Advice on making bright white more dull?

[Kilofix]

Think I'm going to paint more 30K Death Guard infantry this week as I wait to start on my GK list for ETL.

 

Had used GW Skull White primer with no other white layers on my last batch (see below) but the white came out a little bright. Does anyone have advice on making that bright white more 'dull' but without discoloring it too much?

 

Should I wash it with a little grey and Lahmian Medium?

 

I've otherwise also used watered Seraphim Sepia on the joints and edges and stippled Leadbelcher.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

[MagicMan]

*scratches head*

 

If you're attempting traditional Death Guard bone like colours, i'd just use heavier washes.

 

If you want white Death Guard, but slightly less white... A wash of whatever colour you'd like them to be more like would work. I suppose grey. Its a darker white after all. ;)

[Kilofix]

Maybe I was just hoping for a 'magic wash' that would not change the tone of the white but would make it less reflective / shiny.

 

Guess I'll have to experiment abit on a spare model.

[Fibonacci]

The white I used on my Sisters is not too hard to replicate.  I used one of the tutorials here as a basis.  In a nut shell, prime white, nulin oil wash around the plate edges, base coat space wolf grey (it has a cool, blue tint I like; pick a light grey you like) glaze with Ulthuan grey and dry brush skull white.

 

It is even easier than it sounds.

 

Pure white and solid black are the hardest colors to give any depth to.  The trick is to not use them, but base a few shades off and work up to it.

[Kilofix]

The white I used on my Sisters is not too hard to replicate.  I used one of the tutorials here as a basis.  In a nut shell, prime white, nulin oil wash around the plate edges, base coat space wolf grey (it has a cool, blue tint I like; pick a light grey you like) glaze with Ulthuan grey and dry brush skull white.

 

It is even easier than it sounds.

 

Pure white and solid black are the hardest colors to give any depth to.  The trick is to not use them, but base a few shades off and work up to it.

 

Sounds good - I'll try that for this next batch.

[averykess]

I usually reserve white for the upper highlights. 

 

Paint a very light grey, pick out the seams/lines with a medium grey wash (Concrete wash formula from Les at AwesomePaintJob.com), highlight with the pure white.  I did this on my Raven Guard Sternguard.  Pic is kinda blurry, sorry

 

[Kais Klip]

You’ve got a solid white going on there, throw on a 50/50 diluted wash of any colour and it will come out real nice; washes come into their own league when thrown on stuff like yours. 

[Greyshift]

Mig does a filter called 'grey for bright white' that might be just what you're looking for

[Daevyll]

Try a highly diluted wash of Agrax 1:4 or so with Lahmian medium. I think one of the reasons the white looks bright is because it has no color contamination. You won't really change that with grey, as it also has no colors just white and black. Agrax has a brown tinge, and brown is the ultimate contaminator, being made up of all colors. 

[Secretpaintgeek]

Might be a dumb question but I'll ask anyway. Why not just used a different white? There are loads of paints you can get that are a off white colour and so will get you straight to where you need to be rather than having to slap on washes. Vallejo model colour have a few that I have used in the past and they are great. You also have a lot of options with the model colour as they do a blue white, grey white, brown white and so on.

[Kilofix]

Might be a dumb question but I'll ask anyway. Why not just used a different white? There are loads of paints you can get that are a off white colour and so will get you straight to where you need to be rather than having to slap on washes. Vallejo model colour have a few that I have used in the past and they are great. You also have a lot of options with the model colour as they do a blue white, grey white, brown white and so on.

 

Good point - I've been hesitant about using a different white only because tone-wise (if that's a word), I still wanted it white. Just not as shiny / reflective.

 

But maybe grey white is an option.

 

Going to experiment separately using a water'ed down shade, or using a grey-white base or using Fibo's layering with grey first then white last.

 

Thanks for all the opinions.

[CovertToaster]

I use grey, highlighted with white, and then a white dry brush to make the everything slightly whiter and blur the transition from the highlight. Any grey's will work so find something you like.

[Secretpaintgeek]

 

Might be a dumb question but I'll ask anyway. Why not just used a different white? There are loads of paints you can get that are a off white colour and so will get you straight to where you need to be rather than having to slap on washes. Vallejo model colour have a few that I have used in the past and they are great. You also have a lot of options with the model colour as they do a blue white, grey white, brown white and so on.

 

Good point - I've been hesitant about using a different white only because tone-wise (if that's a word), I still wanted it white. Just not as shiny / reflective.

 

But maybe grey white is an option.

 

Going to experiment separately using a water'ed down shade, or using a grey-white base or using Fibo's layering with grey first then white last.

 

Thanks for all the opinions.

 

You could still keep it "white" by using a pure white for the highlights and that way the shiny sort of effect would add to it rather than detract.

Anyway, good luck with the experimentation and I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with in the end.

 

SPG