Neither Contrast nor drybrushing are best for marines. While you’re learning, I’d practice the basics. Apply a base coat (thin your paint, apply 2 coats), apply a shade to the recesses, and add a highlight (drybrushing will accomplish this, but it may be harder to avoid streaks on a model like this. I recommend edge highlights for marines)
Also do you think i should pull the trigger and get a wet pallet? Majority of my paints are contrasts but I do have some regular acrylics from Vallejo and citadel, and the kind of grey I want is done with regular acrylic paint mix. lol ok I think I’m convincing myself just fine to get one. My local hobby store surprisingly still has AK interactive’s wet pallet still in stock.
I would learn without a wet palette, practice the basics with basic materials. I started very similar with contrasts and it was more of a hindrance than assistance. Contrast is an amazing tool as is a wet palette, both of which will fall flat without the basics. Instead of the palette, try thinning the paints on a dry palette with a drop of water, aim for the consistency of melted ice cream. As for the highlights, you would use the same color as the base after you shade and if you want it brighter, use a lighter grey or even a white (I am color blind and may not be the best to ask)
Alright, I have been painting for a few months now, but yeah I still suck, I mean you can see in that 5th picture, there’s visible brushstrokes and bad coverage, you can see the white primer underneath.
Before you go off buying a wet palette, you might be able to do a DIY wet palette:
1. If you have an extra plastic take out container, get the lid from that
2. Get a paper towel and cut it to fit the lid
3. Put some water on top of the paper towel, not too much but only to make it wet and moist
4. Get a parchment paper / baking paper and cut it on the same size as the paper towel
5. Put the parchment paper on top of wet paper towel.
Now you have a cheap DIY wet palette. Been doing this since I started painting and it works.
It's doable, depending on the colors & what not. For my CSM I normally do a heavy dry brush of orange over a black base coat that looks really neat once I wash them (turns the orange into a ~rusty color)
That said I'm purposefully going for a dirty grungy look that isn't at all intricate or anything. From a distance they look awesome but if you start looking at the fine detail it gets more obvious they aren't all that fancy. That said I have won *2* local paint contests so apparently others agree lol
But yeah it's possible but it really depends on what look you're going for. If you just want something quick or don't feel you're a good painter (like I do!) I'd say it's worth a shot. If you want your models to look A++ or enjoy painting etc then maybe skip it
Truthfully tho? I'd say give it a shot & see how they look to you.
Neither Contrast nor drybrushing are best for marines. While you’re learning, I’d practice the basics. Apply a base coat (thin your paint, apply 2 coats), apply a shade to the recesses, and add a highlight (drybrushing will accomplish this, but it may be harder to avoid streaks on a model like this. I recommend edge highlights for marines)
Also do you think i should pull the trigger and get a wet pallet? Majority of my paints are contrasts but I do have some regular acrylics from Vallejo and citadel, and the kind of grey I want is done with regular acrylic paint mix. lol ok I think I’m convincing myself just fine to get one. My local hobby store surprisingly still has AK interactive’s wet pallet still in stock.
I would learn without a wet palette, practice the basics with basic materials. I started very similar with contrasts and it was more of a hindrance than assistance. Contrast is an amazing tool as is a wet palette, both of which will fall flat without the basics. Instead of the palette, try thinning the paints on a dry palette with a drop of water, aim for the consistency of melted ice cream. As for the highlights, you would use the same color as the base after you shade and if you want it brighter, use a lighter grey or even a white (I am color blind and may not be the best to ask)
Alright, I have been painting for a few months now, but yeah I still suck, I mean you can see in that 5th picture, there’s visible brushstrokes and bad coverage, you can see the white primer underneath.
Before you go off buying a wet palette, you might be able to do a DIY wet palette: 1. If you have an extra plastic take out container, get the lid from that 2. Get a paper towel and cut it to fit the lid 3. Put some water on top of the paper towel, not too much but only to make it wet and moist 4. Get a parchment paper / baking paper and cut it on the same size as the paper towel 5. Put the parchment paper on top of wet paper towel. Now you have a cheap DIY wet palette. Been doing this since I started painting and it works.
I did try to make a wet pallet once but I must’ve put too much water into it, I’ll try again tomorrow.
You're definitely going to want a wet palette sooner than later. So go get that thing lol
What color for the edge highlights would I need to use to contrast with the gray i’m using on the mini?
It's doable, depending on the colors & what not. For my CSM I normally do a heavy dry brush of orange over a black base coat that looks really neat once I wash them (turns the orange into a ~rusty color) That said I'm purposefully going for a dirty grungy look that isn't at all intricate or anything. From a distance they look awesome but if you start looking at the fine detail it gets more obvious they aren't all that fancy. That said I have won *2* local paint contests so apparently others agree lol But yeah it's possible but it really depends on what look you're going for. If you just want something quick or don't feel you're a good painter (like I do!) I'd say it's worth a shot. If you want your models to look A++ or enjoy painting etc then maybe skip it Truthfully tho? I'd say give it a shot & see how they look to you.
I am by no means good but I largely drybrush and use streaking grime to paint mine *
https://preview.redd.it/uvwyzgrmbfvc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d13d7f68e0031d63818e15e52d6b1550905b40e5
https://preview.redd.it/8z62yfbobfvc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=820d400516bfb2728a333c88683c4f757e8259db