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Hello everyone

I am currently working on my technique with an airbrush to paint some of my chaos stuff, but im not pleased with the results in some places. I play word bearers, so i want the armor on my non-cult marines to have a deep, rich red color. I am finding that painting a base color, with a shade and highlight, with an airbrush just makes the mini seem flat and lifeless.

Im thinking of modifying my technique, atleast for red, to suit my needs more. What i am wanting to know is if anyone has any techniques they use to achieve a really deep, rich, crimson color for word bearers or blood angels or whomever.

Thanks

Gunnvulcan

::EDIT:: i am not opposed to going back to a bristle brush for this, the destination is more important than the journey for this project, Atleast. Washes, blending, whatever. I can work it out.

For the red in my dwarf army, I used Scab Red as a basecoat, folowed by Red Gore and Blood Red to highlight, then a final glaze of Gryphonne Sienna.

give it a glaze of a bright red at the end.

i havnt tried it but "bloodletter" would probably work well.

This might work for you. Quick, easy, and effective.

http://youtu.be/jC2CYlmt09s

You can easily control the shading, and the hue.

I also use glazes to add some intensity to my reds. It helps keep highlights from getting too desaturated on bright reds and keeps deeper reds from turning muddy. Aside from smoothing out sloppy layer transitions, somewhat (a boon to me, but less of a concern for you), a red glaze helps return color saturation that is otherwise lost when highlights and shading are pushed farther, meaning you can up your contrast a bit to help alleviate the current "flatness." Should work as well with an airbrush as bristles, too, so you can use whichever you feel better suits the task/your style.

Personally, I use VGC Red Ink, usually thinned a bit with water, and I love the result. For more burgundy or dirty red colors, I'll sometimes mix in a little VGC Skin Wash - it's like very dilute Hull Red, which keeps things warm and saturated but results in a somewhat more subdued tone, thanks to the brownish addition. Both dry glossy, though, so matte varnish is a must if that isn't the look you're going for. Haven't used the GW glazes, myself, but I imagine they would work just fine, as kb305 suggests.

I hear mixing blood with red paint makes a very vibrant red. Just a thought >.>

I undercoated my Word Bearers and bloodletters with blaze orange, then used Blood Red (or its new equivalent) over that. It makes a super bright red that allows for a lot of dark washes.

 jonolikespie wrote:
I hear mixing blood with red paint makes a very vibrant red. Just a thought >.>

Khorne approves of your methods

 Requiem wrote:

 jonolikespie wrote:
I hear mixing blood with red paint makes a very vibrant red. Just a thought >.>

Khorne approves of your methods

Also doesn't work.

 oadie wrote:
I also use glazes to add some intensity to my reds. It helps keep highlights from getting too desaturated on bright reds and keeps deeper reds from turning muddy. Aside from smoothing out sloppy layer transitions, somewhat (a boon to me, but less of a concern for you), a red glaze helps return color saturation that is otherwise lost when highlights and shading are pushed farther, meaning you can up your contrast a bit to help alleviate the current "flatness." Should work as well with an airbrush as bristles, too, so you can use whichever you feel better suits the task/your style.

Personally, I use VGC Red Ink, usually thinned a bit with water, and I love the result. For more burgundy or dirty red colors, I'll sometimes mix in a little VGC Skin Wash - it's like very dilute Hull Red, which keeps things warm and saturated but results in a somewhat more subdued tone, thanks to the brownish addition. Both dry glossy, though, so matte varnish is a must if that isn't the look you're going for. Haven't used the GW glazes, myself, but I imagine they would work just fine, as kb305 suggests.

Ill have to look into getting some good red ink. I look at some blood angel players that have their midels painted with these deep, awesome clooted-blood reds. Thats what i want for the word bearers.

 Deadshot wrote:

 Requiem wrote:

 jonolikespie wrote:
I hear mixing blood with red paint makes a very vibrant red. Just a thought >.>

Khorne approves of your methods

Also doesn't work.

Really? Good to know.
*puts down stanley knife*