New painter frustrations

[KriegMarshal]

I was hoping to get some advice on colors to use for painting Perdita.

I have searched online and haven't found anything that I feel really helps me at my level of painting skill.

I understand highlighting with drybrushing and shading with washes, but I'm not confident in selecting skin tones. I mainly have GW citadel paints. I see some of the minis of Perdita on here and they are fantastic, but I can't seem to judge what colors are used.

If anyone could recommend a base color and a highlight and a shade, I'd appreciate it. I have attempted a few times with blending and layering with horrible looking results so I need to keep practicing, but that will take time, so I was hoping in the meantime I can get some tips using some basic highlighting and shading with washes.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

[CrimsonWraith]

I gernerally use a base of Tallarn Flesh(GW Foundation) and then either mix in Pallid Flesh to highlight or Scab Red or Bubonic brown to shade down(any brownish/brownish red color) All GW. This give a kind of light skin tone. Mixing in colors to base gives different effects, i.e. green for zombies, browns for tanned skin, etc.

[pixelante]

Well it would be great to see what you skill level really is, but this is my advice for people new to painting.

Neatness, get the model looking neat, no spills, visible brush strokes etc.

Then, in the immortal words of Dan Heelan, just dip it.

You should also take the time to practice on some cheap miniatures.

[DAGabriel]

http://massivevoodoo.blogspot.com/2009/11/tutorial-human-skin.html

[Jon Kerr]

(I did put together a beginners painting guide on another forum, you may like to check it out? http://baddice.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1010&sid=5836842ee7bc5094afb79c2dd98dfe9e)

To get you kick-started, here's what I'd personally go for for a nice easy paintjob for a beginner:

Undercoat the model Chaos Black.

1. Paint the skin Tallarn Flesh.

2. Paint the leggings, hat, boots, wristbands Dark Flesh.

3. Where possible, pick out the leather straps etc in Chaos Black.

4. Paint the T-shirt Scab Red.

5. Wash the WHOLE model in Gryphonne Sepia. (This is the best part! Let it dry completely and the effect should be great!)

6. Dont forget to give the base some attention!

As you improve, you may want to go back over each area once the Gryphonne Sepia wash is dry to "highlight" the most raised areas with the original colour. Until you have the brush control to pick out folds in cloth or raised facial features etc, you might want to skip this stage. Remember you can always go back to a model and work on it more as your skill improves.

Tips for beginners:

-Try working with the LEAST amount of paint possible on your brush. Too much paint on your brush is a very common problem with new painters (and might be the reason for the bad blending attempts?) Gather some out of the pot and wipe the excess onto a paper towl/toilet tissue.

-As a beginner, brand new paint should be a reasonable consistency straight out of the pot, but as paints age you may need to water them down a little. The paint should flow up the brush and into the bristles, not goop ONTO the bristles.

-Let the model dry adequately between stages. Don't paint the clothes, then imeadiately try to slap a different colour onto the leather straps if they are still wet.

[jeffb007]

My standard flesh painting is a couple of thin layers of Dwarf Flesh over a calthan brown foundation base coat (applied over a black undercoat). Then was the skin areas with Devlan mud wash, paint the raised areas a couple of thin Dwarf flesh areas again and then slowly add Elf Flesh for highlights.

If you want to go for something darker like the executioner I just finished then I started with Tanned Flesh with a Dwarf Flesh highlight initially with a couple of Elf flesh ones added to the mix.

I also saw a great skin tone achieved by another user here called Malcontent, which was Bestial Brown slowly highlighted with Bleached Bone I believe. It looked fantastic, but he did say it was 50 -60 layers I think!

[dublindawg]

When I paint flesh I start with a base coat of Tallarn flesh for light skin and Dark flesh for a more tanned looking tone.

For light skin:

Tallarn flesh (consistancy of milk)

Wash with a water down devlan mud

Dwarven flesh (a couple of thin coats)

highlight with Elven flesh

Here is an example:

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k617/sporudy/Dwarf%20Army/dwarf.jpg

I haven't done a dark tan skin tone in sometime so I don't remember all the paints that I use. Some of them have been discontinued.

Edited July 1, 2011 by dublindawg

[KriegMarshal]

I appreciate all the tips. I'm going to work on the model this weekend. I'll try to post up some pics as I go through each stage.

[FoeRender]

Jon Kerr - gave great advise , golden sepia should be standard in every beginners paint set .

[Ratty]

These days I prefer Vallejo Brown Sand as I find Tallarn Flesh is just not nice to work with. Then Ogryn Flesh wash, repaint up raised areas with Brown Sand feathering the edges, then add some pale sand into the mix with the Brown Sand and build up layers until you are happy it's light enough, then a final wash of Gryphonne Sepia to bring it together.

[Jon Kerr]

I appreciate all the tips. I'm going to work on the model this weekend. I'll try to post up some pics as I go through each stage.

Good luck! Don't forget the pics, and let us know what recipe you went for in the end

[ispep]

Gryphon Sepia is magic in a pot. Not quite as magical as the old Chestnut Ink, but fairly close.

One important thing to remember for new painters is that when some posts that incredible mini, (generally) they didn't just pick up a box of paints and brushes the day before. Try not to think "I'll never be able to do that" and instead think of ways you can make it work with the skills you have. The more you do it, the better you'll get.

Also remember the "3 foot rule". If it isn't a competition piece or a display piece, it just has to look good from arms length. Even a mini that looks terrible close up looks great on the table top.

[striker8]

There a lot of differnt techniques for flesh tones I've used most of the ones listed in this thread in one form or another at different times.

But I have to say there is no magic one that will work for all painters or on all mini's. The only way to get how flesh tones work is see how others do it and then experiment, mix and match techniques and colors, and practice, practice, practice. You will find the ones that work for you're style. It may be seem duanting and frustrating in the begining but you will get to the point that it "clicks" for you.

As much as I hate the place at times, Cool Mini has a great tutorial section and if you have a thick skin the forums there can be a wealth of knowledge.