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hello dakka,

I finally finished my first dreadnought:



I had the hardest time doing the lettering on the two scrolls and I'm not happy with either of them. for the sarcophagus scroll, I originally tried using a pigma micron 005 pen but the line was just too heavy for that tiny amount of space. I used the pen on the purity seal, which you can see in this photo for comparison:



I repainted the scroll and lettered it with a brush instead. even after practicing a few times on some scrap, I think it came out pretty meh. on the leg scroll, I tried doing the lettering with a .3mm pencil first and then going over it with paint. this made the painting end of things a bit easier, but the lettering itself still came out messy because the pencil wouldn't move smoothly over the painted surface - too much texture from the bleached bone paint, I guess. I also ended up getting more pencil on there than I wanted to from having to re-shape the letters a bit.

so, how do you guys do your lettering? any tips, tricks or tutorials to share? I'm hoping there's more to it than "a steady hand and a tiny brush" :p

cheers,

v

If thats meh, then whats good :O

But all I can think of is a tiny pencil

@TheAngrySquig: I was comparing against the 'eavy metal dreadnought showcase photos in the SM codex. an admittedly high standard, but if they can do it there's no reason I can't too :p

Not done this for a while, would be interested to see what people do for their own mini's.
Personally I would be either using a mega fine brush and some patience, or a dip pen and some acrylic inks.
The kind of pen you buy handles and nibs for (Quil? Dip Pen? whatever you call them)
I usualy find these better for really fine work on paper and canvases, and would try them on mini's... just being careful to not scratch the nib through the paint work already done.
http://www.scribblers.co.uk/acatalog/Nibs_and_Pen_Sets.html

'mapping pens' on that site I linked to are rather fine tipped, some nibs make hair lines, some big chunky lines and all inbetween so its a matter of picking out a suitable one.

A fine point brush, patience and thin paint. Don't try and 'write' each letter, you have to build up the 'pen strokes' with several passes of the brush.

Two hairs and the air works for me.

It depends on exactly what you are going for. I like to paint the letters once in dark grey, then go over that in black. It makes it look more bluured, as iof viewed from further away or in al ower resolution. I quite like the effect, but it is not for everyone.

Secura micron pens.

Wait... You people use pens for scripture?
I just use my GW standard brush, and get the same results.
But that's just me I guess..

I generally just use a very fine detail brush and thinned paint, then touch up any mistakes.