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.

Hello, I'm working on my newly bought Crone, Harpy and Flyrant, and i'm a bit stuck on the wings.

This ravener shows the general scheme for how i've been doing the flesh. It is Xereus purple with a dry brush over that of a 50:50 mix of Xereus purple and Emperor's Children pink.



Here is my current progress on the crone. I still need to do touch-ups on the bone, but i'd like to get the fleshy bits done next.




Drybrushing in my experience doesn't work very well on surfaces without much raised texture, and so i'm hesitant to try the same method on the wings, as even though there is some slight ribbing, i don't think it'll work out well.

What advice can you give me on how to lighten up the wings to a pinky-purple while still looking smooth?

The technique you want is drybrushing.

I actually think of this as a variant technique and usually call it 'blushing', as it's very similar to the way that blusher make-up is applied.

The visual result is similar to airbrushed centre-blends.

You need a fairly large, round, splayed, VERY soft brush - you can get a cheap sable and trim the point off a bit with scissors if you want.

The technique is done in multiple passes, many mixes. The more passes and mixes, the smoother and less chalky the resulting blush.

Use very little paint on the brush - when you tickle it against the back of your hand it should *JUST* pick out the texture of your skin.

Use a circular, sweeping motion, starting at the centre of the area and expanding out. Don't use a lot of pressure - you'll be tempted to 'scrub' - if you do this you're likely to get a clumpy, chalky build up. Fixable, but a pain.

Take your time and repeat. through the mixes till you hit your target - it's subtle and takes a while, but it's a good way of doing what you're trying to do without an airbrush (or if you've already painted around the area you're working and can't be arsed masking).

I paint texture on the wings whenever I have a flat surface like the tyranid's. Water down a tint of the base color (Mix with ushabti bone or pink or some flesh tone) then water it down a little and make strokes either across the wings or aligned with the wings. you can do as many highlights as you want. lastly I take a wash (green, red or purple... or all of them, a thin wash in different areas on the wings. That will give them a very unique feeling and but doesnt distract the rest of the models theme.

Good luck!

Yeah, I'm a huge advocate of drybrushing in situations like this.
The trick is to do GOOD drybrushing! Use the technique that Winterdyne describes. I like to use a carpet tile to remove paint from the brush.

Here's my tyranid wings....



Here's another pic of a model that I was working on with a similar colour plalette to yours....It's an older model and the technique ain't great so it's a bit chalky. Try to avoid this!
Typically I don't have picture of the wings onhand!

Thanks for the replies!
I'll go ahead and try the drybrush, hopefully I can be gentle enough that it turns out well

Good luck, be sure to post pics when youre done.

Alrighty, tried a dry brush of Emperor's Children straight, decided it looked a bit chalky and too pale, so washed with Druchii Violet.

one or two more lighter highlights on there and you got yourself solid nice looking wings

great job.