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'm working on those Wolf boys. Even after clean up, they look a little dark. I did a glaze on a couple and it looks better, but I can't remember what I did.

Tell me the secrets of your glazes. TELL ME!

Lol honestly there's no secret. I tried using a 20% flow aid in water mix for making glazes, then I tried a 40%. At this point in time I've reverted to pure water.

Why? Because if pro painters like Sam Lentz and Ben Komets can do it with nothing but pure water, then clearly I can too. Plus I'm a brush licker and flow aid is some toxic gak.

Trapper wrote:
Lol honestly there's no secret. I tried using a 20% flow aid in water mix for making glazes, then I tried a 40%. At this point in time I've reverted to pure water.

Why? Because if pro painters like Sam Lentz and Ben Komets can do it with nothing but pure water, then clearly I can too. Plus I'm a brush licker and flow aid is some toxic gak.

Yes, yes. What is the ratio? THE RATIO MAN!

Well, you're going to highly dislike my answer, but it's dependent on two things:

1) The type/color/age of paint
2) The "feel" and look of the glaze when I make it

After you paint for so long, you really don't use ratios or exact numbers. It's just getting the right "feel" for your paints. This is true for diluting, making glazes...basically everything.

I know you want something more tangible though, so try this:
For every drop of paint, mix two drops of water. This is a pretty moderate glaze consistency, it might even be too heavy.

Then I want you to take that same paint and do three drops of water per drop of paint. Use them both, but on different areas or models. Then see which one you liked better.

The truth is, the more dilute your glaze, the more applications you'll need. But truthfully you could literally "paint" a model with nothing but glazes. It would be a pain in the ass since you'd need so many passes, but some painters actually do this. So as a general rule, there's no such thing as "too thin."


EDIT: Let me also mention this...You said earlier that the models with glazes looked better, right? The reason this is true is because a glaze will push a highlight or shadow to a slightly more pronounced state. If you glazed with a middle tone, then this softens out highlights and shadows and usually makes your blending more smooth. So depending on which color you glazed with earlier, it means you either:
A) Pushed your shadow colors
B) Pushed your highlight colors
C) Strengthened your middle tone and softened the model


So you need to realize which one of these you performed, and know that's why you liked the glazed models better.

Devlan mud, it's the only way anyone ever painted miniatures ever. GW stopping production was a crime.

Another tip, something which sounds obvious, but many overlook, is not to use the water you are cleaning your brushes in to thin your glazes (or paints).

I really like Vallejo Glaze Medium, because I find it holds together and doesn't get as runny as paint mixed with water, at least for me. I use one drop of medium for every one drop of paint.

Liquitex Matte Medium

The ratio is different for different paints. Citadel paints generally I go with a 3:1 paint:medium ratio, although for some darker colors (Caliban Green, Abaddon Black, etc) I go with 4:1 instead, because you don't want to weaken the color too much. P3 paints its generally 3:1 as well, although sometimes I'll go 2:1, or even 3:2 on it, because it thickens the paint in a manner I find desirable.

I do not normally thin with water. The water left on my brush after a rinse in my cup and pat off on a paper towel is all that I use