Help with washes.

[ServoBadger]

Hi. This is going to be a very basic question because when it comes to painting I am an utter idiot.

 

I've been looking at various painting guides that tell me to wash the whole model, and then show a picture of a model with a nice even colour with the wash settling into the recesses.

 

When I do this I get a blotchy, dirty effect where the wash has either dried in pools, or the model is covered in brush marks from where I've tried to stop it doing this.

 

Can someone please treat me like the idiot that I am and tell me simply how to wash a model all over without this happening?

 

Feel free to mock me as much as you like as long as you tell me what to do!

[Lucien Eilam]

First of all, make sure it's very well shaken before you start. They tend to separate a bit in the pot.

 

If it's drying in pools or leaving tide marks, you're probably putting too much on at once. Two thin coats is better than one thick one.

 

And if your brush is leaving marks in a wash, it's probably too thick, whether because it's badly mixed, dried out in the pot, or a bad batch. Normally you can use them straight from the pot, but if it's happening a lot, try adding a drop of water.

 

Have you watched any of the GW painting videos? They're pretty good for showing the right consistency for the paint and the sort of technique you should be using, much better than before and after pictures or trying to explain it in words.

[ServoBadger]

Thanks for the reply. I have watched the videos but the results I get are nothing like what I see there.

 

In the old days I would spray my Blood Angels skull white, paint them blood red and give them an all over wash with red ink, which evened out the blood red coverage. This doesn't seem to work at all with the new paints and washes.

[Rik Lightstar]

All of what Lucian said!

 

Plus, when you apply any paint or wash, keep in mind that more of the paint or wash will tend to be applied at the end of your brush stroke than at the start. So try to apply your wash starting from the area that will be light and moving towards the recess.

 

Also consider using an acrylic thinner or medium along with or instead of the water when thinning the wash.

 

Rik

[Lucien Eilam]

In the old days I would spray my Blood Angels skull white, paint them blood red and give them an all over wash with red ink, which evened out the blood red coverage. This doesn't seem to work at all with the new paints and washes.

 

Washes don't really act like inks. You want a glaze for that method - try Bloodletter - although again, multiple thin coats will yield better results than one thick one.

[Grotsmasha]

Also be aware that there are Washes and there are Shades. Washes run into recesses, Shades on the other hand shade an entire layer, with even covering. A LOT of people say "wash" when they should say "shade". Try picking up a Shade of the correct colour and tryinmg that.

 

Cheers,

Jono

[Lucien Eilam]

That's not right. Shades are what GW call their washes. Glazes cover evenly.

[ServoBadger]

Will using a glaze give any depth at all in the recesses?

[Lucien Eilam]

Only a tiny bit. You can use both though: a coat of glaze to strengthen and even out the red, and a wash to provide shading.

[ServoBadger]

So glaze first, then wash into the recesses, not the whole model?

 

Thanks again for the replies. I will never be a good painter (been trying since the Rogue Trader days, no talent whatsoever) but it's frustrating (and expensive) to ruin model after model.

[Guiltysparc]

Whenever i use a whole model method with washes, which is most of the time, i always go back and paint the base color over everything except where i want the shadows.  It sounds like maybe you are wanting to use the wash and then be done, which you can do but you have to take more care in its application.

[Lucien Eilam]

As long as the wash is thin enough, and not applied in too great a quantity, you should be able to paint it all over the model and it will naturally run where it's supposed to be. Just keep an eye out for any areas where it's pooling that shouldn't be in shadow, and wick it away with a damp brush before it starts to dry.

 

I would usually glaze then wash, but you'll get slightly different effects depending on which you do first. If you glaze second, it will tint the shading, which is useful with some colours but undesirable with others.

 

I've never had much talent for painting, but practice goes a long way. You can usually find job lots of old snap-fit Space Marines on eBay for pennies, plenty of opportunity to try things out with ruining an expensive model. And nothing has to be forever - there's always paint stripping.