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Being new to the hobby, I'm learning as I go. I learned quickly that good light and a detail brush is key. I'm still not fully comfortable with highlighting and shading (washing). Do you wash after the base coat and highlight after? Or do you highlight and then was to blend and tone the highlights down?

For these, I didn't like the pop of the moot green on the space marines, so I washed with Nuln Oil after to tone them down a bit. Maybe it's just personal preference. Anyway, these are my first miniatures of any kind. Figured I would share some of my experience as I continue down the path.

Nicely done for the first attempt!! Looks awesome, keep up the good work

When it comes to going all the way to moot green, just tiny stripes literally on the corners of edges of things, and just in corners, is the way to go else it is a bit too bright. Better than trying to re-wash with Nuln Oil, apply the green Glaze to it to tone it down. That way you don't make your edges even darker, and it'll help blend all the greens into each other.

Also, I've found with edging that less is more. The thinner the edges, the better, especially when going from something as dark as Caliban Green washed in black to a green as bright as Moot.

I hope this comes across as advice and not criticism. Those are really well done, new to the hobby or not! It's clear you care about the way you're army looks. Keep up the good work! If those are your first dudes, you're well on your way to being really good. Those are easily better than the first ones I ever did and just a year later I'm able to do stuff like this guy. So stay encouraged!

Thanks a lot. And I take everything as advice. You mentioned glaze and wash, but honestly I thought they were the same thing (paint & water).

What will a glaze do that a wash doesn't?

All the best,

Nicely done, much better than my first attempts when I started out.

I've recently got back into the hobby after a long time away from it so re-learning to paint. One trick I've found with highlights (especially bright ones) is to use the very edge of the brush and very gently stroke just the hard edges - may take a few goes to get it right, if it still looks a bit glarish get a wet brush (not loaded with water, just damp) and gently drag it over the highlight to soften it a bit.

As for the wash/highlight question - I apply washes after doing all the basecoats and apply the final highlight last but everyone is different and has different ways of doing things, it all boils down to personal preference.

Anyway, good job and look forward to seeing your progress.

jim8015 wrote:
Thanks a lot. And I take everything as advice. You mentioned glaze and wash, but honestly I thought they were the same thing (paint & water).

What will a glaze do that a wash doesn't?

All the best,

A proper glaze vs. a wash is something that tints what's underneath, rather than being something that seeps into cracks. A wash is more watery, a proper glaze is more like it's mixed with rubbing alcohol.

You mentioned utilizing the GW colors so, specifically I'm referring to Waywatcher Green as opposed to, say, Biel-Tan Green. I've got a handful of unfinished Dark Angels. I'll try to provide photos this weekend. Unfortunately I was just checking DakkaDakka before heading down to my FLGS as Thursdays is our Warhammer league night, so I'll be too busy to get that to you before, like, 11 PM mountain time.

Given that your marines are mostly green, you might consider the following 2 pieces of feedback:

1. Rim the bases in black to frame the figure better
2. Use a different color basing scheme: sandy brown, dead grass, etc ... not so much green.

 Ifurita wrote:
Given that your marines are mostly green, you might consider the following 2 pieces of feedback:

1. Rim the bases in black to frame the figure better
2. Use a different color basing scheme: sandy brown, dead grass, etc ... not so much green.

That's a very good call! I never thought about it like that.

I think they are amazing. You should have seen my first minis I painted. They were Space marines. I think they were painted like Imperial Fists chapter. I will never go to yellow ever again. Any ways, good job. Keep it up

I appreciate it, TableTop Fan. I guess they can be an inspiration to people just starting out in the hobby. I'm not even close to being artistic and I don't have a lot of time to spend on painting, but I do want them to look respectable.

I just finished the sergeant today. I can tell faces are extremely difficult. The picture actually covers it up when most pictures point out the flaws. I've researched numerous videos on youtube, but I can't seem to find anything that's easy (using basic paints and low time).

Biggest lesson learned: Keep the paint THIN! I didn't do that here. I used a dark color, then a light color in the high areas, washed, then highlighted with the light color again. It's just not coming out right, but here he is.

jim8015 wrote:
I appreciate it, TableTop Fan. I guess they can be an inspiration to people just starting out in the hobby. I'm not even close to being artistic and I don't have a lot of time to spend on painting, but I do want them to look respectable.

I just finished the sergeant today. I can tell faces are extremely difficult. The picture actually covers it up when most pictures point out the flaws. I've researched numerous videos on youtube, but I can't seem to find anything that's easy (using basic paints and low time).

Biggest lesson learned: Keep the paint THIN! I didn't do that here. I used a dark color, then a light color in the high areas, washed, then highlighted with the light color again. It's just not coming out right, but here he is.

I like it, think it looks fantastic!

For your first attempt at painting these models are really well done . Better than a lot of armies I've seen across the table from me.

Excellent man!

These look dark, I was so tempted to start a Dark Angels army but was drawn to the Raptors.

Yours look fantastic!

really good for your first try...I would recommend doing black bases with lava effects...it looks better for salamanders (or just green in general)

right now you have a bit too much green.

really promising start though, keep at it!