Newbie looking for feedback

[Calypso]

A friend of mine is big into warhammer and got me into the fandom, however I'm extremely new in all senses of the term. I've played just a demo game at my local store (Fun as hell, I'm excited to learn), but for me painting is just as exciting too.

The problem is, I was never one for paints. Digital art is my forte, so it's really weird to be playing with something so new to me.

I'd love any feedback I can possibly get for my little dudes, any tips and tricks would be appreciated a lot. All I have so far is the lizardmen battalion and a skink priest. All of them are built, and I'm just starting to paint them slowly. I have a modest one complete (and I'm not even certain that it is, it still needs a little touch up and the base refined), and two with some colours starting to happen for them.



They're a little bright thanks to my phone's camera, but does anyone have critiques on what I can improve on and where?

 

[Crowsfoot]

Wow they look really good, I used to paint around 23 years ago but recently started again with my son, I watched loads of vids on youtube to gain an understanding of the hobbie again.

Just keep at it and you will get better but yours are really really good, maybe cut down on how many colours your using at the start, but that's just a personal thing, really nice work well done.

 

[pendrake]

Bright is good.

I like this color scheme. I vote follow-through and finish all your Saurus as you have done these first few.

If you tire of this scheme the next unit can be a completely different color (that would be inline with the standard background info).

 

[n810]

Love the original schemes man

 

[NIGHTBRINGER]

I love it. It looks really unique.

 

[Calypso]

Oh my gosh thank you all so much! It's really heartwarming to see such positive responses. I was thinking for the skinks making them less colourful, maybe just the green with some yellow and facepaint so my whole army isn't just this gaudy neon splash of colour. But aw, oh my gosh. Thank you guys.

 

[Matzotyl]

Those colors on your Saurus are really great! You definitely had me fooled because that doesn't look like a newbie's paint job there.

 

[Calypso]

Ahh thank you! I was actually hoping I could get some painting advice for more techniques, youtube has been fantastic for a few but I'm still a bit iffish on how I highlight them.

 

[Crowsfoot]

Ahh thank you! I was actually hoping I could get some painting advice for more techniques, youtube has been fantastic for a few but I'm still a bit iffish on how I highlight them.

What sort of highlighting do you want to do, do you want it so it gradually goes or do you want a striking highlight?

For gradual I tend to take the base colour and add small amounts of a lighter tone, add this layer then take the lighter tone for another layer then a final highlight with the lighter tone mixed with white about a 50/50 mix.

For bolder highlights say edges of armour, take white for coloured armour, silver for gold and add a very fine line, you can use the edge of the brush for this and just finely stroke the model, try to think were the light will naturally hit the model and apply there only.

For rank and file models I think drybrushed highlights are good enough.

 

[Matzotyl]

Using a dry paint and dry brushing is a great way to add some highlights. I can't stress this enough due to personal experience though: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE PAINT ON THE BRUSH WHEN DRY BRUSHING. I can't tell you how many times I've had to go back and repaint things by having way too much of the dry paint on my brush lol.

 

[Calypso]

What sort of highlighting do you want to do, do you want it so it gradually goes or do you want a striking highlight?
*more text*

Would you say also water down the 50/50 mix for the gradual highlighting? Or would it be fine to just use the combination and paint over the model?

Using a dry paint and dry brushing is a great way to add some highlights. I can't stress this enough due to personal experience though: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE PAINT ON THE BRUSH WHEN DRY BRUSHING. I can't tell you how many times I've had to go back and repaint things by having way too much of the dry paint on my brush lol.

I have already made this mistake a lot. I've learned but I still sometimes misjudge and have to go back and repaint parts because I've managed to get brown on green where it shouldn't be, or yellow somehow onto gold.

Thank you both, really digging the advice.

 

[Calypso]

Got my skink priest happening at the moment, I'm really stuck for the feathers though. I'm thinking I'll need to pick up something bright and obnoxious like pink and aqua.

 

[Matzotyl]

No problem on the advice man, I hope it works for you.

I agree with your choices, pink and purple would look great on those feathers. I really like your green, yellow and black color scheme.

 

[Crowsfoot]

when your doing layers for highlights just paint a smaller area each time until you get the final highlight, you can water down a bit if desired.

 

[Calypso]

No problem on the advice man, I hope it works for you.

I agree with your choices, pink and purple would look great on those feathers. I really like your green, yellow and black color scheme.

Ahh thank you! Originally I was going to be highlighting the black with greys, but it seemed like it wouldn't really fit, so I've been using blues instead.

when your doing layers for highlights just paint a smaller area each time until you get the final highlight, you can water down a bit if desired.

Okay! Thank you for the tips, I'll see how this works out for me.

 

[Matzotyl]

I feel like you've made some good choices. Keep up the good work!

 

[sombrastewart]

Wow, if you call that newbie work, I'd be embarrassed to post mine. Excellent work, man!

 

[Calypso]

I feel like you've made some good choices. Keep up the good work!

Ahh thank you! I love going bright, so it's gonna be fun when eventually I buy some larger units. I really, really want the dread saurian and I want to make it a beautiful garrish monstrosity.

Wow, if you call that newbie work, I'd be embarrassed to post mine. Excellent work, man!

If you look closely at the finer detail in the models it's kinda sloppy. Namely the tail highlighting and shading on the underside of the saurus, oof I could have pulled that off a little better. I think I'll get the hang of it though as I paint more.
You should post your work! I'd love to see what they look like

 

[sombrastewart]

Bro, if you're calling any of that sloppy, you'd cringe at mine. You look like you have talent/training/patience and it really does show.

 

[Chicken Lips]

Wow! Your work is definitely looking great! I love your choices of color! I think that you are really on a great track!

One of the beauties about the Lizardmen army for me is the option of all the bright, tropical colors. I have 6 armies with LM being my most recent. When I started them, they were like a breath of fresh air! Most armies out there have mostly very dark elements to them and are usually painted that way. One of my armies is even High Elves and while they are very bright, they lack the fluorescent color options that LM have. That vibrant pop of color on the table top really draws much attention and will receive more attention and compliments from observers. All that to say, keep it up!

One thing you might think about as you move forward is when you start a special unit (like Temple Guard for example) you might want to do something completely different in order to make them stand out even more. This will be very important in such a brightly colored army where everything is really standing out. For example, you might want to make them appear to be very dark to have a stark contrast, or bright red, to break away from the neon green. (In architecture, which is my profession, there is a common "joke" which says if you want something on your building to stand out, paint it red. -such as the entrance.)

Are you using washes on your models? Looks as though you might be, but I just thought I'd ask because it can really help you add a lot of shadow and depth to your models. My method: Base coat, Wash, drybrush, details, highlight touch-ups. That really works for me and allows me to get things done in a timely manner.

Oh - and as far as the feathers on the Skink Priest go, I'd look up images of Tropical birds online to see some of their color transitions in their feathers. Nature already has some of the best color combination patterned for us.

Hope that helps! Keep up the GREAT work!