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Hi guys - I'm a (very) novice painter and I'm currently painting up an IG command squad.

My method for these 5 guys is to put down a basecoat all over, then wash, then highlight. Anyway I got to the standard bearer in this cool set, and I thought the flag would be a nice, easy section to paint. WRONG!

It took probably 2 1/2 hours to paint this flag so far, and it's come out kind of "splotchy". Now like I said I've been painting around a month so I don't expect miracles. Behold:





Does anyone have ideas how this can be improved? Would it be possible, for instance, to "cheat" and drybrush white onto the raised areas to pick out those bits? Presumably this would also leave a lot of white on the flat (black/red) parts which wouldn't look too great.

Or how about using a flat brush to pick out the raised parts? Seen this mentioned elsewhere on dakkadakka forums and seems to be an option.

Maybe washing then a light drybrush over the details. Just be careful not to drybrush the places you dont want to be drybrushed!

Good luck, let me know what you come up with

You definitely need to start using washes. Then go back and clean up using the original base coat and highlight all raised surfaces as you would any other part of the model.

Thanks fellas.

So a wash it is. I think I'll probably try and paint it on its side, so the flag pole is at the bottom, hopefully then the wash pools to that side if you see what I mean (saw Lester Bursley wash a cloak upside down to avoid pooling at the bottom) - what colour do you think? Sepia?

I like Badab Black or Delvin mud (Not sure what the new names are)