Is this good enough a "table top" standard?

Hi all, first time posting my newly painted old version Skinks here.

This is actually the two best painted skinks in my army.... other ones were poorly painted simply because I was a kid and I rushed it lol

So would you say this is a good tabletop standard, beyond table top standard, or anything? Any comments / critiques and tips for improvements are highly appreciated

I spent about 2 hours on each one of them, they are not even 100% completed, the bag of arrows and the strings can use more details.

While I am happy with the result I would love to hear some tips on how to achieve the same level of details/blending in a quicker manner. I feel some more experience painters may have some tips to achieve good looking blending while working on a large number of models.

They are definitely good enough for tabletop standard, I would say that they are beyond they look awesome. The skin is particularly good, great job on that.

I think the gold bracelets could need some work, maybe a wash to give it more depth.
The arrow bag have you already mentioned, and the crest maybe could be given an extreme highlight on the edges.

Oh and you should paint the eyes.

How are you planing on basing these?


Regarding any tips for painting models en masse - washes! Washes is your best friend IMO.
A simple color scheme and washes goes a long way.

Cheers!

I'll agree with Totzro. You have done really well on the skin. Finishing off the arrow bag and base I'll say that it's at TT quality+.

Usually, most core troops including Special units that have several models are painted without much advanced techniques save for the command as you'd want those generally to stand out from the rest of the unit yet still tie-in with the unit's theme. MMU (many model units) tend to get speed painted so more time can be spent on the single models, characters, monsters and unit commands. This is where washes come in handy as well as dipping (near same result, just different applications) which can come out remarkably well. Spending 2 hours on a single core multi-model unit (though well done, imo!) would get "old" fast when you have 20+ more infront of you to do.

I also understand that you are just getting back into painting and your speed will improve along with your quality over time (it took me a while to get a single Bret Knight with horse painted down to 2 hours! lol). My worry would be that you might get burned out after 10 hours of painting with only 5 models done and shelve them. I am, of course, speaking from experience on that one.

But, going back to your original question.. Yes, these are at *least* at TT quality. And I really do like your choice of skin colors. And seconded on painting the eyes.

- Lord Cedric

They look great. Definately TT quality. I think I would at least add some contrast in the eyes. A bright red or orange would make them jump.

When faced with a crap-ton of models to paint (like, say 170 skinks---Yes, I painted them), you should set them up in groups that you are comfortable paintin them in. I actually set my groups way too high. It would be easier to take groups of 20-30 and set them up for painting. First thing would be to get the base color, then highlights, then wash, then highlight again, followed by details (bows, arrows, javelins, blowpipes). The last step would be the bases.

If you set them up like an assembly line, it goes quickly. As Cedric stated, the dip and washes will help immensly.

Thanks for the feedback! Yes I forgot to mention I have yet to decide what colour their eyes should be. White seems boring and yellow would be too similar to the yellow-green skin tone.

I have setup my workspace so that it is easy to paint for as little as 15 minutes every day.

I use a wet-palette and I have a tub of water on my desk, so all I do is pull out my tray, grab a brush, open the lid of the wet-palette, and I can start painting. I can literally start in less than 30 seconds and same for tidying up.

I think that helped a great deal that I can start/end my painting session in an instant.

For these two Skinks, I am trying what painting technique works and what does, so I admit it was a bit slow.

I also found I am slow when I highlight an entire model then go to highlighting the next-in-line.

Instead, I highlight the *forearm* of a single model, then I move to the next. Once I have completed all forearms, I highlight the upperarm/ other body parts. I think this gives good quality and speed. Because you spend less time rotating and checking the model, and you are basically focusing on how to get that one or two strokes *just right* and making less mistakes.

Any of you paint in that fashion too?

They look like they're about to play rock, paper, scissors. I really like the paint job, very good skin highlights. Definitely above TT standard.