So... How big is your palette?

[Plynkes]

Very nice of you to say so, old son.  I'm sure once your Russian Civil War/BoB show gets going you'll be playing some equally great games.

[Bako]

I have just short of 100 different shades of paint, ink, and chalks. Not including aerosol paint cans. However I rarely paint stuff .

[Captain Blood]

Well, some very interesting variations here, from the 'I just have about 20 I regularly use' camp, to the 'I have hundreds but don't paint anything camp' 

Bright white is always highlighted with Titanium White from my tube acrylics. 
VMV Ivory is probably my most used colour.  Mixed into many colours as a highlight.  Used for the “whites” of eyes.  Drybrushed onto bases as a final highlight.

Some nice tips there Orctrader - thanks. I shall try both of those.

What do you reckon to Plaka? I know it's the Prof's favourite, and I used to have a couple of jars of it years ago. But I think it's pretty rare here in the UK now? I've never seen it in any of the art/craft shops I go into.

This also includes relying on extensive use of the new GW washes, and I never used washes at all until a few months ago.

Hmmm. Washes, inks and dips seem to be increasingly popular.
I've never used either - apart from a thin black wash made from diluting black acrylic with water to cover up smudged lines... 
What's the deal with washes? How best to use them? Is it just a speed thing, or do they bring a different quality to the finished product? Should they be in my armoury? 

 

[Plynkes]

For me with these new GW ones it is a speed thing. One less layer to do in the highlighting/shading process, as the wash does the shadows for me much more quickly (and better, if I'm honest) than the old 'manual' method.

Never used to use them either, but after all the razzmatazz about them I thought I'd give them a go, and was pleased with the results. Still experimenting with them, really. Depending on what I'm trying to achieve I sometimes highlight and then wash, and sometimes I put the wash on the base colour and highlight from there. As I said, I'm still feeling my way, trying to find out what gives the best results.

They do give a sort of earthy, subdued look which I like. They might not be your cup of tea Captain, as I have noticed you like to use bright vibrant colours. Still, with your expertise I'm sure you could still achieve the look you like with them.

These were the first batch of figures I tried out the new washes with. Not too sure how helpful it is to show them without the WIP stages, but unfortunately I didn't take any pics as I went along...















On just about everything in those pictures I used GW washes to create the dark shades, except on the weapons and leather equipment (I already had my method off pat for those, and didn't want to mess with it), plus the odd doodad here and there.

[Ray Rivers]

Hey Plynkes!

Those figs came out really great.

Have to admit though, my past experiences with washes soured me on their use.  Almost certainly my fault, but it seemed that they just leeched into everything.  I understand the new GW washes are much better, but I still have reservations.  Total mini washes just seem to difficult for me to control the result.

[Orctrader]

Bright white is always highlighted with Titanium White from my tube acrylics. 
VMV Ivory is probably my most used colour.  Mixed into many colours as a highlight.  Used for the “whites” of eyes.  Drybrushed onto bases as a final highlight.

Some nice tips there Orctrader - thanks. I shall try both of those.

What do you reckon to Plaka? I know it's the Prof's favourite, and I used to have a couple of jars of it years ago. But I think it's pretty rare here in the UK now? I've never seen it in any of the art/craft shops I go into.

What's the deal with washes? How best to use them? Is it just a speed thing, or do they bring a different quality to the finished product? Should they be in my armoury? 

Hard for me to get hold of, even on-online.  Apart from the Professor I believe Steve Dean uses some and Bugsda uses so much he mentions it in his Ebay Sales!

I only bought two – a dark green and a reddish Brown – their names escape me.  Saw them in a craft shop when I was out on a day trip.

They are very thick but I could use them if they were more easily available and I didn’t already have enough paint.  The reddish brown was great for certain leather tones and I used it here on the jacket.  Mixed in a VGC darker brown for shade\basecoat and added Vallejo terracotta for the highlight.




Regarding washes, I use these occasionally too and glazes.  But I have since I began painting.  I'm mildly amused that such an "original" technique seems to have suddenly regained popularity due to GW releasing ready-mixed.
I mix my own washes using either ink or paint.  I often use a "targetted" wash on leather

Two examples below.  Used a brown ink wash on the horse.  A purple paint glaze on the suit - just to tone down some harsh highlights.

[dampfpanzerwagon]

The truth is that my collection of acrylic paints is huge - 100's from many, many different manufacturers.

The link below gives some additional details as to the paints I use most often, although, comments earlier in this thread about VMC Ivory, has made me think I might pick up a bottle the next time I visit a model shop.

Regards

Tony
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/2008/05/dampfs-grey-period-my-paints.html

[Plynkes]

Total mini washes just seem to difficult for me to control the result.

With mine (in the examples above) it isn't a total wash of the mini, each area gets its own mini-wash of the colour most suited to it. It isn't "The Dip" by any means, but it is still quicker for me than the way I used to do it.

[Tsune]

Plynkes,

Who makes those British miniatures? or are they conversions?

[Plynkes]

Plynkes,

Who makes those British miniatures? or are they conversions?

They're conversions, mate. The full story is on this topic:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=7135.0

Though since I did them you can now get British figures in this outfit from Woodbine Designs/Gripping Beast:
http://www.grippingbeast.com/product.php?ItemID=2037

I've bought some of these to finish off that project, rather than go through the converting malarky again. It's a lot cheaper for one thing. 

[dodge]

Very nice of you to say so, old son.  I'm sure once your Russian Civil War/BoB show gets going you'll be playing some equally great games.

I am hoping so, I have some good ideas and so we will see,

but I will never better the 'real fog episode' 

dodge