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 posted here about 3-4 days ago about my first models and I got a little bit of help. So using that help, I did some more work on my space marines and I hope you like them.

Seems like you may be applying the paint on thickly, do you paint straight from the pot or water down your paints? Other than that its a decent table top mini, I'm not a huge fan of the silver banner though:p

Vel'cona wrote:Seems like you may be applying the paint on thickly, do you paint straight from the pot or water down your paints? Other than that its a decent table top mini, I'm not a huge fan of the silver banner though:p

I try to water down my paints, but when I do, it's waaay to thin and just spills over everything. I'm not too big of the banner either but I honestly had no idea what to put on it, so I just let my friend (who had no more minis to paint) go at it. If you have any ideas, I'm listening.

Keep on going with that. Those minis are going to keep growing. LOL

Is that bad thing. D:

If you're having issues with thinning try using what you think is too little and go from there. Start with like 1 drop of water for every 10 to 15 drops of paint for example.

Only issue is that the first model needs more coats of red paint to cover over the black. The rest is good unless you put decals on the shoulder pads then it may be an issue with "silvering". Otherwise your set for the table top.

-Edit- Oh and your snow effects are quite nice.

Add dish soap and water to paints to 'thin' it, so it's mor eliquid not so that it is water, takes a tiny bit of getting used to. I use 2 water pots with dish soap, 1 for first rinsing my brushes, then another for hydarting them (this one should be clean at all times)

Blop some paint into your palette dip your brush into your clean water and tap it off, then let the smallest drop fall from your brush. DRY THE BRUSH by stroking it gently on... something (I use a bit of old cardboard to paint on, does fine) and mix! Nice thin paints. Trust me that "too think" layer builds up really nice and thin after 3-4 coats!

Thanks everyone, this really helps me prepare me for my Venerable Dready that's coming in like 4 days.

What happened to them all? Was there a fire extinquisher, which exploded somewhere in the middle of battlefield and splotched their bases? If this is modelling snow, then Your best bet is to mix it with PVA glue and water until it is thicky, then apply it on the base.

CainTheHunter wrote:What happened to them all? Was there a fire extinquisher, which exploded somewhere in the middle of battlefield and splotched their bases? If this is modelling snow, then Your best bet is to mix it with PVA glue and water until it is thicky, then apply it on the base.

It's actually PVA glue painted onto the base and then baking soda dumped onto it.
Second layer was a pain.

You can do the same trick with baking soda instead of modelling snow as well - it is just baking soda might get yellow in a couple of years. And with this method, You won't need a second layer.
This was done with one layer only

How much glue did you use, I was kinda scared doing mine lol.

As long as You water it down, it's not scary. I made the mix in a separate pot to have complete control over thickness of substance. It was around one full tablespoon of PVA, then ~ half of that was water and then I started adding snow. The aim is to create a sort of paste, which will stay on the base and at the same time can be managed around it with a medium large brush. I was also constantly adding more snow or watering it down, when it got too grainy.

Awesome, thank you. I'll be sure to do that for my dreadnought. I fear for my marines though, they have to stay in the fie extinguisher residue.

Something that nobody has mentioned yet is using a wet palette, as soon as I started using one instead of just a blob of paint on a piece of plastic - my paint quality improved tremendously.

You can find other guides on the internet - but this one looks allright.
http://www.pepehiller.com/tutorials/painting/how-to-make-a-wet-palette-for-acrylic-colors/

Basically it's just a plastic container with one or more sponges filled with water, on top of the sponges you place a sheet of parchment paper.
So the paint draws moisture through the parchment paper.
The paint stays more consistently wet, so you're not racing against your paint drying out all the time.
And it's easier to mix, easier to add water

It's just - try using a wet palette, it's the best.

Thank you. I considered using one but my marines are already done, bam, finished. But I will spend a looong time on my dreadnought. I have like 7-9 weeks here left in Japan. Also, instead of parchment paper, could I use paper towels? I'm kinda broek after buying 3 paints and a dreadnought.

They look great for your first models, just keep painting and you'll improve. You need to get a feel for your paints and brushes before you really start improving and that only comes with time and practice.

Unless its really hot in japan at the moment i really wouldn't bother with things like wet pallets yet. Dont run before you can walk!

It was hitting like 90 or something today, had to do some labor too, not fun. Well it's 1:27 AM so I'm going to head off to bed. thank you again everybody.

mindspa24 wrote: instead of parchment paper, could I use paper towels? [for a wet palette]

That wouldn't work, its the slightly water resistant quality of parchment paper that makes it work.
This is the paper you would use to bake cookies on, might also be labeled as baking paper or cookie sheets.

I think it's keeping the paint at a consistent thickness that is more important than just making it last longer. The paint *does* eventually dry up if you leave it on the palette overnight, and sometimes has the be stirred up again every once in a while.
But keeping the paint consistent will make your model more consistent.

It's just tops, as soon as I started using a wet palette my painting improved tenfold.

My first models sucked compared to this so good job. If the paint is too runny, then too much water has been added, it's trial and error until you can do it instinctively. When you paint aswell try and make it have a smooth, by running the brush over it once, stops streaks appearing on smooth areas.

Haven't tried the wet palette before but i have nothing bad about it as of yet.

kanekaneo wrote:My first models sucked compared to this so good job. If the paint is too runny, then too much water has been added, it's trial and error until you can do it instinctively. When you paint aswell try and make it have a smooth, by running the brush over it once, stops streaks appearing on smooth areas.

Haven't tried the wet palette before but i have nothing bad about it as of yet.

A lot of stuff for this squad was trial and error, lol. First, crappy thick white paint, to drybrushing the chest and back pieces red, to basin my guys, hahah.

 mindspa24 wrote:
It was hitting like 90 or something today, had to do some labor too, not fun. Well it's 1:27 AM so I'm going to head off to bed. thank you again everybody.

Might be worth trying a wet palette then, they do help a lot in hot weather.

 Skippy wrote:

 mindspa24 wrote:
It was hitting like 90 or something today, had to do some labor too, not fun. Well it's 1:27 AM so I'm going to head off to bed. thank you again everybody.

Might be worth trying a wet palette then, they do help a lot in hot weather.

Thanks, i'm going to do all I can to make this dreadnought my baby.

For thinning paint, I always found if you try to drip water from a bottle into paint on the pallet you will get too much.
My solution has always been to fill a well on the pallet with water and then use the brush to move it around. for thinning each colour I need to do

I've always found that adding 2-4 drops of water to the paint pot (then shaking it to mix it) tends to thin it out enough then dab it out on the pallete.

I'm not so keen on thinning my pots of paint in the pot. I don't always wish for the same level of thin viscosity, it makes it crap to drybrush with too.
Different amounts of thinning for different techniques, by thining your whole supply of paint you're severely limiting the techniques available to you with that pot.
Not to mention impurities in the water (or whatever thinner) can react with the pigments and alter your paint dramatically over time. I know you are probably going to say 'but i use distilled water' .. well its still not 100% pure thats almost impossible.