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Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. Work on the more basic techniques until you're comfortable. If you can make them look good enough to field, you're doing well. If you can look at a model you've already painted as something you can paint better, you're doing even better.

Don't get frustrated. The better your technique becomes, the worse everything looks to you.

Best advice I can add is to not be afraid to paint your bases. It took me a while to really see the benefit, but putting some extra effort into your basing really can set your models apart from someone else's and gets a nice consistent look for your army. Even if this means an easy three step basecoat/wash/drybrush to make your sand and rocks look more consistent.

I don't really have too much to add here. There has already been a ton of good advice. I did want to add my own voice to tell you that you're being too hard on yourself. Your stuff isn't that bad and if you keep painting you will get better.

It took me many years before I actually learned the techniques to make my minis any more than just tabletop-ready. These days you are awash in information so it doesn't need to take you as long as it took me.

If you just covered those steel legion in GWs brown wash you'd see a nice improvement.

If you bought the Washes set and washed every part of the model with a suitable colour you'd see an even nicer improvement.

And if you were to then buy a complimentary colour of a slightly lighter shade for every base colour you used and then applied it thinly to the raised areas or edges, you'd see an even nicerer improvement

Try it!

Wow, those suck ... I kid, I kid.

Honestly, what has been mentioned above would help out. Washes with a gentle drybrush of the original color would help out a lot.

What stood out to me more than anything else were the bases. Mix up some brown wash (I use liquitex raw umber) and flood wash it over the sand. That will darken the base. The drybrush some bone over the top and add a spot of static grass here and there.

 Bottle wrote:
If you just covered those steel legion in GWs brown wash you'd see a nice improvement.
If you bought the Washes set and washed every part of the model with a suitable colour you'd see an even nicer improvement.
And if you were to then buy a complimentary colour of a slightly lighter shade for every base colour you used and then applied it thinly to the raised areas or edges, you'd see an even nicerer improvement
Try it!

This! Good constructive step by step.

Hey, they're not sprue grey, so you get points there.

Also, start experimenting with washes and drybrushing. Those two methods are the shortest route to good-looking models. The fantastic stuff takes a lot of practice with paint blending.

 Bottle wrote:
If you just covered those steel legion in GWs brown wash you'd see a nice improvement.

There's a reason the nickname for the old Devlan Mud wash was "Liquid Talent".

This just in:
PurpleCrons!

Looking good!

I think you would do well to paint their bases; its not easy to paint minis in a style that matches unpainted bases.

If you paint the mini and the base at least they tend to end up similar in style.

I think the next question is how do you choose to paint the base, what colours will work well, etc.

nareik wrote:
Looking good!

I think you would do well to paint their bases; its not easy to paint minis in a style that matches unpainted bases.

If you paint the mini and the base at least they tend to end up similar in style.

I think the next question is how do you choose to paint the base, what colours will work well, etc.

Washed bases

Verviedi wrote:
This just in:
PurpleCrons!

Thats a cool color scheme for those Necrons. Got a lot of depth to them, although I would do some more edge painting and highlighting.

Either way, with those pics you really can't convince me you actually suck at painting.

Well done sir. Keep posting, keep practicing.

Yeah dude, you're fine. Just keep at it and it will all come together.

Neat, bright, and thin coats. That's all you really need to remember, the rest is just window dressing.

That base wash has made such an improvement to their appearance. Good work!

Base Drybrush

Finished:

See, just a bit more care in blocking in your colours and some more attention to your bases and you've got much better results!

nareik wrote:
See, just a bit more care in blocking in your colours and some more attention to your bases and you've got much better results!

Thanks.

Necron warriors would really benefit from the new 32mm bases.

You are painting basic but fine, plenty of ideas to help.

One quick way would be to give a cover with Army Shader 'Strong' tone http://shop.thearmypainter.com/products.php?ProductGroupId=1 "However one prefers t paint it on, with a cheap old brush, try £1 shops"

or

Use the AP inks 'Strong' Warpaints Quickshade Ink Set http://shop.thearmypainter.com/products.php?ProductGroupId=8

If you do go this option, one trick one has found to help is to edge the raised areas, like 'corners'. So highlight raised edges. For example to highlight tanned belt colour, add white to the original colour so 3 parts original colour to 1 part white. Etc
Do not use one 'thick' coat just thin a little with water, so it paints smooth, and make sure 'smooth' as it applies better.

This sounds a lot and I can sound like it takes alot of time but it will not. It does take time, there is no easy way around this.
I prefer to paint 10 figures at a time, so I go from model to model adding highlights, this means that by the time I get back to the first model the paint has dried and I can add the next highlight, this saves time waiting for paint to dry.

For the metal, add or use a brighter silver for the dark metal, paint the edges, thin lines, same as a drop on bolts, raised nuts etc. Details like the wings on the weapons can be done with a little gold etc. Its about taking time to stop and think.

The same applies to the material, if raised just add a thined lighter stoke to it.

Then when dry add either the AP QS ink or dip and leave to dry.

Simple.


Some useful links,

http://www.thearmypainter.com/videogallery.php?videoid=2

Kevin Dallimore's painting guide from Wargames Foundry http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/books/painting-guide


YouTube is also a massive advantage for ideas and tutorials. Just takes time.

There seems to be a trend on here where people over exaggerate their praise in fear of being seen as nasty, and it rarely helps someone. So I'll do the honest thing.


You need to slightly thin your paints. It takes longer but is 100 a better finish.

The bases on the necrons are patchy. PVA then dip in sand. Wait to COMPLETLY dry. Then paint a Base colour and dry. Drybrush a lighter colour, but that amount in your brush? Half it, less is more.

Watch the GW vids, they are pretty good.

Drybrush. It's your new favourite word. Learn it, go to sleep thinking about it and wake up having dreamed about it (this may be a slight exaggeration) as it's the easiest way to 'level up' for you.

Forget what your parents told you. You don't need to wash everywhere. Shade where you would expect shade. A wash isn't a cheat to get results, it's a stage of painting. If you want a cheat/quick win, look at the dipping techniques online.

If you can, get some cheap miniatures and practice the basics, then fairy power spray them, and start again. This place can teach you to be a very good painter but it's practice that will get results.

Also you don't suck too bad, you just need some quick wins and basic errors to be fixed and you'll see a sharp increase

Theres actually not much wrong with your minis dude, its just a matter of practice. Ive posted the pic below to show the effect practice can have. The berserker was painted when I first got back into painting, and the standard bearer about 2 years later. I try to paint for at least an hour a day and have won quite a few local painting comps (although im not golden deamon standard by a long way).
One thing to keep in mind though is, although YouTube tutorials can be a great way to learn, don't get hung up on copying other painters. Take what works for you, and develop your own style.