I'm getting back into model painting (I did 40k years ago) and I'm looking guides/tips/tricks for how to best paint Alliance ships. What base coats are preferred, what's this 'Nuln Oil' I keep hearing about, should I buy an airbrush (and if so, which one?) and HOW are you guys getting your MC80s to look so organic? The highlight stripes running diagonally across most MC80s I see seem nearly impossible to do freehand, so do I need an airbrush or just freehand practice?

I've found many painting guides for fighters, but none for capital ships. Mostly I want to be completely ready to go so I don't ruin the factory paint job, so any and all assistance would be appreciated.

Almost all of your questions are completely subjective

However:

1) Nuln Oil is a premixed Black Wash from Games Workshop... If you used GW Inks a long time ago while painting 40K for shading and such, its similar to that, only SO MUCH EASIER.

2) Airbrushes are Investments, as are learning to use them. I own an Airbrush, and I can't do things the way @Vykes does... But generally, Airbrushes (or learning how to Glaze/Blend) is the secret to gradual transitions and organic looks...

3) Base coats are subjective, and generally, its going to be based on what colour you want... Some people here don't even prime the models (which gives me conniptions), but I'm all about the light prime and go from there...

For my Mc-80s I used a technique for painting camo schemes on tanks.

Pick your colors then start with either your darkest or lightest, spraying the entire model and then "masking" with silly putty. Then go the the next color (going from darkest to lightest, or vice versa), then mask again with the putty.

I'm using an air brush, but I have done it with model spray paint before on tanks the only problem with that is you're very limited on what colors you can use.

On 3/13/2017 at 3:53 PM, JauntyChapeau said:

I'm getting back into model painting (I did 40k years ago) and I'm looking guides/tips/tricks for how to best paint Alliance ships. What base coats are preferred, what's this 'Nuln Oil' I keep hearing about, should I buy an airbrush (and if so, which one?) and HOW are you guys getting your MC80s to look so organic? The highlight stripes running diagonally across most MC80s I see seem nearly impossible to do freehand, so do I need an airbrush or just freehand practice?

I've found many painting guides for fighters, but none for capital ships. Mostly I want to be completely ready to go so I don't ruin the factory paint job, so any and all assistance would be appreciated.

Not to speak for others, but a lot of my 'line work' is at least 70-80% free hand and touch up until it is right. Tape might help for coat 1, but it always leaks, and the models aren't 'level' anyway, so it often just fails, and it is a paint. Sometimes tracing on stencils then painting in the lines (you drew onto the model) works much better. Also tape might leave a tape edge line, which is hardly appealing. So mostly trial and adjustment until the line looks right.

I wouldn't worry much about the factory job, it is a few stencils then a wash on top, you literally cannot do worse than it if you try.

I am air brushless as well (and by no means the painter anyone here should take serious advice from as there are some fantastic talents around)

On 13/03/2017 at 7:58 PM, Drasnighta said:

Some people here don't even prime the models (which gives me conniptions)

I dont always. As I use canvas acrylics certain colours have really high pigment density, meaning I dont always need to. It depends on the base colour.

3 hours ago, Ginkapo said:

I dont always. As I use canvas acrylics certain colours have really high pigment density, meaning I dont always need to. It depends on the base colour.

This is pretty confusing as priming is about prepping a surface for adhesion, it has nothing to do with pigment and colour. Primers are not the base coat, in fact a lot of them behave very poorly if forced to be, rough, lose tack, etc.

49 minutes ago, Darthain said:

This is pretty confusing as priming is about prepping a surface for adhesion, it has nothing to do with pigment and colour. Primers are not the base coat, in fact a lot of them behave very poorly if forced to be, rough, lose tack, etc.

Of course for some Alliance ships, having the paint peeling off is a desirable thing...

I prime all squads regardless dont worry