Hi folks,

I tried in the past to use the Slap Chop technique on Aeldari guardians. It has not been that convincing. Lack of practice? Misunderstanding of the basics of the techniques? Lack of talent? (I personaly vote for the 3 of these). 

I am anyway a little bit stubborn, so I decided to go back traying to apply it. This time on big models: the KT Plasma Generatorium.

Looked like being a fun idea at principle. This is what I´ve learned.

1. You need a precise idea of the targeted result and main colour in order to select wisely the base coat and the drybrush sequences

2. It may render Meeww if you do not properly complete the step 1

3. To avoid the management of anger resulting of step 2, it is advisable getting a test texturized pallet o a test model first

4. On big models it is a very nice way to get some weathering without doing any kind of weathering step - Thanks to transparency of Contrast colours or equivalentyou can reach a table top ready aspect easily.

Where are these learnings coming from? Let´s rewind the tape to teh start of this project.

The idea was to get a bright red plasma container in order to bring some glit´ & pop´ on the table top.

The recipe has been:

- Spray coat with what I had available at the moment, a German uniform green-grey spray can

- 3 Dry brushes with clearer colours on top to darker on the bottom: Sky grey - A darker grey (Mechanicum)- Eshin Grey

- Light coat of Fleshtearer red and then insisiting with a second light coat of the same on top section

- As the scaling of colours was not really looking like a camaieu, I dry brushed with a gore red on top, to exhibit better the edges. 

If you look carefully, or if you really pretend saying you see something, you might note a subtle change from bottom to top. But let´s be frank: the Flesh tearer red is too strong, or the dry brushed based coat is too dark/not contrasted enough, to allow the red to present a clear scaling of hue. I tried to put some dirt by stamping in dry brush mode some brown on the bottom - mud like.

So, second attempt with a colour which I know has a high grade of transparency: Bad moon yellow.

And I applied the same steps but with a change in the dry brusing sequence: 3 Dry brushes with clearer colours on top an darker on the bottom: white - A darker grey (Mechanicum:Sky grey 50:50)- Eshin Grey. And I made here or there some more extreme stamping with brown and nblack spots. Then I applied the yellow Contrast colour.

Result evolved in time, with yellow truning greenish in some areas. But the fina result was more convincing in terms of presenting various scales of yellows and leaving visible sone oxide like spots. Quite good even if quite dirty. 

But characterful enough to bring some eye catching element on a table top. Rest of the story is detailing coils, metalic parts and pipes; once again, my philosophy for such scenery eleemnets uis not to get a complete painting of all details. Enough to bring depth, but I do not see the point painting all pipes details and cables... The global aspect is globally OK - or at least I eneded up satisfied. I even decided to keep the red container as it is. After painting the yellow one, I used the red one as a test model for the coils, and once done, the overall aspect looked OK. So, I took the decision not to repaint.

Thank you for reading and see you next time with other instalement of my CTA24 vow