So I have been working on a few ways to cut down on painting time and put something on the table that I don't absolutely hate. I have tried a few different speed painting tricks, but I feel this one is the strongest because it allows you to move into a higher level of detail at any point. When doing the bare minimum steps I can knock out one model in 30 minutes of painting time. My painting sessions are generally around an hour unless I really get in a groove. So for me it works best to knock out two models at at time. However, if you have the stamina you can probably do four or more since this technique caters to an assembly line style of painting. Of course you can stop at any point in the painting process, but I like to have something to show for at the end of a painting session.
So lets begin. First off here is what I am using brush wise.
Citadel large dry brush
Hobby lobby brush (it says number 2 round on it)
I prefer using bigger brushes. When I first started painting I was using tiny ones and I hated it. Ghool is always going on about using a bigger brush, he explains it well so look him up on the privateer press forums. Basically a larger brush carries more paint and you can almost always complete one coat before needing to load up with paint again. Using a larger brush has helped me learn brush control and good brush control helps you paint faster since you won't be going back and touching things up.
Next up paints, I prefer P3 paints, but they are not sold locally. I stock up on P3 when I am out of town. Most recently I was in Nevada and petegrrrr directed me to a great local shop. So I am stocked up on the basics but had to use Citadel and Vallejo for some things.
Black Primer
A solid white paint (I am using Vallejo Dead White this time)
P3's Trollblood base
P3's Gun Corps Brown
P3's Hammerfall Khaki
P3's Beaten Purple
Escorpena Green (Vallejo, I just love this green)
Citadel's Devlan Mud (I stocked up before they were removed from shelves)
Citadel's Boltgun Metal (have not found a P3 version that I like as much as this one)
I try to use as few colors as possible and I generally avoid mixing. I am bad at remembering ratios so in the interest of having a coherent looking army I keep it simple. (By day I am a software developer so out of habit I am always thinking KISS or Keep It Simple Stupid)
Now the next tool I use is very important and I know 99% of you have some of these laying around.
So I use the foam you get in blister packs as a palette. I have a normal palette, but I think the foam is better. So what I do is get one brush of water and roll it onto an area of the foam. Then I drop some paint on that area. From then on you can just add paint to that area as you start to run out. The foam keep the paint wet for over an hour, but most importantly is keeps the paint thin.
So of course lets start with a primed model...
Next up throw some white paint on the foam (no water for this step). Get a little bit of paint on the end of the brush and brush it back and forth on a paper towel or your thumb until its just lightly releasing paint. Then hit your model from head to toe with a light dry brushing. I do a second dry brush focusing on the skin mainly, but this is not required.
This dry brush serves two purposes. First it allows you to see all the detail of the model, I have a much easier time painting the model when its more than a blob of black. Second this will set up the natural shading and highlighting for the model.
Now at this point I like to pick the overall lowest level of the model and start applying the color. For trolls that is usually the skin. So load the brush up with water and roll it on the foam. Then get a nice big brush full of Trollblood base and roll it on the same area of the foam. If you have excess paint on the brush wipe it off and your ready to go.
This is why the thin paint is so important. When the paint is thin it just tints the underlying color and still retains some of the darker areas from the black and the lighter areas from the white. This effect gives me table top quality skin with two thin coats of trollblood base and nothing more. If you want you could go into more detail here and do some actual shading and highlighting.
From here on out its the same thing with different colors. I will leave you with a bunch of pictures until the final step.
Once your at this point the final step is to slosh on some Devlun Mud. The wash is pretty much a life saver to a quick and dirty painter. It adds some shading, but overall helps make any slop look a whole lot better. I avoid getting any of the wash on the skin, but that's just me.
As I said the nice thing about this method is at any time you can choose to go into a greater level of detail. Me personally, just to finish off my kriel warriors I need to paint 7 grunts, 2 leaders, 6 cabers, and a unit attachment. So I am doing the bare minimum for now.
I hope some people find this technique useful and would love to see the results of anyone who gives it a go and is happy with the outcome. If you don't like the outcome, well there's always simple green.
So lets begin. First off here is what I am using brush wise.
Citadel large dry brush
Hobby lobby brush (it says number 2 round on it)
I prefer using bigger brushes. When I first started painting I was using tiny ones and I hated it. Ghool is always going on about using a bigger brush, he explains it well so look him up on the privateer press forums. Basically a larger brush carries more paint and you can almost always complete one coat before needing to load up with paint again. Using a larger brush has helped me learn brush control and good brush control helps you paint faster since you won't be going back and touching things up.
Next up paints, I prefer P3 paints, but they are not sold locally. I stock up on P3 when I am out of town. Most recently I was in Nevada and petegrrrr directed me to a great local shop. So I am stocked up on the basics but had to use Citadel and Vallejo for some things.
Black Primer
A solid white paint (I am using Vallejo Dead White this time)
P3's Trollblood base
P3's Gun Corps Brown
P3's Hammerfall Khaki
P3's Beaten Purple
Escorpena Green (Vallejo, I just love this green)
Citadel's Devlan Mud (I stocked up before they were removed from shelves)
Citadel's Boltgun Metal (have not found a P3 version that I like as much as this one)
I try to use as few colors as possible and I generally avoid mixing. I am bad at remembering ratios so in the interest of having a coherent looking army I keep it simple. (By day I am a software developer so out of habit I am always thinking KISS or Keep It Simple Stupid)
Now the next tool I use is very important and I know 99% of you have some of these laying around.
So I use the foam you get in blister packs as a palette. I have a normal palette, but I think the foam is better. So what I do is get one brush of water and roll it onto an area of the foam. Then I drop some paint on that area. From then on you can just add paint to that area as you start to run out. The foam keep the paint wet for over an hour, but most importantly is keeps the paint thin.
So of course lets start with a primed model...
Next up throw some white paint on the foam (no water for this step). Get a little bit of paint on the end of the brush and brush it back and forth on a paper towel or your thumb until its just lightly releasing paint. Then hit your model from head to toe with a light dry brushing. I do a second dry brush focusing on the skin mainly, but this is not required.
This dry brush serves two purposes. First it allows you to see all the detail of the model, I have a much easier time painting the model when its more than a blob of black. Second this will set up the natural shading and highlighting for the model.
Now at this point I like to pick the overall lowest level of the model and start applying the color. For trolls that is usually the skin. So load the brush up with water and roll it on the foam. Then get a nice big brush full of Trollblood base and roll it on the same area of the foam. If you have excess paint on the brush wipe it off and your ready to go.
This is why the thin paint is so important. When the paint is thin it just tints the underlying color and still retains some of the darker areas from the black and the lighter areas from the white. This effect gives me table top quality skin with two thin coats of trollblood base and nothing more. If you want you could go into more detail here and do some actual shading and highlighting.
From here on out its the same thing with different colors. I will leave you with a bunch of pictures until the final step.
Once your at this point the final step is to slosh on some Devlun Mud. The wash is pretty much a life saver to a quick and dirty painter. It adds some shading, but overall helps make any slop look a whole lot better. I avoid getting any of the wash on the skin, but that's just me.
As I said the nice thing about this method is at any time you can choose to go into a greater level of detail. Me personally, just to finish off my kriel warriors I need to paint 7 grunts, 2 leaders, 6 cabers, and a unit attachment. So I am doing the bare minimum for now.
I hope some people find this technique useful and would love to see the results of anyone who gives it a go and is happy with the outcome. If you don't like the outcome, well there's always simple green.
Hah, foam as a pallette what a good idea, I use old CD's or paper plates and drying out is one of the biggest problems I have with my paints while working on a model.
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