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Hi Guys

I just getting into airbeushing (its fun!)

I'm painting some Eldar Wraithguard and want to add a hexagon pattern on the last layer of highlight on top of a darker yellow/orange and but I'm struggling to find a stencil that's small enough :(
(Atm practicing on Coke bottle bottom bumps cut into similar shape)

Tried this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Paint-Stencils-Decals-for-warhammer-40k-wargames-terrain-marines-Hexagons/113002755610?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=413485761484&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

But its too big and makes my guy look like a weird giraffe

In the meantime will experiment with using the netting you get when you buy a pack of garlics from garlic at Asda as it s affine meshy net but not quite hexagonal.

Any help and tips are appreciated and needed guys.

I have a set of those, and have been holding off using them.
There are videos on their website, or posted on their kickstarter.

You can use a net bag that are used to storage fruits or vegetables (like potatoes in lidl) or window net (however it is smaller). Just check out "snake skin camouflage pattern diy" for inspiration. It's flexible, so you can fit it to any surface, and give you pattern a weird shapes.

I used a plastic mesh just as suggested by Oshii for an airbrush effect on my wraithlords. See below (click to zoom).

https://www.fallouthobbies.com/stencils/ ?

I like your wraiths. The guards heads are a lot smaller than lords and knights.


Thanks for the tips. I saw a YouTube vid from Anarchy Models guys and their kick starter thing. I've sent a message on their website as the product they offer done offer clear dimensions but got no reply. £15 is a lot for a stencil so got to make sure it will be usable on my wraith guards.

Is it me or did one post get removed ?

So maybe a window mesh? I mean those you mount against flies.
...but the smallest home made mesh is the curtains...maybe you can find something in charity shop?
I'm sorry for pushing up DIY ideas, sometimes it's good to consider that way.

kb_lock wrote:
https://www.fallouthobbies.com/stencils/ ?

Thank you.
Awesome! wow those are nifty!

I've used a lot of the fallout stuff, they are really good

I don't have the same as you do, it turns out.
This is the set I got, with videos:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1828606900/ttcombat-presents-snappy-stencils

Flexible stencils are probably more what we need though, like the Fallout ones. laser-cut ones are more for tanks and buildings, I think.

Not sure how well you can see from the photos but that's what I got by using a fine mesh you get when you buy garlic... I failed a little bit as I was not holding the mesh on too straight and sprayed too heavy with he white so had to rework the edges so lost a lot of the shading and depth I did originally.
My airbrush is the cheapo version so it kind of went full throttle with the yellow and ruined the depth around the edges but ohh well..

Does anyone know how I can reuse the amount of air shooting out of the nozzle?
Or more to the point how can I get a more precise stream to work with detail. Need thin lines really. Do I need a better airbrush?
I was using 0.2 & 0.3. the 0.2 seemed to have been outputting more focused and denser colour. Was it supposed to work like that ?


Also,

Is lubricating the needle a thing ? Does it help ?

I used the flexible stencils from Anarchy Models

Here is what it looks like

https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/650967.page

If I get you right, you need pressure regulator, it should be mounted on your airpump.
From the other side, there are few airbrushes that have it installed (like this one https://agtom.eu/27143-large_default/aerograf-tg-180-professional-02-03-mm.jpg )
Harder&Steenbeck have fpc valve, it lands between airbrush and hose.

 Stephanius wrote:
I used a plastic mesh just as suggested by Oshii for an airbrush effect on my wraithlords. See below (click to zoom).

How did you do the weapons by the way?
The close combat and D cannon barrel ends.

Can you give me some pointers regarding the order and what colours you used?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Oshii wrote:
If I get you right, you need pressure regulator, it should be mounted on your airpump.
From the other side, there are few airbrushes that have it installed (like this one https://agtom.eu/27143-large_default/aerograf-tg-180-professional-02-03-mm.jpg )
Harder&Steenbeck have fpc valve, it lands between airbrush and hose.

I'm not sure if mine does... again budget compressor with tank off amazon poor instructions with english that doesnt make sense :(

. I invested in some needle juice to see if it helps with the paint flow. If I could lower the output of pressure that would solve most of my issues I think..
If my compressor doesn't have it, is there a way to mount some sort of regulator adapter to the hose/compressor?

 Argive wrote:

 Stephanius wrote:
I used a plastic mesh just as suggested by Oshii for an airbrush effect on my wraithlords. See below (click to zoom).

How did you do the weapons by the way?
The close combat and D cannon barrel ends.

Can you give me some pointers regarding the order and what colours you used?

It's really just white applied first in a fade from tip to 1/2" or 3/4" up the barrel (pre-highlight basically), then applying whatever decorative colour you want across the fade.
The decorative colour should be well thinned and should be semi-transparent (even within a colour range, some colours cover better than others, test on something you don't care about first).

I used Vallejo Air colours for the effects, it was orange fire for the laser weapons and some violet for the warp weapons.

I use a 0.2mm needle/nozzle at about 25 psi to do fades. However, my airbrushes are from H&S, which according to reviews provide more nuance in the trigger control compared to other major brands.
So depending on the airbrush you use, that may be too much paint volume per second and risks flooding the surface. In which case you need to attempt to reduce the pressure or move the airbrush past the surface in a quicker pass.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Argive wrote:
Not sure how well you can see from the photos but that's what I got by using a fine mesh you get when you buy garlic... I failed a little bit as I was not holding the mesh on too straight and sprayed too heavy with he white so had to rework the edges so lost a lot of the shading and depth I did originally.
My airbrush is the cheapo version so it kind of went full throttle with the yellow and ruined the depth around the edges but ohh well..

Does anyone know how I can reuse the amount of air shooting out of the nozzle?
Or more to the point how can I get a more precise stream to work with detail. Need thin lines really. Do I need a better airbrush?
I was using 0.2 & 0.3. the 0.2 seemed to have been outputting more focused and denser colour. Was it supposed to work like that ?

Also, Is lubricating the needle a thing ? Does it help ?

My advice is to experiment with pre-highlighting. If you slap on white first where you want a bright colour to be, that will pop much better.
You can then apply your effect colour over the whole thing and have a nice galze effect.

You can spray the stencil or mesh with some Krylon Easy Tack and it'll stick to the model w/o leaving a residue behind

 Stephanius wrote:

 Argive wrote:

 Stephanius wrote:
I used a plastic mesh just as suggested by Oshii for an airbrush effect on my wraithlords. See below (click to zoom).

How did you do the weapons by the way?
The close combat and D cannon barrel ends.

Can you give me some pointers regarding the order and what colours you used?

It's really just white applied first in a fade from tip to 1/2" or 3/4" up the barrel (pre-highlight basically), then applying whatever decorative colour you want across the fade.
The decorative colour should be well thinned and should be semi-transparent (even within a colour range, some colours cover better than others, test on something you don't care about first).

I used Vallejo Air colours for the effects, it was orange fire for the laser weapons and some violet for the warp weapons.

I use a 0.2mm needle/nozzle at about 25 psi to do fades. However, my airbrushes are from H&S, which according to reviews provide more nuance in the trigger control compared to other major brands.
So depending on the airbrush you use, that may be too much paint volume per second and risks flooding the surface. In which case you need to attempt to reduce the pressure or move the airbrush past the surface in a quicker pass.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Argive wrote:
Not sure how well you can see from the photos but that's what I got by using a fine mesh you get when you buy garlic... I failed a little bit as I was not holding the mesh on too straight and sprayed too heavy with he white so had to rework the edges so lost a lot of the shading and depth I did originally.
My airbrush is the cheapo version so it kind of went full throttle with the yellow and ruined the depth around the edges but ohh well..

Does anyone know how I can reuse the amount of air shooting out of the nozzle?
Or more to the point how can I get a more precise stream to work with detail. Need thin lines really. Do I need a better airbrush?
I was using 0.2 & 0.3. the 0.2 seemed to have been outputting more focused and denser colour. Was it supposed to work like that ?

Also, Is lubricating the needle a thing ? Does it help ?

My advice is to experiment with pre-highlighting. If you slap on white first where you want a bright colour to be, that will pop much better.
You can then apply your effect colour over the whole thing and have a nice galze effect.

Dude thanks a bunch. That's some great tips!! I will have to look into either getting a new airbrush with a regulator or a new compressor down the line.. (Probably both in about 6 months)

Im going to have to paint this guys head and weapon so will probably use conventional brushes as hes all glued up and stuff. Magnetising the shoulder joints proved impossible for me

@Argive: how about contact 3RD Fate Creation? He does all of that stuff with stencils ... I'm sure he'd give you some tips! (he's a really cool guy!)


Automatically Appended Next Post:
http://thirdfatecreations.blogspot.com/

 Argive wrote:
Im going to have to paint this guys head and weapon so will probably use conventional brushes as hes all glued up and stuff. Magnetising the shoulder joints proved impossible for me

Watch some YouTube videos on masking.
Masking refers to covering whatever you don't want to apply paint. Then you can airbrush away, even if something is in close proximity and would catch overspray.

Masking material comes in many shapes and forms:
- very low tac self-adhesive tape, e.g. Tamiya Masking tape
- Liquid mask, a rubber like substance you brush on thick and can peel off later like a protective skin
- reused latex gloves or plastic sandwich bags (poke a hole through for a weapon barrel, sword or similar
- blu-tac or similar poster tac mass, which sticks better to itself than anything else.
- simple paper, cut to shape with scissors.

dawg thats some more great ideas! Cant believe I didn't think of a sandwich bag lol. I've got masking tape that I can de-tac

Edit. Turns out my compressor appears to have a regulator