I thought it might be interesting to have a few general painting topics in the 6mm section.

Although painting techniques don't really change, sometimes how we, as painters of smaller scale models, use the techniques might be slightly different than the same techniques being applied to larger models. I find the smaller the area a paint covers, the denser and darker the finshed color looks on the gaming table from a realistic viewing distance (I'm not just trying for a nice mini on a macro zoomed photo, I want stuff to look like more than a dark smudge durning the game)

I use washes as one of my final steps in painting a minature, sometimes I will apply a highlight after the wash but if I can avoid it I will. Since small scale is all about the army (lots of models) not so much the individual model anything that saves time is a plus in my book.

I plan for the wash right from the start of the project. I almost never use a black base coat anymore, almost always use the was to add 'depth' and 'shading'. For lighter schemes I use a white base and I use grey base for darker schemes. For my primary color of the model I usually go a shade or two lighter than I want, counting on my wash coat not only to 'shade' but also to inevitably darken the minature slightly. I also find that using a lighter shade of the final color I am attempting to achieve will sometimes at the smaller scale will produce a high light as a side effect.

When using washes to shade I have of late been consulting a 'color wheel;' to select the shade instead of just always running to black and brown (or a mixture of the two). Complementary pairs are: red & green, blue & orange, yellow & violet. I have found that use of completentary pairs in wash shading provides shading without the 'mudding' effect that can somethimes come with use of black and brown washes.

Through experimentation I have found that mixing different media into the wash produce different effects.

Sometimes, if I am looking to 'tone down' the entire model I mix a drop of dish soap (sodium laurel sulphate based) to a cup of water. The I will use this water solution to dilute my washes. The addition of the sodium laurel sulphate based soap breaks up surface tension and helps the wash smoothly coat the entire surface, it also cuts down on puddling and blotching. I usually dilute the wash by 50%. I'd much rather have to wash twice than end up with too dark of a wash.

If I want to drive the wash directly into the cracks and crevices of the model and not coat the surface I use Pledge Floor Care with Future Shine (as marketed in the USA, I believe this is sold elsewhere under different names) I mix Future and water 1 to 1 the cut the wash by 50% with that mix. I would imagine the clear acrylic polymer in Future acts to increase surface tension, driving the pigments into the recesses and leaving a clear gloss finish (somewhat like the old Citadel Inks did)

Hope some of this info helps, and that others add more wash techniques and observations to this thread.

That sounds good- do you have some pictures of Epic figures you have painted up with these complementary pairs for washes.

At the moment I am still in undercoating black phase but a friend has used washes over white undercoat so that is something I should consider in future. Does this apply to both Epic infantry and vehicles? I am especially interested in how it works with Epic infantry as I struggle the most to paint these.

Cheers

James

Squats: base coat white spray paint, brown wash (Badab Black 25%,Delven Mud 25%, distilled water with drop of dish detergent 50%) technique idea from forum member Onyx http://onyxworkshop.wordpress.com/epic- ... e-marines/


Chimera: Grey primer, reddish orange base, green wash (Thraka Green 50%, distilled water 50%) Doesn't look green, does it?


Epic scale infantry: Grey primer, reddish orange (Blood Red/Macharius Solar Orange) paint, chainmail paint, green wash (thrakka green 50%, distilled water with drop of dish detergent 50%) Wash coated smoothly thanks to surfacant (liquid dish soap)

Leviathn Purple wash with Pledge Floor Care with Future Shine (50% wash, 25% distilled water, 25% Future)

The wash was 'driven' right into the depressions by the Future.

Hopefully some other painters will chip in some techniques (and photos) too.

Let's see, for lazy people like myself, washes are a gift.

We can go down the line with some examples.

Steel Legion/Cadians

Black Primer. The metal has a Chainmail overbrush, and Badab Black wash. The other areas are mostly drybrushed. Edit - the Gold is shining gold with a Gryphonne Sepia wash. /edit This is the 2nd oldest epic paint scheme I haven't changed (my Eldar are coming later, and are in the process of being repainted, and my Baran barely use washes).

Minervans:

Fenris Grey undercoat with Codex Grey flashes, metal overbrushed with Chainmail, and hit everything with Badab.

Vanaheim:

Primed white. Desert Yellow undercoat with Gryphonne Sepia wash and a second wash of Gryphonne in the panel lines on the Valkyries. The Infantry got a wash of Gryphonne over Desery yellow, and some Devlan Mud in a few deep recesses.

Eldar:

White Primer. Blazing Orange with Baal Red wash, Mordian Blue with Asurmen Blue wash, and Dheneb Stone with Devlan Mud wash. An interesting comparison can be drawn here between the Wave Serpent and the Wraithguard. The Wraithguard are painted almost identically to the Serpent, except the Serpent has Ogryn Flesh wash on the orange instead of Baal Red. A significant difference.

Finally, and not strictly Epic, but another good example, BFG Tyranids:

The only things on these I painted are the Claws, Carapace, and Engine (not visible). The entire lower section got a single coat of Leviathan Purple over white Primer. The carapace was basecoated with Hormagaunt Purple, washed with Leviathan, the edges picked out with Shadow grey, hit with levaithan again, and finally edged with Shadow grey (again) then Space wolves grey in a streaky pattern. The claws are basecoated in Bleached bone, washed with Ogryn Flesh, then progressively highlighted with Bleached Bone and skull white.

Now my fingers are tired and I must rest.

_________________
SG

Ghost's Paint Blog, where everything goes that isn't something else.

Very intresting thread
thanks for sharing

I got inspired by Onyx painting blog several times,
it is a great help for amateurs.

Wow, really like the Chimera, green wash? really? very nice.

I'm about to start painting some Steel Legion and plan on using a white (Gesso) primer, tinted with black to give light grey, then apply washes, so that I rely less on dry brushing, can't use the complimentary color thing for those but will definitely try on something else.

Thanks for the tips