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Help What paint washes do you use?

Warden
Slann

Warden

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So I have been using an old GW "ink" called chestnut ink for years now. Back when we bought it, the little jar cost only $2.49. I have been using it as a wash for Caucasian skin, it still works pretty well and I have enough for probably all light-skinned miniatures I will ever paint:

warden201803_chesnut ink.jpg

The Liquitex (color: transparent burnt sienna) is what I use for bases. By mixing this paint together with standard brown and glossy black from apple barrel, I have been able to produce a nice muddy-effect on my jungle bases.

But I am curious what the paint experts out there use for "inks" or "washes" to add a layer of color to the deep recesses of the models. I have heard a "green wash" would be good for ork skin for example, and I am also looking for some kind of "red wash" and "blue wash" for my future samurai armor project I have in the wings. An actual replacement for chestnut ink would also be helpful if I ever run out, so if anyone has a "brown wash" please let me know.

If you have a certain recipe for your washes, or if you have a specific GW/other company ink/wash product, please let me know (links please!).

Your advice is appreciated! :vulcan:
 
I use GW shades and they are quite good but you could get away with having 4 or 5 namely,

Seraphim Sepia - brown
Druchii Violet - purple/red
Drakenhoff nightshade - blue
Biel tan - green
Casandora - yellow

The rest are just a variation of colours, the most useful one I find is Seraphim Sepia.
 
I have about 1/2 a pint left of my huge bottle of India ink.
I have used this with everything over the years.

Also I still have a set of the original GW "Washes".
I find these quite good, be Shure the shake them up before use though.
I recently picked up a reaper wash similar to chestnut ink.
I find it a bit more concentrated the GW washes but less than pure ink.

Ps. check out "Future" floor wax, it's basically pure acrylic medium good for turning paint into washes.
 
I mainly use Army Painter inks as they are a lot cheaper than GW (at least where I live) and come in dropper bottles.

Soft tone is a nice sepia wash, it has many uses. I use it for shading metal parts but also for Skeleton bone or whenever something looks too clean.
Strong tone is a brown wash, very similar to GW Agrax Earthshade
Dark tone is similar to Nuln Oil, a black wash

There is also a flesh wash but I haven't used that one yet, as I still have the GW one.

And then there are the color washes.
Blue, Purple, Green, Camo (more yellowish green) and red.

I have used all of them for my Lizards and I recommend having at least those basic tones available at all times.
 
I really appreciate the responses! I will be looking into all of these.

@n810 what company are you getting the India Ink from?

@Aginor I am guessing these are the Army Painter ink tones you were talking about? Don't seem too expensive at all.
 
Warden said:
I really appreciate the responses! I will be looking into all of these.

@n810 what company are you getting the India Ink from?

@Aginor I am guessing these are the Army Painter ink tones you were talking about? Don't seem too expensive at all.
Click to expand...

Yes, those are the ones.
I just don't know how the price for those is in other regions of the world. They are made in Denmark so in Europe their price is very reasonable. Hobbyists in North America will probably have some more shipping cost.

Oooh and I just noticed they have added some more shades since I last checked! Tempting...
 
I use GW washes/shades... because I have them... I also have some from Vallejo but prefer to use GW cause the Vallejo stuff dries quite quickly (well, they are labeled as quick drying so one could expect that) and tends to leave a not s nice finish if not applied right... also I sometimes mix my own by adding thinner and glaze medium to normal paint... with varying success...
 
I mainly have switched to vallejo, but still use my citadel paints. I've been meaning to pick up a couple of coat d'arms to replicate my old "desert cloth" mixture.

the citadel technical paints, specifically the blood one and the verdegris, are awesome
 
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