Technique Toolbox: The ‘Eavy Metal Style!
April 15, 2014 by elromanozo
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“…I might as well show it on a decent miniature.”
As Teal’c would say… “Indeed.” 😀
The man has a tongue like a rapier lol 😉
Thank you kindly !
I’d like to point out that Citadel has done a few good miniatures lately, especially in plastic. Many of the Dark Elves characters (including ones from the big boxes) are very good indeed, and some of the dwarves are detailed enough.
Of course, they’re a minority, while EVERY Infinity miniature is much more detailed. I won’t compare with dispay miniature companies, and I won’t compare prices. But still, one must aknowledge results.
So how would you define the ‘Eavy Metal style, Romain? Is it simply basecoat then wash/drybrush/edge-highlight in any order?
“Style” isn’t what I did… This is “technique”.
The technique is… well, what i did in the video, in that order (for example it’s important that you wash after dry-brushing, usually).
Style analysis is another matter entirely. “Cartoony” and “delineated” comes to mind.
The thing people need to realise is that different materials require different techniques to represent in miniature. I wouldn’t paint cloth the same way I would paint armour. GW’s favourite technique is perfect for painting armour plates, especially if you want them to look high tech. I’ve never painted an Infinity miniature, but I can imagine this technique would work well on Infinity’s armoured minis. The big problem with the Heavy Metal team is that they paint everything like this. Regardless of whether it is cloth, flesh or high tech armour, it all gets the same treatment and that is… Read more »
I completely understand ! And I still buy the odd GW miniature, you know. They’ve dumbed down their painting style quite a lot, “disneyfied” it even, for it to be accessible to their main target : young new players. And what I’ve shown here isn’t even their newest “guide”. It’s the basics of how they used to do stuff a few years ago… it doesn’t take into account their new ranges. I’ll have to do another one specifically with their products, at some point… Oh, it IS worth showing, were it only to present the avilable paint consistencies and how… Read more »
Informative as ever Romain. Did see you at Salute but was too starstruck to say hello. Next time I’ll make sure to shake you by the hand and thank you for all your work.
I’m touched, but… Please, don’t be intimidated ! We’re just folks who play with wee toy men, like you ! 😉
Who else is ready for the advanced class 😉 Thanks Romain!
I don’t recall this style from White Dwarf. I must be too old or something…
It’s from white dwarf all right, from when they had normal paints… I just explain it differently.
Great stuff, and it was nice to be able to say hello at Salute. Can’t wait for the next toolbox
Personally I think I like the technique – and in fact prefer it for my GW collection. The vid kind of puts a downer on it as if its only for beginners etc, but i think each technique has its place. In 40k/fantasy you have huge armies, so you need to over-accentuate detail/cartoonify to give a really great visual image when the whole army is deployed. Conversely when I’m painting war machine minis I completely change techniques and (whist the time and effort put in is the same) the end result is a much more realistic individually detailed finish, as… Read more »
Very good points.
I agree ! One should strive to find the techniques adapter to the results one wants and the project one is working on. That’s the purpose of presenting these techniques in this series ! 🙂
(from three feet away… naughty, naughty…) You are great Romain: this is a great speed painting tutorial! I have evolved from a love of Citadel to the current pet hate of GW but the fundamental reasons were not the minis. They still do excellent ones, if only occasionally. Why is it that GW produces so much crappy stuff? The same reason dogs lick their hinder parts: because they can! There are still lots of people that buy bad new minis only for being new or useful on the table (that’s using new rules as a selling tool) without worrying that… Read more »
Thanks a lot for your many kind words !
I do still buy the odd GW miniature, as you say…
I also do remember McVey’s stellar work, but those days are long gone, and before they documented their beginner’s lesson… At one point, there was a gap between what they taught and what the master painters were doing. They chose to bridge that gap the wrong way, unfortunately.
Finally… I disagree. This technique works fine with Infinity (so I’ve shown), so it should work with Malifaux and Anima Tactics as well ! 😉
Good to see you showing you don’t need the entire Citadel paint range by doing the washes and drybrushing the old fashioned.
At the risk of repeating myself, “great series Romain”.
Thanks a million @huscarle ! 🙂
Great Article, I learned “how to paint” from the citadel articles in the 80’s and 90’s in the white dwarf. While playing with washes I discovered the “wet brush” or blending technique you earlier demonstrated so well with the Beholder. I have fazed out dry brushing from most of my painting now as it just doesn’t give the best results, but still use it doing the occasional bulk load of troops, as the technique is quick. It is easy to see from your demonstration how wet brush technique evolved from the dry brush, wash, highlight technique. Thankyou for explaining it… Read more »
What an avalanche of compliments !
Thank you very much… You seem to have an excellent grasp of painting yourself !
I have to say this is another fab tutorial… it was a good to meet Romain at Salute:-) From my point of view like many I guess who got into the hobby in the lates 80’s and started with White Dwarf as the only guide I knew for painting, there was not internet in them there days, this is exactly where I started. As much as I loath the modern GW brand and all things its stands for 25 years ago it was inspirational. But as you go on you will naturally experiment with different ideas…and this is where having… Read more »
Great series Romain and just to put my two cents in I have to say that GW miniatures are the only ones I can bring myself to like having looked at miniatures from quite a few ranges.
Great tutorial, Romain! Personally I like alot of the GW range but often find thir painting and indeed their pictures to not do the minis justice.
You said this is not your favourite technique, pray tell which one is?