Painting Help

[The Other Dave]

Yeah, Vallejo's range is a lot less user-friendly in terms of "what is a lighter color than what" than GW is, as their main driver behind making new colors is "based on historical research, we need a slightly-more accurate version of the color used in the middle layer of German Fallschirmjager camouflage smocks in the late autumn of 1944"* rather than "what's the best color to use to highlight this particular shade of pink that we make".

*This is meant to be plausible-sounding but not necessarily accurate word salad, don't @ me.

[Primarch]

Yeah, Vallejo's range is a lot less user-friendly in terms of "what is a lighter color than what" than GW is, as their main driver behind making new colors is "based on historical research, we need a slightly-more accurate version of the color used in the middle layer of German Fallschirmjager camouflage smocks in the late autumn of 1944"* rather than "what's the best color to use to highlight this particular shade of pink that we make".

*This is meant to be plausible-sounding but not necessarily accurate word salad, don't @ me.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find the perfect shade for the color used in the middle layer of German Fallschirmjager camouflage smocks in the late autumn of 1944?

Actually I'll take this opportunity to plug Vallejo's German Camo Beige. I use it on loads of different things, either by itself for simple things like cloth/straps or mixed in with something to give a warm highlight shade.

[Balloonacorn]

I sincerely thank you all for the info. I have cut and pasted all this but I can't get the leopard cloak out of my head. Or maybe a CHEETAH cloak. Ya, that's the ticket.

[Balloonacorn]

I have painted every day for a month now. Not finishing any armies but practicing skills on singles and terrain.

I am having a hard time determining when to stop highlighting. I have been painting 2 highlights for non-characters.

(Please don't say it depends!)

[jus]

I think the apparition is looking great. I don't think it needs anymore highlights. I think Sigmar head could use some more pop by adding some highlights to the cracks. Going over the cracks and edges with a detail brush will really make it pop.

[me_in_japan]

when to stop highlighting?

NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!

More accurately, it depends

More helpfully, it depends on what bit of the mini you're painting. You don't need/want to highlight the model uniformly. After a certain point, highlight only certain parts of the mini - the bits you want to draw attention to. Basically, highlights add contrast. Contrast makes you look at things. So, I'd recommend highlighting the mini based on three steps:

1. highlight the whole thing a bit. Like, not too much. Just a bit.
2. highlight the upward facing surfaces a bit more. Like, maybe 30-50% more than step 1.
3. highlight the face of the mini, as well as any other especially noteworthy bits (like huge teeth, big swords, mystic tomes etc) as high as you can, white if possible.

(on which note, your ghosty guy is a very good example of this. Mostly he's grey, with some bits brighter, and his face basically white. This is the way.)

[Konrad]

I sincerely thank you all for the info. I have cut and pasted all this but I can't get the leopard cloak out of my head. Or maybe a CHEETAH cloak. Ya, that's the ticket.

YEEEEEES! BLANCHITSUUUUUUUU!!!!!!