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Kidding aside... I really love this model. It's got this amazing and rather incongruous combination of lovely curves and massiveness (it is, in essence... a giant rectangle with arms) that I just find really alluring. I didn't think that way before I started painting it... but after working in-depth with it for a while now I'm coming to appreciate it's design.

Hey Gitsy,

This is what I am getting at, and it is all pretty simple stuff, 2 more passes with the Ab, then some quick edge highlighting with magenta then slannesh grey... I think it would be worth it and far less work than you may think!

WOW.

I wasn't disagreeing with you Tom... I was just taking into account that I'd basically have to re-paint the entire model in order to get those AB effects & I wasn't sure I had the heart to do it.

That's truly amazing though.


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I'll look at it tonight and see if I can at least do some blending up and down and the edge highlighting without scrapping everything I've done so far.

Or you could try some wet blending to paint on some of the edges by hand, what I had to do with the wraith knight commission.

I could, but I'm not really good enough at wet blending to make it transition into the airbrushing correctly. I'll give Tom's ideas a shot and see what I can accomplish. The edge highlighting isn't an issue... I've been meaning to do that from the beginning... it just always seems like I'm rushing from one project to the next so it gets left-off.

 Gitsplitta wrote:
WOW.

I wasn't disagreeing with you Tom... I was just taking into account that I'd basically have to re-paint the entire model in order to get those AB effects & I wasn't sure I had the heart to do it.

That's truly amazing though.


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I'll look at it tonight and see if I can at least do some blending up and down and the edge highlighting without scrapping everything I've done so far.

No re-start! You are already in progress to that result...

Steps to get there -

1 - navy blue or nave/black mix (aim for dark sea blue from vallejo) ab pass on larger plates, bottom of chest, bottom of shoulders, bottom of arms, inside of legs. If your AB has a good tight cone and is reliable, you can even get in on smaller details - knees, hip cylinders, forearms.*

2 - glaze that navy, maybe even navy black, with a brush, paint very thinned in areas to tight to reach or small for ab. Helmet, knees, toes, etc. Be quick, you can actually check the latest Warhammer TV vid for the visarchs sword to see what you should be doing with the shadow (he uses it for mids, but same idea for paint consistency)

3 - black line the deep seams with black wash or ink. shin, toe lobstering, other sharp seams

4 - ab magenta/bright violet top edges in reverse extreme of where you put the shade.*

5 - skip the glaze, instead, edge highlight with pure magenta along all major edges. At the corners of the edges, or the big intersections, use that slaanesh purple grey as an extreme highlight.

Sounds like a lot, but it isn't, most of this stuff is pure mechanical and doesn't require too much thought. *** the only thing, make you look down the sightline of your AB and make sure you are avoiding hitting any surfaces you don't want to. In instances where you might, use a post it stuck on, or held in your hand to mask, or silly putty.

You can get from the right to the left in 1 night or 4 hours if you are prepped and planned. I promise you! Remember the right one is the exact same path, the left one is just further along the path...

https://www.facebook.com/WarhammerTVteam/videos/357641087964209/

Thanks for the play-by-play Tom, I'll get to work on it.

I'd love to be able to get those results in my Alpha legion. So much to learn!

I wish I had the patience to try out an airbrush. It seems to get such an amazing finish. The purple looks awesome.

Tom, your AB knowledge is impressive good sir! I'll post up my Levi on my blog, maybe you could give some adive as well. Truly amazing mock work

Following with interest to see how this pans out. Good job to the both of you, Gits and MajorTom!

OK, I know this doesn't line up with Tom's amazing suggestion, but it's the best I can do given the fact that I'm having major airbrush issues. Spent most of last night dissecting and cleaning the brush, swapping out parts, etc., but still having some pretty major problems. It's better though (meaning the dread). Transitions aren't as subtle as I'd like but I'll credit that to the brush issues.

This is just the airbrushing step mind you. Still have the lining and edge highlighting to do.

Looks much better now. Less like a grape Kool-aid man.

Amazing and pretty close to Tom's direction. I think you met the intent. Especially first time trying it!

Inspires me to try!.

Looks promising!

Much improved Gits!

Yeah... I still don't like it. Will have to work on it with some medium shades and see if I can't get some of the blending to work better. I mean I like the effect... but the execution is crap.

That is much better! I see what you mean about the medium shades, but I do love the higher contrast now

Already you can see it is much better though, though I agree the execution needs some work -

Would I be correct in saying you did not get to the darker black navy pass?

The magenta is good, the only issue is the modulations placement, you want to stick horizontal, on the chest plate, there are 2 main facets on both sides. By putting the highlight on the side, there is no break. Remember, surface angle to surface angle, you want to have your highlight touching your shade on every transition. So the magenta needs to be at the top of the facet, not the side. The shade at the bottom.

That being said, the rest looks solid, just the chest is the 'incorrect' part. BUT - there is good news! There is no easier surface to just do it via brush. You don't need the ab for that part, just wet blend or even just glaze. Again, it is quick work, the chest is the absolute easiest possible scenario for that kind of brush work!

Don't give up, I know you only see the flaws you pointed out due to the AB crapping out, but everyone else sees it for what it is, a huge improvement!

No, it's there. The darks are actually a lot darker and bluer than they were in the pre-pic. It's not near black though. I could try darkening the mixture even more and give it another shot.

The small chest plate just under the vox is slated to be white, which is why I didn't bother blending it. The shoulders are too, but I decided I wanted the practice and the shoulder plates presented a good surface to work on. As far as the large, twin chest/shoulder plates go, I just followed my original modulation. I can try and re-do both of them to be closer to what you had in your mock-up. I understand what you're describing.


I'm not quite sure what you mean by glazing... can you point me to something on-line that will explain it? (didn't have a chance to look at the vid you posted yesterday... is it in there?)

@gits, that GW video I linked you above is glazing. Likewise, you could wet blend too, the surface is so large and flat.

set yourself up 3 colors, your magenta highlight, your mid indigo, your dark navy/black.

On a piece of paper, put one dot next to the other of each color, high, mid, shade. Do this quickly, then, imagining the line of the 3 dots is 'vertical', then use the flat of your brush to blend them into each other with horizontal strokes . back and forth, back and forth, until you get a smooth gradient. Try to work in a little square about the size of the chest plate facet. if you can do it right in the square, you can do it on the plate. The trick to that is getting a feel for how the paint dots will mingle and putting the right amount of paint to not drown the mix when you moosh them together.

That is wet blending

Alternately, paint the plates flat again with your mid tone. Then, take the highlight and water it, (aim for about the consistency of skim milk), initially, put your brush down on the top edge of the plate, then start placing your brush about 1/3rd into the plate and drag the brush up again and again. Think of the paint as snow on a driveway. Where you rub your brush (the shovel) you are clearing it away, and where you push your brush towards, you are piling up the 'snow' (paint).

That is glazing, you can do the opposite in the other direction for the shade. Now, SUPER IMPORTANT - your paint consistency has to be watered enough, if it is too thick and opaque, you will not get a smooth blend. Next, even more SUPER IMPORTANT!! - Let each glaze layer dry completely before you do the next. It is a cumulative effect, and if you do it on top of a still wet layer, it will just tear and you will lose the smoothness this is supposed to give and get some lumps. NOTE - the glaze will look way more opaque and 'off' while still wet. let it dry, you will see, far more delicate that you thought. Don't flood the areas, you have to leave no deep 'pools'.

OK, thanks Tom. In that case I've done glazing... but not wet blending. Glazing is how I used to get my yellow Mantis Warriors done before I bought the airbrush.

Wow, that makes a hell of a difference and once the edge highlights are done t will really pop, don't stress about being too correct with application Gits, it's a learning process and you are lucky that you already have a great level of skill when it comes to painting and using the Airbrush so your curve to learn isn't as acute, it's your fear or lack of confidence that's stopping you but as with anything in this hobby no matter what you do or how you paint if you are happy and love your stuff then thats good enough :-) but isn't it exciting to see new things happen and when you nail it (which I know you will) you'll open up a world of MORE COOL MODELS!

Thanks nerdy, I appreciate the confidence and support.

Took most of last night off to hang out with the family, but I did block out those two big torso sections in a medium dark purple. So I'll either airbrush or glaze them tonight.


On a side (but relavent) note.... Does anyone have a good recommendation for a double-action airbrush? I've been using a Paache Talon since I started... but I'm on my second and the time it's taken to go from new to some flaw that can't be fixed by cleaning or a simple parts swap has been decreasing... so I'm considering switching brands. I'm not really interested in Badger... Iwata is a good name, but I have no idea what model would be appropriate without being excessively $.

Bueler? Bueler??

Good news, Tom is on your plog. Bet he has a recommendation or two.

I am unsure of the features you are looking for I am happy with my Badger Patriot 105.

I would suggest the Renegade Krome for all the useful options (pictures in spoiler):Infinity 2 in 1 is a bit prettier and has the same options I feel are necessary:
Getting less generalized, for fine detailing I would suggest this: iwata HP-BP HI Performance Plus:
My intent is this brush to be my "second" one, for fine detail it is awesome but for general use, not so much.I find iwata and Badger very similar in design but I have heard great things about the Infinity for use but a bit more fussy to clean.
I am sure many people's results may vary.

They had an airbrush demo at Curry's art store and I would suggest from my experience that performance is very similar but each has a different heft to them so it may boil down to preference.

 Gitsplitta wrote:
Thanks nerdy, I appreciate the confidence and support.

Took most of last night off to hang out with the family, but I did block out those two big torso sections in a medium dark purple. So I'll either airbrush or glaze them tonight.


On a side (but relavent) note.... Does anyone have a good recommendation for a double-action airbrush? I've been using a Paache Talon since I started... but I'm on my second and the time it's taken to go from new to some flaw that can't be fixed by cleaning or a simple parts swap has been decreasing... so I'm considering switching brands. I'm not really interested in Badger... Iwata is a good name, but I have no idea what model would be appropriate without being excessively $.

Bueler? Bueler??

If you want a budget brush, the Master G series Iwata knock-offs have served me well... still using them 5-6 years in, both work fine. For the price, can't be beat.

If you are ready to level up though, Iwata. Iwata. Iwata. Iwata-Medea Eclipse HP CS is great for minis and good price... if you wanna go god-mode though, iwata micron...

That little extra highlighting is really making an already good looking model really stand out. You got some skills Gitz, and pushing it past your comfort zone is paying off.

Gits, you are so far above my skill level, that I have nothing constructive to say.

Speaking of airbrushes, I'm planning on getting one soon. The owner at my FLGS is a Badger fan, though I've borrowed his Paashe VL to do priming in the past (wasn't impressed by the control, but it may have been how he had it set up or my own ineptitude). I want to support my store, but is there any reason why I should not get a Badger Patriot 105 as an entry level brush?
Thanks, and sorry for hijacking the thread.

I have not had good experiences with badger, though I know others who have. However, one key thing that bugs the crap out of me, the nozzles on badgers simply slot in, not screw in, making this critical, microscopic piece so easy to lose. I would steer away from badger towards Iwata, and if not Iwata, Grex or Pasche.