Painting Styles

[Sean Clark]

Over the years I've done them all from the dip to the Dallimore.

But for the last 10 years or so, I'd say I've exclusively painted using the block colour and wash technique. Having painted thousands of 15mm, then thousands more 6mm in this style, I'm experimenting a bit; particularly after watching the little Wars TV episode where Greg paints some Pendraken AWI, I'm going with a block colour, leaving some either black or dark undercoat showing, and maybe the odd highlight.

It's amazingly quick, and looks great from tabletop distance. It keeps the colours brighter too.

How do you do yours?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Badly and at great speed! 

[Leon]

Badly and at great speed! 

Well that's half true...! 

[paulr]

Grey undercoat
Block colours, selected colours dry brushed to add highlights/texture
Selected details painted
Black wash
Final very very light dry brush with Deck Tan to add dust/final highlight

[FierceKitty]

Undercoat acccording to desired final effect - flesh, bases, dark brown and black bits (spears, bows, firearms, shield backs, boots, hair) and horsehide - main uniform or clothing - fun bits like flags, shields, tartans and stripes - draw on belts, scabbards, reins and harness, baldrics, scabbards - metallics - make good - glue onto mass bases - paint same basic colour - flock - seal flock - adorn bases - spray sealant - realise I need just two more units and the army really will be big enough this time.

[John Cook]

First I clean the figure of all flash and rough edges.  This, I think, is fundamentally important to a good finish.
Then I wash the figures in warm water and washing-up liquid to remove all grease and any other contaminants and allow to dry.  This provides a good key for the primer 
I then prime the figures with matt white.  I really don't like black because it dulls the final colour, particularly ones with less pigment like reds and yellows. I'll use thinned acrylic for this, not a spray.
The next step is to apply the dominant colours.  First an undercoat by blocking in the relevant parts. 
Then a top coat of the dominant colours, followed by equipment, straps and other details, and then flesh.  I use grey-black for shoes, shakos etc because you never get true black in nature and it looks less stark.
When dry I apply a sepia wash.  I don't like black washes because where it concentrates in creases and around straps it looks unrealistic and, in my view, unattractive. I find sepia much more sympathetic and natural..
I then dry-brush the figure with khaki-grey.  A very dry brush just to barely pick out the highlights.  This give a slightly dusty look which I like, and reveals where final highlighting is necessary.
Final highlighting is with the original, or slightly lighter shade,  mainly just clothing as the dry brushing is usually enough for equipment and weapons.
Finally, a coat of gloss varnish followed by a coat of matt varnish.

[fsn]

Depends on what I'm painting.

I'm quite Little Wars on Napoleonics, but apply a wash to WWII, and Little Wars up to 1500 except wheer there's armour where I apply a wash.

[Steve J]

Black undercoat for me, followed by block colours, working inside out as it were. Then a diluted wash over that, then a few highlights here and there to lift the overall look. Works for me using the 3' rule .

[mmcv]

I have been trying out non wash techniques in some of my figures. While I want the figures to look good, I also want them to paint fast and washes tend to end up making the figures look a bit dirty and in need of highlighting. For smaller figures a bit of contrast is probably more useful at tabletop distance than subtle shading. Done right the wash technique can look fantastic, but increases the time needed to paint them quite a bit. Suppose it depends on where your focus lies, I suspect it you like collecting good looking armies it's worth taking the time over it, whereas if getting armies onto the table is more important then speed is the key 

[sunjester]

Well that's half true...! 

I don't know, Will is quite fast........

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

I don't know, Will is quite fast........

I thought that he was very very SLOW 

[FierceKitty]

I have been trying out non wash techniques in some of my figures. While I want the figures to look good, I also want them to paint fast and washes tend to end up making the figures look a bit dirty and in need of highlighting. For smaller figures a bit of contrast is probably more useful at tabletop distance than subtle shading. Done right the wash technique can look fantastic, but increases the time needed to paint them quite a bit. Suppose it depends on where your focus lies, I suspect it you like collecting good looking armies it's worth taking the time over it, whereas if getting armies onto the table is more important then speed is the key. Who's even going to look twice at a mob of dusty Mesopotamians anyway?

I share your views. Washes and highlights look good on larger figures, but my eyes were never sharp enough to see the difference at 3', and overdoing it, effectively shouting, "look, I wash them", reduces the attractiveness overall. Art hides art (unless you're playing the harpsichord or writing a villanelle).

[paulr]

To each their own

I find that a light wash hides a multitude of sins
I select my colours knowing they will be dulled a little by the wash
In most cases my final deck tan highlight is all the highlighting they need after the wash
I try and time it so the wash can dry overnight

[steve_holmes_11]

Since we are talking style, as opposed to technique, sign me up as an impressionist.

I wish each stand at a short arm's length to resemble a group of warriors doing their thing.
It's the look on the tabletop that matters to me.

Throw in some compromise for distinguishing different warrior bands "The headhunters are the warriors with face and body paint".


This really boils down to three key factors.
 * Geometry shows that a 10mm figure should look like a person standing 150 - 200 yards away.
 * Stick with 2 (occasionally three) dominant colours for units of irregulars - any more will just merge into the brown.
 * Slightly brighter colours, and focus on extremity details: Heads or headgear, weapon points, horse tails and faces, flags...

[Sean Clark]

Yes this was more a question over style, rather than techinque. I think any wargamer of some experience knows a few techniques, but it is all a quesation of style. What do you prefer? And Steve, I couldn't agree more. I'm rather upset if someone picks my figures up and scrutinises them on the end of their nose. They're meant to be viewed from around 3 feet away