Freehand Scripture; How Do I?

[shortysl]

I suspect this should be in PCA, but I've seen the amazing WIP blogs of a number of members of the Dark Angels forum and I'm loathe to trust anyone else to teach me.

 

If Stobz or Bryan Blaire could see their way to responding to me, that would be amazing but I know my brothers here on the forums are hiding talent of their own.

 

I'm constantly striving to improve the quality of my own models and lately I've been thinking more and more about script on the flatter surfaces of my larger models. I'm happy enough with highlighting and ink washing on my infantry but if anyone could see their way to providing me with even a brief tutorial on how to do freehand work (primarily script), they would have the eternal thanks of this humble Dark Angel. 

 

Who knows, it may even inspire me to start posting some WIP pictures of my own!

 

To any and all who choose to contribute, thank you. Knowledge is Power, and I live for the glory of the First!

[Interrogator Stobz]

Huzzah!!! You ask and I shall appear

I use ink instead of paint, for the really squiggly small stuff I just vibrate my hand as I go along ( used to do it upside down to have the glug that might form accidentally after a brush stroke become the capital of the unseen letter), for the biggest readable words I often prewrite with pencil, for the stuff in between I just smash it on, but I've had a bit of practice now

It is a good idea to use block capitals and to consider whether or not your words have even or odd letters prior to going for it to help with spacing and to keep things symetrical/balanced etc. You can go back and add other bits once the basic text is on the model.

Use a really sharp pencil (not an automatic one) to practice 3-4mm lettering on paper as a drill. Another practice drill is drawing a line then drawing a line within the thickness of that line, then another within the thickness of that line, etc. etc...

Once you're happy, break out the smallest brush you have (with short bristles), rip half the bristles out and begin practicing again....

Then paint like youv'e got a pair

stobz

[IndigoJack]

I do the same thing Stobz does, just remember to matte varnish it afterwards so it isn't so shiny. As far as the type of pen goes, I use a pigma micron 005 for actual letters and a pigma brush pen for purity seal scripts. I like the brush pen because I can vary the thickness of my lines based off the pressure I apply to it.

[wheelballer]

I personally don't have anywhere near the talent to paint lettering, real or fake.

So I use paint pens from a craft shop. They're acrylic paint pens with a normal pen tip. So making the really small squigly letters becomes a simple as it would be for a pen/pencil drawing. I tend to avoid actually legible wording so people can't tell.

[shortysl]

I personally don't have anywhere near the talent to paint lettering, real or fake.

So I use paint pens from a craft shop. They're acrylic paint pens with a normal pen tip. So making the really small squigly letters becomes a simple as it would be for a pen/pencil drawing. I tend to avoid actually legible wording so people can't tell.

To be fair, that actually sounds like the kind of thing I'd be best doing. I don't need it to be legible, I simply need it to look like script. The few attempts I have made in the past have ended up looking like someone with a paint brush has painted random scribbles onto a model. Funny that.......

Legibility can be something that comes later (much later), once I've got the basics under my belt and I'm feeling brave.