So I've been kinda busy recently attempting to learn and repaint a few of my miniatures.

A few things to say before these pics.

1. These are literally my first repaints. Never painted miniatures before, and never really been good at painting other stuff. Come to think of it... never really been good at drawing either. or anything... art-y. BUT! I decided to give it a try, and after I did my Falcon (simple wash, nothing worth posting) I really really wanted to try these. So here they are.

2. Scarlet's Firespray has been painted a total of ... 5 times:

-Factory Slave 1 paint

-Repainted it with a wash and simple dry brushing to make it look more "Slave 1-y"

-Repainted it with a Kath Scarlet look. Didn't like how it turned out at all.

-Repainted it white... in preparation for a second repaint. Then realized that was a bad idea.

-Final repaint.

3. Part of my desire to paint all of these was to run a squad with Scarlet + Mini Swarm. So... naturally they should all look like a team.

I am requesting honest opinions. I am aware that this repaint isn't exactly as it is pictured on the card, but I have a hard enough time drawing a straight line, let alone painting a slightly curvy one.

So... here goes nothing.

Also... Don't mock my EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE PLAYING MAT... That I got from Walmart. From the fabric department. For $5. ^^

Kath Scarlet Firespray

There she is... I liked the idea of a Gray+Red color scheme instead of the popular White+Red Color scheme. I still need to practice a bit of "engine glow" before I take on that endeavor.

Dark Tie Fighter

Sorry for the iPhone cam. Kinda makes the stock version look bright white.

The Whole Squad

One last fun shot...

must be your lighting, looks gold and orange to me.. but I like it.. lol.. good job, lines are nice and clean, I like the TIEs as well that stripe across the top looks good, and helps unify the unit

Looks REALLY great, I am sooo gonna do a couple of TIE's like yours.

The Firespray is also nice, but if I were to offer a small advice it would be that maybe some weathering effect on the edges of the colored plates would make it even more awesome. I have done a Bounty Hunter myself and find the effect really good and not too difficult. Either go for some dry brushing or as I did on my Firespray: do a careful thin lining with a brightened/thinned paint

I love the TIE fighters. Perfect for using with named TIE pilots.

Your no longer a noob at painting. Well done.

must be your lighting, looks gold and orange to me.. but I like it.. lol.. good job, lines are nice and clean, I like the TIEs as well that stripe across the top looks good, and helps unify the unit

Weird... Maybe I'll try to take a pic in more natural lighting today. It's red and grey, i promise.

Thanks! The lines... were the reason I had to repaint the thing a million times. I didn't like the first Scarlet repaint I did for that very reason.

Looks REALLY great, I am sooo gonna do a couple of TIE's like yours.

The Firespray is also nice, but if I were to offer a small advice it would be that maybe some weathering effect on the edges of the colored plates would make it even more awesome. I have done a Bounty Hunter myself and find the effect really good and not too difficult. Either go for some dry brushing or as I did on my Firespray: do a careful thin lining with a brightened/thinned paint

Thanks!

Only problem with that... is I already used a 'sealer' on it... Can I repaint over the sealer? If I'm only going to be doing little bits of touch up and stuff... and not a full repaint, it should be okay?

I love the TIE fighters. Perfect for using with named TIE pilots.

Your no longer a noob at painting. Well done.

Cool! I have graduated from "Class: Noob" to "Class: OneLevelAboveNoob."

As far as the Ties are concerned, I really wanted to make them an elite group. So I wanted them to be different from the rest of my Ties. Painting them dark grey wasn't really enough so I tried a few things; stripe along the side of the wing, tally marks, aurebesh, and a few others. Since I have a hard enough time painting a straight line along a smooth surface, it was murder to try on the bumpy parts of the wings. So I finally messed around (almost jokingly) with a stripe along the "eyeball" part... and realized that I really liked it.

NOW. A few questions for the more-seasoned-than-I painters (anyone):

1. What kind of paint do you use? I talked to a few guys from my LGS, and they recommended the Citadel Paints (of course) and washes, but when I found out they are an acrylic base, I just used my wife's acrylic paint. Do you guys just use GW paint ONLY, or what?

2. What do you use to seal the paint in? After I painted the Firespray and didn't like it, I was amazed at how easy the paint washed off. I figured that it would rub off pretty easily. I used this:

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/basics-matte-finish-336628/

and it seemed to work okay, but I am guessing you guys have something better... ?

3. How do you guys get really defined lines? In the cracks "between the armor plates"? Do you start off with a darker base, then be really careful? Do you do a really thick wash, and then wipe it off the parts you don't want darkened or dirty?

Thanks guys!

Impressive, most impressive!

I use the Armory dulcote, and it works great for sealing and its non glossy effect is best for the ships, you can use a paint on gloss to retouch the cockpit glass afterwards, or taoe it off before you spray..

As for the hull plate lines, mon a large ship like the falcon or firespray, I have used a fine point marker and it looks awesome. I do use washes on most of these minis as it gets the shadowing you want and pops the fine details. You can use a wash on the large ships, but you may want to go back and touch up the panels so they arent washed out, or darker than you wanted.. also painting them a lighter color then use a wash can also get the effect you want.

I use mostly acrylics, I hans a few enamels but use them only for certain things.. engine glow and such... I use Vallejo paints, but also have a couple from other brands. It comes down to availability and colors you want.. at least for me..

1) I use Citadels and Vallejo paints

2) I've only used a sealer in my Lambdas, and I don't find that the wash or other stuff rubs off. One really isn't handling the models all that much. But a sealer will certainly make it more durable and the are satin, mat or shiny types depending in the look you're looking (!) for

3) I either use a regular masking tape and "saturate" the edges with the base colour. This prevents most leaks. I also have some liquid masking stuff which be be useful for some tricky surfaces/areas

And as others have pointed out: your noobiness is gone ;-)

What a horrible, horrible repaint. Absolutely terrible..

In fact, its so bad I'm willing to take it off your hands so you don't have to be as ashamed of such terribleness..

Obviously, just kidding. Great job. Really impressed with the line work. Hope my first repaints go as well.

Like it , dark and ominous !

Impressive. They came out really well. The TIE stripe suits nicely and your $5 walmart playing mat looks OK too.

What a horrible, horrible repaint. Absolutely terrible..

In fact, its so bad I'm willing to take it off your hands so you don't have to be as ashamed of such terribleness..

Obviously, just kidding. Great job. Really impressed with the line work. Hope my first repaints go as well.

You scared me. xD

Do it! Like I have said in a different post, it's fun ! I expected to enjoy the final product of painting them. I never expected to enjoy the actual process of painting itself!

I use the Armory dulcote, and it works great for sealing and its non glossy effect is best for the ships, you can use a paint on gloss to retouch the cockpit glass afterwards, or taoe it off before you spray..

Interesting. Is that spray on or paint on?

3) I either use a regular masking tape and "saturate" the edges with the base colour. This prevents most leaks. I also have some liquid masking stuff which be be useful for some tricky surfaces/areas

Really? I know a lot of people use masking tape, but the one time I tried (which was when I tried to do a stripe on the wings of my ties), it turned out terrible. The paint leaked under the tape, and was super blotchy.

Dayuym, Hoosteen !

That's possibly my favourite Kath yet. I really do need to finish mine D:

I really am quite taken by your TIE's, I may have to do something similar with mine.

Stellar work, Ser, please keep posting more like this!

The armory dulcote is a spray can and usually not too expensive..

Next time you tape for painting, press the area around the edges really well, and when I did my bloodstripes on the interceptors I used a dry brush action and dabbed straight down on it and went over it a few times.. then weathered it a little after I letnit dry.

When taping for a paint job you just have to use caution and you will get a good product. I've done it on regular TIE fighters and put cheveron on the top part of the panels, I think they look decent, and gives me something different to use..

That is very nice!! Way to go

Kath looks Stunning, and the TIEs are awesome!

Love the dark look with the red stripe!

Hey Hoosteen -

What color are your Dark Ties painted? LOVE them.