wet pallette instructional linkIf you're just starting, google "wet palette" and make one. They're great.
Huh. . . I got one of those soldering iron magnifying glass with the alligator pincers and it came with a sponge and a small area for the sponge to be held. . . Guess all I need is the parchment paper. . .
Edited by LyraeusThat should be OK however if you get one of those air-tight plastic food containers you will be able to use the paint when you get back to your project the next day (just add a drop of water).
Just put the lid back on whenever you stop working. This is most helpful when you mix colors as you won't have to make the same mix again later if you need to take a longer break.
When you are not using it, clean the sponge with warm water and dish soap and then let it dry somewhere light to avoid it getting moldy (not that sponges are expensive).
Edited by PoldaFinally finished painting my rebel craft that came in yesterday. I present the Silverfish:
LZ-1, LZ-2, and the MC80 is the Akron.
That MC80 is the polar opposite of my one. I deliberately made mine look like someone has thrown up on a pizza!
Thanks DWRR!The windows are fantastic!
I added them to the ol' VSD and GSDs as well. Once my camera's charged I'll post some more details.
A lot can be attributed to just how bright Vallejo Deep Sky Blue is.
Was it just Vallejo Deep Sky Blue with white added or were other colours involved?
Thanks DWRR!The windows are fantastic!
I added them to the ol' VSD and GSDs as well. Once my camera's charged I'll post some more details.
A lot can be attributed to just how bright Vallejo Deep Sky Blue is.
Was it just Vallejo Deep Sky Blue with white added or were other colours involved?
- Kantor Blue drybrush on the area each window would light up (well... I just picked an area and went nuts)
- Thin glaze of Hoeth Blue (+lahmian medium) around where each window would end up being
- Vallejo Deep Sky Blue for the main lights
- Tiny amount of Scar White to add some highlights to the Vallejo paint
Edited by PoldaFriggen' great job on that ISD, Polda. I think it's prettier than mine. 
How'd you work out the carbon scoring? Stipple and drybrush?
Oh, and just to sorta chime in as a choir, Polda's method also works great on engines.
Interesting choice for the MC's Norsehound... Naboo fleet? 
I'd have to get used to it, but I'm liking the idea. Looks like you put some red on those thrusters. Mind showing us, mate?
BigBear - Mournfang Brown with Khorne Red stripes worked for me.
Aaaanyway... finished the ISD:
Fantastic! Windows! Great job!
Best looking ISD I've seen.
Edited by Daft BlazerMC80
BigBear - Mournfang Brown with Khorne Red stripes worked for me.
Aaaanyway... finished the ISD:
Great, thanks, now I have to re-prime my ISD in shame.
Friggen' great job on that ISD, Polda. I think it's prettier than mine.
Oh, and just to sorta chime in as a choir, Polda's method also works great on engines.
Interesting choice for the MC's Norsehound... Naboo fleet?
Thank you!
Yeah, the battle damage is drybrush for the blast marks, stippling with a torn piece of foam for the chipped paint bits and couple of straight scratches with a highlight on each.
@Norsehound: might be just personal preference but if you mixed silver with a bit of white and edge-highlighted the ships they'll look even shinier. Just sayin' 
@Daft Blazer: the *** did I do my MC80 in red for? Yours looks fantastic.
Edited by PoldaMany thanks Poldar.
Reinforcements from 181st:
If you're just starting, google "wet palette" and make one. They're great.
accidentally googleded wet Paulette first result:
By Calvin A. Colarusso
And here it is as part of a fleet:
Love the glow on Slave 1's engines!
Love the glow on Slave 1's engines!
Man it looks so good! It's got paint chips, and all that. He did a better job on mine than he did on his own, lol.
Its all about the passion in your work
That really is a truly awesome Mc80 Daft Blazer, no question about it. None whatsoever.
All good things Polda, it came out great! Liking the red masked line on the Raider by the by, it's definitely a 181st ship. -laughs- joy riding in a capital ship, those hooligans.
An escort carrier, nice, very nice D503. -sighs- Juuuust to keep everything kosher, I'll refrain from anything 'alternate' here but I'll imperil my own little blog soon enough. Man, that carrier is just made for the hazard stripes. The modely reminds me of something from Star Fox (proper SNES one, harumph), but it looks great with that brushwork!
Yep, 'dat slave I's looking awful nice there DerErlkoenig, Lord Ashram sure did outdo himself there! Love the engine glow, spot on and it really works with the scale.
Alright, here's my latest. Not too happy with them, still might soak them in the Green again, but to tell you the truth, that would be the third time they were in there this week. So, some Gold squadron X-wings. I should still touch up some bits here and there, might soften the blacklining too as that's bothering me, and they still aren't glued to their stands as I still might scrub 'em.
I have no idea why I'm struggling so much on these and why I can't make the colour green work despite using it so often. I'll post some Raiders tomorrow, I'm happier with those.
Don't strip those X-Wings! They're lush!
Seriously Vykes. Its awesome stuff like that which keeps my own work off the forums. Can't follow that.
Alright, here's my latest. Not too happy with them, still might soak them in the Green again, but to tell you the truth, that would be the third time they were in there this week. So, some Gold squadron X-wings. I should still touch up some bits here and there, might soften the blacklining too as that's bothering me, and they still aren't glued to their stands as I still might scrub 'em.I have no idea why I'm struggling so much on these and why I can't make the colour green work despite using it so often. I'll post some Raiders tomorrow, I'm happier with those.
I do like them, they're very "Vykes"...
But for the sake of Sanity, I will contain my "educational" criticism behind this handy-dandy Spoiler Tag...
Here's the dirty criticism for you.
Compared to your usual levels of work, they're relatively dark - partly that is the heavier than usual blacklining, partly that is the inconsistent level of highlighting on the gold... I look at some very bright yellow in some of the further ones, but then the yellow on the X-Wing closest to the lens is positively brown in comparison.
The X-Wings themselves have less "flat space" compared to the other Rebel Fighters - which means there's less parts that hold a full-colour band for a highlight - each of the pieces is much smaller and gets a much smaller highlight pane, which means things look darker and dirtier, unless you start with a brighter baseline colour...
Green is one of those that needs a nice gradient, and its just not suited to the smaller space of X-Wings for it... Certainly works better as a centerline stripe on A-Wings or such, where there is plenty of gradient room...
And here it is as part of a fleet:
AWESOME carrier!!!! When will they make one??!!
But Madaghmire, that's what I say with a few other painters around here! It still feels like a real leap to post anything to tell you the truth, so I just encourage it. I mean in an absolute worst case scenario, we all get to swap inspirations*, get some ideas about how others work, and maybe pick up some tips from different styles.
* for instance, I swear I got both my Glad and Raider designs from Cruiser pulled off -thanks mate!-, and maybe subconsciously for aspects of this Gold Squadron. That's just the one that springs to mind as I stare at these tiny X-wings in front of me.
As to my issues: gaaaah, I think you nailed it Dras. -Nods and rubs eyes- and because it's still only a half-space on those X-wings' wing surface the high contrast between the two makes them look independent rather than complimentary. The contrast is too high and the available space for blending is too low (for me, at least) which is why my mind is telling me 'discordant hodge podge' instead of 'calculated colour pattern'.
Likewise, I think you nailed one of my isues with green, and that I'm not used to the muted military greens as much as the vibrant fantasy/organic greens which highlight to yellow rather than grey. And, of course, that requires a ton of extra panelling space as well, or it looks weird, which explains why I might be able to pull it off on a ship but not a squadron.
Anyone got any tips for green? I know I've seen some good Green Group fighters around here.
Alright, lets soften these lines and get a better yellow top coat.
-fast forwards-
So I went over it with a different shade completely. That top shade was bothering me, it was just a fraction too light which exaggerates the contrast even more. I may even try that yellow as an extreme highlight when the varnish fully cures. Hmm, it may even need another pass over the blacklines with a 0000 as I think I nicked it in a spot or two. But aside from the canopies sloping a little too low on the side, I think I'm pretty happy with it now. Although it's reminding me a lot of the Boston Bruins. Hmm.... if I ever get truly bored I might have to make a Habs squadron.
Oh, as a sidenote, I detest those little near-engine wing pylons. That has screwed up a lot of my highlighting, and I just realized how much happier I am pretending they don't exist. Man, X-wings are hard to paint for Armada, yet one of the easiest models to work with in X-wing.
Edited by Vykesglad someone else thinks X-Wings are difficult. But boy is there a difference between respective outcomes
Those look fabulous, Vykes!
