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Try highlighting one highlight brighter than you think is good, then toning it all down and tying it together with an appropriate wash. this works especially well when painting reds and highlighting up to pure vomit brown.

Buttery, i built a paint shaker for about $20 here - the cheapest jigsaw you can buy, the smallest quickgrip clamp you can get.

Put the clamp in like a blade (i had to grind mine down a bit) then clamp in the paint pot.

Push butan, paint mixed

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
Thought for today: You have not shaken your paint enough.
No you haven't.

... And still havent!

HairySticks wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
Thought for today: You have not shaken your paint enough.
No you haven't.

... And still havent!

Yep, by which I mean 'nope.' HEY! I said NO! Keep shaking!

If you don't feel like your non-painting hand might as well be that of a lonely teenage boy, you could equally try painting with powdered pigment and a bottle of matte medium. Not that it wouldn't work, it'd just be a major PITA.

Lesser known airbrush tip:

When you slide your needle through your airbrush, once it passes through the trigger mechanism you should feel some resistance. It's not a lot, but certainly enough to make your needle not fall out.

1. If your needle slides through freely, or with almost no resistance, you need to tighten the packing screw. On most double-action airbrushes, take out the piece that holds the needle, remove the trigger, and peer down the back end of the airbrush. You'll see a little nut with a hole in it, with a cut top that you can insert a screwdriver into. Twist it *just a little* -- quarter turn (clockwise, to tighten, and counterclockwise to loosen), maybe even less. Then test it. If it's till too loose, tighten it some more, etc.

Why do this: The packing seal is what prevents your paint from going from the front end of the airbrush into back, where the trigger is, and all that. If the packing seal isn't operating properly, eventually, the back of your airbrush will gunk up. And it's a real pain to clean in comparison.

I'm not exactly sure why, but some people say this is also a cause of bubbling in the cup (backflow).

How it gets loose: It can easily loosen if twisted while cleaning out the air brush, for instance, with a pipe cleaner.

2. If you find that your airbrush trigger is sticking (when you release it, it doesn't return to the front as quickly or smoothly as it should), a possible reason is that your packing seal is too tight. Or, it's possible that your needle is sticking to the packing seal.

In this case, you may wish to lubricate your needle (the lubricant transfers onto the packing seal), and/or loosen the packing seal very slightly.

 Talys wrote:

 KingmanHighborn wrote:
Keep the house cat (or any family pet I guess) away from Skaven models (or models in general)

LOL. ++1

Housecat has special rules - Stomp, Rend, Smack, Chomp and also, most feared, Hide Model, which immediately Removes from Collection for D6 years.

Oh you have no idea, one entire Mordheim warband box, and a dwarf longbeard much latter down the road. I first thought it was the dog (a puppy at the time and of course chewing things.) But then I found pieces in the litter box. But this was also the same cat that chewed the wire in half off a PS1 controller, peed on my college algebra book and stole and hid socks in the litter box. He also stole my dad's hearing aid once.

 KingmanHighborn wrote:

 Talys wrote:

 KingmanHighborn wrote:
Keep the house cat (or any family pet I guess) away from Skaven models (or models in general)

LOL. ++1

Housecat has special rules - Stomp, Rend, Smack, Chomp and also, most feared, Hide Model, which immediately Removes from Collection for D6 years.

Oh you have no idea, one entire Mordheim warband box, and a dwarf longbeard much latter down the road. I first thought it was the dog (a puppy at the time and of course chewing things.) But then I found pieces in the litter box. But this was also the same cat that chewed the wire in half off a PS1 controller, peed on my college algebra book and stole and hid socks in the litter box. He also stole my dad's hearing aid once.

Wow. That's some cat, LOL.

Maybe your cat is just telling you that he wants to learn how to play Mordheim.

The weirdest transposition of items was when I lost a cell phone headset mowing the lawn. A raccoon brought it and dropped it off at our patio. Or at least, we assume it was one of our raccoons, because nothing else out there has the manual dexterity to bring something back like that without mauling it. I couldn't quite bring myself to stick it in my ear afterwards, though... Maybe raccoons play miniature wargames when we're not watching?

 Talys wrote:
Lesser known airbrush tip:

1. If your needle slides through freely, or with almost no resistance, you need to tighten the packing screw. On most double-action airbrushes, take out the piece that holds the needle, remove the trigger, and peer down the back end of the airbrush. You'll see a little nut with a hole in it, with a cut top that you can insert a screwdriver into. Twist it *just a little* -- quarter turn (clockwise, to tighten, and counterclockwise to loosen), maybe even less. Then test it. If it's till too loose, tighten it some more, etc.

Why do this: The packing seal is what prevents your paint from going from the front end of the airbrush into back, where the trigger is, and all that. If the packing seal isn't operating properly, eventually, the back of your airbrush will gunk up. And it's a real pain to clean in comparison.

I Would urge you not to do this, unless you have the needle seal alignment tooling. At the very least be extremely careful to not remove the whole nut without it, you will not get the seal back in the housing straight and back into the place it goes with a normal screwdriver.
The tool required has a prong down the middle that fits perfectly in the hole to keep it all centred while you screw it in. I recommend buying the tool, and a spare seal if your airbrush cost more than £50 its probably worth repairing when things wear out. Most reputable airbrush makers sell all the consumable seals and replacement parts to fix them up when damaged.

I've honestly never tried doing that, but after ultrasonic cleaning my hp-cs, it's being a jerk and a half. Might have to look into it (literally).

One thing I have looked at: if your airbrush trigger is too dramatic for you, take a pair of clippers and remove a few mm from the spring at a time until you get it how you like.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
I've honestly never tried doing that, but after ultrasonic cleaning my hp-cs, it's being a jerk and a half. Might have to look into it (literally).

One thing I have looked at: if your airbrush trigger is too dramatic for you, take a pair of clippers and remove a few mm from the spring at a time until you get it how you like.

Most airbrushes, even the chinese cheap ones have an action adjustment in the barrel of the airbrush. There should be no need to take clippers to anything.

HairySticks wrote:

 Talys wrote:
Lesser known airbrush tip:

1. If your needle slides through freely, or with almost no resistance, you need to tighten the packing screw. On most double-action airbrushes, take out the piece that holds the needle, remove the trigger, and peer down the back end of the airbrush. You'll see a little nut with a hole in it, with a cut top that you can insert a screwdriver into. Twist it *just a little* -- quarter turn (clockwise, to tighten, and counterclockwise to loosen), maybe even less. Then test it. If it's till too loose, tighten it some more, etc.

Why do this: The packing seal is what prevents your paint from going from the front end of the airbrush into back, where the trigger is, and all that. If the packing seal isn't operating properly, eventually, the back of your airbrush will gunk up. And it's a real pain to clean in comparison.

I Would urge you not to do this, unless you have the needle seal alignment tooling. At the very least be extremely careful to not remove the whole nut without it, you will not get the seal back in the housing straight and back into the place it goes with a normal screwdriver.
The tool required has a prong down the middle that fits perfectly in the hole to keep it all centred while you screw it in. I recommend buying the tool, and a spare seal if your airbrush cost more than £50 its probably worth repairing when things wear out. Most reputable airbrush makers sell all the consumable seals and replacement parts to fix them up when damaged.

You are right about not removing it entirely! You should be moving it a quarter twist or so at a time.

I'm not sure about other airbrushes, but you can't misalign a packing seal on an Iwata airbrush (as far as I know), and the end of the metal cartridge is tapered to go in pretty easily. I replaced it myself after years of faithful service. My Paasche airbrushes are built like German tanks and have never needed adjustment or replacement there, even though I abuse the crap out of them when I clean them.

The packing seal for some airbrushes are ridiculously expensive :(

When picking the base color for your army - pick one that works well in your airbrush.

You will thank yourself later....many times.

winterdyne wrote:

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
I've honestly never tried doing that, but after ultrasonic cleaning my hp-cs, it's being a jerk and a half. Might have to look into it (literally).

One thing I have looked at: if your airbrush trigger is too dramatic for you, take a pair of clippers and remove a few mm from the spring at a time until you get it how you like.

Most airbrushes, even the chinese cheap ones have an action adjustment in the barrel of the airbrush. There should be no need to take clippers to anything.

Well, I'm talking tailoring the "snap" of the trigger, quite a few illustrators I am friends with have done this to get a far far softer trigger. I guess it's about what you want in a tool.
I only use a 1970s Aerograph (which has a unique construction and also won't run anything that isn't exceptionally thin/inky) and an Iwata hp-cs, (which is already soft enough for me) so I never felt the need myself.

I suppose my thought for the day: Take your airbrush apart. Learn to put it back together. Do it again. Do this before you put paint into it. Should be the first thing any curious mind does upon receiving one.
You don't want an airbrush to be a perplexing deity in your life, you want it to be your buddy.

Always have spare blades for your hobby knife on standby. You're going to need a new one sooner or later.

Paradigm wrote:Another day, another tip:

A brush has many lives. First, it is for painting, pointed and neat. Then, as the point fades, it is a basecoating/washing brush. If the bristles start to harden, it is a drybrush. Once all else has failed, it can be used for priming and varnishing.

Only when a brush is hardened, blunt, splayed and loose is it dead, at which point you may lay it to rest.... Or use the bristles as reeds/long grass/flowers for basing.

Old brushes never die, they just go missing in action...

Old drybrushes can be trimmed flat and used for stippling! that's even harder on the brushes than drybrushing, and stiffer bristles actually help with the technique.

Textured paints make great base materials!

New day new tip?

use a high desk or a low stool to have your desk up higher. and rest your arms on the side with like a towel. helps steady your hands and stuff.

Hard as Nails glue can be sculpted as it dries to make fire, splashing mud, etc.

 LeCacty wrote:
Textured paints make great base materials!

As do textured nail varnishes, crackle enamels and magnetic paints.

Use Brush Soap or Barbers Shaving Soap on your brushes to generally clean them and prolong life remember to coat the brushes in the brush soap at the end of the paint session after cleaning this is what prolongs the life of the brush( it leaves a nice coating of lanolin that keep the bristles from becoming brittle)

My thought for the day: If it annoys you, put it down. Sleep on it. It's not defeat, it's avoiding making a frustration-mistake.

Often coming back to things in the morning can change how you feel and give a new perspective.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
If it annoys you, put it down. Sleep on it.

Unless, of course, you're frustrated by Chaos models. WAY too many spikes for a restful night.

Yes, don't sleep on your Slaaneshi Daemonettes either. Unless that's your thing.

On the subject of lighting, I own a few of these and have found them incredibly useful.
http://www.bunnings.com.au/light-fluoro-batten-crompton-1x20w-white-linkable-18839_p4322731

Equivalent to 100 watts, you can mount them under shelves, above your miniature photography setup, or suspend them from the roof above your painting area to flood it with light.

Much cheaper than professional daylight lamps like these if you're willing to create a DIY solution.
http://www.scrapdragon.com.au/daylight-triple-bright-lamp-white-a32500

Find a way to relax before painting. Being super tense can and will affect your painting. One example is I normally go for a short bike ride before I paint.

 AUGmaniac wrote:
Find a way to relax before painting. Being super tense can and will affect your painting. One example is I normally go for a short bike ride before I paint.

Exalted for truth. Also, although it may seem obvious, don't paint when you are really tired. It probably won't end well for you or your models. When you really get sleepy, go to bed and get back to it in the morning.

Aye, the best thing you can do late at night is prime, so that you're al ready to roll the next day.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
What's your one painting or modelling tip for the day? if you had just one pice of advice to give?

Pin your models.

Oddly, I've found modafinil in the morning makes me paint better at night, but that is starting to swing wildly off-topic.

Priming at night is good, but I've picked up the habit of letting the primer "cure" for 24 to 48 hours (and not just due to laziness!), Good results anecdotally.

I think the most important bit of advice is to approach the hobby with balls. Big, angry, ceramite balls. Don't be afraid to try something extreme. Something that shouldn't work. Don't be afraid to push the envelope. Be ballsy.