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Painting is hard


Wraith01

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I'm also at this stage.

 

I've found the nack is to do thin coats, but if your getting bubbles you've gone too thin. The Warhammer TV how to paint stormcast eternals video is an excellent primer.

 

Metal paint seems to be good with anywhere from 1-3 coats, whilst things like Zandri Dust need many (6-10) coats to cover black.

 

When it comes to detail, i'm not really at that stage yet. But i'm sure we can compare and share tips!

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I'm by no means any expert, but the trick I found easiest when I started was to paint each 'section' and then use a wash or two. For example, with troops I would paint skin all one colour, then use another for armour (silver), cloth (green) etc, and then paint details with a colour to compliment the colour that dominates the largest area (red or yellow in this example). You end up using about 3-4 colours.

Then I'd use 1-2 washes that match the two most used colours (skin and cloth usually).

you can use lighter versions of the colours you initially used to 'dry brush' over the top for highlights. By no means the best technique, but it makes it easy to cover mistakes, so you don't need to worry about being precise with the details.

What are you trying to paint at the moment?

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There's a few things to remember when painting. Firstly is have fun, don't let it stress you out. Secondly, thin your paints. Thirdly follow a guide when your starting, the GW ones are good, look at YouTube vids and blogs and also ask for feedback on sites like this or Twitter using the #warmongers hashtag. Everyone is always learning and most are happy to share in the learning process 

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I'm certainly not a great painter but have come to really enjoy it. I highly recommend playing with washes. They can make the process really easy, if unsophisticated. On certain models they're pretty appropriate too. For example, you can get nice-looking Nurgle daemon models with a simple undercoat of light green or white and then an all-over wash of dark green. You can detail it up as much as you want from there but in terms of starting out and wanting to see results, washes are the way to go, in my opinion. No fine hand skill needed, you're just undercoating and then dunking the model basically.

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All of the comments above mentioned thin coats and washes so I won't repeat them. I am by no means a good painter and I go cross eyed trying to paint the small details on minis. My best tip is to get yourself aN LED lamp with a built in magnifying glass. The lightwo helps and the magnification mages it easier to get the smallest details. Lastly like others have said, patience, dedication and practice. 

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2 hours ago, Wraith01 said:

Love all your replies! 

I'm painting the Khorne Bloodbound from the starter set. I did get bubbles once. The Warhammer TV is my guide but I'm simplifying it to 3 base colors and 2 layer colors. I have to go buy shades. 

I think I said this to someone on here before but one of the things that made me a better painter was learning to not fear making mistakes - you can always go over them and not worrying about being perfectly neat with the basecoat can really speed things up. 

When you get the shades going you'll be amazed at what they will do to your miniatures.

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The thing that helped me the most is having the TV on in the background. My painting became a little slower but getting through a few series of Castle made the whole process more enjoyable. A comfortable, well lit working space is also important. 

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i find a 'wet palet' helpt keep the paint wet and thin. A great brush also gives you an edge. I've only recently bought a Windsors series 7 brush and should have done so a lot earlier.

but the best way to get better is lots of practice and getting inspired by others. 

Share your progress too, as positive feedback is a great way to stay motivated. This site is very kind to new painters and is a great source for good advice

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41 minutes ago, elfhead said:

A great brush also gives you an edge. I've only recently bought a Windsors series 7 brush and should have done so a lot earlier

This is really good advice. It seems silly to think that a brush can improve the work, but when you start you often buy a cheaper brush thinking it's just a starting point, but a better brush makes getting the paint in the right place much easier, thus making painting easier! Plus one good No1 or 2 brush can do an entire mini if it holds a really good point. 

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Few advices from me:

1. all above are very good

2.putting photos of WIP for constructive criticism is helpful, do not be afraid all of us once started and suck at it so we will advice you and keep the spirit up.

3.go to an artist store and buy brushes there, also care about them, you can paint as best as the brush lets you so clean them. You may also like to buy special medium (vallejo for example)

4.do not be afraid to use simple but effective technics, like dry brushing (best painters use it for things like metal or fur so can you)

I am a decent painter now, no master class, but at the beginning I was no better than the 4 y.o. with time you will be better as we all :D

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I would definitely second a lot of advice on here, with thinning your paints and using a decent brush. I use, instead of water a tiny bit of Vallejo thinner medium, this gives your paint a more consistent finish. You really need to get some washes, you will be amazed at how well these will bring your colours and the whole mini to life! If you are not thinking of highlighting, I would recommend, before applying the washes, do a very very light dry brush over the armour and clothes using the highlight colours. The washes will then help blend it all together. 

If you don't want to use more than one wash, then Nuln Oil will be your best friend. If you do want to use various washes, then I recommend starting by getting Nuln Oil, Agrax Earthshade and Reikland Fleshshade, these are the three you will use for most and can be used for anything really.

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Painting is awesome and there are many different ways to make it quicker, easier or more rewarding. It's always difficult to start something new, especially when you get a bit older because you want better results straight away even though you are fully aware from the 'learn from mistakes' mindset, it annoys you if its not right. I think to start off with it is all about trying to be as neat as you can and block in main colours painting by numbers style. Once this has been done a quick wash and then reapplication of the original colour or highlights can do wonders although not necessary. The wash helps fuzz the difference between the colours and can disguise times where you may have been messy, and the more models you paint, the better your brush control will become. Most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing, you'll get great results pretty quickly.

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I got into the hobby about three years ago (I did it as a 10-year old but that didn't count) and my first models were horrible painting up so I wouldn't worry about it.

Thinning coats for each layer is definitely recommended. The thing I found out about that instantly made a different to the models were washes. Even washing a model in Agrax Earthshade so all the crevices and nooks were shadowed instantly made the models look better.

Drybrushing can help for larger areas to add highlights easily.

But the one tip I was taught and always still use to this day, don't try and match the standard that others are putting out. Always aim to make your next model/unit look better than your previous one. I'm still a long way off from being a prolific painting but seeing the difference from my first models to my standard now is amazing.

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So much great advice here!

All I can add is don't be afraid to make mistakes, try something new to push your boundaries! I'm always pushing myself to try something I've never done before, it will really help to round out your painting. Also, paint while watching YouTube especially tutorials. They will stick in the back of your head, and when you move on to something different you'll recall it and try a new technique!

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