Once I was happy(enough) with the green markings, I moved on to the yellow. Going in, I knew that straight yellow is extremely hard to work with in any medium. To me, it seems like it doesn't have any pop at all. To help it look like something other than a lemon smear, I added a little red to bump it towards the orange side.

And I emphasize "a little" when describing how much red I added. I put a tiny dot on the pallet, then pulled a small brush stroke from the edge of that dot to the yellow pool and mixed. That tiny amount was all that was needed to completely change the color from " why-even-bother yellow" to an amber color that was very nice. I contemplated desaturating the amber with some gray like I did the green, but didn't want to attempt it. Mine turned out ok, but I still think all basecoats should be desaturated at least a little.

The yellow was a pain to paint with, even with the red I added to it, so it took several coats to get it to that point, and the extremely rough edges are a result of that. Eventually, I was able to clean it up enough to look like an intentional stripe. I also decided to add a little asymmetry and masked off a stripe on the inside of the bottom right wing. I free-handed everything else, but I didn't trust that I'd be able to do a straight line on the inside of the wing by hand. It worked out ok and only a little bled under the tape.

After some more clean up and some edge highlighting with a watery off-white, I got to the stage that I consider to be "done":

Ta-daaaa! An X-Wing with cheap acrylics, cheap brushes, and next-to-no miniature painting experience.

I'll go ahead and admit that I'm not actually done with this one, but it is at a stage that it looks good next to the stock figures. In fact, I only notice the defects in these pictures. To the naked eye at table-top distance, I can't see any errors. I could put on a clear coat and start testing to see how the paint holds up over time, but I don't think I will call it quits just yet.

I want to sharpen my lines, especially on the fuselage and cockpit, and add some more detail. The astromech needs details, the rust could use some more depth, etc. After that, I can't decide if I want to risk weathering it or not...

Everything in Star Wars is filthy, so I feel like it needs a lot of grime, but I'm kinda' scared to go through with it. This is where my confidence is starting to wane.

Everything in Star Wars is filthy, so I feel like it needs a lot of grime, but I'm kinda' scared to go through with it. This is where my confidence is starting to wane.

Somewhere around here, there's a thread advocating weathering with pencils. It seems like an inexpensive and straightforward solution, in keeping with your theme, and assuming the paint is thoroughly dry before you start with the pencils, it also seems like it would be easy to undo if you didn't like the work.

Everything in Star Wars is filthy, so I feel like it needs a lot of grime, but I'm kinda' scared to go through with it. This is where my confidence is starting to wane.

Somewhere around here, there's a thread advocating weathering with pencils. It seems like an inexpensive and straightforward solution, in keeping with your theme, and assuming the paint is thoroughly dry before you start with the pencils, it also seems like it would be easy to undo if you didn't like the work.

I remember that. It was the Falcon that they demonstrated on, wasn't it?

It's certainly not a bad idea, but I worry that using pencils could scrap the paint off if extreme caution wasn't used-- but that worry applies to any paint other than what is applied at the factory.

I'll certainly consider it, though, especially since the goal of this is to see what can be done for cheap by a beginner.

Oh, I should've said something about yellow. It's the worst color to paint with due to the way to make the paint. It's just hard to get a good color solution to make yellow paint. You really need to do layers:

1) paint that part brown. Just flat out brown.

2) mix yellow and brown together and paint that over it.

3) mix more yellow in and paint over that.

4) you can finally paint the yellow straight out of the tube. If not, then add a few more layers of mixing.

Pencils are great for adding in dings and other scratches. I forgot about that.

You can get those little ink pens with the tiny tips. Those are also good for getting into little cracks and stuff. Or just painting a cockpit black. Or adding in some free hand. Good stuff.

Oh, I should've said something about yellow. It's the worst color to paint with due to the way to make the paint. It's just hard to get a good color solution to make yellow paint. You really need to do layers:

1) paint that part brown. Just flat out brown.

2) mix yellow and brown together and paint that over it.

3) mix more yellow in and paint over that.

4) you can finally paint the yellow straight out of the tube. If not, then add a few more layers of mixing.

Pencils are great for adding in dings and other scratches. I forgot about that.

You can get those little ink pens with the tiny tips. Those are also good for getting into little cracks and stuff. Or just painting a cockpit black. Or adding in some free hand. Good stuff.

Well, I'd already done all this before posting. Yellow is definitely the worst. I think it is because there isn't a good pigment for it. No matter what, it looks like stained glass after the first layer. Its just too transparent.

The addition of red did the trick for me, though. I am happy with how layering it on itself came out. I do wish it was a little less vibrant, though. I'll add a speck of gray to the mix and see how that does over what is there now when I work on it again.

I actually have one of those ink pens with the paintbrush tip, so I'll try it out. That may do exactly what I want for streaking grime and oil.

Paint is nothing but pigments floating in an acrylic medium. Different pigments for different colors. Some are more effective than others. Yellow is the worst. Usually starting with a brown is better, for future reference. More compatible color. It will also take the edge off that yellow, as well.

As a side note, if you do have paints that are dried out, you can buy acrylic medium to give it a 2nd life. Just google acrylic medium on an art store website. Usually under $10 for a huge bottle. Games Workshop paints always had pop top lids and people always had them dry out. They usually threw them away, but this stuff can bring back a pot of that. It's just see through medium that the pigment resides in. So, if you happen to have some paint that dries out, you can buy some of that medium to help revive it. Just....don't use too much or it's crap. Maybe poke holes in the hard paint with the end of your paint brush so the gel seeps into it.

Man, I don't get to use my degree in Painting often (as I work in IT), but I love talking about it and hope it helps you.

There's no greater bane to a painter that a brush that won't keep its point.

I can't find a better picture right now but I have one of these. It is awesome. Not sure what the green thing is, I don't have one of those. But seeing it here, I wish I did. Whatever it does.

Your comment about the green lamp (?) provided me with some chuckles. 10/10, would read again. = D

I can't find a better picture right now but I have one of these. It is awesome. Not sure what the green thing is, I don't have one of those. But seeing it here, I wish I did. Whatever it does.

Your comment about the green lamp (?) provided me with some chuckles. 10/10, would read again. = D

It got a pretty big smile from me, too.

Wichenstaden,

Very interesting read, and some very nice work with cheap materials. Very cool stuff.

"Affordable", not cheap, is what my Mother would always say.

This is the brush cleaner. You can get it online or at any art supply store. They come in different sizes, but you don't need much.

I've always been torn on buying a cheap brush won't last for months, or spending more for one that will last longer. In some ways I think it comes out the same. Although there are times towards the end of that time I get a bit frustrated because I just can't get clean lines...

Wichenstaden, that's really a killer job you did on your T-70.

Paint is nothing but pigments floating in an acrylic medium. Different pigments for different colors. Some are more effective than others. Yellow is the worst. Usually starting with a brown is better, for future reference. More compatible color. It will also take the edge off that yellow, as well.

As a side note, if you do have paints that are dried out, you can buy acrylic medium to give it a 2nd life. Just google acrylic medium on an art store website. Usually under $10 for a huge bottle. Games Workshop paints always had pop top lids and people always had them dry out. They usually threw them away, but this stuff can bring back a pot of that. It's just see through medium that the pigment resides in. So, if you happen to have some paint that dries out, you can buy some of that medium to help revive it. Just....don't use too much or it's crap. Maybe poke holes in the hard paint with the end of your paint brush so the gel seeps into it.

Man, I don't get to use my degree in Painting often (as I work in IT), but I love talking about it and hope it helps you.

I've seen acrylic medium often in passing, but I've always been hesitant to use it because it discolors the paint. All of the ones I've seen that aren't a high-gloss finish are actually a translucent white, meaning red gets pink, brown gets tan, etc. It isn't a drastic change, but I'm such a perfectionist (not that anything that I do is perfect, it's that I get hung up on minor details) that I haven't experimented with it any. I'm sure I will some day.

It's interesting that it can bring dried acrylic back to life, though. I would have been trying to use a water and ipa mixture, if I had any paints worth resuscitating.

I know what you mean about your Art degree. Mine is in Digital Art, and I found out too late that degrees in art are mostly a mistake. Employers care about your portfolio, not your major. I enjoyed the classes a lot, but I learned most stuff on my own beforehand. I should have gotten a degree in Computer Science, where I feel like I could have actually learned something marketable.

Any ways, thank you for your input.

Wichenstaden,

Very interesting read, and some very nice work with cheap materials. Very cool stuff.

Thank you! I'm surprised that it worked, actually. Here's to hoping the paint ages well.

Wichenstaden, that's really a killer job you did on your T-70.

Thank you, sir. That one did not take much skill, though. Almost everything was air brushed, except the fine line work like the squadron markings on the wings and nose, and a little weathering.

I should have taken pictures of the masking process. I think the tape weighed more than the model at one point.

Oh a little bit of advice I was given the other day which has had a huge pay off on my Space Marines for Kill Team. If you're going to use metical paint, put a coat of normal paint down first.

Like when I'm doing sliver I paint it white first, or yellow for gold. Has really improved the look of the metallic paints.

Almost everything was air brushed, except the fine line work like the squadron markings on the wings and nose, and a little weathering.

So you cheated!!!

As you mentioned in your post about the art school... The end results are what matter.

Oh a little bit of advice I was given the other day which has had a huge pay off on my Space Marines for Kill Team. If you're going to use metical paint, put a coat of normal paint down first.

Like when I'm doing sliver I paint it white first, or yellow for gold. Has really improved the look of the metallic paints.

I've heard that as well, though I haven't tried it.

On my Poe, I got lazy and painted the silver straight on the black, then went back over it with a few washes of black to kill some of the sheen.

This is really impressive stuff, and is definitely tempting me to have a crack a painting a ship that I've got multiples of to be able to Hide My Shame if need be (Scyks, I'm looking at you). This is almost certainly a terrible idea, because I've got zero artistic talent and a not-especially-steady hand.

Almost everything was air brushed, except the fine line work like the squadron markings on the wings and nose, and a little weathering.

So you cheated!!!

As you mentioned in your post about the art school... The end results are what matter.

Cheated!?

Cheated!?

Kinda.

then went back over it with a few washes of black to kill some of the sheen.

I wanted sheen on mine, so I think what base color you use would depend on the effect you wanted. I actually did it for the first time painting C-3PO for Imperial Assault. Painted him yellow then gold, but in that case I wanted a shiny gold, not a muted one.

then went back over it with a few washes of black to kill some of the sheen.

I wanted sheen on mine, so I think what base color you use would depend on the effect you wanted. I actually did it for the first time painting C-3PO for Imperial Assault. Painted him yellow then gold, but in that case I wanted a shiny gold, not a muted one.

Got'cha. I'll definitely keep it in mind.

This is really impressive stuff, and is definitely tempting me to have a crack a painting a ship that I've got multiples of to be able to Hide My Shame if need be (Scyks, I'm looking at you). This is almost certainly a terrible idea, because I've got zero artistic talent and a not-especially-steady hand.

Do it and share your results. I had a lot of fun with it.

However, with this method, you pay for the lack of cost with time.

You have to just stop after each layer and let it dry a day or two, because going back over it with a wet brush is too much for it.

A hair dryer may be something that you would want to look in to to help speed dry it if you want to go faster... just don't melt the model.

I've seen acrylic medium often in passing, but I've always been hesitant to use it because it discolors the paint. All of the ones I've seen that aren't a high-gloss finish are actually a translucent white, meaning red gets pink, brown gets tan, etc. It isn't a drastic change, but I'm such a perfectionist (not that anything that I do is perfect, it's that I get hung up on minor details) that I haven't experimented with it any. I'm sure I will some day.

It's interesting that it can bring dried acrylic back to life, though. I would have been trying to use a water and ipa mixture, if I had any paints worth resuscitating.

Ah, you have to find the right product. There are a lot of things you can do with acrylic paints. Don't go for Liquitex stuff. You gotta get the cheap stuff. It should be a see through gel. It isn't gloss or mat or anything. It shouldn't miss with the color of your paint...unless you put too much in and it's thinned out.

I'll try to take a picture of what I have when home (if I remember).

I know what you mean about your Art degree. Mine is in Digital Art, and I found out too late that degrees in art are mostly a mistake. Employers care about your portfolio, not your major. I enjoyed the classes a lot, but I learned most stuff on my own beforehand. I should have gotten a degree in Computer Science, where I feel like I could have actually learned something marketable.

Well, I heard in school that 80% of people don't get a job in their major. It was really just important to get any degree. So, I double majored in History and Painting. I enjoyed myself and now have an awesome job in IT.

I am a bit bitter that my school had no digital anything. I think a year or two after I left they spun up some digital classes and all that. I wish I had some digital skills as I have absolutely zero. I also have a friend that went to a top notch art school (RISD) and they had classes on contracts and earning a living and all sorts of stuff. I just learned to paint and was thrown out the door.

Still, I'm happy. I am also awesome at helping my kids with their school projects. They do the work, but I give advice and teach them how to do things.

Any ways, thank you for your input.

No problem! Work is....really slow this week. I love talking about this stuff.

Oh something else...

When you finish painting it, give it a spray of Dullcote or I've found Krylon clear matte finish does the same thing for less. (Dullcote is $7 for 3oz, Krylon is $13 for 11oz.)

That helps protect the model from having the paint chipped when it gets bumped or even dropped.

Oh something else...

When you finish painting it, give it a spray of Dullcote or I've found Krylon clear matte finish does the same thing for less. (Dullcote is $7 for 3oz, Krylon is $13 for 11oz.)

That helps protect the model from having the paint chipped when it gets bumped or even dropped.

Yep. Just make sure to give it a light dusting. Do it from recommended distance. Don't do it when it's humid or too hot or too cold. If you do something wrong, you give the whole thing a layer of frost that utterly ruins all your hard work. Just....a light dusting.

I think I grabbed an off brand from Wal-mart for a few bucks.