Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Long time listener, first time caller.

I think I have hit my "plateau" as far as painting mini's goes. I feel like I could take these into my local GW store and plop them down on the table to little fanfare, but not receive any ridicule. Photographing them close up really makes me wish I had more patience and painting skill.

What I'd like is some criticisms and tips specifically relating to the models being shown. These are some of my recent paintjobs, just got back into the hobby after many years. While I am happy with tabletop-quality mini's, I'd like to take them to the next level. Thanks in advance for pointing out where I suck!!

None of these models are complete, but they are close.

They look fine to me, maybe just a lil neater on some edge highlights but what ive found with marines is that theres a huge step from tt to above tt quality, maybe look up some marine specific tutoirials

Sorry to disappoint you but you don't suck . Those are pretty good paint jobs to start with.

The metallics need some highlighting and shading, especially the golds which look a bit flat. A devlan mud wash would tone them down and allow you to pick out a few highlights. Perhaps a touch of mithril silver on the brightest edges.

On the armour you've picked out the edge highlighting but you could probably do with a bit more shading in the recesses.

The lenses could also do with a couple more colours. Get brighter towards the nose, leaving a little of the base colour at the back then put a dot of white which will give them a better look.

Good luck going forward.

Borderline-rude constructive criticism? Wonder how that's supposed to work without offending anybody :-D

Jokes aside: your miniatures aren't bad after all. The need some work, that's for sure. Your highlights are quite fine, especially those on the assault brother. You've used darklining as well, which is a step into the right direction. What I would suggest is to take more time to painting your minis. Although the strength of highlights is just fine on the honour guard's right arm, those on the helmet are not. And it may be due to the picture quality, but I think everything looks a little greyish.
Did you mix the highlight colours yourself or are they original GW colours?
Maybe you should think of using stronger colours to avoid that look.
I know how difficult these guys are to paint, but to my mind, a brighter and stronger red would definitely do the trick. Add some holy texts to the parchment and it's fine. And one more thing: there was a tutorial on the GW page for painting lenses. Maybe you should take a close look at this one - although, basically speaking, it comes down to brighter colours again.

The one part of your miniatures I really dislike is Sicarius' back head. He appears to be wearing a grey-blue hood rather than actually having a haircut. You could really improve that by applying a watered down wash of 50/50 Chaos Black/Codex Grey, followed by some more highlights.

One last advice: personally, I think you ought to purchase more brushes. It seems to me like you'd painted every part with the same brush (GW standard brush or something similar-sized, I assume).

"Borderline-rude" enough? :-D

Exactly what I was looking for!

My process is, usually:

Grey primer
Regal blue diluted 1:1
Asurman Blue wash
Badab Black wash in recesses
Regal blue to clean up
UM Blue in a light drybrush, sometimes I spaz on this and have to clean up more with regal!
UM Blue 2:1 Skull White highlights

Brown to base the gold
Shining Gold
Dark wash
I need to work on the highlighting of the gold
For the shoulder pads, I've been doing fine lines of black to separate the blue and gold

I have tried to make the eyes brighter, but usually they come out cartoonish. I think the more patience think is a factor here.

I'll throw another wash on Sicarius's hair. I primed him with an old can of primer, and it laid down almost like sand. At the time I started painting, I didn't really care. Now, I am thinking about re-painting him.

I do have a large selection of GW foundations, colors and washes, so that helps alot.

I think I do need to take more time. And as far as using the same brush to do the entire mini, that is a pretty accurate statement. I do not have a large selection, but I can rectify that.

The flash on the camera does make the guys look a little flat, but the non-flash pics look pretty horrible.

If you're looking for the next step, stop dry brushing and start learning to blend colours. All through 2010 i have been playing with blending colours. Its tough but you can make a model look soooooo good.

Hm... Sounds really complicated. I'd suggest to use a base of Mordian Blue, wash the recesses with watered down 50/50 Mordian Blue/Chaos Black, clean whatever is necessary with Mordian Blue, apply a first highlight (about 1 mm thickness) of Enchanted Blue, followed by a thin line of Ice Blue (just the edges - edge brushing might do well).
That's my recipe...
Mixes with Skull White imho create quite rough highlights.

Makes sense.

I am convinced that blending is the way to go. Probably going to pick up some marines tonight to practice blending on before I do any more of Marney's honour guard.

Also, gonna get some more brushes. I'm a big fan of Royal & Langnickel. They fit my hand perfectly and seem decent quality for the money (they are rather cheap, by the piece). Plus, I'm not Picasso, see above images!

They look really good man. My suggestion is to be more consistent with your golds. My favorite being the edges on your basic marines shoulder. Keep up the good work and good luck with the blending. Maybe post a pick of the marines your picking up and experimenting on.