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.

https://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/images-73650-57846_My%20%26quot%3Bdry%26quot%3B%20Death%20Guard.html

Just finished settling on my color scheme and recipes after painting a couple plague marines over and over. I love how they turned out.
I wanted to go with a "dry" kind if decay and ruin instead of the usual "wet" look of waterlogged streaking. I also was going for a mosoleum look of aged bone and gold.

What I'm trying to figure out how is how to add cracks to the edge of the armor plates. I've played very minimally with using white lines on black armor for cracks. But I'm afraid white wouldn't be noticeable on this armor at all. I also thought dark brown, but am worried that'll look just like grime streaks, and like I said I don't want that look (outside of the typhus corruption minimally in the pock marks)

Do any of you skilled painters have ideas on how to make the armor look like it's cracking around the edges with age?


*I wish my matte varnish was a little more matte, its krylon but for some reason looks much more glossy than I recall matte varnish looking. Oh well.

The key to cracks and scratches is to use a shade color and highlight color. So you could use a black or near-black for the volume of the crack, and then a highlight color below it to represent where the edge of the armor below the crack is catching light.

Also, if you;re looking for a dry-aged look, the cracks would also be prime areas for a touch of corrosion, rust or whatever - think the cracks and dings you see on shipping containers or long-service construction equipment.

Get a bottle of Vallejo clear crackle medium. Apply a very thin coat where you want it on the armor. When it dries, do a thin brown/black wash over it.