Layering Dilution

[Doughnut]

Hey all,
I did a search for this and didn\'t find anything, so please be gentle if there were other posts about it. I haven\'t been able to get my dilution rate on my paints quite right for really smooth layered blends recently. Can someone do me a favor and take some piccies of their paint on the pallet when it\'s diluted and several layers into a blend please? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Doughnut

 

[Trevor]

There is no correct dilution ratio, because it depends upon the transparency of the paint to start with.
Basically err on the side of thinner is better, because you can always do a second layer with the same colour, but taking paint off is impossible.

Something I just found which I\'ve fallen in love with is vallejo glaze medium. In small amounts it retards drying times and helps thin the paint for layering, at 50% plus, it turns the paint into a wash. Awesome stuff, give it a go.

 

[donga666]

Well thats sold it, I was going to give it a try! Now I am going to!

Cheers Trevor!

 

[Doughnut]

Thanks Trevor, I\'ll try the vallejo out soon (quite possibly tonight as the local gaming shop just got them in). I painted all last night (from 8pm - 4am) and finally got it right. Pics of some minis to come shortly.


Thanks again,
Doughnut

 

[supervike]

welcome Doughnut!

Very good question, and I think I will try that glaze medium also.

But I have a further question about layering dilutions...

Lets say I am trying to layer a piece of armor. I want a overall black look, so it is base coated black, and progressively layered with a lighter color.

My problem is when I lay down a lighter color, and go to switch brushes to \'feather\', I have a semi-dried \'ring\' of paint already (just seconds after I layed the color down).

Too much paint? Not quick enough on the switch? Any suggestions that don\'t involve me jumping off of something are appreciated!!lol

 

[DanseMacabre]

Thx for the tip Trevor, that\'s something to try!

 

[Doughnut]

Supervike, I\'m pretty sure that it\'s either taking you too long to switch brushes or you don\'t have enough retarder/water/future floor wax/whatever you use in your paint. If you\'re happy with your ratio try holding your \"application brush\" like you would a pencil and then hold your feathering brush ontop of that brush, but the tip should extend underneath your first knuckle (from your hand). That way you can just shuffle your fingers between brushes instead of picking a brush up. I hope that made sense, if you need a pic, I can get one of it.

Doughnut

 

[Fizl]

If you still want information on dilution, I remember that the reaper website had a tutorial on paint dilution (I think it was pretty basic though)

Shaz

 

[supervike]

excellent advice, I understand exactly what you mean about the two brushed grip....


Actually, I haven\'t been using any extender (just water and paint)...maybe that is part of the problem as well..

 

[Trevor]

@ supervike

definitely try using some form of extender, it should stop this problem.

Alternatively you can layer without feathering, just use dilute paint that is relatively close to the base coat and use many layers and build up slowly. It requires more time/layers, but you don\'t need to feather and it can produce some very smooth gradations.

Another tip is to use multiple layers witht he same colour, progressively covering less area with each layer.

I seem to be developing a seriously hybrid approach to painting, which uses aspects of drybrushing, wetbrushing, underpainting, layering, feathering, and wet blending.