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http://i.imgur.com/SxX130n.jpg

First off, welcome to Dakka. Enjoy your stay.

Second. People tend to not want to click links. So when posting pics highlight the link and click the "image" button above the post box.

CountryMac wrote:

As for the model itself...

- It would appear you have great brush control. It's a very neat paint job. Can't see much in the way of paint being where it shouldn't be.
- The paint is laid on a bit thick. Try thinning your paints down before applying them. 4 or 5 thin coats is better then 1 or 2 thick coats.
- Your model would benefit immensely from some highlights.

What steps have you taken so far with your painting? Tell us your method.


You're off to a cracking start so far though.

Good start. As said above thin your paints a bit. Look up washes and dry brushing and try them. Washes are like a thin paint you cover the mini with that goes in the crevices and makes good shadows. A dry brush is where you wipe almost all the paint off a brush then you sweep it over the mini and it deposits paint in the raised surfaces. Both help make detail 'pop'.

As said above, a great start.

Highligts is something that really tend so make mini pop on the tabletop.

Also, I would consider drilling out the barrel, gives the weapon a better look. Also the sight could benefit from painting a lens on the sight. Here are some ways to do it with different levels of difficulty.



And as a finishing move I would put down a matt coat of varnish to make it less shiny.

Besides that, go go go!

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I only have the starter paint set that comes with the clippers, so far. I thought I was putting on too much wash, Agrax Earthshade (the only wash I have), so I tried to water it down a bit. Maybe I should add more?

I haven't tried any highlighting yet. I'm probably going to pick up some more paints this week. Should I pick up any other washes, as well? I'm painting Blood Angels btw, if that matters.

CountryMac wrote:
Thanks for all the advice guys.

I only have the starter paint set that comes with the clippers, so far. I thought I was putting on too much wash, Agrax Earthshade (the only wash I have), so I tried to water it down a bit. Maybe I should add more?

I haven't tried any highlighting yet. I'm probably going to pick up some more paints this week. Should I pick up any other washes, as well? I'm painting Blood Angels btw, if that matters.

It depends on the model if you should wash entire areas to change the overall color tone and shading, or specific recesses to create shadow while keeping the base color. In the case of your scout, use a detail brush and paint the wash into the folds of the cloth, and where the cloth meets the armor. Fortunately for Blood Angels you also use aggrax earthshade for detail washing the recesses of marine/terminator/vehicle armor, as it creates a dark enough shadow without being too dark like with nuln oil.

Same goes for the scouts face, paint the whole face your base color, then use your shade with a detail brush to bring out the facial details. It's also important to note that if you put too much wash on and leave the mini standing up straight to dry, the wash will run down the min and pool, wasting time, wash, and making you repaint. As for paints, get Squig Orange for your red highlight, and Nuln Oil for washing metal areas, like weapons and tubing. Screaming Skull is a good highlight for cloth/parchment.

Hope this helps, you're off to a good start!

For your first model, it looks good. My suggestions would be to thin the paint down and use a wash other than red on the armor. Either agrax earthshade or null oil. It will give the red some depth and make it look like it has shadows.

On the gun, I would do null oil on the entire gun and dry brush a dark metal over it. Also, use a smaller brush to pick out the details.

I would also suggest practicing the two layer highlighting process noted above on the armor. The picture provided shows a couple examples of how light would fall. It really makes the model 'pop' and is the easiest way to make it look pro painted.

Holy hell that guy has a big head.. Like of tito ortiz joined the blood angels. Not bad paint wise. Thin your paints more and build up layers to highlight. Inks will help you out also

looks better than my first mini did.

There has been lots of good advice posted so far, and watching tutorials will help with tips, tricks, and techniques, but the main thing to do is practice. The more minis you paint, they better you get, and the better they look.

Hey Its pretty good for a first run. Better then My first models *shudders at the atrocities*

Good advice going on. Practicing different techniques - Drybrushing/shading will greatly improve the overall feel of the model

Watching tutorials is very good but if you got a local GW they can show you first hand and it will give you opportunity to ask questions.

The mini is really good for a first try. I mean, that can sound like a bit of an insult, but trust me, it's not meant to be. I've seen a LOT worse with entire armies (i.e. they have painted 100+ minis and that's still what they've got).

As said earlier, great brush control, which means all you need is skill in applying the paint in the form of colours for shading and thining.

Whilst it's a 'bit advanced', I'd strongly suggest you learn how to use a 'wet pallet'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aXbaic5BqM. (by the way, I don't use the layers of tissue this guy suggests)

The huge advantage of a wet pallet is that it automatically thins your paints a little bit. Probably nowhere near far enough (I always add a paintbrush or two of water to my paints even on a wet pallet) but it's a start. It also keeps your paints (for a little bit of time anyway) useable.

What I mean is, let's say you've going to do the red on that guys armour... well... you put down your base red coat onto the wet pallet and paint the whole guy. You then decide to shade it (with a 25mm figure I'd ALWAYS shade at least 3 layers (i.e. 1 up and 1 down + base coat). So, you add a little bit of black (as you get more experienced you'll know which colours to use with what for better shades). You now have a dark red and you can highlight the shadow bits. You then do a bit too much and go I think I should re-do that bit of the figure... well, the red is right there... ready to go. This is extremely useful when you've mixed a paint and can't remember the recipe you've used... well, the colour (no matter what witches brew you used) is right there ready to use. It hasn't dried out.

Hope this helps.