Need help with painting Necrons

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**djole381**

Hello. I just started with this hobby and I already finished my first miniatures - Space Marines from the GW starter bundle. I am interested in Necrons and I found this image online and this glowing orange effect is awesome. Can someone give me tips and pointers how to achieve this effect with Citadel paints and regular brushes (no airbrush)? Any help would be welcome

**CREEEEEEEEED**

If you've just started, my advice is to avoid such an ambitious paintjob. Work your way up, learn a bunch of techniques across lots of different models, then do something like this. If you have any photos of the SMs you've painted that would help gauge your level.

**djole381**

CREEEEEEEEED wrote:
If you've just started, my advice is to avoid such an ambitious paintjob. Work your way up, learn a bunch of techniques across lots of different models, then do something like this. If you have any photos of the SMs you've painted that would help gauge your level.

Here you go. Sorry for the picture quality, I took them with my phone. I am open to any suggestion. I was thinking about getting one of those "Start Collecting" Boxes. Necrons, Space Marines or even Astra Militarum.

**Showtime**

Not bad for your first models. How did you do those bases?

**Wasteland**

Actually, of all the crazy paint schemes out there that you could try to replicate, getting something like that glowing effect is probably not all that difficult.

I would start with a black undercoat, and fill in all the lines you want to 'glow' using a strong yellow (I believe the current name is Averland Sunset, but I'm still using the old Iyanden Darksun myself so I'm not sure what the exact equivalent is). This may take a couple coats, but you probably don't need to worry about being super neat - as you can see in your source image, the orange "glow" spills out a bit along the edges of the cracks and lines.

I'd then add a little bit of a brighter yellow to the center of any larger lines or glowy areas, and then use an orange or red wash (does anyone make an orange wash?) concentrated along the crevices on the edge of each line.

Clean up any areas of black that have too much overspill, edge highlight with your favorite grey and done!

It might take a while for each miniature, but I think it can be done. See if you can find a test piece and give it a try!

PS: I think you have a good start with those Ultramarines. They look a bit flat and would benefit from some further efforts with shading and highlighting, but your brushwork looks smooth and neat.

**Asmodai_00**

If you're actually interested in the army, I say go for it. Start Collecting! box is a good deal, and has a Stalker for you to practice painting on.

I'd base the whole thing black, then get the smallest bush you have and paint something like Jokaero Orange into the recesses. Then I'd highlight it with Flash Gitz Yellow and be sure to leave some of the orange poking out. Maybe a glaze of Lamenters Yellow to blend them together?

The trick would be to cover up any mistakes by going along the armor plates with black after you're done.

**CREEEEEEEEED**

They're better models than my first attempts. If you think you have a steady enough hand, do what the others recommended, and look up what a wash is.

**djole381**

Showtime wrote:
Not bad for your first models. How did you do those bases?

I used a technical color called "Agrellan Earth" that was included in the set with the Space Marines. You just put a lot of it on the base and while it dries, it starts to crack and gives this awesome effect.

https://www.games-workshop.com/en-WW/Space-Marines-Starter-Paint-Set-2016

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Asmodai_00 wrote:
If you're actually interested in the army, I say go for it. Start Collecting! box is a good deal, and has a Stalker for you to practice painting on.

I'd base the whole thing black, then get the smallest bush you have and paint something like Jokaero Orange into the recesses. Then I'd highlight it with Flash Gitz Yellow and be sure to leave some of the orange poking out. Maybe a glaze of Lamenters Yellow to blend them together?

The trick would be to cover up any mistakes by going along the armor plates with black after you're done.

Thanks for the advice mate. I was thinking the same thing. While looking through the Citadel color line, I had the idea that "Jokaero Orange" and "Flash Gitz Yellow" would do the trick but I still needed an advice from someone more experienced.
I don't know about the black base though, as I had a little test on the sprue I had. I primed it with the "Imperial Primer" and then I tried using "Averland Sunset" to see how it turned out. The yellow I got is not bad, but it's a bit dark.

What do you think about using white or grey primer? Wouldn't that be a better choice for stronger colors?

**Ragnar69**

Averland is a rather dark yellow, but it paints over black very well. You just use it as a base to paint a brighter yellow layer over it.

Getting bright colors for the details on a black undercoat is easier than painting the complete thing black over a white primer.

I strongly suggest spray-can primers. It doens't have to be from GW, I get mine in a DIY store.

**Asmodai_00**

djole381 wrote:

I don't know about the black base though, as I had a little test on the sprue I had. I primed it with the "Imperial Primer" and then I tried using "Averland Sunset" to see how it turned out. The yellow I got is not bad, but it's a bit dark.

It's going to be a little dark, since it's over the black basecoat, and if the paint is thinned enough, it won't coat in one go anyway. You can go over with another coat and see if it helps. Did you go over the Averland with any yellow? Any pictures?

Alternatively, you can get some ceramite white, paint that into the recesses, then paint over that. It will brighten your colors up.

**Sauragnmon**

Be advised, Yellow can be one of the most painful paints to get a smooth clean coat over a dark colour.

If you wanted it a bit brighter, start with a colour like Ushabti bone as a base for your yellow, it's closer to the colour and Ushabti goes on relatively easy over black.