N1SB Labs: Casting Dramatic Shadows on Genestealer Hybrids

[N1SB]

I experiment with painting techniques. Every model is just a new test subject to me now. Some are successful. Many are not. All provide useful data (even if it's just never do THIS again). Having incurred the costs in money & time, sweat & gears, I share my findings with you freely now.

+++ Overview +++

Today's experiment: how to create dramatic lighting and use negative space on a miniature.

The return of Genestealer Hybrids, who had been absent since 1st edition Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, was very exciting to me. To celebrate their comeback, I wanted to emulate the art style in which they were originally depicted in games like Space Hulk, where they emerge from the shadows. Other things I looked to was things like the Sin City comic/film, using black negative space.

It turns out, not only does it look pretty good IMHO, it's also very easy to speed-paint:

+++ Methods and Materials +++

The technique is mostly just drybrushing directly onto a black basecoat. Here's my process for these Genestealer Hybrids:

1. Assemble model and spray very thoroughly with a very matte black basecoat. This will be the natural shadow effect.

2. Drybrush a very matte purple on the skin areas of the Genestealer Hybrids from above and from the front

3. Drybrush skintone on those same skin areas, again from above and from the front, leaving some matte purple

4. Drybrush a blueish colour for their suits from above and from the front. I actually used a turquoise colour.

5. Drybrush greys on their weapons. IMHO, avoid metallic paints; their glitter ruins the illusion of hard shadows.

6. BONUS - drybrush a bright yellow in the area around those shoulder lamps, creating a lighting effect there:

Hopefully, you'll notice the areas around their shoulder lamps is brighter, with an artificial yellow light, shown by these side photos.

You'll probably also notice their lower bodies are still matte black from the basecoat. The reason is I imagine them running through shadows, like in underground tunnels. By drybrushing from above gives them the impression that there is overhead lighting, further augmented from their shoulder lamps.

Basically, if your drybrushing cannot easily reach parts of the miniature...neither can the light. That's exactly why you should leave it black, as that's where the shadows will naturally fall. It's like you're not painting the full model, you're only painting the parts that would be natural for light to fall on instead, saving you time while creating a cool effect.

The only things to avoid are basically glossy paints and having too much paint on your brush. Dry those bristles thoroughly before applying. You should not be able to see any colour on the miniature after the 1st flick over the black basecoat, it should start being visible after the 2nd or 3rd.

It's very fast to do. I painted an original batch of 10, while experimenting and making notes, basically in 1 night.

+++ Conclusions +++

These new Genestealer Hybrids are such great sculpts, which is why this dramatic shading effect works with them.

Meanwhile, I really came to understand and appreciate their original colour scheme of blues and purples. Those colours naturally suit shadows; many objects in dark areas appear with a blue hue, whereas skin is kinda purple; I suppose that's why makeup eye shadow often has a purple pigment. For the art they were doing at the time, with Genestealers emerging from darkness, it was probably the optimal colour mix.

It's such a simple technique I'm embarrassed by my write-up; there's not much to say. It just works so well IMHO.

[Pearson73]

That's worked really well, the strong contrasts really draw the eye to the details.

[FlamingDeth]

I feel like these pictures don’t really do them justice and we’d need to see them in person to truly grasp how the paint job works. It’s tricky to tell what shadows are painted on and which are natural. It might not show them off properly, but do you think there’s a possibility of a photo from the front with the dreaded flash? It probably wouldn’t be the most flattering view of them but I think it would help show where the drybrushing hit.

 

Overall from what I can tell though it’s a very effective and dramatic shadow effect you have there.

[N1SB]

It might not show them off properly, but do you think there’s a possibility of a photo from the front with the dreaded flash?

Good point, thanks for suggesting this, will try tonight.

EDIT - picture taken, omg the dreaded flash, it really doesn't put miniatures under the best light: