• The forum software have been upgraded to the latest version.

    If you notice anything that looks off, or does not work, please let us know.

    For more information, click here.

How to paint a unit quickly?`

G
Saurus

gapton

Member
Messages
90
Likes Received
0
Trophy Points
6
When it comes to painting an entire unit, what techniques do you use to save time?

I am happy with small characters models that I spent around 4-6 hours on completing.

However I can never afford 40-60 hours when painting a unit of 10 Skink!!

What are the best time saving techniques out there? I usually prime>base>wash>detail>highlight

Some say washing AFTER highlight would subtly blend the highlights. However I am struggling a bit to find a good routine to follow.

Or do you just base + drybrush everything and be done with it lol? I don't really like the roughness of dry brushing. It creates a really foggy feeling, almost like the model has mold grown on it.
 
I set up an assembly line for painting. I get every color that I will need and put it on a pallette. I use a wet pallette now which makes this work much better.

I have everything painted with the closest color to the end color (with primer if possible). For example, all my skinks are based on a white paint scheme. I sit down and paint every javelin/blowpipe in the unit, then I paint all the eyes, then the tounges....

You get the idea. finally, I paint on Army painter mid tone dip. This acts as both a wash and a sealant. Also, i like the shine that the end result has on the skinks. It makes them look wet.

Once that is done, I go about the same process with the bases (excluding the dip).
 
Yeah I use a wet palette and that has made a massive difference. Especially when creating a smooth blend.

For characters I have at least 5 levels of shades. Shadow, Mid tone, lighter mid tone, highlight and ultra highlight

When painting a unit however, I cannot paint 5 layers on all models so I chose....3? but the results are not very satisfying. It should have been Shadow > Mid > Highlight

However I always find it either (1) not well-blended or (2) too little overall contrast
 
Sorry to sound like an idiot but may I ask what a wet pallette is? :P I'm assuming it's something to do with paints laid out on a palette with water :L
 
Also there is a sponge and a bit of baking parchment paper.
personally I just use a regular palette. :shifty:
 
My favoured way of doing a unit is base coat every part (including tongues/eyes/etc.), then highlight, then wash. The wash will blend the highlight and base coat a little, enough for my preference. You may want to base coat ever so slightly brighter/lighter than you normally would.
As a final step, I touch up each model, doing some quick additional highlights if they're necessary.

I guess the trick is trying different methods, and seeing what suits your preferences for quality and time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top