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Large, flat panels, over an inch across, not little gems. I'm struggling to find large painted examples.

I understand that it should basically be a gradient from dark (bottom) to pale as possible (light point), with edge highlights. But beyond that I'm struggling for what makes something look "crystal" and not just shaded.
In essence: What're the shorthand marks I should be hoping to lay down?

Say for example, you rather inexplicably wanted to paint a tank or rhino to look crystalline...

I can't support you defiling a rhino like that.

Eons of battle did a big crystal base which from what i remember was pretty good. I can't seem to find it here though.

To be fair, I'm not going to do it to a Rhino (yet), but everyone knows what I mean visually if I say the name.

I'll have a look for that, thanks!

I have some photos for you from the weekend (HQ tanks from WHW), I'm just still pestilent as hell.

Found it now that I am back at my desk;



Looking at the method again, it might not work as well as I'd hoped on a larger structure (though that is pretty big).

They have also inverted the light, which is probably what you want to consider.

The concept of black undercoat, heavy gloss coat, wash might do a darker look which could work

Thanks for the pics, I am sick as well so can sympathise - take your time!

Thanks!

I believe light source is to do with opacity of the crystal. A clear one (or a magical one) would be lighter at the base, an opaque one would be lighter at the top. To do with concentration of light through the material.

Looking at that, he uses drybrushing, I wonder if airbrushing combined with a pigment powder for a chalky effect could work?
Right now I'm just trying to plan, hopefully by the time I have hold of another tank, I'll have a concept.

What about the use of the 'clear' paints from tamiya? So do your drybrushing and gradients, then spray a tinted clear over the top?

This link isn't great, but gives you some idea of what it can look like (the images close to the bottom).

http://www.swannysmodels.com/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1268098019

You have to pick a direction the light would be passing through

then figure out all the reflections from within.

The brightest would be the direct face that the light is hitting
while the face right behind it would be lighter than dark.

Good luck figureing it out with a complex shape like a rhino.

The contents of the tank would not be crystal, just the plating.
I've also got a long term goal to do glass-marines.

Because I just hate myself that much.

If you were doing that, I'd look at recasting them in clear resin and breaking the mold.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
The contents of the tank would not be crystal, just the plating.
I've also got a long term goal to do glass-marines.

Because I just hate myself that much.

If the plating is going to be crystal then make i would paint the whole thing near black/dark base color, extreme highlight most of the lines, blend up the mid tones where the light would be reflected internally (the bottoms) and do the faux window look with light reflection lines and artifacts. especially where it hits corners or wonky spots.