Just started painting some skinks, any tips?

[StinkySkinky]

Hi all! I'm brand spanking new to these forums / Warhammer as a whole, I've recently gotten really into Lizardmen (They are kick ass!!). I've purchased a bunch of stuff and was loving the idea of a Skink cloud. Here's my first attempt at painting a Skink, any tips would be highly appreciated!
(P.s I don't have any pink for the tongue or white for the claws / teeth. They've been dispatched and should arrive shortly)

 

[Skinquisitor]

Hello there! Nice work so far! If Im not wrong, you just finished the base colors, and shades,right? Little highlighting, and the basing, and theyll be kickass
Gw has released a nice tutorial video of the basics for painting, Id suggest you watching it.
My method for painting: there is a ~test picture of skins/sauruses where I try out the colour combos. If Im satisfied, I make an excell table where I make notes: the columns are the painting phases, the rows are the parts, and I write into the fields what colours Ill use on the specific phase in the specific part.
For example (after the model is basecoated):
base colour shade/wash highlight1 highlight2 glaze
body part1
body part2
weapon
scales
etc, depending the model
So you just put the colours into the cells, so the whole painting process is planned, wich makes easier (at least for me) the actual painting.
Also, you can use this method to speed up the painting: instead of painting just one model, you can paint several at a time, doing the same paintwork on all the models. Saves time, because you dont have to change the paint on your brush that many times, and so on.

 

[n810]

pretty decent,
you missed a bracelet though.

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

Nice job, looks good. Awesome profile name by the way!

 

[Crowsfoot]

Looking good, with the colour scheme your using you can get away with using Agrax earthshade to wash the whole model to apply shading, when dry reapply the base colours but leave the recesses shaded, then when dry take each base colour add a bit of white and **drybrush the base colour, add more white to the mix or use pure white and lightly drybrush again hitting the highest points only.

**Drybrushing> when your brush is loaded with paint wipe most of it off on a paper towel so it leaves only a trace when you brush the nail on your finger, now brush your model in the opposite direction to the highlights, so brush across the muscles, best to use an old brush for this size 1/2

 

[StinkySkinky]

Hello there! Nice work so far! If Im not wrong, you just finished the base colors, and shades,right? Little highlighting, and the basing, and theyll be kickass
Gw has released a nice tutorial video of the basics for painting, Id suggest you watching it.
My method for painting: there is a ~test picture of skins/sauruses where I try out the colour combos. If Im satisfied, I make an excell table where I make notes: the columns are the painting phases, the rows are the parts, and I write into the fields what colours Ill use on the specific phase in the specific part.
For example (after the model is basecoated):
base colour shade/wash highlight1 highlight2 glaze
body part1
body part2
weapon
scales
etc, depending the model
So you just put the colours into the cells, so the whole painting process is planned, wich makes easier (at least for me) the actual painting.
Also, you can use this method to speed up the painting: instead of painting just one model, you can paint several at a time, doing the same paintwork on all the models. Saves time, because you dont have to change the paint on your brush that many times, and so on.

I've got the basing and white paint coming soon, thanks for the feedback!!
I've got the GW videos lined up in tabs as we speak! Thanks for the suggestion! If I want a Skink cloud I have a lot of them to paint, I think I'll steal your idea if painting multiple units with that method.

pretty decent,
you missed a bracelet though.

Thanks! - uh, no, that bracelet just happens to be skin color! (Whoops I missed it, thank you! )

Nice job, looks good. Awesome profile name by the way!

Haha well I thought that a Skink cloud would smell, sooooooooooo yeah StinkySkinky

Looking good, with the colour scheme your using you can get away with using Agrax earthshade to wash the whole model to apply shading, when dry reapply the base colours but leave the recesses shaded, then when dry take each base colour add a bit of white and **drybrush the base colour, add more white to the mix or use pure white and lightly drybrush again hitting the highest points only.

**Drybrushing> when your brush is loaded with paint wipe most of it off on a paper towel so it leaves only a trace when you brush the nail on your finger, now brush your model in the opposite direction to the highlights, so brush across the muscles, best to use an old brush for this size 1/2

I actually have that wash too! (I bought the suggested paints for the battalion / Carnosaur, I feel slightly ripped off considering I don't use 1/4, the fault might be with me not using enough layers or something) Thanks for the detailed reply, it sounds really promising and I can't wait to put it to the test

I really appreciate it for your help everyone, when my white paint arrives I'll post an update to show you any progress I've made!

 

[Crowsfoot]

@StinkySkinky

If your using GW paints google "How to paint Citadel miniatures 2012 pdf" and it will show you links to downloading the book, I don't generally advise doing this but virus check them and your good to go.

Check out pages 134/135 of the book it gives you a paint chart with recommended base>layer>shade>highlight>glaze

Don't go mad and buy all the paints pick a blue, red, etc and you will be fine.

I have the book at home which my son uses and we have a print out of the paint schemes on our wall.

Oh and a tip for claws,

base with a light brown let dry then paint with an off white leaving a little brown at the base let dry then pure white just on the tip of the claw, teeth can be done the same on large models otherwise just miss out the brown.

 

[StinkySkinky]

I tried to paint a new skink but I'm still not satisfied with the end result, I'm struggling on the highlights, they look like blobs of colour splodged on

oh and edit: I hate the gold paint. Horrid stuff. Seems like it will never be solid gold, more like transparent gold with the color beneath it

 

[Crowsfoot]

Your selling your self short

Are you dry brushing the highlights? If so you want hardly any paint on the brush best way to get the right amount is this, wipe the brush on a tissue when it leaves no paint you have the right amount left to dry brush.

Which gold, balthasar? Try stirring the pot with a cocktail stick or end of an old brush, gold never looks right with 1 coat, 2 is best then shaded and highlighted, to do this agrax earthshade for shade to highlight use griffion gold or silver very lightly drybrushed just on the edges

 

[n810]

It looks like you are trying to paint highlights with the end of your brush perpendicular to the model. ---->| | (like this)
instead use the sides of your brush near the tip. like this ---->/ /
and use gentle strokes like dry brushing.

Edit: for highlighting I find flat square ended brushes work better than round brushes.

For you gold, try painting it brown or orange first, and then add a few layers of the thin gold paint...
oh and make sure you shake up the metallics, the metal flake tends to sink to the bottom of the pot rather quickly.

 

[StinkySkinky]

Your selling your self short

Are you dry brushing the highlights? If so you want hardly any paint on the brush best way to get the right amount is this, wipe the brush on a tissue when it leaves no paint you have the right amount left to dry brush.

Which gold, balthasar? Try stirring the pot with a cocktail stick or end of an old brush, gold never looks right with 1 coat, 2 is best then shaded and highlighted, to do this agrax earthshade for shade to highlight use griffion gold or silver very lightly drybrushed just on the edges

I know I've only just started painting but I just see all these cool models in the forum and aspire to paint within a fraction of its amazing finish. I should just focus on improving. Balthaser gold is really nice and consistent for me, a bit too much bronze but still a lovely paint. It's the Auric armour gold that is giving my issues. Also regarding brushes, I clean them as well as possible but they've already started to frey and lose their fine tip! I'll start a new model and try your advice with the gold though

It looks like you are trying to paint highlights with the end of your brush perpendicular to the model. ---->| | (like this)
instead use the sides of your brush near the tip. like this ---->/ /
and use gentle strokes like dry brushing.

Edit: for highlighting I find flat square ended brushes work better than round brushes.

For you gold, try painting it brown or orange first, and then add a few layers of the thin gold paint...
oh and make sure you shake up the metallics, the metal flake tends to sink to the bottom of the pot rather quickly.

Yeah, I was. I didn't realize there was another way to paint the minitures with the brush, I'll try to put your advice into action. Okay thanks

Haha okay so I have two methods of painting gold, I'll base coat two skinks and try them both and show the results when they appear.

I really REALLY appreciate the help everyone is providing, thank you!!

 

[n810]

You could probably combine those gold techniques...

 

[Crowsfoot]

Keep going and one thing you lose focus off is until your model is finished it never looks right it all comes together at the end.

Regarding brushes, wash them in warm water not too warm mind and you can't beat a quality brush, windsor and newton series 7 are brilliant and worth every penny.

Have a look on youtube at a few of the established painters, you learn loads but practice is best, my first model was all green with a yellow hat and I thought it was great until I saw my friends and was gutted but after a month of painting every night after school I was gettting better results than him.

Don't give up and if your feeling down post on here and we will do our best to help you get over your problem.

Last point get on ebay and search "white dwarf august 2013" buy it and watch your gold technique go through the roof

 

[StinkySkinky]

My desk lamp is a bit too bright, but I'm WAY happier with how this one turned out! Applying the brush strokes with the side (Idk if thats the correct terminology lol) helped loads! Applying the brown before gold made my life sooooooooo much easier. Gotta apply another coat but overall I'm happy! - I don't have yellow for the eyes, any color suggestions? (Or does a lizardman need those sweet, yellow, reptilian eyes?)

Also I ordered that WD issue you recomended, £5 off eBaY or something similar. Thanks for the help so far guys, any tips on what I need to work on next?

(p.s I forgot to paint the shield )

 

[Crowsfoot]

@StinkySkinky

Eyes can be any colour you like but yellow, green, red work really well with Lizardmen.

Next get some pva glue and some children's play sand, apply the glue on the top surface of your base then dip in the sand allow to dry then paint in your desired colour then apply a dry brush of a lighter colour.

You will soon be learning how to layer the model