Wet blending vs. layering + question

[THEKAPPTIN]

Pro painters - the people who get 9.1\'s on CMON and win Golden Daemons - do they use wet blending or layering? Which method is generally regarded as \"better\"?

Could someone please give me a brief description of the method on wet blending?

 

[J2FcM]

Both. They use both. I haven\'t found either to be a hugely favored method.

Wetblending... find a surface, take 2 colors, slap them on side by side... making sure they\'re still wet (some people use slow dry).

Then skillfully drag a brush up and down (if the line between the 2 paints is vertical, you drag the brush up and down). basically just blending the 2 colors together.

Check the articles section as always for pictures. and better descriptions.

 

[Modderrhu]

J2FcM said it all, really, neither method is better. I presume with \'layering\', you mean very thin layers of paint, making transitions barely visible? Then layering is much easier than wet blending, but significantly slower. Wet blending takes more patience, skill and time to get it right, but; once you\'ve got the technique, it\'s perhaps the quickest method that produces smooth blending. Some top painters use it all the time, others just do without it.

 

[DaN]

it is of course possible to use both styles at the same time - although it would take AGES

 

[Thecadian]

well im definatly at the bottom of the pile as far as scores go but i like weblending.It may seem hard to master but stick at and youll son see better results

 

[THEKAPPTIN]

Thanks a lot guys. Now all I need to do is work up the initiative to actually get painting!:duh:

 

[Ritual]

I use wetblending for the basic shading and highlighting of larger areas. Then I add further highlights by layering thin, transparent coats on top of the wetblended highlights and I also add more depth to the shadows by glazing different colours in the deeper recesses.

 

[generulpoleaxe]

yep, i have started to do as ritual does.

it speeds things up on larger areas. on smaller areas and fidly detail bits i just use good old layering and glazes.

 

[montka]

I\'m no expert in wetblending, but I get the impression its not relevant to smaller surfaces such as faces, and is easiest to pull off on large smooth surfaces like muscles or cloaks.

 

[Trevor]

I use wetblending for the basic shading and highlighting of larger areas. Then I add further highlights by layering thin, transparent coats on top of the wetblended highlights and I also add more depth to the shadows by glazing different colours in the deeper recesses.

I think you\'ll find a lot of the \'top\' painters use combination approch.

I know that I do something which is part blending, part layering, part drybrushing, with washes and juices and glazes. Depending upon what I\'m doing one of these may come to the fore, but on any given mini I probably use all of them.

 

[Matt Cexwish]

I use Wetblending and Layering... it depends on which type of Mini you are actually painting, or which part...

NMM looks god both ways, for my opinion Wetblending is more \"economic\"...... Not the best effect but really, really quick, if you know how to do it...

Layering makes better colours... clearer, cleaner...

 

[faulkns]

Agree with Matt. If I\'m doing stuff for my rank and file for Warhammer layering everytime (Especially on Horde armies)

Just starting to get back into wet layering for some of my character figures. Although I find it more difficult under lamp light due to heat drying paint out quicker.

 

[GAR]

I think the most important thing not said yet is not whether or not one is better than any other, but what is it you are trying to accomplish.

Each has its own subtle differences and is better suited to some particular goal or end result.

For the record I use both, on the same figure, for different reasons, of which can not be simply explained. I only know what I am trying to do and how I want it to look. So based on that I decide which technique is going to acomplish that.

In the end, its all about putting paint on little toy soldiers.