Ace does a Thing - ETL 2016 - Vow 1 Completed!

[Forté]

With colours like orange you're better of painting them in thin layers over a colour like white or a light brown if you have one which covers well.

 

Always thin your paint a bit. Not in the pot but on a pallet of some kind. Plate, wall tile, one of those plastic or ceramic things you get from a craft shop. Personally, I go for a wet pallet as it helps to extend the drying time of the paint you are using to you waste less and it goes on the model smoother.

 

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.de/2013/07/how-to-wet-palette-20.html?m=1

[Ace Debonair]

Orange over light brown, you say?

Sage advice as always, Forte - I'll be sure to give it a try next time I have some devil orange to paint.

[Forté]

Orange over light brown, you say?

Sage advice as always, Forte - I'll be sure to give it a try next time I have some devil orange to paint.

Most importantly though. Thinner layers of paint. Build it up gradually.

[Ace Debonair]

I've already been doing that with the orange for my next few Warband Marines, as luck would have it.

It's still sort of blotchy in places, but I think putting a different colour underneath might be what finally breaks the Orange Curse.

Also the blotchy effect looks remarkably like wear & tear once the washes go on the shoulderpads, so I'm actually warming to the effect.

I'll also give the 'thinner paints' approach a try, for all that it goes against my 'just blob it on there' philosophy to painting.

I'm going to be conducting an experiment of sorts on a marine soon anyhow and don't see the harm in trying a few new ideas all at once.

[Forté]

Just make sure you don't have too much paint on the brush or you may flood the details. Practice makes perfect.

[Madwolf Shadowmane]

I use vermin brown as a base coat for my orange (mostly purity seals).  And on the subject of good advise, grey does not work well as a base coat for yellow.  I tried and the results were an epic fail. 

[Forté]

I use vermin brown as a base coat for my orange (mostly purity seals). And on the subject of good advise, grey does not work well as a base coat for yellow. I tried and the results were an epic fail.

Vermin brown works well. I would have suggested something closer to the old Iyanden Darksun. Have a look through the base range for something more sand coloured. Would work for orange and yellow (which is one of the most annoying colours to work with).

[Ace Debonair]

Yellow on black seems to work fine for me, but

I do, however, have a desert-y yellow colour, the name of which escapes me.

...I need to go find some chaos shoulder pads to try this on.

[Ace Debonair]

Did someone just say 'more dakka'?

'Cause the White Hawks heard you.

I have done a thing!

The Computer ate my last post because I took too long typing it, so I'll keep this one short.

The White Hawks don't make much use of squad markings or Chapter Iconography. They know who they are and which squads they operate in, and why give information like that to the enemy?

That said, the use of appropriately coloured avian imagery on equipment is a fairly common practice, as shown on these shoulder pads.

Those heavy bolters look so much cooler than the old ones that I simply had to own some.

Forgot to paint the ends of the barrels black. At least it's easily fixed!

What d'you guys think? Any good, or are there any horrible mistakes that need fixing?

[Madwolf Shadowmane]

Those two look really good.  My only gripe would be to drip out those barrels. 

[Forté]

Those two look really good. My only gripe would be to drip out those barrels.

Or you could try to drill out the barrels ;)

 

It does make a big difference when you do. But I have to admit. Your painting is coming on nicely.

[Ace Debonair]

Many thanks, guys.

Those heavy bolters were very much fun to paint!

Although I've just spotted a mould line that needs trimming, just when I thought I'd done all the fiddly bits. Blast!

Those two look really good. My only gripe would be to drip out those barrels.

Being cursed with clumsiness on a terrifying scale and jittery hands even on my best days, I'm not at all sure that's a good idea.

Emperor knows each bit of both those models took at least three attempts to get right.

Those two look really good. My only gripe would be to drip out those barrels.

Or you could try to drill out the barrels

It does make a big difference when you do. But I have to admit. Your painting is coming on nicely.

I've seen the effect, it's awesome when done right but looks terrible when not done to millimetre precision, although maybe I'm just being overly picky there.

In any case, I'll stick with painting the ends of the barrels black for the time being.

I was looking at One-eye's Horus Heresy thread with his incredible White Scars - the white he's managed is breathtaking. I'm not sure I'll ever reach that level given how comparatively little time I like to spend on a model, but it's a definite inspiration to keep trying.

My next planned project was going to be something rather different, except I forgot to order any more arms, torsos and shoulder pads to complete the models with.

Also, on closer inspection I'm a pair of legs short. So there might be some more Hawks or Cheat Marines first, depending on how much free time I actually get over the coming weekend.

[Ace Debonair]

On second thoughts, there's nothing stopping me from painting the bits I already have, even if I'm left waiting for more arms and stuff.

I have done a thing!

Or at least, I've sort of... started... a thing.

I actually also took about 10 pics of helmets I've painted - ones with eye lenses - that actually turned out almost good.

Unfortunately my camera trolled me marvellously by focusing instead on the paper behind them. Must have used the wrong incantation when powering it on, I guess.

As you can see, it's not the White Hawks I'm working on, nor is it the Easy-Mode-Cheat-Marines or my nephew's Champions of Athlum.

The first person who can guess the chapter these half-finished torsos belong to will earn themselves 10 Internet Bonus Points.

[Forté]

I still don't know how you manage to paint like that. But ifit works for you, keep at it.

[Ace Debonair]

I still don't know how you manage to paint like that. But ifit works for you, keep at it.

I use a brush, mostly.

I feel the same when I see fully assembled models that aren't painted. I'm just like 'but how are they going to paint behind the gun?'

[Forté]

I still don't know how you manage to paint like that. But ifit works for you, keep at it.

I use a brush, mostly.

I feel the same when I see fully assembled models that aren't painted. I'm just like 'but how are they going to paint behind the gun?'

That would be the "don't paint what you can't see" technique.

[Ace Debonair]

I still don't know how you manage to paint like that. But ifit works for you, keep at it.

I use a brush, mostly.

I feel the same when I see fully assembled models that aren't painted. I'm just like 'but how are they going to paint behind the gun?'

That would be the "don't paint what you can't see" technique.

So... is it weird that I paint EVERYTHING so that the model looks fine from every possible angle?

EDIT:

Apart from the insides of the torsos and shoulder pads, actually. But almost everything!

[Adra'Melek]

I usually paint at least the basecoat before assembling so that if I can't get a brush to a bit it's the right colour and dark like shadow. But then I put them together so I can see the whole thing. Oh and I always put the shoulder pads on at the very end.

[deathspectersgt7]

Things are looking Good Ace, DRILL OUT THOSE BARRELS PLEASE!!!!!

[Ace Debonair]

I usually paint at least the basecoat before assembling so that if I can't get a brush to a bit it's the right colour and dark like shadow. But then I put them together so I can see the whole thing. Oh and I always put the shoulder pads on at the very end.

Shoulder pads and / or helmet are the last bits to go on when I assemble models, with whatever's most awkward of the two going on earlier.

Things are looking Good Ace, DRILL OUT THOSE BARRELS PLEASE!!!!!

Many thanks, but I don't have the required tools for drilling barrels, no matter how much you shout at me.

I also don't have the required skill, but that's a whole different issue.

[deathspectersgt7]

Ok will over look then. Feel that way about paint sprayers.

[Forté]

I'm sure you do Ace. Selling yourself short.

[Ace Debonair]

No really, I don't have anything to drill the barrels out with.

I've tried glaring at the barrels and prodding them with the back of the paintbrush, but that's as much as I can do right now.

[Conn Eremon]

Perhaps try the other end, the one with some black paint on the tip?

[Ace Debonair]

But...But how's that going to drill the barrels out?

Eh, I don't even know what you guys want from me anymore - I'm going back to painting stuff. It's so much easier to figure out.

(Disclaimer: I totally know what you're talking about and I'm just acting stupid this time )

(Other Disclaimer: Note the use of 'this time' in the previous disclaimer )