salamander and warpstone glow

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.

**damek**

Hi everyone. I'm new around here. I recently decided to come back to the hobby, after about 10 years not playing/painting. I have decided to restart with a Salamander based chapter. My initial thoughts was to paint them in a darker color than the one shown in the spacemarine codex. I paint a couple of spacemarine using the following:
Black primer
Based in Caliban green
Washed in Nuhl Oil
Highlight in Warpstone Glow and Moot Green

I'm fairly happy with the result. But I feel the green is too dark. When seen from far, it just looked black and unpainted. So I wanted to try a lighter scheme, using the following:
Black primed
Based in Warpstone glow
washed in Caliban green
Highlight in moot green

But I'm having a lot of problem with the Warpstone glow. I just cannot figure out how to uniformly cover the part. Every time I try, with more water, with less water, every stroke of brush let marks and the final result, the paint is not smooth. There is always black spots, and more clear spots. I'm kind of in an impasse. I can't figure out to have a nice starting place to paint.

I was wondering if anyone had any advise about how to make it easier / better? Any advise welcome! Thanks a lot.

**jonolikespie**

Sounds like you might just have to go in and do several layers.

That or a layer of Caliban green followed by a layer of Warpstone (I'm not up to date on what colours are what but generally you'll want to do your first layer in a base then move on to the 'layer' paints).

**Gingalain**

I prime mine black
then a layer og Dark angels green (old colour)
several thin layers of warpstone glow
then carefully pick out the shades with Athonian Camoshade
Highlight with Scorpion green ( again old colour)
finaly a layer of Waywatcher Green glaze
and voila

**varl**

GW has changed up it's paints since the last time you were in the hobby, I think. warpstone glow is one of the new layer paints, most of which don't have good opacity (esp over a dark surface like black primer). I'd suggest either priming with white or gray instead of black. alternatively, base coat your armor with one of the foundation greens before you start layering on warpstone glow. it will still take you a few coats of warpstone glow to build up to solid coverage. just keep each coat thin and take your time; let the model dry between coats.

for my own salamanders (link in sig), I start with a light gray primer and then use vallejo's goblin green as the base color. it's a bit more muted then warpstone glow, but has a similar coverage (i.e., it's not very opaque). I get around the need for applying several coats by using an airbrush

**damek**

Thanks a lot for your response. I tried a bit to make several thin layer, but then it makes the surface not "smooth". Maybe I need to practice more. Is it working good with and airbrush with warpstone glow?

varl wrote:
for my own salamanders (link in sig), I start with a light gray primer and then use vallejo's goblin green as the base color. it's a bit more muted then warpstone glow, but has a similar coverage (i.e., it's not very opaque). I get around the need for applying several coats by using an airbrush

What do you mean by more muted?

Both of you guys salamander looks great, I will definitely inspire myself from them.

**varl**

by muted I mean the color is more dull and less bright than stronger greens like warpstone glow

**Chancetragedy**

I've been priming my sallies black, then thin layer or 2 of dark angels green(and the new one can't remember name). Followed by a light dry brushing of castellan green which gives the model a nice olive drab type color. Then highlight warp stone.

**damek**

Chancetragedy wrote:
I've been priming my sallies black, then thin layer or 2 of dark angels green(and the new one can't remember name). Followed by a light dry brushing of castellan green which gives the model a nice olive drab type color. Then highlight warp stone.

Would you have a photo of them to see how castellan green works?

**Chancetragedy**

Ill post one when I get home from work sure! I don't have any photos of it on this device.

**Paint_To_Redemption**

You've basically just described how I paint my Dark Angels except I use a wash of Biel-Tan Green instead of Nuln Oil lol. I think Caliban Green would be too dark for Salamanders unless you just do a real thin base coat and then cover that with thin layers of Warpstone.

**varl**

sallies are one of those funny chapters where the shade of green folks use runs a really wide range. could easily be mistaken for anything from mantis warriors to dark angels and lots in between

**damek**

Chancetragedy wrote:
Ill post one when I get home from work sure! I don't have any photos of it on this device.

Thanks a lot. I'll be posting my first attempts later today. I did some painting yesterday and I'm quite happy with how it turned out.

**Warpig1815**

I get the exact same problem with Warpstone glow - I'm looking into thinning it now, so that should produce some better results. I usually paint my Salamanders in the following way:

1. Black Primer (May look into priming them in white next time)
2. Base Coat Caliban Green
3. Main Coat Warpstone Glow (Though now i'm going to have to thin and layer it properly, unlike my first attempts!)
4. Highlight 50:50 Warpstone Glow/Moot Green
5. Highlight Moot Green

I'll not clog up the thread with images of mine, but they're in my gallery.

**Chancetragedy**

Ok sorry for the photo quality, but here is 2 photo's of the base before highlighting.

**damek**

So here are my first attempt. I'm sorry for the quality of the picture, I don't really know how to set up a good light source to have good picture. If anyone has tips how to set up properly to take picture that catch the colors/details, I'm all ears.
The first two were my initial attempts. I first though to go with a dark angel type of colors for my salamanders. The third one I went with a much "standard" green for salamanders. I will try soon with a white undercoat to see the result with warpstone glow.

Any comments/advise/tips or else are more than welcome !!!

**Paint_To_Redemption**

The last one definitely. If I didn't know what you were playing and you put either of the first two on the table I'd call Dark Angels. The last one looks very Salamander.

**Warpig1815**

Yeah, the second version is definitely the best one. The first versions highlights stand out far too starkly from the main colour IMHO.

**Chancetragedy**

Agreed about the second set.

And to your lighting thing buy 2 cheap lamps and then go get daylight bulbs on the cheap for them. Set them to either side in front of white or black poster board. Then take pictures and they will come out way better. (I should listen to my own advice;p). Oh and if you have a camera with a macro setting turn it on.

**Paint_To_Redemption**

Actually, on the lighting thing I just bought a cheap photo tent off eBay. $20 for a 40cm tent with a few different backdrops and then all you need is a couple of lamps.

**damek**

I went yesterday to buy a white primer from GW. My goal is to try this week end on which primer color I prefer working, black or white. And move forward from there. I did paint 2 other space marines, and made a first attempt do the bases, which I'm pretty happy with, but my wash was a bit too dark I think, I will try to temper it more next time.

On a semi related note. I have a some problem with the "thickness" of my paint. They dry really fast and my brush become "hard" with dry paint on it fast. I try to "water-down" the paint, by mixing a bit of paint with a bit of water, but after giving 2 stroke with the brush, I need to restart again. Do people water / thin their paint directly in the pot? With water or are any product recommended?

Thanks a lot as always for all your comments.

A few photos to show the progress.

**Paint_To_Redemption**

Looking great man. Definitely wouldn't mistake these guys for Dark Angels!

On the brush thing, I use a dropper to thin my paints with water. One drop of paint on my brush and then one droplet of water from the dropper, then mix together thoroughly. Usually I try to get it to the consistency of milk.

**damek**

So I painted this week end two new space marines, their are not 100% finished, but only few details missing. One was primed black, the other one primed white. I had a bit more problem with the black primed one, the first few layers were really with a lot of brush stroke. But in the end, both look extremely similar, and none of them really stood out in term of "easiness" to paint. I might have used an extra layer on the black primed, but the white primed give me a bit more problem in the strong recess to be sure it was not left white. Overall, I'm still unsure with what priming to continue, but I start to be able to handle the warpstone glow color. Just need a few careful layer, and it goes ok. I'm not 100% convinced with the color tho, I might need a few more test. I really like how Varl's Salamanders show up on picture. Or how those one are http://thefireborn.blogspot.com/2012/04/2nd-companies-1st-tactical-squad.html I need to make a few tries I think.

Thanks for the help as always.