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hi guys, so basically my question to any expert painters (or non expert) is how you might achieve a black similar to the one on this chaos vindicator:

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=vindicator+40k&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=560&tbm=isch&tbnid=Bp-xCorQqqKW5M:&imgrefurl=http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp%3FprodId%3Dprod1090579&docid=dTcmIcCLQM7SUM&imgurl=http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1280680_99120102025_CSMVindicatorMain_873x627.jpg&w=873&h=627&ei=2YcsUIusNqqgyAHzlYB4&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=93&vpy=270&dur=552&hovh=111&hovw=155&tx=184&ty=104&sig=106903019135206047217&page=1&tbnh=111&tbnw=155&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:97

when i mean dusted i mean how the grey sort of lightly overlaps and subtly highlights the black on the vindicator. i dont know if its drybrushing or light airbrushing done in succession. black seems to be very tricky and ive been having issues emulating this technique
also to note- i do not mean the "edge highlights" its whats done in between. the surface highlighting

From what I can tell, it is dry brush but on top of a darkened grey thats layered on top of the black. It's entirely possible it was done by dry brush only, though that takes a bit of patience and brush control. I'm not entirely sure you realize how long you can keep going with a dry brush after you think the paint is done(kind of like my office printer: it's been "out of toner" for a month now, and printing fine, but I digress)

You'd have more luck painting an incredibly dark gray, and then just washing it down or dry brushing black where you want it darker, else it might just be too much black.......

hey thanks so much for the feedback, im glad someone actually replied and your drybrush tip gives me hope

Yeah, other than a base coat I really don't see anything on that model that looks like it was airbrushed. I think it just got a very light, well controlled dry-brushing.
If you have an airbrush, pigments might be the way to go. And, as was already said, work up (getting darker) from grey instead of down (getting lighter) from black.

I would say its a controlled drybrush of boltgun metal, then the splotches are added with a sponge brush, and then it gets a light brown drybrush.

Not sure how this one was done, but I know that stippling will create a fairly similar result.

Stippling is done by softly stabbing at the surface area with the tip of a brush. I find it best to buy a cheap hogs hair brush, then cut the rounded point off the bristles. it makes for a flatter head. Then you take some of that great new GW dry paint or whatever, only load the tip of the brush a little bit then repeatedly stab gently onto the surface with it.

If you did the model shown, start with your black, edge highlight it with one or two shades of grey, then perhaps a nice khaki or earthy pale green paint that's nicely thickened and stipple it onto the required area.

This should see you through nicely.

Alternatively you could spray paint it on from a greater distance and use a piece of board to mask off the area you don't want it to coat. Obviously you'll need to test this on some black board or paper first to see what kind of coverage you get from what distance and then take it from there. Start off from a good distance and then get closer, taking note of the coverage.

Hope this helps.

Its an eavy metal painted model which means it wasnt airbrushed. They only use products that GW sell so that users at home can theoretically achieve the same results.

As others have said, it looks like dry brushing over black.

Skippy wrote:Its an eavy metal painted model which means it wasnt airbrushed. They only use products that GW sell so that users at home can theoretically achieve the same results.

I don't believe that for a second.

If I recall correctly there are pigments that you apply like regular paint but the end result gives it a dry dusty look. Trust me I've seen the stuff used and the end result is fantastic, though I've never seen it in a store anywhere. Click the link below and skip to about the 12 minute mark to see it used. If link won't work the name of the video is "Painting the German Panzer IV/70 (V) (GBX36) from Battlefront Miniatures"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl6BOxeFeN0