My first real paint job... Dark Eldar Raider

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**Galador**

Ok so this is the first one I painted that went for some real flair instead of just paint it so it can get on the table. I have since put a gloss finish on it which I think really helped. And and all C & C is welcome, especially anyway that I can make it go a bit faster. I am not the best painter, but I am trying to learn!!! Thanks for the help!!!

**OoieGoie**

It looks very neat so perfect for gaming. The sails look a little plain though. If you have some Dark Eldar stickers, maybe use those to add some detail to your mini?

Good to see a non-black DE mini.

The photo makes the DE look pink. Are they actually red?

**Galador**

They are actually scab red with a gloss varnish on the armor. Iphones make horrible cameras. The sail is plain for the moment, I am practicing transfers so that I can make sure I dont mess it up. I dont want to put it on until I can be sure that I will get it right, and I am really bad at freehanding Eldar symbols, so I dont wanna try that lol.

As far as the non-black part goes, for my main army contingent I run a mix of Liche Purple and Dark Angelsgreen, so have never done black. I have been slowly changing it all over to the Scab Red and Necron Abyss combo you see in the above pictures cause I just like the look more. I feel that even though they are dark and sadistic, they are still Eldar, and that means they like weird colour schemes and that anythign goes lol.

I am currently working on the Ravager that my kids got me for Christmas in the opposite colour pattern. When I finish it, I will post it up, along with my Drazhar I just painted. He was my first attempt at drybrushing and mixing paints, so I want some critique on him, once I can find the wife's camera to take some decent photos!!!

**Flashman**

Neatly painted, colour scheme is very effective

**Valkyrie**

First and second photos, just to the right of the guy hanging off the prow: is that a random Dark Lance tacked on?

**Galador**

Yeah, I thought it would look good with the DL added on, and then that way, if need be, I can switch it for the disintegrator cannon real fast. It is held on with a magnet. I also cut down and magnetized the other sail, so that if too many holes get shot in the main, they can switch out lol.

**chaos0xomega**

Two things you need: decals on the sails/banners, even something as simple as a stripe (but use masking tape to get straight lines, for the love of god), and you need some basic highlighting. It looks very 'flat'. Otherwise, it looks like you dida good job.

**Ouze**

It looks good... but it doesn't look finished.

Generally, I'd say the steps are: 1.) Prime the mini, 2.) Block in your base colors, 3.) paint in your details, 4.) Dip or wash, 6.) Decals, 7.) Dullcote or Gloss.

My feeling is you're up to (but haven't yet done) steps 4+. I'd do some badab black wash on those chains, and some gryphonne sepia (or, if you can get it, watered down brown ink) on the gold bits on the guns, rear, etc. Wash the skulls with ogryn flesh (or washed down gryphonne sepia). As others have mentioned, the sail is way too plain. Even just a stripe down a side, blocked off with masking tape, would improve it.

It's very good as it is, but with minor effort I think you could make it substantially better.

**Element206**

The sail looks great, in some of the pictures it blooks like you blended the blue. Nice work

**Galador**

Ouze wrote:It looks good... but it doesn't look finished.

Generally, I'd say the steps are: 1.) Prime the mini, 2.) Block in your base colors, 3.) paint in your details, 4.) Dip or wash, 6.) Decals, 7.) Dullcote or Gloss.

My feeling is you're up to (but haven't yet done) steps 4+. I'd do some badab black wash on those chains, and some gryphonne sepia (or, if you can get it, watered down brown ink) on the gold bits on the guns, rear, etc. Wash the skulls with ogryn flesh (or washed down gryphonne sepia). As others have mentioned, the sail is way too plain. Even just a stripe down a side, blocked off with masking tape, would improve it.

It's very good as it is, but with minor effort I think you could make it substantially better.

I have since washed the skulls again with badab black, and I washed my skin tones(Rotting Flesh) with Devlan mud. I never even thought about toning down the gold parts, but I will definitely try it out. As far as the sail, I am practicing with the old transfers I have from my old dark eldar until I can get them perfect, then I plan on adding one and doing a bit of work on it to accent it, but I dont want to put it on until I know I can get it perfect. I am trying to make this both my Archon's Raider, and at the same time, continually improve it so that I can hopefully enter it one day into some painting competitions. I have glossed it with Citadel gloss varnish since these photos were taken, but I will have to strip some of it off in order to rewash the gold. Thanks for the ideas, Ouze!!!

**Makenshi**

Looks nice, am thinking of something very similar only with purples rather then red.