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I'd say, check out the website: http://duncanrhodes.com/ but right now it's down due to all the traffic hitting it.

The website has launched, and immediately crashed from everyone clicking on the link. Is that a first in the hobbyworld?

Subscribed... but cannot access to the url...

I will have to try again later I think.

Managed to get in, a load of tutorials are present, including the following: Brotherhood of Steel Paladin, Crucible Guard infantry, how to do grassy bases and the Keeper of Secrets.

There are also some resources available, including a colour wheel and a colour comparison chart for the paints put out be several of the bigger manufacturers out there.

 BrookM wrote:
Managed to get in, a load of tutorials are present, including the following: Brotherhood of Steel Paladin, Crucible Guard infantry, how to do grassy bases and the Keeper of Secrets.

There are also some resources available, including a colour wheel and a colour comparison chart for the paints put out be several of the bigger manufacturers out there.

Yes, nice content indeed.

Subbed, enjoying the content so far, nice to see such a wide range of categories with a decent starting portfolio

Wonder why he didn't go with Patreon? I guess they're banking on him being a big enough name that he doesn't need the exposure Patreon provides. And they've got their own payment and membership infrastructure which would also be a big deterrent to the average content creator. Hope they're right and it works out!

Patreon has those extra fees involved, IIRC 5% extra that goes to Patreon and a % added on top for VAT / taxes etc. Mind, Paypal has them as well, but nowhere near as steep as those tacked on top of your average Patreon subscription.

Patreon also love to go political and ban people they didn't like, or ban people following accusations without thoroughly investigate the matter.

One day you would be fine but the next day their updated policy might deems you aren't

I think some of those Patreon bans are likely like youtube and a lot of other big sites in that they react to bulk reports automatically or with very low level staff who basically respond like an automatic machine to lots of reports. So its possible for a single person with a lot of time and a variable IP or a small group to target a person and get them shut down. Andl of course, proving you were innocent is a lot harder than proving fake guilt.


But yes I'd wager he's banking on having enough marketing and exposure and trust from his fanbase that he doesn't need Patreon to be the middleman. Plus if he's got the software to take payments by direct debit/regular skype charges then he doesn't need patreon to manage that.

I get the feeling that patreon is far more US focused than elsewhere (sort of like the early days of KS), so they may feel that his UK/European fan base is less likely to pay via this platform

 Mymearan wrote:
Wonder why he didn't go with Patreon?

Duncan gave a brief explanation why at about the 2:33 mark in the video below:

Last Friday Roger clicked the button and the Academy was finally opened for all to see... and then we were rapidly overwhelmed by the sudden demand, so much higher than we expected that it caused the server to overload and crash! If you were caught in this then we apologise but all is running smoothly now, and If you have any problems then be sure to let us know. This was a huge moment for us and a lot of hard work had gone into it- thank you so much to everyone who joined, your support means more than you can ever know to us!

Since the launch we've had a few questions as to how often we will be adding new content and how much of it. The answer is around 2-3 new regular videos for a normal week, depending on the miniature. Once a month we will instead be spending a whole week on one big centrepiece model (such as the Keeper of Secrets), so overall it will be around 8 new videos a month, give or take.

This week we have three new videos for you that shall be released on Friday 3rd March (one for free and the other two for Academy members)- be sure to let us know what you think of them and perhaps what you'd like to see in the future! You can contact us either on our social media, or via the 'Contact Us' section of the website.

Three new tutorials will be:

- Lannister Guardsman for A Song of Ice and Fire by CMON
- Word Bearers Chaos Space Marine
- Snowy base

His Word Bearers look stunning, seriously tempted to take up his metallic

 Ghaz wrote:

 Mymearan wrote:
Wonder why he didn't go with Patreon?

Duncan gave a brief explanation why at about the 2:33 mark in the video below:

I agree about the blog style thing. Looking through even the previous month's content is pretty annoying on patreon. I think the blog style with tags would be really bad for a painting school.

New Youtube tutorial up:

Ducan's latest video, covering Contrast paints...

Skip ahead if my rambling story is of no interest.

This is my first post here; I found the (sometimes heated) discussion interesting, and it's given me a few useful pointers, so here's my thoughts.

In the late bronze age (1997-2000 or so), when I last bought miniatures, there must have been painting tips somewhere — perhaps White Dwarf magazine, but I didn't have money to spare on that. I doubt there was anything on the Internet: digital cameras were only just becoming available in 2000, and were expensive. I therefore used a "one thick, neat coat" method for my Bretonnians, and became the best painter amongst my friends when someone in Games Workshop sold me a wash. I enjoyed painting more than playing (I usually lost), but with no idea how to improve, I moved to other hobbies after 3 years or so.

Anticipating a quarantine in March, and wondering what indoor thing I could fill some time with, I came across WHTV and Duncan's videos. That was exactly the motivation I needed — clear instructions to paint a model just like on the box. My Bretonnians are at my mother's house, so I rushed to the Warhammer shop and bought a "Start Collecting" set and a large special character.

It has been a nice diversion during the semi-quarantine, although with covering for a sick colleague I've had less time than I anticipated. The detail seems better than it used to be, but my eyes are worse, and I now understand why my dad would say things like "I don't know how you can see that in this light".

(Skip to here)

I've watched a fair few painting videos, and experimented with some of the suggestions. At my level of ability and experience, Duncan's have been by far the most useful, and the most enjoyable to watch. I don't have the creativity to invent a colour scheme, Duncan provides it without needing to mix paints. The pace is good and he isn't over-the-top or insincere. The editing and camera work is excellent. The techniques used are generally the same, but I've yet to master them (I've barely started). In special cases like the focus of a large model he covers something slightly more complicated.

There are certainly videos showing more advanced techniques, and it's fascinating to watch what they do, but I won't reach their level. I have other interests, and since I'm not a teenager any more, I simply don't have time. I also don't want to spend time watching lectures on colour theory or anything else "boring" — after 7½ hours concentrating on work, I want to relax with painting rather than study!

So, anyway, I subscribed to Duncan's new site. (Now bear in mind I have no idea what I'm talking about.) His tutorial to paint the Keeper of Secrets shows imitating a Citadel contrast paint from a base paint and contrast medium, and then using a stronger mix on some areas and blending it on the model with pure contrast medium for an even gradient. Another video on contrast paints was uploaded today to Youtube, as this is my first post I'm not able to give a proper link... (edit – I don't need to, Ghaz just posted it.)

The other new video this week was just announced: "For World War II this week we have a tutorial for the first tank on the site, a Panzer IV in the three colour camouflage that German vehicles were painted in during 1943-45. The patterns of this camouflage were many and varied and this tutorial gives advice on how to make a pattern of your own as well as pointers to what colours to use and how to highlight them. It also goes into great detail in weathering the model to make it look like it has seen a lot of action, including showing how to use weathering powders! As many German war machines were painted in this way during the war this guide is useful no matter what tank, half-track, or anti-tank gun you are painting and can even be used for vehicles outside of World War II, such as sci-fi tanks and vehicles."

"pattern of your own" and "weathering powders" weren't in the WHTV videos, so that should reassure some of you that this isn't just a continuation of the same old stuff.

 Ghaz wrote:
Ducan's latest video, covering Contrast paints...

So i found a lot of this out myself experimenting with the paint when they were released. Its interesting that effectively Duncan goes against the advice/line that GW took with Contract paints of "slap it on and it will be wonderful". Contract paints have their place and area great tool in the arsenal. But they are not the wonder product that GW sold them as.

I don't agree actually. Using them in the way GW tell you to won't win any Golden Daemons, but there's no other way to paint an army to the most basic standard that's as quick *and* as easy(airbrushing has a much higher barrier of entry and will require a reasonable amount of practice to achieve similar results, beginner-level drybrushing looks like arse 99% of the time, and yes while it's technically possible to make a similar but not actually exactly the same product yourself with the right ingredients it's not practicable for beginners and too much effort for people who don't care about painting).

In the hands of a beginner, it permits adequate results with absolutely zero experience, and the kind of practice it requires to achieve better results - really good brush control - develops a skill that is useful for every technique they might try in the future. In the hands of someone with a bit of experience, it can do a lot of different things.

Let's be real, if a different company had come along with a product that allows for basic tabletop paintjobs in one application over a rattlecan coat, but which could also be used in the hands of more experienced painters in place of a wash, a glaze, an ink, which can be wet-blended easily, and which can be used in place of a lot of "specialist" weathering products, a "wonder product" is exactly what most people would be calling it. People are only so dismissive because it's GW, and because they chose to focus on flogging the beginner side of it.

Have to agree with the guy above me, GW could produce a.working vaccine for Corrona virus and give it to the world for free and the "community" would bitch that it's the wrong colour syringe.

If you look at the GW Beastgrave painting videos they use similar techniques, mixing contrast with highlight and regular paints.

Obispudkenobi wrote:
Have to agree with the guy above me, GW could produce a.working vaccine for Corrona virus and give it to the world for free and the "community" would bitch that it's the wrong colour syringe.

More that the marketing was a bit silly from my point of view.

As a pot on the rack contrast paint has plenty of uses for every level of painter.

Obispudkenobi wrote:
Have to agree with the guy above me, GW could produce a.working vaccine for Corrona virus and give it to the world for free and the "community" would bitch that it's the wrong colour syringe.
Which was

Yodhrin wrote:
Let's be real, if a different company had come along with a product that allows for basic tabletop paintjobs in one application over a rattlecan coat, but which could also be used in the hands of more experienced painters in place of a wash, a glaze, an ink, which can be wet-blended easily, and which can be used in place of a lot of "specialist" weathering products, a "wonder product" is exactly what most people would be calling it. People are only so dismissive because it's GW, and because they chose to focus on flogging the beginner side of it.

1. If GW had invented that cure, we all know they'd look at the going rate for it, logo it up, tm it, and sell it for triple the amount in a limited release.

2. If any other company had created contrast paint, the GW fans would have laughed it off the face of the planet.


Back OT... I've not seen the new Duncan vids. I used to quite enjoy his old GW ones, except I always felt for him having to continually say outloud the ridiculous new paint names. Is he using much non-GW product yet?

 Gimgamgoo wrote:

Obispudkenobi wrote:
Have to agree with the guy above me, GW could produce a.working vaccine for Corrona virus and give it to the world for free and the "community" would bitch that it's the wrong colour syringe.
Which was

Yodhrin wrote:
Let's be real, if a different company had come along with a product that allows for basic tabletop paintjobs in one application over a rattlecan coat, but which could also be used in the hands of more experienced painters in place of a wash, a glaze, an ink, which can be wet-blended easily, and which can be used in place of a lot of "specialist" weathering products, a "wonder product" is exactly what most people would be calling it. People are only so dismissive because it's GW, and because they chose to focus on flogging the beginner side of it.

1. If GW had invented that cure, we all know they'd look at the going rate for it, logo it up, tm it, and sell it for triple the amount in a limited release.

2. If any other company had created contrast paint, the GW fans would have laughed it off the face of the planet.


Back OT... I've not seen the new Duncan vids. I used to quite enjoy his old GW ones, except I always felt for him having to continually say outloud the ridiculous new paint names. Is he using much non-GW product yet?

Almost immediately. Some Army Painter brushes, tell you equivalents in other paint ranges for paints he uses, as well as using Army Painter paints amongst others, along with weathering powders etc.

Enjoying his latest contrast video. Shows how constrained he was whilst with GW and in toeing the party line. Shows how versatile contrast paints are as a tool and not just in the narrow marketing niche GW puts them in. Ordered some contrast paints off of the back of it

 winnertakesall wrote:
Shows how versatile contrast paints are as a tool and not just in the narrow marketing niche GW puts them in.

Then you haven't seen some of the more advanced painting tutorials GW has done using Contrast paints.

New tutorial on the site: Chaos Knight!

And coming next week:

Next week we will be adding another technique video where we will be going into detail of applying transfers to your models. We will also be going back to some regular-sized miniatures, including a Space Marine Chapter that is notoriously hard to paint, and a fan-favourite character from a galaxy far far away.

I assume either White Scars or Imp Fists?

BrookM should this be moved to another forum now? As it’s past being news, as it were.
Either general or P&M I guess.
Only, it’ll be here forever if we post every time he does a new video.
(I’ve got him on YT now, so I don’t need it in the news section, I guess depends on everyone’s opinion..)

Agreed. No longer N&R. I’d say painting tutorials, honestly.