Asking the community for help learning to paint

So I've been playing 40k Space marines for a few months now. I've been able to come up with some conversions and minis I'm proud of...However, I'm not that proud of the paint. I know that practice makes perfect, and I've been using AoBR marines to do my practice. But it's gotten me only so far. I'm wondering if anyone in the Austin area is willing to show me the way they paint their marines? I've been reading articles and learning strategies but I can't learn that way. Just reaching out to see if anyone will help a new wargamer.

Sounds like you need to attend a Painting Club night.

:O This is awesome. What is the time? The link doesn't specify.

I think it starts when people just happen to get there.

I have been trying to go there, but Tuesday nights are absolutely horrible for me. After work and working out, I wouldn't be able to get there till about 930-10, then people would have to put up with "super sweaty/stinky" guy, and by the time I got the paints out and light, it would be closing time anyway.

SUUUUUCKS

I know this comment isn't much help specifically, Iron, but the Austin area has a lot of free painting classes, let alone a lot of really cool people who will sit down with you for some 1-on-1. Just keep your eyes peeled to the event section on this site and ask around Dragon's Lair on Thursday nights and you'll definitely find the help you are looking for.

Have you checked out some of the videos online? Les Bursley has a good series of them, and they're free on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yITRhnATlCw

Yea the Austin community is awesome. However, I can never make it out to Thursday game night because of a class.

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Originally Posted by RealGenius

Have you checked out some of the videos online? Les Bursley has a good series of them, and they're free on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yITRhnATlCw

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I actually have followed his tutorial for painting salamanders which is great. I am just still having trouble getting the same results in colors and the general look. My first squad actually looked decent because I was using a lot of washes and things like that, but I can never get the colors quite right.

Les Bursley's stuff is made of pure win. I hate painting, but I like his tutorials...make the hate of the paint easier to deal with.

You may not be getting the same exact colors since Les uses alot of his own self made washes and inks. Also, your computer monitor color may be a bit different than what his models come out looking like. So, you MAY in fact have the same exact look and color as Les' models, but your screen may be a tad dark or a tad light, and it is making your model look different.

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Originally Posted by Ironbullet

but I can never get the colors quite right.

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What do you mean by "right"?

By right I mean I just can't seem to get a good grasp of the color I want. This is my first squad.

http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/IMGA0075.jpg
http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/IMGA0126.jpg
http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/IMGA0073.jpg

The green seems too bright for me. Not close enough to the Codex pictures. But when I try to add more layers of the green wash, they turn out too dark. Guess that just requires more practice.

I sense the presence of the Army Painter system.

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Originally Posted by Khestra the Unbeheld

I sense the presence of the Army Painter system.

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Nope, I have some army painter stuff, but I dislike it. The color primers are way to thick for me. These just had a black wash put on them.

*And yes I need work with applying washes :D

It seems like your green might be too thin, and is showing through too much of the white undercoat making it bright. Try another coat of green to get an even tone before you go to the wash. If you are doing a base coat of green, you should not have white spots showing through, it should be a nice, even green color, the same color as the paint you are using.

Alright I'll give it another try. I'll add another layer, and make sure that my washes don't look too oily.

RG beat me too it...looks like the green base coat is a bit too thin.

Thanks a ton guys, I'll be sure to make it out to a paint night soon at GHG. And make it out to Thursday nights at DL or where ever people play nowadays.

While we're on the subject, what brushes would you guys recommend?

Lately I've been using a Raphael 8404 (Fine Pointed Round, Size 0) for pretty much everything.

Ok cool, I've also think I've figured out one reason why my colors look nothing like the tutorial...On the second stage after a black wash, I have been using a watered down Scorpion green, but the video calls for a mixture of snot green/scorpion green. Can't believe I never noticed it. Thinking that might make a difference, along with that extra first coat of green.

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Originally Posted by RealGenius

It seems like your green might be too thin, and is showing through too much of the white undercoat making it bright. Try another coat of green to get an even tone before you go to the wash. If you are doing a base coat of green, you should not have white spots showing through, it should be a nice, even green color, the same color as the paint you are using.

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You culd also go with a mid to light grey primer and then a shot of white from the top, then wash with the green.

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Originally Posted by BDub

You culd also go with a mid to light grey primer and then a shot of white from the top, then wash with the green.

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The problem I have with a wash or light base goat is that you never get consistent results, especially if you are doing another wash on top of that. I guess you can guess I'm not a fan of the primer-zenithal-lighting trick. Base coats should be opaque, so that you can start from a consistent color.

Yes, I prime black and then paint black over that, for consistency.

Well I've been priming white, and painting over that with Dark angel green 1:1 with water. So it's not a wash so much as it's just thinned out. I still have a huge amount of trouble getting it right. I think it might also have to do with the brushes I'm using.

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Originally Posted by RealGenius

The problem I have with a wash or light base goat is that you never get consistent results, especially if you are doing another wash on top of that. I guess you can guess I'm not a fan of the primer-zenithal-lighting trick. Base coats should be opaque, so that you can start from a consistent color.

Yes, I prime black and then paint black over that, for consistency.

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I can see your point but the consistency comes from spraying the zenithal shot on a whole unit at once and , be sparring with it. For that matter there is no such thing as an opaque base coat - you can get close but the primer will always influence the perception of the base coat.

I'd put down 1:1 Foundation Knarloc Green and then straight Dark Angel green over the white primer.

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Originally Posted by BDub

you can get close but the primer will always influence the perception of the base coat.

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I agree except if you are using the Foundation paints. I've done testing over white and black primer and the difference is negligible. I did a whole squad of Warp Spiders, half primed white, half primed black. You just can't tell.

I've been using Vallejo game color.

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Originally Posted by Ironbullet

I've been using Vallejo game color.

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Try it straight, without thinning it. The Vallejo stuff is pretty thin as is.

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Originally Posted by RealGenius

Try it straight, without thinning it. The Vallejo stuff is pretty thin as is.

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Didn't even think to try that. We'll see how it goes. I'm going to make it out to GHG tonight for the painting night. I need another green, and some brushes.