Fire Prism
- Thread starter Fribash
- Start date
Come on guys I need imput pleaseeee =). Im always trying to improve and when people comment on my work it helps me learn alot. Mostly want to know how the engine glow looks, how the lightning looks, and just how it looks over all. This was my first time trying to do the whole engine glow thing as well as lightning. Only been painting for less then a year but the people at the local gameworkshops tell me I am pretty good for being new. One store even just gave me a dreadfleet box to paint for the store which made me feel pretty good because i must be pretty good if they want me to paint stuff for them to display. My models look better then anyone else in the store 2, well except for one guy and he works at the store and has been painting for yearssss lol.
Willdorling
New member
Hi Fribash,
I think you have the right idea for your first attempt at Lighning. I am no pro at this effects myself but used a similar technique to paint a magma effect in the past. The advice I would give it to try and neaten up a bit and make the lightning a bit more definined. By this I mean to try and paint the effect as you would do with any other part of the mini using highlights and shades.
For example, a way to make the lightning really defined is to have highlighted bright spots at the junctions of the bolts. If you use a subtle shade on the lines between these points then you have a very stylish effect. Have a look at this style of effect to see what I mean regarding the highlighted spots http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1190053a
Your paints also look a bit thick to me. If you water your paints down and apply a few more coats you can achieve a much smoother, flatter effect. Inside the engine I can see the brush strokes where you have applied the highlight. if you had added some more thin coats over the top then the colour layer would be much more solid. There is a fine line between paint being thinned and it becoming a wash and its important to practice achieving the right dilution. Building up layers in this way is much more time consumining but the quality you can achieve makes for a very pleasing standard.
Hope this helps, keep up the good work and good luck with the Dreadfleet!!!
Cheers
Will
I think you have the right idea for your first attempt at Lighning. I am no pro at this effects myself but used a similar technique to paint a magma effect in the past. The advice I would give it to try and neaten up a bit and make the lightning a bit more definined. By this I mean to try and paint the effect as you would do with any other part of the mini using highlights and shades.
For example, a way to make the lightning really defined is to have highlighted bright spots at the junctions of the bolts. If you use a subtle shade on the lines between these points then you have a very stylish effect. Have a look at this style of effect to see what I mean regarding the highlighted spots http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1190053a
Your paints also look a bit thick to me. If you water your paints down and apply a few more coats you can achieve a much smoother, flatter effect. Inside the engine I can see the brush strokes where you have applied the highlight. if you had added some more thin coats over the top then the colour layer would be much more solid. There is a fine line between paint being thinned and it becoming a wash and its important to practice achieving the right dilution. Building up layers in this way is much more time consumining but the quality you can achieve makes for a very pleasing standard.
Hope this helps, keep up the good work and good luck with the Dreadfleet!!!
Cheers
Will
Stewsayer
New member
Hi Fribash,
Its looking good. I agree with Will, thinning your paints will make an improvement. I also think the hull could benefit from some thin glazes of the dark blue you have used. By glaze I mean paint thinned to the point of transperancy unless you can get hold of a transparent paint like the Vallejo model colour transparent blue. This will smooth off the edges of you lightning a little and make them look less painted on and more part of the hull. It will also bring together the variations you've worked into the hull without making them dissappear. I am using glaze like this on the flame motif I've been putting on some forge world models.
Its looking good. I agree with Will, thinning your paints will make an improvement. I also think the hull could benefit from some thin glazes of the dark blue you have used. By glaze I mean paint thinned to the point of transperancy unless you can get hold of a transparent paint like the Vallejo model colour transparent blue. This will smooth off the edges of you lightning a little and make them look less painted on and more part of the hull. It will also bring together the variations you've worked into the hull without making them dissappear. I am using glaze like this on the flame motif I've been putting on some forge world models.
