Need help fixing red chalk issue

gr33n

New member
I can't seem to avoid chalky red finishes on some of the shades

Using Reaper paints. Ive tried all the reds


SETUP

- wet pallet
- reynolds parchment paper
- lhamian medium (gw matte medium)
- tap water
 
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GreenOne

I paint my thumb.
Thats hard to answer without pictures or without knowing what technique you use.

The most common problem I think is when highlighting, having to much of a gap between the base and highlight color. Easiest fix is starting with a 50% shaded red and higlight to pure red only, but that's only one of the ways to do red.
 

gr33n

New member
Thats hard to answer without pictures or without knowing what technique you use.

The most common problem I think is when highlighting, having to much of a gap between the base and highlight color. Easiest fix is starting with a 50% shaded red and higlight to pure red only, but that's only one of the ways to do red.


my camera wont be able to show it. i also have poor lighting for such a thing

90 percent of my highlighting is a watered down with lamiahn medium 5 color blend while models i care about i might do 7. i mix them on a wet pallet so they wont dry and then paint the mid tone.

from there i shade down and eventually up. if an area is too drastic ill pick the shade that fits and blend down the brush stroke/line to make it seamless

i dont have this problem with any other colors save a few times purple (also reaper)

i dont have chalkyness with P3 but the shine is annoying when not being used on flesh of say khorne daemons
 

Bailey03

Well-known member
Which Reaper paints are you using? On my latest reds I used Reaper's Burgundy Wine for the shadow, Violet Red for the midtone, Fire Red for the highlights, and then Fire Red mixed with just a little Fair Skin for the top highlights. That's just one possible combination, you can use a variety of others for slightly different reds. But if we knew the exact colors it might help us see something about your approach.
 

gr33n

New member
Which Reaper paints are you using? On my latest reds I used Reaper's Burgundy Wine for the shadow, Violet Red for the midtone, Fire Red for the highlights, and then Fire Red mixed with just a little Fair Skin for the top highlights. That's just one possible combination, you can use a variety of others for slightly different reds. But if we knew the exact colors it might help us see something about your approach.


the reds i have are as follows

red shadow
clear red
brilliant red
gory red
fresh blood

ive used violet red but its more of a purple and im looking for a brown to red
 

Bailey03

Well-known member
I used the green shadow on another project and the results began to look chalky as I started to highlight, I ended up redoing the whole thing with other paints. I'm not sure if it was just that paint or a problem with other shadow paints too. If you're trying to get more of a brown red, why not switch out the red shadow and instead use a dark brown for your shadows (brown liner, mahogany brown, walnut brown, or blackened brown - any should work), from there go into gory red for the midtone and fresh blood for the highlight. If you want brighter highlights, mix in a bit of skin tone (like tanned skin) with the fresh blood. Clear red and brilliant red both seem pretty bright for a brown red, though you could always use them afterward as glazes if the end result isn't red enough.
 
You talked about an annoying shiney appearance that would only look good on demon skin. This may be because Lahmian Medium is actually a glaze medium, and too much can actually spell a glossy appearance.Try some real matt medium on top of it to reduce the glaring.

I am a bit confused by some of your terminology, and so its making it hard, at least for my dim-witted mind, to figure out what is going on. I am not sure what this means: "...a watered down with lamiahn medium 5 color blend..." Do you mean to say that you use five different tones when highlighting? So for instance a medium red, followed by a lighter red, then even lighter red, etc??? Or are you saying a single tone consists of 5 colors that you mixed together? I am pretty sure that you mean the former, in which case your processes sound correct, but you may simply be addinga white to the red, or another light color, that is causing it to chalk up. Whites and many flesh tones are notorious for chalking up. My advice would be to go out and get a VMC off white, such as VMC Ivory, and use this as your highlight tone of choice.

Work on getting your camera, even a smartphone (many even prefer this to their expensive ones) to take pics of what you mean. This is soooo much more helpful around here. Nobody will ever put down your work in a negative or demeaning manner, and you will grow by leaps and bounds. Plus, it saves you from all that time required to describe your situation. Everybody now:
PICTURES! PICTURES! PICTURES!

:)
 

gr33n

New member
You talked about an annoying shiney appearance that would only look good on demon skin. This may be because Lahmian Medium is actually a glaze medium, and too much can actually spell a glossy appearance.Try some real matt medium on top of it to reduce the glaring.

I am a bit confused by some of your terminology, and so its making it hard, at least for my dim-witted mind, to figure out what is going on. I am not sure what this means: "...a watered down with lamiahn medium 5 color blend..." Do you mean to say that you use five different tones when highlighting? So for instance a medium red, followed by a lighter red, then even lighter red, etc??? Or are you saying a single tone consists of 5 colors that you mixed together? I am pretty sure that you mean the former, in which case your processes sound correct, but you may simply be addinga white to the red, or another light color, that is causing it to chalk up. Whites and many flesh tones are notorious for chalking up. My advice would be to go out and get a VMC off white, such as VMC Ivory, and use this as your highlight tone of choice.

Work on getting your camera, even a smartphone (many even prefer this to their expensive ones) to take pics of what you mean. This is soooo much more helpful around here. Nobody will ever put down your work in a negative or demeaning manner, and you will grow by leaps and bounds. Plus, it saves you from all that time required to describe your situation. Everybody now:
PICTURES! PICTURES! PICTURES!

:)

i dont have chalkyness with p3 but they are shiney naturally because they have no matte medium in them. i also dont use the GW lahmian medium with those paints nor do i get shine using the GW medium with other colors. i dont think it is a shiney medium.... you might be thinking of something else
 

gr33n

New member
You talked about an annoying shiney appearance that would only look good on demon skin. This may be because Lahmian Medium is actually a glaze medium, and too much can actually spell a glossy appearance.Try some real matt medium on top of it to reduce the glaring.

I am a bit confused by some of your terminology, and so its making it hard, at least for my dim-witted mind, to figure out what is going on. I am not sure what this means: "...a watered down with lamiahn medium 5 color blend..." Do you mean to say that you use five different tones when highlighting? So for instance a medium red, followed by a lighter red, then even lighter red, etc??? Or are you saying a single tone consists of 5 colors that you mixed together? I am pretty sure that you mean the former, in which case your processes sound correct, but you may simply be addinga white to the red, or another light color, that is causing it to chalk up. Whites and many flesh tones are notorious for chalking up. My advice would be to go out and get a VMC off white, such as VMC Ivory, and use this as your highlight tone of choice.

Work on getting your camera, even a smartphone (many even prefer this to their expensive ones) to take pics of what you mean. This is soooo much more helpful around here. Nobody will ever put down your work in a negative or demeaning manner, and you will grow by leaps and bounds. Plus, it saves you from all that time required to describe your situation. Everybody now:
PICTURES! PICTURES! PICTURES!

:)

o and yeh i use a darker shade lighter and lighter and lighter etc. i dont add white or flesh its just these colors

oh and im not worried about my work. im actually pretty good and trying to be modest. i just struggle with red for some reason
 
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GreenOne

I paint my thumb.
Too many words not enough pictures. Pictures are worth a 1000 words you NEED a proper camera if you want to get benefit from all the help that is online.

A lot of painters struggle with red for some reason.
 
i dont have chalkyness with p3 but they are shiney naturally because they have no matte medium in them. i also dont use the GW lahmian medium with those paints nor do i get shine using the GW medium with other colors. i dont think it is a shiney medium.... you might be thinking of something else

i go through a bottle of Lahmian Medium with every mini I paint. Very familiar with its properties. Sometimes if I use too much of the Lahmian, which again is a glaze medium, my paints lose some of their mattness

Apparrently, P3 are known for that satin finish. Also, users are known to complain about chalkiness from their lighter colors. As discussed here: http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?34795

So the culprit is likely one of the colors you are using to highlight with. Am I reading correctly though that you think it comes from a shade?
 

Demihuman

Active member
I have had the same experience with Reaper reds. I think it might be from over thinning. I would leave it alone for a couple for days then seal it then try to fix it.
 

gr33n

New member
P3 reds have no issue. look amazing and inspired me to try other colors. might be the liquid vs dry pigments but i love it
 

gr33n

New member
i go through a bottle of Lahmian Medium with every mini I paint. Very familiar with its properties. Sometimes if I use too much of the Lahmian, which again is a glaze medium, my paints lose some of their mattness

Apparrently, P3 are known for that satin finish. Also, users are known to complain about chalkiness from their lighter colors. As discussed here: http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?34795

So the culprit is likely one of the colors you are using to highlight with. Am I reading correctly though that you think it comes from a shade?

no comes from a highlight. also the p3 reds work for me im happy. i love the lahmian medium but it isnt making anything ive ever painted shiny so im not sure how yours do
 
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