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Hey all

So, that green tint to the black that GW have on their Necron vehicles...

I've seen how Duncan on Warhammer TV achieves that look, and to be honest his demonstration (on a Destroyer) doesn't quite look like what the painters who do the models in GW's store photos achieve, especially on some of the newer vehicles. The edge highlights that he does look right but he drybrushes on Caliban Green over Abaddon Black first, starting from the edge and working slightly inwards on the model, supposedly to give that green/black look.

Given my experience of drybrushing I'm sure it would look more of a stark green than a green black on any Necron vehicle that I paint in that way, especially on large panels.

So, do GW actually do it another way for their photo's? Are there any other ways to achieve that green/black look to the vehicles (a glaze all over of Waywatcher Green perhaps)? Or is it actually an optical illusion caused by the green edge highlights that causes the overall colour of Necron vehicles to look like it's black with a slight green tint?

Thanks in advance for any tips/ideas on this.

Honestly, having watched the video Duncan did and looking at the product photos I do believe that's how it's done. The only alternative would be some exceptionally diluted Caliban Green painting around the edges before the edge highlights are done but I doubt that's what they do.

Given what Duncan finishes up with, and comparing it to product photos, I think that's the correct method.

The lighting difference between product photos and his videos may make things look off but I can imagine it working fine. Drybrushing can be fine if you really work the paint so there's barely anything. You can get that nice subtle build-up of colour quite easily.

I think you should give it a go!

So although it's unlikely how the studio does it, I did a very light airbrush layer of Caliban green over a black basecoat produces a very similar effect, very quickly and with a bit less chance of an 'oops' on the drybrush method. You can even vary the amount closer to the edges to provide depth to the model.

I did one vehicle with a drybrush and then blew through everything else with an airbrush in my 'paint all the Necrons as fast as possible' speed paint.

Ok thank you gentlemen.

I'll give it a go.

I would give the airbrushing method a go but my airbrushing skill is worse than my drybrushing skill! I have a H&S Ultra and whilst I can lay down paint, I've yet to work out how to do any gradient work without getting over-spray on the entire model, I'd have to mask the model constantly...

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