Painting black, looking "empty"

[ImperialReaper]

I am currently trying (yes trying is the right wiod) to paint my army.

 

Sorry that I did not include any pics, but I always get some error massages that there is something wrong with the url I provide so...

 

My Army shall look like Black Templars basicly. The main difference is that all the decorations (skulls, Wings) and also the shoulder trims are in shiny gold.

 

My problem now is that after having painted everything the figure somehow still look pretty hmm lets say bare. Especialy the lower part of the model makes this impression since it is in contrast to the heavy gold and white colored upper part. I took a look at the black templar codex and none of those fugures makes this impression, even if they also are just plance chaos black except from the parts i colored too. Much to my regret I am unable to determine why my models look so bare compared to those in the codex (except from the difference in painting quality).

 

By the way:

I am still not shure weather to paint the shoulder patterns white with a black cross, or to make them blood red. White is a great contrast to the black model, but looks a little bit like a navy guy with the golden trims. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks a lot

Tony

[The Normish]

I'm not sure about the emptiness thing. Mine are also in Chaos Black, but they seem fine (maybe it's the red backpacks). Perhaps if you painted the belt buckles, or maybe the backpack a different color?

And, coincidentally, my guys also have gold trim and red shoulders (although it's a darker red, and they have golden fists).

[Red Fury]

I'd suggest doing dark grey edge highlights. I don't like drybrushing black, it ends up looking grey, but some edge highlights will help. I did my DC and chappy this way with an even brighter grey highlight on some select tips.

 

like this guy: http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll275/RedFury77/Lemartes.jpg?t=1274838724

 

I've also done some testing with a white undercoat and a couple layers of badab black wash. I was really liking the results but then just one wash too many and the model is just totally black with no highlights...maybe I'll try again someday with a grey undercoat.

 

-Fury

[Hemal]

Some really thin edge effects alqays help - either using codex grey mixed with black, necron abyss or another color would be great - you can even use Space Wolves greay and unify with the base coat with a mix of badab black and depending on tint, devlan mud, asurmen blue or leviathan purple...

I'll post some pics of my B&C captain (which I stopped painting when i had a car accident....back in January!!) when I get home.

[ImperialReaper]

Highlights are a brilliant Idea. I guess the plane black model just looked "empty" because the dark black just made all the distinctive edges and details disappear.

 

I once tried to highlight and the guys at the store recommended some kind of dark blue. It but looked horrible so I did not try it again.

 

Since I am not to expreienced at painting - can I use just codex grey without mixing it with chaos black if i just draw a very thin line? Or would the contrast be to strong?

Are there any noob-fiendly how to`s to highlighting?

[Red Fury]

I've done the blue before (on eldar dark reapers) not a big fan, it makes them look like a very dark blue instead of a highlighted black.

 

You can try the codex grey without mixing, I think it'll look ok if you don't overdo it. Just stick to the most pronounced areas instead of every single edge. If it is too bright you can try going over it with a badab black wash.

 

One thing about trying to highlight with citadel paints is that they are fairly thick and should really be thinned so that the highlights don't end up looking thick. It is really easy to thin it even if you've never done it before so don't fret. You just need a surface to use as a pallet, like a old cd or a tile or tin foil or even just newspaper (although paper leaches the moisture out of the paint so it is kinda counter productive). Take a bit of paint out of the pot just using your paint brush and make a little puddle on your pallet. Then dip your brush into your clean rinse water and stir it into the little puddle of paint you made.

 

Here is the thing, you don't need it super thin or anything. Just add a tad of water so that it comes off the brush better then it normally does. The biggest problem people seem to have when they go to thin paints is just overdoing it. You are not aiming for that 'thin as milk' consistency or anything like that. If you were using a dropper bottle I'd probably start with 2 drops of paint and 1 drop of water, and thicken with more paint or thin with more water from there. And then, when you go to paint, just make sure to wipe off the excess paint from your brush to maintain control.

 

I hope I didn't make that seem more complicated then it really is (I did :devil: ). But it will help you achieve a nice thin highlight.

 

Here is Les painting a Black Templar (part 1) :

 

Alexandra explains it a little better here :

 

-Fury

[TrentL]

Thanks I've been wondering how to do the same thing on my lemartes and I'm going to try and use the "imagine the light source" for him, then its off to paint death company...