Paint Tips

PAINTING TIPS

UNDERCOATING

If you are looking for a dark finish, then undercoat your model in black, if on the other hand you want to give it a brighter appearance, then undercoat it in white. The best and cheapest types of undercoat spray is usually bought from car accessory centres like Halfords in the UK, though Games Workshops range are very good quality but a little expensive for my taste.

MOSS AND GRASS

Moss and Grass is achieved using Milliput, which you can get from most good DIY or Craft/Model shops. Mix two equal parts together and roll into a ball, apply to your chosen area and use your finger to spread it out quite thinly to the desired shape. Now to get the moss effect get a pin and stab the Milliput many times until the desired stippling effect has been achieved, allow to harden, then paint.

Another simpler and much quicker way (but in my opinion not as effective) is to apply PVA glue to the area and simply sprinkle with grass flock.

ROUGHENED WALLS

If you want to add a little rough texture to your walls, before painting, apply a little PVA glue to the walls. Before it dries, lightly sprinkle sand onto it and allow to dry. When painting this will give a nice effect, and because of the sand it will look good when painted and highlighted.

GRASS

IIf you want a great and effective way of making grass and you don't want to use the coloured sawdust you get from most model shops, then try this. After you have stuck your model to the cardboard base, apply PVA glue all around it. Before it dries liberally sprinkle sand onto it, wait for it to dry, then undercoat it with a dark brown wash, then paint it with a mid green. I used Games Workshop "Goblin Green" for the base colour, then a dark green wash, perhaps "Dark Angels Green" watered down, or one of their ready made washes. Follow that by a highlight of "Scorpion Green", and to give it that extra umph I used "Sunburst Yellow" for a lighter highlight.

PAINTING WOOD

To get that nice time worn wood effect I started off with a base coat of "Graveyard Earth", then followed up with a wash of "Scorpion Brown" or very thin wash of black. After drying, the first dry brush coat is done with the "Graveyard Earth", followed by "Orc Brown". If you want to take it to another stage, a very light brush with "Bronzed Flesh" and then light as a feather use "Mithril Silver"

PAINTING METAL

Now for that metal look. This is nice and easy. Base coat a matt black spray. Next paint it with a heavy handed dry brush of "Bolt Gun Metal", allow to dry then a lighter handed dry brush of "Chain mail", for added dimension use a very light dry brush of Mithril Silver. If you want that rusty look, at joints and bolts use a watered down dark orange. For me I use the "Chestnut" ink.

SAND EFFECT

To get the sand terrain I first covered the base around the model with PVA glue, then sprinkled on sand, then left it to completely dry. The first paint I used was "Orc Brown", after that I used a wash of "Snake Bite Leather", then a dry brush of the "Orc Brown". For a little extra highlight you can use "Bronzed Flesh"

MAKING AERIALS and WIRES

*CAUTION* If you want to get good effective looking aerials for your command posts/bunkers, there is a quick and easy way to do this. Firstly, get some of the plastic frame that your plastic figures or models came with and light a candle. Now gently heat the plastic until it feels very flexible, now simply pull. This will stretch into a long thin strand, the longer you pull the thinner the strand will get. I also use this method for telegraph/telephone wires.