I\'m still pretty new to painting and don\'t get a whole lot of time for practice. I\'ve recently started to try and learn layering. My problem is, my highlights always end up looking kinda chalky instead of a nice smooth transition with a bit of the basecoat showing through each layer. Could paint consistency be my problem? Or do I need to build up the layer more to avoid chalkiness (sp?)?
Chalky Highlights
- Thread starter Grimznot
- Start date
paintwidow
New member
Well, if you\'re pretty new at painting, I think the best way is to learn the hardest technique first (and it is hard, can\'t do it myself quite right yet 
). It\'s called wet blending. Take a look at this article...it gives a good visual of what wet blending looks like.
Blending tutorial
Those highlights are definitely smooth!
The only thing I would mention that the article doesn\'t is you can also use retarder to thin your paints, and this keeps them from drying quite as fast. Good luck!
). It\'s called wet blending. Take a look at this article...it gives a good visual of what wet blending looks like.Blending tutorial
Those highlights are definitely smooth!
The only thing I would mention that the article doesn\'t is you can also use retarder to thin your paints, and this keeps them from drying quite as fast. Good luck!
Weeelllll, I\'m not really sure what exactly you mean by \"chalky\" I know people get that chalky look by drybrushing, so you may want to thin your paints when layering even more. One problem I have is when I work with low pigment paints, (GW\'s red), I can\'t thin them down enough to remain smooth while retaining coverage power. So I keep them slightly thicker, and, well....Try higher pigment paints like vallejo. Ummm.....oh, you can sometimes get that effect if you don\'t let the paint dry well enough in between layers. If you could define \"chalky\" more, I\'m sure someone can tell exactly what do do....Right?
farseerlum
New member
some GW paints tend to be a bit chalky.
white is one of them. if you are using too much white in the highlight it will get that chalky look.
its because the pigment is rough and when you use thin coats it isn\'t even.
i haven\'t learnt a good antidote for this so i don\'t use white in my highlights.
white is one of them. if you are using too much white in the highlight it will get that chalky look.
its because the pigment is rough and when you use thin coats it isn\'t even.
i haven\'t learnt a good antidote for this so i don\'t use white in my highlights.
There was a related discussion recently...
Someone recently had a problem with their washes, and although this is obviously a different problem, I think a lot of the issues raised might impact upon this particular difficulty also.
The thread is here
There might be something in here that can help?
Someone recently had a problem with their washes, and although this is obviously a different problem, I think a lot of the issues raised might impact upon this particular difficulty also.
The thread is here
There might be something in here that can help?
paintwidow:
Hmm... Don\'t know if I\'m quite ready for that yet. I\'ll have to give it a try on an experimental model. When I say I\'m fairly new to painting, I guess I should clarify by saying I\'ve been painting for a little over a year. I\'ve been primarily using drybrushing to paint the flesh of my 40k Orks, but I decided to try a new technique and though I\'m not really happy with it yet, but it looks a lot better than the rough highlights drybrushing creates.
Nelson:
I don\'t know how to really explain \"chalky\" without a pic and my camera isn\'t the greatest. Maybe \"mottled\" is a better term? I don\'t think the problem stems from my paints being too thick. If anything, they may be too thin. You mentioned \"coverage power\"? Maybe coverage is my problem. I usually go 50/50 paint to water, but my GW paint has become pretty thick straight out of the bottle.
farseerlum:
Don\'t think that\'s the problem... I don\'t use white in my highlights... Thanks for the tip though.
finn17:
I\'ve been using tap water to thin my paint. Distilled water sounds like it may be the way to go. I\'ll have to pick some up and try that on my next model. A lotta helpful advice in that thread. Thanks.
Hmm... Don\'t know if I\'m quite ready for that yet. I\'ll have to give it a try on an experimental model. When I say I\'m fairly new to painting, I guess I should clarify by saying I\'ve been painting for a little over a year. I\'ve been primarily using drybrushing to paint the flesh of my 40k Orks, but I decided to try a new technique and though I\'m not really happy with it yet, but it looks a lot better than the rough highlights drybrushing creates.
Nelson:
I don\'t know how to really explain \"chalky\" without a pic and my camera isn\'t the greatest. Maybe \"mottled\" is a better term? I don\'t think the problem stems from my paints being too thick. If anything, they may be too thin. You mentioned \"coverage power\"? Maybe coverage is my problem. I usually go 50/50 paint to water, but my GW paint has become pretty thick straight out of the bottle.
farseerlum:
Don\'t think that\'s the problem... I don\'t use white in my highlights... Thanks for the tip though.
finn17:
I\'ve been using tap water to thin my paint. Distilled water sounds like it may be the way to go. I\'ll have to pick some up and try that on my next model. A lotta helpful advice in that thread. Thanks.
Everyone else\'s answers are probably more likely, but even if you aren\'t doing wet blending right now, are you waiting for your layers to fully dry before you add the second? I get that problem a lot, and I think it might have something to do with GW paints and wet-blending. Wet-blending is more enjoyable for me than layering, but whenever I work up towards the highlights the paint begins to clump. I\'ve heard that GW is disgusting for wet-blending because the particles are so large that they don\'t fully blend.
I\'m working on the theory that the microparticles are getting \"peeled\" up from where they\'ve been put down and are drying and collecting together, like making a snowball. Since the most recent color is the wettest one, these clumps come out the color of the highlights and turn out as deposits on the high surfaces in the highlights.
If it\'s the same problem I have, it looks like a layer of dust got into the final coat and gives it a \"pebbled\" surface that isn\'t true to the actual color of the paint. I know you say you use layering for blending, but is it possible that the paint is not yet fully dry at the time of application? This could cause it to peel up and build up on the highlights and distort the color slightly from the different pigments caught underneath the chalky layer.
- Otter
\"Never send a ferret to do a weasel\'s work\"
I\'m working on the theory that the microparticles are getting \"peeled\" up from where they\'ve been put down and are drying and collecting together, like making a snowball. Since the most recent color is the wettest one, these clumps come out the color of the highlights and turn out as deposits on the high surfaces in the highlights.
If it\'s the same problem I have, it looks like a layer of dust got into the final coat and gives it a \"pebbled\" surface that isn\'t true to the actual color of the paint. I know you say you use layering for blending, but is it possible that the paint is not yet fully dry at the time of application? This could cause it to peel up and build up on the highlights and distort the color slightly from the different pigments caught underneath the chalky layer.
- Otter
\"Never send a ferret to do a weasel\'s work\"
paintwidow
New member
I\'ve noticed GW paints get \"dusty\" on me, too, when I thin them out a lot, especially the lighter tones. But I think in my case, it\'s more because the paint doesn\'t fully dilute in the water; if you look really close, you can see itty bitty paint particles, so it looks really rough when painted on. Just an observation...:flip:
sivousplay
New member
If your results are looking a little chalky, one way to blend the color is to do a very thin wash of the original base color over the \"chalky highlighted\" areas ... this will blend the area back towards the base color. You will darken your highlights a bit, but the chalkiness will go away.
jim
jim
Another reason I have seen on my models for the \"chalky\" look, is that the paint dries before you are done highlighting. This is especially a problem with drybrushing.
What I have done to combat this is when I notice it happening (catch it as quickly as you can!), I dip my brush in water, wipe the excess off on the lip of my water container, then lightly brush it over the offending area.
Since the paint is not 100% dry yet, this should thin it a bit and smooth the chalky look. You then have an opportunity to blend into surrounding layers/areas more evenly.
What I have done to combat this is when I notice it happening (catch it as quickly as you can!), I dip my brush in water, wipe the excess off on the lip of my water container, then lightly brush it over the offending area.
Since the paint is not 100% dry yet, this should thin it a bit and smooth the chalky look. You then have an opportunity to blend into surrounding layers/areas more evenly.
Raptoriffic
New member
Well, I\'ve got much the same question, mine involving only the colors of Vallejo\'s Cobra Leather and GW\'s Bleached Bone (I\'m slowly transitioning my paints as they run out )
Anyway, here a picture that might help illustrate the problem that I\'m having, and what sounds like the original poster\'s problem (correct me if I\'m wrong).
I started with a base of Cobra Leather, added a little bleached bone for some highlights, and then went to straight bleached bone, thinned down quite a bit for the last bit, trying to paint thin enough that some of the lower layers would show through. You can see the effect on both his head, and the skulls on his kneepads.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jeff
)Anyway, here a picture that might help illustrate the problem that I\'m having, and what sounds like the original poster\'s problem (correct me if I\'m wrong).
I started with a base of Cobra Leather, added a little bleached bone for some highlights, and then went to straight bleached bone, thinned down quite a bit for the last bit, trying to paint thin enough that some of the lower layers would show through. You can see the effect on both his head, and the skulls on his kneepads.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jeff
I think the problem you\'re having is that the paint is partially drying before it gets to the model.
Try dipping the brush in water before you hit your paint, or thin the paint out more. You may have to make multiple highlight passes if it\'s very thin, but it will be a lot smoother.
Try dipping the brush in water before you hit your paint, or thin the paint out more. You may have to make multiple highlight passes if it\'s very thin, but it will be a lot smoother.
