How to basecoat with tricky paints (metallic, poor coverage)

[Kastor Krieg]

I've just painted the gold armour on a squad of Custodes and I've done that without an airbrush, in under an hour of calm work. They are crisp, fully coloured, smooth Retributor Gold which came off the brush really badly. A simple trick allowed for this effect.

We need a wet palette (you can find instructions everywhere on the net - I use the Citadel grass tuft box, some paper towels and a sheet of baking parchment) and some very special, but thankfully easily available and cheap brushes. These brushes are flat eye shadow (yes, not artistic or hobby, but MAKEUP brushes!). These are syntetics, with very thickly places thin bristles, which are overall fairly rigid, but their tips are very smooth and nice to the touch, almost fluffy. This is what makes them ideal - I bought mine in a Hebe or Rossman drugstore, you can buy these anywhere you buy makeup stuff, just ask for eye shadow blending brushes. They should be very cheap, I bought these for an equivalent of $2.

You need to take a minimal amount, just a drop, of paint out of the cup and place it on the wet palette. Then smear it around so it stays on the bristles and doesn't leak (make sure there's not too much of paint or water, it should NOT flow). Afterwards do a heavy drybrush ("overbrush") of the areas that are supposed to be basecoloured with this paint. Use two thin layers (cheers, Duncan!) if required, Retributor Gold over black primer was a very pale gold on the first layer, only after second it shone properly. Just make sure the paint doesn't gather in recesses and by the detail, smear it around and try to use "mashing" motion, too. The brush is made for that and this makes the pigment placement a lot smoother.

This technique works with all the paint that is a bastard to base with - yellows, red, etc.

 

http://i.imgur.com/xelN6B8.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/aYjuDau.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/D2O28GQ.jpg

[AndrewChristlieb]

Nice tip brother, I wouldn't have thought of using makeup brushes! Of course now my wife will have one more reason to dispise my modeling :D

 

Side note, does that lantern come with the Custodes? I have a feeling some of my Templars would love those.

[Kastor Krieg]

Nice tip brother, I wouldn't have thought of using makeup brushes! Of course now my wife will have one more reason to dispise my modeling

Side note, does that lantern come with the Custodes? I have a feeling some of my Templars would love those.

Well, I've just made good on my girlfriend making me go into a makeup shop with her, she actually loved the idea of adapting some of the tools from there. If only I had a way of making all the sparkly glorious eye shadows stick on a miniature! :D

The lantern is off one of the Stormcast heroes, which is a double-model. Mine came with the Silver Tower and these were leftovers, so I got inspired :D

[Kastor Krieg]

It's from this kit, Knight Azyros, it was a Hero Pack for Silver Tower, the first one. It's available separately, but the pack is a bargain if you like the other models.

http://www.tabletopencounters.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/KnightAzyros-side-view.jpg

There's also a lantern like that in the Lord Castellant set:

You might like my Chaplain, Marshal On Bike and Brother Initiate then

http://i.imgur.com/SeacrHs.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bxEXCbi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9T8FRyI.jpg

[AndrewChristlieb]

I love the conversions and have considered some of my own, but the stormcast models always struck me as terminator sized and I've got a ton of them to figure out already

[Kastor Krieg]

I love the conversions and have considered some of my own, but the stormcast models always struck me as terminator sized and I've got a ton of them to figure out already

They are perfect for "TrueScale" conversions.

[Daigo Cannon]

I have found that glace medium let the metallic paints flow more easily(Vallejo metallic). Paint remains without clogs more time and transfer more easily, I have done this since then and able to paint small metallic details on my UM.

[Wendigo]

These rounded, soft-bristled makeup brushes also work well for applying weathering powders, or graphite shaved off a pencil.  They are also good for drybrushing.

 

*Edit: added second sentence

[Kastor Krieg]

I have found that glace medium let the metallic paints flow more easily(Vallejo metallic). Paint remains without clogs more time and transfer more easily, I have done this since then and able to paint small metallic details on my UM.

 

 

These rounded, soft-bristled makeup brushes also work well for applying weathering powders, or graphite shaved off a pencil.  They are also good for drybrushing.

 

*Edit: added second sentence

I can attest to the both of the above. Well spotted, Brothers.

[Stoic Raptor]

I've never tried those brushes, but I do find that gold covers better (and looks richer! if it's undercoated with brown first (Mournfang Brown works well for this).