Good technique for painting white(ish) clothing?

[ErikB]

I've been painting minis for more than 10 years but I am just not satisfied with my ability to paint white cloth.

Does anyone have any good recipes?  Especially with vallejo paints?

I used to use the GW combination of: scorched brown, beast brown, snakebite, bleached bone, and a light dusting of white, but that's to many layers and I'm tired of GW products, though this worked well on the highly detailed GW minis.

Now I am painting smoother layers of clothing (like Foundry Baluchis) and I need a smarter way to do this.

Khaki, khaki highlight, white is not giving me what I want.  Using washes is alright but they are never quite the same color as the paints I am using, so it looks a little off.

I'd like to achieve that "just right" look that Foundry shows:
http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/files/cache/28ee3bb206c9b3003719515c555f8bd3_f7293.jpg
http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/files/cache/d3d5e739123d446ec40611544452a0a1_f7291.jpg

And that Fireforge has achieved with their Templars:
http://www.beastsofwar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Templar-Infantry-1.jpg

Anyone have a recipe they like a lot?

Thanks, and Danke!

[Orctrader]

If this white is what you're after...



I used the CDA White Triad.

231 Mid Grey
211 Light Grey
101 White

just three layers.

And here again



Though with intermixing so the layers had smoother transitions.  Still just those three paints.

I have had the same effect with Vallejo paints - don't recall the names.  Essentially though you simple select a "mid grey" then a light grey - not too blue - and pure white for the highlights.

[ErikB]

Ooooooohhhh, very nice!  That's a GREAT cold white!  I'll take notes on that.

How about for warm whites, like guys who originally had white cloth but it got dusty over time?

[Atheling]

It really depends on how white you want the clothing to be- I noticed that you said white-ish so I'd go with a recipe of something like this:

Base- Vallejo Iraqui Sand
Mid- Vallejo Iraqui Sand & Vallejo Ivory
Highlight- Vallejo Ivory
Highlight- Vallejo Off White
Highlight- Vallejo White (used exceptionally sparingly and only on the 'highest' of detail)

It's a great combination and gives a real lived in look.

Hope that this is of help?

Darrell.

[ErikB]

Wonderful.  I'll try that this week on my Baluchis!  I think I have those colors, too.

[Atheling]

Wonderful.  I'll try that this week on my Baluchis!  I think I have those colors, too.

Glad to be of help- please post up the results 

Darrell.