Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I have already come across 'ardcoat (which is essentially overpriced varnish) but I did not realise they did others in the range. What are peoples thoughts on them? Are they worth it or can you get similar results with cheaper products?

EDIT: In particular I was wondering about agellen earth I think it is called which gives a cracked effect.

I've tried the blood one, it works pretty well.

I've also use the copper oxide one which is awesome. just use a q-tip or something to wipe away excess to leave it in the recesses and it looks ace.

I also have the typhus corrosion one but have not used it yet.


As for the earth one there were a few problems with it at launch, but I think they have the formula down pretty well now.

I have used a couple of these paints in the past. Imperial primer is a farce, really thin so it won't cover in any less than many coats. I found the layman medium to be ok. It thins paint well but comes in a 12ml flip-top, which isn't too good when you want to add a little of it to every paint you use. Are coat is great as far as glossy varnishes go. Not tried LGS but the old version was well liked and I think It's still the same.

Personally i like typhus corrosion. I find it works well to shade capes and can slightly dull steel to make it look more used. IMO though its just the same thing as dark brown ink and i am sure there are better quality inks out there.

Blood for the Blood God, and Agrellan Earth are great, but they kind of feel like cheating.

 calamarialldayerrday wrote:
Blood for the Blood God, and Agrellan Earth are great, but they kind of feel like cheating.

Yeh I get the feeling that using them may be cheating but if they can produce good results compared to hand painting different effects then it saves time at the end of the day I suppose. I might try a few then based on the response from this. Seems like people have had good experiences with them.

I have used the one that cracks (cant remember the name) and it produces a pretty good effect but just make sure youre on a really well primed surface or it will flake right off. Even when the surfaces is well primed the effect is still pretty delicates. ALso, I havent tried yet, but I dont believe you can paint over the effect. Im sure you can but I think it would cover up most of the cracks so if you want ti in a different colors or shade then youd probably need to mix in the color/pigments while it is still wet and then hope the crcking effect still works. I will have to play around with this.

You can use washes over the cracks, or delicate highlighting.

I use both Blood for the Blood God and Rhyza Rust, I've found both to be very useful.

Brother Michael wrote:
I use both Blood for the Blood God and Rhyza Rust, I've found both to be very useful.

You should probably use typhus corrosion before using Rhya rust, because it gives a texture for the subsequent dry brushing.

I've been using Agrellan Earth and Typhus Corrosion and like them both. I based all of my IG the old fashioned way, and decided I'd take the easy way out with my GK and Daemons.

Didn't bother with Blood for the Blood God because I already have Mephiston Red + 'Ardcoat (that's probably what BftBG is) and Tamiya Clear Red which pretty much cover whatever I'd need to do.

Haven't tried the others, but it looks like they all have their place.

Blood for the Blood God is awesome for quick blood effects. Ryza Rust+Typhus Corrosion gives a great worn metal effect. Definitely worth the cost.

The current Liquid Green Stuff is horrible, I must say.

Blood one is awesome. Definately worth it. Corrosion, good, but dont buy rhyza rust for it, i use a thick artists acryllic from a paint set.. Thats basically the same thing. I also got some of that necron compound for dry brushing, but am yet to use it. Gonna break it out on my soul grinder

purist66 wrote:

 calamarialldayerrday wrote:
Blood for the Blood God, and Agrellan Earth are great, but they kind of feel like cheating.

Yeh I get the feeling that using them may be cheating but if they can produce good results compared to hand painting different effects then it saves time at the end of the day I suppose. I might try a few then based on the response from this. Seems like people have had good experiences with them.

No such thing as cheating.

Using materials and techniques to enhance the finished quality of your minis or to speed up the time it takes to get them finished is all absolutely fine. I think the whole idea of "cheating" comes from an elitist subset of painters who would be happier if all this new fangled acrylic nonsense went away so we could go back to using enamels and thinners with hogs hair brushes.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I actually probably rate Tamiya Clear Red plus UHU glue as a batter gore effect, but for blood on weapons etc BFTBG is very good, Nikalakh Oxide is good, Agrellan Earth is worthwhile. I do find uses for Typhus Corrosion but I have other ways I prefer for rusty metal.

Agrellan Earth:





Ryza Rust over Typhus Corrosion:



Heavy drybrush of Ryza Rust over Typhus Corrosion:

purist66 wrote:

 calamarialldayerrday wrote:
Blood for the Blood God, and Agrellan Earth are great, but they kind of feel like cheating.

Yeh I get the feeling that using them may be cheating but if they can produce good results compared to hand painting different effects then it saves time at the end of the day I suppose. I might try a few then based on the response from this. Seems like people have had good experiences with them.

My next purchase is going to be Blood For The Blood God, I'm hoping it'll be a one-stop product that doesn't need any fancy or complicated layering or extra finishing, and I'll pay for that service. Cheating be damned...

I'm very happy with the Liquid Green Stuff, but it's not Dettol paint remover proof - any figures with LGS on them have to be refinished when I strip the paint.

In all honesty I think the concept of the Technical paints is maybe the best thing GW have done with their paints system, closely followed by their drybrush range.

I've only used the metal and blood effects and to be honest I was fairly impressed. The two rust effects work extremely well and the blood effect saves a lot of effort.

Chrissy_J wrote:
My next purchase is going to be Blood For The Blood God, I'm hoping it'll be a one-stop product that doesn't need any fancy or complicated layering or extra finishing, and I'll pay for that service. Cheating be damned...

It is, I used it on my hobbit stuff as bloody footprints and weapon stains, looks fantastic. I don't know how it compares to tamiya clear red though.

The concept of a technical paint being some form of cheating is easily the most stack hat special thing I have ever heard.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
So apparently I can't forum properly on my phone

Screw it, that will do

purist66 wrote:In particular I was wondering about agellen earth I think it is called which gives a cracked effect.

It's magic in a bottle. I've been told the others are more or less just magic too. Just like washes.

GW's paints may be needlessly expensive, but some of the non-paint stuff if crazy.

The only thing that isn't magical is the LGS. I swear. It shrinks horribly when it hardens and you end up having to use an insane amount to fill in the smallest cracks. And because of its liquid aspect you can't mold it in any way. Regular GS is much better. However, who knows, YYMV.

Yeah. It actually has its uses (it's great for making crumbling concrete on terrain, for example), but I'd agree, it is more hassle than sorcery.

Yeah. Honestly it is just a major let down. The only good use I have found for it is applying a thin layer to cloaks on my Wood Elves. Makes them look a bit more dirty and grimy instead of these beautiful, clean, pieces of cloth. Adds just a slight bit of texture which makes it even nicer.

I didn't mean it was cheating per se, I wouldn't be able to produce those effects through more "legitimate" means, but it all just feels too easy or something. A couple of brush strokes and you have a complex effect. My big worry is that because there's no customisation element, it looks just like everyone else's complex effect. I still use them though.