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 know the standard answer is "paint more" --but when I compare models I painted last week to ones months or even years earlier, I see hardly any differences in quality.

Hence, I feel I am doing something "wrong" in the way I progress in my painting... or rather try to progress!

I think my painting is up to "table-top standard" and certainly good enough for my CMON/Mantic boardgame plastics and GW or Mantic rank and file infantry. But for my Kingdom Death or Raging Heroes minis, I'd like to be able to do them more justice than a "tabletop standard" paint job!

So, what is Dakka's list of steps to take, habits to cultivate, blogs to read, videos to watch, journey to take to really get better at painting over time?

Is it just painting EVEN MORE? Is it making a schedule of new techniques to try out and practice? Is it just trying to make one element of a paintjob better each time? I tried some or all of that but with limited success so far :/

Watching videos is a good start. I'd google "wet blending" or "osl" or whatever technique you want to try and find a video that you like. If you like the individual doing the tutorial follow his/her stuff and check their back catalog for additional tips and tricks.

Then practice, which is really the only way to get better at anything.

Finally I'd ask myself what I want out of my painting. Are you trying for a Golden Daemon or the Crystal Brush, or are you looking to put 100+ Guardsmen on the table in the next few months? How much time can you or are willing to put into painting? I determined long ago that I was an army guy, that I liked the look of all the collection as a whole and not so much that each individual was painted to a super high level. I also realized that as a father/husband/someone who has to work a full time job that my painting hours per week were going to be limited and that if I ever wanted to get anything done I'd have to be happy with models that might rate a solid 6+ out of 10.

My figures won't win any competitions but I've had a few armies place in the top three in small tournaments (mostly on account that they were completely painted) and I'm happy with that.

What has (IMO) improved my painting more than anything isn't so much the volume of work, though that helps, it's more that I change up what I'm painting.

Basically, if all you've ever painted is marines, you learn to paint them one sort of way, and you'll paint like that for a long time. But if you pick up something with an entirely different aesthetic, say, Empire from fantasy, AND you get a bit adventurous and try something new when painting them, you should see marked improvements when you return to painting marines later.

IMO, this more than anything has contributed to me having so many armies.

I second the watching videos tip.

Also I find working on smaller groups not only allows me to take more time on each miniature but I also enjoy it more. This could be done through games like Malifaux (my favourite) or some of the Games Workshop skirmish games, Shadow War: Armageddon being a great example.

I always try to challenge myself to try new techniques to add to the toolbox, and that is aided by simply picking up different models to paint as was mentioned above. Even if I can use them on the tabletop, I have a few really well-painted models in my collection that I have just because they afforded me the opportunity to try a new style on a new canvas, so to speak. And practice really does make perfect. I picked up an old 'Eavy Metal book that was really helpful in teaching some more advanced techniques and I still refer back to it every now and again.

Get out of your comfort zone.

I started painting 40K models and when I reached what I thought the limit of my skill was, I started painting 1/72 scale Star Wars models. When I felt like I wasn't progressing any further as a painter, I started painting 1/35 armor models. Each jump from subject to subject meant learning new skills and new ways at looking at models.

Getting out of the comfort zone is actually a great idea! Will definitely go through my lead and plastic pile in the next day's/weeks and see what's in there that I really haven't done much of yet/ what I can do something new on!

Thanks a lot everyone already

And let's keep suggestions coming !

(Eg if anyone has a favorite (free) painting YouTube channel, I'd be interested to hear!)

honestly... if you can find small paintbrushes those make thigs soooo much easier. i found a pack of 0,00,000 sizes brushes on amazon for like 9 bucks and a 0000 brush for a few more. and those are smaller than ive ever used really. but they will make a huge difference. being able to put small amounts of paint exactly where its needed is amazing. Also i love using washes. it makes your things much easier to get definituion. i use them mostly for teeth on my nids and small areas i dont want to try and pick out all the upper areas

For me the main thing that helped me get better is learning how to make a smooth blend between two colours. Without this you cannot do ceritan effects. Osl, shading and NMM come to mind. So it's really important for you to find a way of doing it that you're comfortable with. In the end I settled on layering and glazing, but other techniqes might fit your personal painting style. Personaly I feel most comfortable with layering and glazing because the layering lets me choose exactly where my highlight will be, and the glazing is almost impossible to mess up, meaning that unlike the wet blending, the colour will never dry too soon.

Practice, don't be afraid to experiment, watch videos and paint more.

Trying new techniques and new things is the key to getting better quickly. If you just repeat what you have done before, the improvements will be marginal. When trying new things, you have to accept that some of it is going to turn out bad.

Here is an example:
I've been trying to learn how to do scenic bases lately. First I found some bases someone else had done, then tried to copy it exactly. It came out alright, by the 5th time or so I understood the concepts and techniques at a basic level. I then tried to improve upon it with some ideas I found from other people who make scenic bases and was pleased with the result. Now I am trying to make my own scenic bases with a completely different scheme. The first two attempts were *awful*. However, even in those awful attempts, some of the things I tried on the base were very good! I repeated the good parts and then tried to fix what was wrong and eventually found something I ended up liking.

Death Guard scenic bases WIP photos: I don't have photos from every stage, but these are in chronological order showing me trying over and over again.

https://imgur.com/gallery/XEbuB

VicVox wrote:
I know the standard answer is "paint more" -

Paint more? No, Paint LONGER.

The techniques that produce better results take more time. You can get an army to tabletop standard using washes, dips and drybrush highlights to that each trooper takes less than an hour (often a lot less). However, that's not good enough for a display quality paintjob. For that, you have to hunker down and carefully shade and blend a model, and that takes a lot more time. If you want a smooth surface, you have to take the time to lay down smooth paints, which also takes more time.

My advice is to find some problem you are trying to solve, fail miserably, and come back to it at some point.

I took about a year off using my airbrush after a lot of trial and error. Pulled it back out a few weeks ago and the results are very satisfying.

Was concerned primarily about brush control, seemed like I could never get it to spray the same amount for any length of time. Walking away from it and coming back made the problems seem simpler and I was able to get them under control this time around.

Watched a lot of videos in the meantime, and learned a few techniques from people like Lester Bursley. He got me thinking about the angle at which I hold the model, which actually had an impact on the flow problem.

Practice.

ALOT

also the basic well known tip of thinning paints.

thats a big one.

dont bother trying to do a model in 1 coat. 2-4 thin coats makes almost anything look better than a single splotchy job.

Have an idea for what you want to improve. Miniature painting is mostly technique driven, not creativity or concept driven, so you can always get better by learning new techniques.

Also, ask yourself if what you're doing is good enough for you. You're the only critic that matters.

2 thin

VicVox wrote:
I know the standard answer is "paint more" --but when I compare models I painted last week to ones months or even years earlier, I see hardly any differences in quality.

Hence, I feel I am doing something "wrong" in the way I progress in my painting... or rather try to progress!

Posting some examples will help people give you critique on how to improve.

Here are three minis that describe my "skill cap" quite nicely, I think. (Lighting is a bit off, making them look shinier than they are, especially the metal .. sorry for that.)

The first one is about the best I can do on a human scale mini with lots of metal pieces -- it's a raging hero resin heroine.



The next two are 40mm based Mantic minis. The ogre is about as good as it gets for me in terms of metal/detail on that size figure, and the treeman is about the best I can do with "organics" at that detail level.

Not bad really, just some additional contrast issues and separation on the metallics, such as addition brass to the handles, gold to the designs etc; addin shade to the colors.

There three things that would help you a lot IMO. First is colour choice. All your models are very dark, putting a brighter contrasting colour would help greatly. Second are washes. As far as I can see you use a lot of wash, and while that can be good, i think using them more selectively would help with shading greatly. And finally edge highlights. I'm not entirely sure if you don't do edge highliting at all or they just aren't bright enough (picture quality isn't the greatest so it's hard to tell). In any case edge highlights are something that would take them to the next level.

Rather than try and point out what I think could be improved with your model, I advise you to set it down in front of you and really ponder what it is you want to improve upon. that might sound vague, but by analysing each facet of your model in turn, you will come to realise that instead of that general feeling of disappointment, in fact it may just stem from certain choices you've made or certain areas you've painted. Perhaps you want sharper highlights? Perhaps more definition between colours? Maybe more realism to the metals or flesh? Once you have determined exactly what it is that you dislike about your model (And, it's very important to note, in the process discovered what you do like about how you've painted it), then you should find it easier to begin to improve.

Next, compartmentalise your approach to improvement. For example, there may be a bunch of things you dislike, but by trying a whole range of new techniques together you're likely to fail with 99% of them, which will in turn lower your confidence and make you feel that you'll never improve. By tackling it in smaller chunks, improving one area or technique at a time, you can accept your limitations in certain areas, whilst appreciating your improvement in others.

Finally, accept your limitations - it's a fact of life that not everyone will be an amazing painter and nobody will become one overnight. However, all of us can improve bit by bit. Accept that for the time being, you will never be able to emulate a Gold Daemon winner, but strive to improve bit by bit to a point that you are happy with. Many people will say 'Learn to wet-blend', 'learn OSL', but my advice is this - don't. Start with getting the most basic techniques down to a T. Smooth layers via thinning, neat highlights with a fine brush and even just staying in the lines are far more valuable skills than trying every flashy skill straight off and will transform your skills and grow your confidence so that you may be more ambitious later on.

Oh, and remember this: Your model itself is half the battle - compose it well, using an interesting pose or bits, and make it tell a story. That way, by becoming more dynamic, the paint-job will need to do less work to engage the viewer.

I know I said 'finally' two sentences ago, but I mean it this time! : Finally, remember that for every wonderful painter here on Dakka or on all the other sites, there are hundreds of others in the same boat as you - the most important piece of advice I can give you is to talk to all of us on here. Ask as many questions as you can and you'll find that most of us will try our hardest to help you - Dakka is your friend.

Hi VicVox: Thanks for posting pictures of your work. I think it is a very respectable table top level. I think that Warpig1815 hit it on the head. Let us know what you are striving for and the forum will advise accordingly.

When I first decided I wanted to improve my painting, Odin's Grandson and JahJoshua were kind enough to provide very useful (and frequent!) feedback via PM.

These look pretty good to be honest, but as mentioned above some really light highlights will make your models pop more and brighten the range.

What helped me the most starting was using the How to paint guides from GW. The GW guides are fantastic at teaching you how to use washes and highlights to get some great early results.

After practicing the GW method for awhile I moved onto Angel Giraldez's masterclass painting books, which were the equivalent of going super saiyan painting level for the first time.

If I had to summarize the what I learned from each, the GW book teaches you how to lay a color, wash it, bring it up with a layer or 2. The Giraldez book focuses more on airbrushing and teaches you to build contrast in the priming stage by basically grey scaling your model, then highlighting 3 colors brighter and 3 colors darker by using shades and washes in key areas.

I'd recommend starting with the GW books to work on your technique. Then take what you have learned and try something new.

I'd recommend you don't rely on washes alone to shade skin, armor or cloth. Using only washes in this manner leaves the model looking pretty flat - though this can be realistic in some respects, it doesn't look great on the table. Also, consider a stronger edge shading where metal meets metal (like a thin line of black between the two parts) to make each piece stand out a bit more.

Thank you to everyone who commented so kindly and incredibly helpfully

It's really great to have this incredible resource that is the dakka community around !!

I bought a couple of sci-fi models to get out of the comfort zone, bought a couple new brushes, and will get down to practicing some of the things mentioned her !!!

- tutorials, video or not, are useful. I swear by Massive Voodoo and James Wappel, but there are plenty of tutorials everywhere. If I had determination (I don't), I would pick a tutorial for a very high standard miniature and try to replicate that for maximum learning.

- I appreciate articles on painting theory a lot (e.g. Massive Voodoo, Chest of Colors).

- I read some stuff on art and painting in general, dissect Magic: the Gathering art in GIMP, and do other weird stuff. I don't know if that helps, but I know more about art now. No regrets.

- above all, I think painting together with others is great (especially if they're better than you). Some things, like paint consistency, are hard to grasp from tutorials alone.

If you're in Germany, Massive Voodoo hold their workshops there once in a while. I've never been there, but they seem great - and the minis produced by the participants look very good.

I'll approach it from a different angle: how good do you want to be?

As with all kinds of arts and skills, as you progress each 5% increase in "quality" may come at an increase of 20% in time or money/equipment, etc. If you want to be a world class painter...that's a long road, but attainable if you have the eyesight and steady enough of a hand. If you want to paint faster, that's a much different skillset (though they will rub off on eachother occasionally).

I've hit a skill plateau, but it's one that I'm comfortable with - because my interest in investing more time is not there. I have no interest in winning a painting competition, etc. I like nicely painted minis on the table. So my goals of becoming a better painter are different = I want to find more ways to speed up and cheat...

Some people are comfortable spending 60-100 hours on a single 28mm miniature. Not me. If it's not done in an hour or two...I'm probably not doing it. So, before starting to get advice and developing - where do you want to go with your skills? If you can make your miniatures 10-15% better but it takes perhaps an additional 40 minutes per miniature - is that something you're comfortable with?

To really improve, you need to paint differently. If you are painting the same way you did years ago, you may not really see much improvement. However, taking much of the advice above (video tutorials, wet-blending, etc.) can push your painting markedly better.

I also like your examples, but echo some of the comments already made where you need some contrasting colors here and there to draw the eye. This way the color palette is not all the same hue, which can look a bit muddy. Try some yellows, bone white, etc. I have also found on metal items that are done silver with a wash, a dry brush highlight of gold makes them pop like crazy.

Remember, a dark color with wash only has dark and darker contrast. A light color with wash can give light, medium and dark contrasts.

Whoah, everyone said everything that can be said, but in my opinion your paint job lacks a little bit of exiting transitions. What makes one model good in my opinion are exiting transitions.

On being good... The amount of work is not always what determinate you as a good painter. Learning new techniques thou will help a lot. Watch different tutorials featuring by different youtubers that feature all kind of paints. That will help a lot