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Everytime I use it the color seems very chalky and dull. I've tried enhancing it with a clear acrylic medium which helps, but I was curious how you all use it. Is it too loud of a color to use as the base-coat of a figure?

Step 1, primed black.

Step 2, painted whole mini metal grey

Step 3, painted ice blue on areas where I desired the color.

Step 4, picked out details and washed model in badab black..

Step 5 .. Holy crap! It looks so dirty now, even with a thinned down wash.

Step 6.. Well, maybe if I wash over the black with leviathan purple it will help blend the blue and blacks and make something unique.

Step 7.. It's uniquely bad!

step 8 - Seek help from the Dakka.

This is the front of the BSB




This is the lower front..




And the back..





Maybe I'm just limited by being a low caliber painter? I just cant seem to get this color to look right or wash over correctly.

Only apply a wash to areas where you want the shadowing to show. Don't literally wash the entire surface with Badab Black.

Additionally, you likely want Badab Black in the crevasses and ice blue on the flat surfaces. Go back with a thin-thin coat of Ice Blue over the parts that look dirty to you. Avoid any area that you would like to remain black. If you're not confident in your skills, a drybrushing should work just fine.

When you're done, a highlight would also make things look great and clean up the 'dirtiness'. Try to go for a 50-50 Ice Blue - Skull White or even a super-thin Skull White. Again, if you're not confident in your skills, a drybrush works here as well if you take it lightly.

Thanks a lot for the advice. I'm working on corrections right now. The blue still seems kinda chalky. Mebbe my pots bad? Anyways.. is there a guide on highlights somewhere? I've never attempted them before.. and I dont know if a fully ezmode paint job is better than a paintjob with advanced techniques done badly.

Maybe try a SW grey/skull white/water coat.

Build it up through other blues rather than try to use it outright. Or are you trying to give it a metallic tone?

Thunderfrog wrote:Thanks a lot for the advice. I'm working on corrections right now. The blue still seems kinda chalky. Mebbe my pots bad? Anyways.. is there a guide on highlights somewhere? I've never attempted them before.. and I dont know if a fully ezmode paint job is better than a paintjob with advanced techniques done badly.

If you drybrush, the result will almost always look chalky. The best way to avoid chalkiness is to thin your paints and make many deliberate coats.