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So I'm back after a 10 year break and located in south China without anyone to play. So my plans was just getting some models and having fun converting (making tau into nid mucolids) and painting.

The Imperial Knights are sexy, I mean "girl next door athlete"-sexy.
Titans are pornstar-sexy. Very hot at first, but too much, Imperial Knights have just the right ratios

...back on topic

I don't own an air-brush, too early in my return to painting to considering getting one (I might later if I stick with it). Is it feasible for a mediocre painter to do an Imperial Knight and make it look good?

I've seen yellow Imperial Knights with a hint of orange (air brushed) around edges and it was amazing. I might do red/yellow/black we'll see.

Am I kidding myself thinking it will be anything other than a travesty?


Bonus question: I've been using black gesso to undercoat (painted on) would that be alright on the Knight?


Humbly seeking advice from my elders

I painted 5 knights so far without airbrush, 4 of them in my gallery and the 5th just finished. Though I consider myself an advance painter. Without any images in your gallery I can't tell what level you are at.

I dry brush in a cross hatch pattern using soft camel hair flat brush, letting each layer dry and then highlight the section. I would advice against using gesso as its a thicker primer meant for canvas, you will lose a lot of the fine details in a miniature.

They are as easy to paint as anything else, they just take longer. Drybrush most of it, paint the panels neatly with a couple of highlights. As long as it's neat it'll look good.

 Big Mac wrote:
I painted 5 knights so far without airbrush, 4 of them in my gallery and the 5th just finished. Though I consider myself an advance painter. Without any images in your gallery I can't tell what level you are at.

I dry brush in a cross hatch pattern using soft camel hair flat brush, letting each layer dry and then highlight the section. I would advice against using gesso as its a thicker primer meant for canvas, you will lose a lot of the fine details in a miniature.

I read somewhere that gesso was a good idea, I can't say I agree, I thought I was using it wrong, that's why it was so rough I'm switching to spray

Your knights look good, perhaps it's not a mad idea to go for them without an air-brush. I'll do a test on a crisis suit and see how it goes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njhLv_nyP_s

I did mine without an airbrush. The "skeleton" is easy; paint it like any other bare metal, pick out the details (like cables, pistonn cylinders, and whatever). With the armour plates, just be careful, and make sure to keep the paint smooth - thin layers will be your friend here.

kb_lock wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njhLv_nyP_s

I thought "what a fking lazy answer, I'm not watching a fking video on this"

....I'm THOROUGHLY enjoying these videos thanks a lot for this man. This really calmed my nervousness about painting this monstrosity

AndrewGPaul: Yeah the skeleton looks simple (I was going to say "easy", maybe give it a go before I boast), I'm hoping to easy my wife into this stuff by saying "oh my what a big flat surface on the shoulders, maybe you can make it really nice with some freehand work

Sure. I did this one before I owned an airbrush. I'm a better painter now, I think it'd come out much better a year later.

About 12-13 hours of work.

 Okuma wrote:

kb_lock wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njhLv_nyP_s

I thought "what a fking lazy answer, I'm not watching a fking video on this"

....I'm THOROUGHLY enjoying these videos thanks a lot for this man. This really calmed my nervousness about painting this monstrosity

It was super lazy, I didn't even embed the video for you. Glad you clicked it though, Duncan is awesome.

If you're willing to "cheat" I did mine using GW aircan spray - luckily they had a colur which I wanted (I play SWs).
Black undercoat, then spray the whole model wolf grey and do the details.
Of course if theres no spray can in the colors you like, its back to square one :(

 Ratius wrote:
If you're willing to "cheat"

Isn't bringing Lords of War to a non-apocalyptic game the definition of cheating?

But thank you all for your tips, videos, pics and advice. I'm defo going for an Imperial Knight

...and now for the hellish part of trying to come up with a color scheme for some freeblades