Simple Volumetric Highlights

[space wolf]

So it appears that a lot of people either don't know how to do volumetric highlights or maybe slightly intimidated by them. I will tell you, these are far easier and less time consuming that GW's edge highlighting method. Now I am no means a painting expert, but I find for the average painter (like yours truly), this technique can quickly level up your painting (especially for space marines) by following a few simple steps:

 

Step 1: BASECOAT YOUR MINI - The mini you see below was primed black painted a medium blue. Then washed in a blue black wash, and stippled with more medium blue. This gives a mottled, dirty appearance. This isn't necessary, just what I choose to do with my ultramarines. Just paint them blue or whatever color you choose.

 

 

Step 2: THE FIRST HIGHLIGHT - Now, you want to take your base color, and maybe add a bit of white, or maybe you have a shade of color paint that is a bit lighter. It doesn't much matter here, it just needs to be a bit brighter than the main basecoat. Then you want to start thinking about how the light will hit your model. Usually, people paint models as if the sun is hitting them from above and at an angle. Keep in mind on a battlefield, there may be many light sources, so you don't necessarily be super perfect about this. Now, before we put on the first highlight, we need to imagine the model as a bunch of basic shapes. for a space marine, that primarily means "cylinders and spheres" The arms, legs and torsos, can be imagined as cylinders, and the heads and parts of the backback as a sphere. 

 

As you can see with a cylinder, the light tends to travel in a line horizontally to the cylinder. This is very useful when thinking about where to place highlights on vertical cylinders, like legs and arms in particular positions. If you want more information on this subject, I got this image from here.

 

 

Like the cylinder, light hits a sphere in a way that mimics the shape it is hitting.  So in the case of a sphere, the highlights are really small circles built on each other to the closest point of the reflection. Useful for helmets, knees, and backpack exhausts, etc.

 

 

As you can see here, I've placed the initial highlights. If you notice, I've kept them fairly scratchy. This is because I don't have time to wet blend or glaze to make the transition smooth between paint layers. So by doing it this way, it creates a more "painterly look" which will still look good, but is much simpler and less frustrating than the back and forth of glazing transitions.

 

Step 3: THE SECOND SMALLER HIGHLIGHT - If you look closely, my highlights are getting narrower. I've placed a highlight with more white (or just a lighter color) INSIDE the previous first highlight. Again, following the scratchy style. 

 

 

Step 4: THE FINAL HIGHLIGHT/OTHER DETAILS - You can certainly stop at 2 highlights, I do in the model seen here. However, I will show a photo of a model with three highlights. It of course takes a bit more time, but it just depends on how you want it to look. In the case of the Void Panther (purple marine) below, I did three highlights, because I wanted the marine to be BLUE but appear to be PURPLE in the right light, (like a black panther).

I've finished painting all the details, and even added battle damage.

Here, I basecoated with a dark blue, then lighter purple, followed by a 50/50 mix of white and purple, and finally, a 70/20/10 mix of White/Purple/Dark Blue (to cool down the highlights)

 

Step 5: A UNIFYING WASH (Optional) - Finally, if you have a mini where the highlights are just too bright from the basecoat, (or maybe on of your highlight layers shifts too drastically from light to dark) then you can do a unifying wash. This will tone down the highlights, and also helps each layer of highlight blend in together with everything. As you can see below, I actually used Streaking Grime (which is an lacquer based product.) I spread it all on, then used a sponge to wipe most of it off. However, in the case below, a brown wash of Agrax Earthshade or something similar would just as easily work. If memory serves, I believe in the case of the purple marine above, I used a blue wash to further unify the highlights with the base color.

As you can see, the brown wash, makes the model look grimey, but also unifies the highlights. Also adding a bit of weather on the feet, also helps it tie into the base. In the case of the Void Panther above, I used texture paint as mud to tie it into the jungle base.

 

 

And that's it. Its actually pretty easy one you've done it once. Just remember the highlight placement doesn't have to be perfect. Sure they are highlighted by the moon in the sky, but what about the headlights of the landraider they just got out of.  These highlights in my humble opinion, really make the models stand out much more, and they don't require perfect edges like edge highlighting does. I hope this helps.

 

Edited 8 hours ago by space wolf

[SvenIronhand]

Where would you put the highlights on a Wraithguard head? Asking for a friend.

EDIT: I think I figured it out, for the most part. Maybe worth hitting it with Nuln Oil or something like that. 

Edited 3 hours ago by SvenIronhand