gloss but I've never used it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
But now that I read the description "removes shininess" it can't possibly be a gloss

Taoofss wrote:Just being nice and telling you your models are fine the way they are is a detriment to you.

For what it's worth, nobody here was saying they couldn't be improved. But 'tabletop quality' doesn't have to mean spectacularly painted... it's just a guideline for basic painting, used because coloured models look better than grey ones.

So long as the models have their base colours on in more or less in the right place, that should be more than enough to play with them... which makes them tabletop quality.

TBH, your models aren't great. The paint looks really thickly applied and people have already comments on the shininess. What paints are you using? Are you using testors enamels? If so, find some good acyllics. A couple more suggestions:

1. I'd remove the names and rim the bases black
2. Some simple basing would help out a lot. Put down a layer of glue, dunk in some flock, and you're done.
3. Hit the figures with some matte sealer and you'll take care of the shininess.

That being said:

1. They are painted. Kudos. Many people can't even be bothered to do that.
2. The paint jobs aren't bad, I think you've just got the wrong paints
3. The other guy is being a jerk for giving you a hard time.

If they do have a light aimed at them and your camrera flashes, the models have a good excuse to light up.

Ive never had to paint faces but lens can be quite tricky as can the all the nifty little marking on my tau. I feel your pain. For really fine work I use toothpicks since they are sharp but still hold enugh paint to be effective. (I have no idea how weird this is)

I have never watered my paints and somehow my work is fine. Practice makes pritty. (Is there really a way to be perfect?)

jimmy72nd wrote:Look man, at the end of the day no-one has the right to laugh at anyone else's army, its not a competition its a game of toy soldiers.

If your happy with them then dont pay any attention to him, they are your after all.

They are not bad to me, there not the best but i would happily play against them on the table top.

If you decide that you want to strip them and have another crack at painting them up then please read through this painting guide FULL PAINTING GUIDE its a wonderful guide with every technique from drybrushing to NMM (non metalic metals) written by a good online buddy of mine and it helped me alot, just check out my SM wip...lol.

Happy Gaming buddy..

Jim

+1 to this fine gentleman,
he is right at the end of the day its what you care about, tell the guy heckling you to quit being a dick
if you do want to improve your skills all you need to do is just need to keep practicing.

Commissar Hanno Von Heiter from the 197th Bataviran

Commissar Hanno Von Heiter from the 197th Bataviran

Hey,

New paintjobs. This one is a commissar.
I thinned my paint, multiple layers and did a black wash.
What do you guys think of it?
Decent? Horrible or disgusting?

THERE YOU GO!!

A noticeable improvement. It looks really good.

Now you just need to add some sand or ballast to the bases and you are cooking.

Be mindful of how the wash gathers and how it effects different colours.
Notice on the shoulder pad how the wash have gathered and shaded a place that wouldn't normally be in the shade? When using the washes you just dab the brush on a piece of tissue paper and then soak up (and redistribute) the excess wash.
Also keep in mind how Badab Black certainly shades the red but also makes it look slightly dirty.
Using Devlan Mud or maybe Ogryn Flesh instead will still shade, but in addition it will enrich and accent the red rather than making it look dirty.

Also a flesh colour like Tallarn Flesh (which I guess you have used) works alot better with Devlan Mud than with Badab Black.


Now you can experiment with how little you can thin your paints and still get an even coat. Remember the ratio isn't the same for all of GWs paints.

Good work and keep it up.

That is some nice improvement. Suggestion, get out a test figure, basecoat it in a couple of your standard colors and experiment with how the different washes will modify the color and use it as an opportunity to see how they pool and work. Nice job though.

A model can be objectively criticized for sloppy paintwork, boring bases, or a bad colour scheme, but gloss or matt finish is a personal aesthetic choice.

If you like your models gloss, do them gloss. if you want them matt, it's easy enough to hit them with spray right at the end.

Look 'about' table top quality, although by table top quality, most people just mean all painted, cleanly, no shading, maybe a little ink here and there generally. The best way to get a decent paint job is actually just follow a guide, after the 3rd mini, it should be looking good. I used to think faces were hard, but they are not. base coat of tallern flesh, followed by heavy wash of orgyn flesh, then pick out thinks like ridge of the nose and browlines with dwarf flesh, they look ok then, i sometimes just go over deep cracks with more orgyn flesh after. The eyes now there hard, you gotta get the white in there, and using a pen for the pupils is probably best as its really difficult getting it in the right place, i have a cross eyed guardsman from my first attempt. Most of the guardsmen though you don't need to paint the eyes at all (i don't bother anymore, its just way to much hassle), unless your a few inches away they just look like they are all squinting and grinning in pain etc.

Hmm... Haven't had any time to visit the store yet.
I will deffinatly use an Ogryn wash for the flesh.
Right now I just use dwarf flesh and a black wash.

The idea behind these guys is to paint them quicker then the ''special'' guys.
(Ofcourse every guardsmen is ''special'' in the universe of 40k )
But the company commanders, platoon commander etc. will be painted better.
So if I paint the majority of my army like this, it's ok?

well they're not exactly masterclass.., but they're certainly not bad either, though a bit shiny

Hmm... I think it is the light and the flash, this model hasn't even had any varnish!
Also, just noticed I have to remove the name...

I'm not really posting here with an opinion about loners models since I have only been painting warhammer 40k models for about 7 months. But what I will say is that everyone on dakka deserves a big pat on the back for making this site one of the most helpful and friendly places for table top wargaming on the web. I was so overwhelmed when I realized how much painting I had ahead of me when I started playing, and I didn't know ANYTHING about painting at all. I wanted my models to be of reasonable quality, but I didn't know where to turn to help provide me with some of the foundations. Dakka turned out to be the discovery of a lifetime! Lets face it, the internet is not the most civil forum for discussion most of the time. People use the internet as a barrier to be d**khead's and never feel the repercussions. This is not the case here at all! There are always people willing to give honest constructive opinions and tips to people of all skill levels and that provides a secure and comfortable area for people like myself to learn a lot in almost no time at all. Kudos for providing probably thousands of people like me a serious place to learn how to get the most out of the hobby!

taking a better look at your model i noticed 1 thing!!
Where did that uber cool gun come from. Any possibility you could add them to all your infantry?

Tmonster wrote:taking a better look at your model i noticed 1 thing!!
Where did that uber cool gun come from. Any possibility you could add them to all your infantry?

Depends on, can I free the guns from my AT-43 Red blok army.
I also got a shotgun from them, I will make the model very soon.
It compliments the idea behind my regiment I think.
"Well... We got 500 troops. However their lasguns never arrived. We got 100 laspistols to spare and 100 lasguns to spare. Just hand them out and send your idiots over the top. Those that come back will have a weapon." An anoymous administratum member to my company commander.

Are you using enamel paints? You should be using acrylic paint and a flat clear coat.

Flat clear coat will take the shine off or some of it even if you are using shiny paint.

"Well... We got 500 troops. However their lasguns never arrived. We got 100 laspistols to spare and 100 lasguns to spare. Just hand them out and send your idiots over the top. Those that come back will have a weapon." An anoymous administratum member to my company commander.

Genius!

yeh man get orgyn flesh or however its spelled, great stuff for skin.

I must admit I prefer Devlan Mud over Tallarn Flesh for skin.

I find the colour more natural and muted, and not so "red".

1) GW Purity Seal is, at best, semi-gloss. Krylon Matte varnish or Testor's Matte Lacquer is true matte. And cheaper.

2) You are on the right track with that Commisar. It looks much better than your other minis that you posted...

3) Which, as has been said, were not all that bad to begin with. You just need to keep practicing and work on refining basic painting techniques at this point. Advanced stuff can wait until you've gotten the basics down pat.


Welcome to the hobby. You will find there are people who will bash anything short of an award-winning paint job (and no few who will still complain). Most of us are just delighted to see someone make the effort to paint their minis, having faced unpainted grey hordes on the battlefield.

Don't let the trash-talkers get you down. Their first army likely didn't even look as good as yours.

My Suggestion to you, Lord Loner, is next time he graces the floor in a fit of laughter at your models, raise your foot and shout, "For the Emperor!" and smash his testicles into dust. On a related note, that last picture of your Guardsmen was pleasing to the eye, and you should be proud to field an army of that quality.

Goddard wrote:My Suggestion to you, Lord Loner, is next time he graces the floor in a fit of laughter at your models, raise your foot and shout, "For the Emperor!" and smash his testicles into dust. On a related note, that last picture of your Guardsmen was pleasing to the eye, and you should be proud to field an army of that quality.

Mind if I use that one as a signature?

nevertellmetheodds wrote:"Well... We got 500 troops. However their lasguns never arrived. We got 100 laspistols to spare and 100 lasguns to spare. Just hand them out and send your idiots over the top. Those that come back will have a weapon." An anoymous administratum member to my company commander.

Genius!

I'm glad you liked it.

Vulcan wrote:1) GW Purity Seal is, at best, semi-gloss. Krylon Matte varnish or Testor's Matte Lacquer is true matte. And cheaper.

2) You are on the right track with that Commisar. It looks much better than your other minis that you posted...

3) Which, as has been said, were not all that bad to begin with. You just need to keep practicing and work on refining basic painting techniques at this point. Advanced stuff can wait until you've gotten the basics down pat.

Added to the shopping list and thank you.

Mind if I use that one as a signature?

Not at all, my fellow soldier. Just make sure everyone sees him being obnoxious before you...perform said action.

Loner,

Do not get too picky about your minis. i currently play with a group that for the most part have half painted models, horrid paint jobs, and some not even primed.

Your first models were not all that bad. Shinny would be the word I would use.

For the most part that dude was a douchbag for not accepting your paint job. They guy just could be one of them hard core players. They are not worth the time to play with.

I have not played a single game as of yet due to my OCD on my models. I am working on the Grey knights full army and I will tell you it is not easy with my OCD dose not help I just started to paint (I R paint newbie) and still learning tricks.

Some here may come off as pricks but they can tell ya a lot.

Just remember they are your minis paint them as you want.

There you go, and like I said, the commisar looks awesome (: