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Vash
Underboss
1995 Posts
    
 | | 01/13/2006 11:12 AM |
| As has been stated before I've been wanting to start up painting or at least repainting. I thought I had my old base set of paints from GW that I had back in Warhammer days that I could at least play around with while I practiced, but alas I no longer have them.
So with that note I of course need to buy more paints. Since I dont plan on doing mass repaints/conversions etc. due to lack of time/funds I can't exactly go and buy every paint on the market. And I don't exactly have a firm basis in color theory (although Im sure the normal color theory conventions can be thrown out the window when it comes to the fantasy world). So how exactly should I choose a color scheme for my minature. Specifially with regards to Armor and clothes and the combination of both.
For example.
These two guys are two I would like to paint but dont want to ruin them by choosing a color scheme for the Armor, then wanting to do something different for the cloth bits that completely ruins the piece as a whole.
And I know I could just look at what other minis do with color schemes but then i feel as though I'm not being original with my work.
Any advice (if I am making any sense at all that is) | |
Champion of the Alhoon and my called shot for Unhallowed
Blood War Called Shot: Phoenix
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Runelord151
Underboss
1203 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 11:43 AM |
| If you want good bang for your buck get the Reaper ProPaint Series metallics. 8101 (steel plate), 8112 (pewter), and 8102 (true silver) are great for doing steel armor. For coppers, I would reccomend 8110 (red steel metallic) and 8109 (fireglow). Add 8104 (bright gold) or 8105 (brass) and you can do any metal armour combo you want. Of course if you want to spend more, the other colored metallics, silks, and satin paints can give some truley impressive results (magic auras, NMM style reflections using metallic paint, etc.).
FYI don't buy cheap craft metallics, they do not have the proper consistency for miniature painting. Craft paint will clump up and look awful. This is one case in which I always buy "miniature" specific paint.
As far as other colors go, if you don't want to spend alot, go down to your local WalMart and pick up some delta ceramcoat paints. They are larger than most "game formulated" paints and you will get results that are comparable to the more expensive paints. For starters I would reccomend: Naphtol Crimson, Pumkin, Yellow, Dark Jungle Green, Stonewedge Green, Ocean Reef Blue, Opaque Blue, Purple Dusk, Georgia Clay, Walnut, Black, White, Fleshtone, Lisa Pink, and Autumn Brown. Last time I checked they were around $1.25 a bottle, so those should cost you around $20 and will last almost forever (short of the black and white).
If you want to splurge, Charcoal, Blue Wisp, Tempote Red, Vitorian Teal, Timberline Green, Lemongrass, Kelly Green, Lima Green, Denim Blue, Dusty Plum, Golden Brown, Teritorial Beige, Red Iron Oxide, AC Flesh, Anique White, and Cadet Grey would all be excellent extra colors.
The basic colors should let you mix most other shades you want. The extra colors would give you plenty of extra options (like easy skintone blends for goblinoids, more leather colors, etc.)
Hope that helps! | | | |
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Vash
Underboss
1995 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 12:01 PM |
| As far as paint selection, yes that helps a lot. But as far as color theory, I suppose is more the advice I am looking for. Taking the Vampire Lord mini from above and applying something similar to the following (please bear with me as all I did was throw this into photoshop for conceptual purposes)
Would a color scheme similar to that be effective? Or would it look as bad painted as it does photoshop-paintbucketed?
And if I were to go that route, what kind of a color would look good for the cloak? Something bright to offset all the black? A dark Navy Blue/Royal Purple to match but something other than black (if that would match even)?
I guess that kind of advice was more what I was aiming for. But the paint selection definately helps [:D] | |
Champion of the Alhoon and my called shot for Unhallowed
Blood War Called Shot: Phoenix
Trade withe me! | |
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Temperance
Sergeant
525 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 1:50 PM |
| It really amounts to a matter of taste. One thing I hate are technically beautiful paintjobs with far too many choices.
I try to do no more than two main colors and one accent color, with black, browns, tan, beige, white not counting. Dull grey metals don't really count, but bronze can.
So for your Vampire, it looks like red is one of your main colors, and the cloak will probably be the other main color. Most of the rest of the figure is accent colors; The gold necklace, for instance. I'd do the sword hilt the same color as the necklace for balance. I'm assuming you want dark colors, but I'd consider the vampire's skin to be a light skin - 50% light grey and 50% fleshtone. Since you've chosen red with a yellow/gold accent, you have a limited color selection. I personally think a dark blue would be best -- with the book and skin, you probably have enough light objects to offset the darkness.
But that's what would be best with my style of painting; what is good for me may not be the same thing as what is good for you. | |
Champion of the common Flying Monkey (Fez optional)
Peter Lee on the WotC board
BAD WOLF
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Runelord151
Underboss
1203 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 2:15 PM |
| I'd go with more of a charcoal grey than the strait black on the armour, unless you have lots of experiece in light theory and highlights. The charcoal grey will give him a worn look and is easier to shade.
I'd echo Temperance. Don't get carried away with colors. A little less red would work well, as it's a very bold color. As is, the red overwhelms the figure. For gold, I would go with a pale gold or a tarnished looking gold. IMO undead (even classy vampire types) don't look good in shiney new gear.[)]
A dark navy, purple/brown, or deep red for the cloak would work out well.
Also as Pete said - keep the skin pale and stick to lots of greys for the rest of the figure. If you go with blue on the cloak, a little light blue in the highlight skin mix could bring the figure all together. | | | |
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Lady-Bast
Warrior
242 Posts
Central Illinois
| | 01/13/2006 3:54 PM |
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Well, when I told my husband I wanted to get back into painting minis again, he bought me the following Reaper collections:
http://www.miniaturemarket.com/inc/sdetail/4712
http://www.miniaturemarket.com/inc/sdetail/3357
http://www.miniaturemarket.com/inc/sdetail/14848
I've been doing great with these, and actually just ordered some other "base colors" to help round my collection out a little more. But there are just so many great colors that I'm sure I'll never be finished collecting Reaper paints!
As for color schemes on those minis, I say just have fun. Just paint them the way you would "see" them if they were real. Your vision will be different from others, and that's cool.
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 4:17 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Lady-Bast
As for color schemes on those minis, I say just have fun. Just paint them the way you would "see" them if they were real. Your vision will be different from others, and that's cool.
Exactly how I approach a situation. Granted, Temperance and Rune's work is amazing...but for some of us this is just for fun.
Rune, thanks for listing paint names [:D] I have a few of those already but I will pick some more up; folkart and delta's are 89 cents at my local Michael's.
I gotta stop there soon as I want to give making ornate bases a try. | |
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Runelord151
Underboss
1203 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 7:03 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by glumag
Rune, thanks for listing paint names [:D] I have a few of those already but I will pick some more up; folkart and delta's are 89 cents at my local Michael's.
I gotta stop there soon as I want to give making ornate bases a try.
Ah the cat is out of the bag![)] | | | |
| *censored*
glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 7:27 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Runelord151
quote:
Originally posted by glumag
Rune, thanks for listing paint names [:D] I have a few of those already but I will pick some more up; folkart and delta's are 89 cents at my local Michael's.
I gotta stop there soon as I want to give making ornate bases a try.
Ah the cat is out of the bag![)]
[:D] one-eyed cat with no nose...[:p] | |
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Runelord151
Underboss
1203 Posts
| | 01/13/2006 11:46 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by glumag
quote:
Originally posted by Runelord151
quote:
Originally posted by glumag
Rune, thanks for listing paint names [:D] I have a few of those already but I will pick some more up; folkart and delta's are 89 cents at my local Michael's.
I gotta stop there soon as I want to give making ornate bases a try.
Ah the cat is out of the bag![)]
[:D] one-eyed cat with no nose...[:p]
Not again......[V] | | | |
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XenoZephyr
Underboss
1083 Posts
| | 01/14/2006 12:56 AM |
| It's not a lot but you can check this site for some helpful hints:
http://www.jenova.dk/
Go to Tips & Tutorials and she's got a link to Colour Theory. Basically just says don't use a lot of colors and stick to one primary color.
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Vash
Underboss
1995 Posts
| | 01/14/2006 10:04 PM |
| OK, one last question (I hope). I just purchased a majoity of the paints that Runelord listed (some wherent there) and now what I am wondering is are the colors I got suppose to be used independently of one another, or are some of them part of a triad.
For example
I bought Blue, Denim blue, and Ocean Reef Blue. Now are the three of those colors to be used by themselves while mixing with black/white for highlighting/shading, or are the three of them meant to be used as one for the base color one for the highlighting of that color and the other for the shading.
Thanks again for all the help and advice [:)] | |
Champion of the Alhoon and my called shot for Unhallowed
Blood War Called Shot: Phoenix
Trade withe me! | |
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Runelord151
Underboss
1203 Posts
| | 01/14/2006 10:22 PM |
| I usually use them as single colors with black and white (or other colors) for shades and highlights.
For example, my basic recipe for red is Tempote Red w/ black basecoat, then Tempote red, then Tempote red w/ Naphtol Crimson, then Naphtol Crimson, and finally Naphtol Crimson w/ yellow as the highlight.
Of couse I usually do more blends between those when trying for really good red!
Basically, experiment! One thing I've been trying with alot of success is shading with a contrasting color for more realism. In other words, Green mixed with Red for green shadow, Blue with Orange for blue highlights, and Purple with Yellow (this is my new Drow skin staple) to lighten purple or darken yellow.
As others in this post have said, have fun and try new things! | | | |
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Vash
Underboss
1995 Posts
| | 01/15/2006 10:51 PM |
| one final final question. In regards to washes and highlights, Ive read the tutorials over and over so yes I know that Im suppose to mix my paint with water for washes and drybrush for highlights. But I cant get it to work.
I mix my paint with water (no matter how much of each) and it still sits on the mini like regular paint. I.E. it doesnt flow into the crevices like it should.
Drybrushing I cant get the right amount of paint off of my brush. Its either too mcuh or too little. And it still sits on the mini like the regular paint no matter how little I put on the mini.
Help please, and Im sorry for all the questions. [:(] | |
Champion of the Alhoon and my called shot for Unhallowed
Blood War Called Shot: Phoenix
Trade withe me! | |
| *censored*
glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 01/16/2006 12:50 AM |
| for washing I mix alot of water to a little bit of paint...it has to flow like water but will stain once it dries, the water is there to help conduct the paint into the hard to reach places and crevices.
Dry-brushing is a bit more complex and it took me a bit of time to get it right (although not master it yet). I insert half the hair of the brush in the paint then I prefer using paper towel to 'clean' the brush's excess paint and i can clearly see over the white and the porosity [sp?] of the towel helps get that excess paint off easily...i keep brushing with even strokes up and down until i can barely see any color left on the towel then I move onto the figure and GENTLY (pretend you are faning and not painting) a place the strokes left to right, up-down, whatever it calls for...it works for me.
I know that my dry-brushing needs work still but I don't have the patience to wait and give it 1,000 strokes to get a bit of color so my brush has a bit more paint that what's recomended.
Good luck...both techniques are trial and error...once you find what works for you you'll be on your way.
Hope this helps. | |
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XenoZephyr
Underboss
1083 Posts
| | 01/17/2006 7:58 PM |
| For washing, your final solution should have the consistancy of milk, very watery. You can also purchase a bottle of Flow Control to add to the paint/water mix. For most of my washes, I use Dyes instead of paint, the color doesn't fade when adding all the water, plus it's already "wetter" than the paint.
For Drybrushing, i use the same technique as glumag. Get a regular amount of paint on the brush. Then I brush back and forth on a towel until I can barely see any paint lines, then dry brush. Dry brushing will ruin the brush you are working with, but I also find that Dry brushing will also work better with that ruined brush, so if you're using brand new brushes, it should get easier as the brush gets broken in.
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Vash
Underboss
1995 Posts
| | 01/18/2006 7:01 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by XenoZephyr
I also find that Dry brushing will also work better with that ruined brush, so if you're using brand new brushes, it should get easier as the brush gets broken in.
If this is true then that is what my current "problem" is. I am currently using the same brand new brush that I use to paint the mini, and do detail work. So I suppose I should find myself a brush I dont mind ruining. [:)] | |
Champion of the Alhoon and my called shot for Unhallowed
Blood War Called Shot: Phoenix
Trade withe me! | |
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smithmeg
Sergeant
508 Posts
| | 01/18/2006 8:04 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by vash9284
quote:
Originally posted by XenoZephyr
I also find that Dry brushing will also work better with that ruined brush, so if you're using brand new brushes, it should get easier as the brush gets broken in.
If this is true then that is what my current "problem" is. I am currently using the same brand new brush that I use to paint the mini, and do detail work. So I suppose I should find myself a brush I dont mind ruining. [:)]
For dry brushing, I use a brush that I got from a Games Workshop shop, that says it's specifically made for dry brushing - it's shorter, stiffer and has a flatter tip than my others. I think the advertising says something about it lasting longer too (as dry brushing generally destroys brushes), but as I haven't used anything else, I can't really comment. You'd probably get basically the same effect by cutting the tip off any brush.
I'd stay away from GW's other brushes though (I can't get the one I own to keep a good tip - it keeps fluffing up - so it's been demoted to varnishing). The best place to get a brush is an art shop (and I seem to remember that the good brushes cost about the same as the bad one I got from GW).[B)] I know better now. | | | |
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