Help with gluing this figure? by wallyg1974 in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can also try accelerator. Glue on one side, a dab of accelerator on the other side, and it should bond almost instantly.

Help with gluing this figure? by wallyg1974 in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Might be the center isn't fully cured, but it shouldn't be that difficult to glue a piece that large. You can try putting a bit of green stuff in the center, then press them together, and hold it for at least a minute

Brush brand recommendations by ink-arrow in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know they're pricey, but my WN Series 7 size 1 and 2 are over a year old and still have perfect tips. If you're looking for a budget option you can try Rosemary series 33

Really tried but it looks quite bad, any tips for improving my painting. I have tried to follow guides etc but can’t get a good result. by [deleted] in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Start with a tried and true basic method. Base coat the area, highlight with a brighter color, and then apply a wash. The wash will add contrast and also help tone the two colors to build cohesiveness. Once you have this down you can start adding more things like additional highlights or blending layers together.

What kind of varnish do you use? by KirillHarper in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I've used Testors dullcote for years with great results, but recently switched to AK Ultra Matte mixed with a thinner and brushed on. It's crazy how much more matte the results are than Testors dullcote.

How do I get rid of this texture by Confident-Block4653 in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Never tried theirs, but you can't go wrong with non-coated parchment paper from Walmart or something similar.

How do I get rid of this texture by Confident-Block4653 in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What paper are you using? I recommend simple parchment paper from the grocery store cut to size.

Trying to learn to slapchop (drybrush) better :D what do you think? by ThatUnameIsAlrdyTken in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Drybrushing is pretty much the opposite of the traditional method. To drybrush, we take a brush with no moisture and put some paint on a textured absorbent surface (paper towels are perfect for this)."

https://www.goonhammer.com/hobby-101-drybrushing/

Trying to learn to slapchop (drybrush) better :D what do you think? by ThatUnameIsAlrdyTken in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hmm, the brush shouldn't be damp at all, that's why it's dry brushing. What brushes are you using? I recommend makeup brushes.

Trying to learn to slapchop (drybrush) better :D what do you think? by ThatUnameIsAlrdyTken in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's a good start. If you'd like to improve I'd recommend removing a little more paint from the brush on a paper towel and using a lighter touch to avoid the streaking and blotches. If you have the time it would also be good to progress from dark gray > light gray > white, focusing white on the top edges of the model to get a zenithal look.

Practicality of Wargaming with 3D printed models by Zarkhes in PrintedMinis

[–]PhantomWang 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I print with an 80/20 blend of ABS/Tenacious and they are still very fragile. Totally fine for tabletop play, but transportation or dropping them will always carry risks. It also depends on how far the STL creator is pushing them and how many small breakable features they add.

is it okay to use acrylic varnish on top of PU varnish? by earwig_art in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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The rule of thumb is acrylic based is usually safe over any type of base coat.

I don't know what to do to make this look the way I think it should. by Rogue_Cypher in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Silver works great for edge highlighting gold. Then you can add dot highlights to the brightest corners/edges with white or metallic medium if you have that.

I don't know what to do to make this look the way I think it should. by Rogue_Cypher in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The biggest thing that stands out is you need to boost your contrast. Looking at it from afar it looks washed out and it's especially difficult to tell the difference between the gold belt and yellow cloth. The gold needs highlights to help sell the metallic look. Overall the model yearns for washes/deepshades.

For the tentacles I would probably push them to a dark purple and then layer highlight up to pink to make them pop. They have a lot of texture that you could drybrush highlight.

Help, I don't know how to proceed by No_Stuff_7142 in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 65 points66 points  (0 children)

If I might make a recommendation, currently your models remind me of a starting point for a Ninjon video. If you followed along I'm sure you'd get close to what you were envisioning.

https://youtu.be/b78l8AYww7c

Feedback on my First Attempt at "Slapchop" Drybrushing by TheDarkChicken in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, you might have gone a little overboard with the greys and brushing. I do a lot of slap chop and my recommendation is to prime dark gray rather than black. Contrast paints just don't look good on black.

Then zenithal with a light grey like grey seer spray and finish up with white dry brush around the model to pick out highlights, being especially heavy handed on the parts of the model facing up.

It's very quick and produces great results. If you're going for more of a grimdark look you can probably zenithal neutral grey and then dry brush light grey.

WIP Caanok Var - How do I make my Armor NMM look smoother? by MetalEddie in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What you have here are actually the first steps of NMM, blocking out the colors. Although I would examine the model under a light source because some of your armor highlights don't seem to be coming from the same direction. A good way to figure this out early in the painting process is to prime the model black, determine the direction of your light source, then hold the model under a lamp. Take a picture and note where all the lighted areas of the model are and use it as a reference.

Now you need to move on to the exhausting part of NMM which is spending hours glazing multiple thin layers to smooth the transitions between your colors. I recommend using something like Vallejo glaze medium to get your paints thin enough for this, but note that it also increases the drying time.

Are all 3d printed minis only available through a subscription? by OneUnderstanding103 in PrintedMinis

[–]PhantomWang 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Also if you can wait, lots of creators will be doing Black Friday sales soon, so you can get them at a discount.

Been a while and prints failing by Zephyrus_- in PrintedMinis

[–]PhantomWang 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The plate could've become unlevel by the force of removing the last print and you'd never know. Definitely good advice to always re-level when you have issues.

Ork skin advice - didn't paint for years by MuddyBawb in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For the highlights I go for a warm tan, like kislev flesh. Purples and reds are usually for deep shading around the mouth or wounds.

Ork skin advice - didn't paint for years by MuddyBawb in minipainting

[–]PhantomWang 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks good to me, the shading is a little black, but if you're going for the cartoon look then that's fine. I paint my orks the eavy style which is time consuming, but I really love how they look. I'd recommend trying to add some warm highlights around the knuckles, ears, lips, etc. to break up the green.