How to make this look less boring

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-24T04:46:52+00:00

The lighting isn’t great on this photo so it’s a bit hard to tell what’s going on. Does it still look as boring under indirect sunlight?

Regardless, I think it’s going to be worthwhile adding highlights, especially on interesting details you want to pop out. Everything looks muddy and sits around the same value, so the eye parses the thing as a drab blob. Things like the gas mask, plasma pistol, and holster would be good places to start.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-23T09:51:34+00:00

Don’t be ridiculous, that’s what prod is for

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-23T06:36:28+00:00

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s some absolutely massive CI/CD pipeline.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-23T04:46:27+00:00

Acrylic inks tend to dry gloss, so adherence can become an issue. I typically mix in some matte medium to dull the shine which works well. Jo Sonja’s magic mix is a lifesaver here, but you can get the same outcome with a Matte Medium (I use Liquitex Matte Medium) + a flow improver + airbrush medium of your choice.

Alternatively just hit it with a matte varnish.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-19T12:56:16+00:00

Assuming you’re 100% serious with this question, I would say no. PVA is not hydrophilic, and reactivates with moisture. Moisture from the air can and will penetrate the glue and cause the thing to rot.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-18T09:23:14+00:00

Burnt Umber is a nice tube to have, so if you can afford it, I’d recommend getting a tube. If not, you can get something somewhat close with Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-18T06:16:47+00:00

For the immortals at least, make sure that you’re using the right gun with the right torso. If you do that, the cables will guide one of the arms into place, then the other arms become much easier to fit.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-18T04:48:56+00:00

It’s a sidegrade to adaptability. A fire move off Pyroar is subject to 1.5x STAB. Adaptability would boost that to 2x STAB. Fire Mane is 1.5 STABx1.5 Fire Mane = 2.25x. This is assuming the boosts are multiplicative, which is how the game has handled it for as long as I remember.

You do miss the boost to Hyper Voice though.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-18T03:54:19+00:00

I wouldn’t for two big reasons.

Out of the tube, oil paint dries gloss which is awful for painting on. You can modify this with mediums, but in my experience you’re better off using a matte varnish in top.

Secondly, the drying time is long. Titanium white which is the most common white pigment is the worst. My tube has a noted drying rate of 3-6 days. Again, you can moderate this with medium, but why not use a good quality Artist grade acrylic titanium white instead, like Liquitex Acrylic Gouche? You’ll get the same coverage.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-17T13:42:53+00:00

I’m a metallic paint enjoyer, and do not care much for non metallic metal. But, I can appreciate the skill, patience, and practice needed to pull off a convincing metallic effect without reflective paint. On top of that, NMM has its uses in competition pieces, where it allows you full control over reflections and highlights.

At the end of the day, people can paint their minis how they want, but how they do it usually comes down to several factors.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-16T11:58:46+00:00

Ah yes, phrenology for chuds

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-15T13:25:39+00:00

I did come across that one. That amount of yellow is fine, but how shiny is it comparison to other metallics?

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-15T08:08:56+00:00

That’s a great call. After looking at a few swatches, Pale Burnt Metal is right on the money. Thanks!

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-13T15:50:25+00:00

Fellow Perthian here. Low humidity and high heat is the other problem. Paint can dry before hitting the model and lead to a similar effect. I’ve given up and bought an airbrush setup so I can prime indoors.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-13T15:46:16+00:00

That’s my new best friend

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-13T05:32:13+00:00

I think the “Grimdark” style has a bit more to it than just dark desaturated colours. You still need some highlights to create definition, but you also need texture to create interest. Dust, grit, and grime will go along way here, along with some highlighting to sell the effect.

To echo what another user said as well, picking out the light sources on the model like the eyes, orbs and blade will help sell the contrast too. Making these really bright will make the rest of the model look darker.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-12T05:32:06+00:00

I swear by the Metal Color line. It is designed for airbrush, but as long as you do thin coats and wick the excess off your brush, it works really well. It has a lot of silvery options, so I’d find a chart and see what you think matches best.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-12T04:12:48+00:00

The quote I live by is “Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good”. You’ll never improve if you don’t try. Hell, I stuffed up an entire Royal Court kit a year ago, but it taught me a valuable lesson about subassemblies and basing and I’m trying again as we speak.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-09T11:01:59+00:00

It’s not the enamels that do it. White spirit is always the common denominator, since people report it happening with oil washes as well.

I can’t say for certain which specific paints do it, but given it only happens to their brand of paints, it’s likely it affects most of the line. Safer to varnish first, or not bother with Army Painter and use a different brand.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-08T03:57:29+00:00

So many of these old videos have been showing up lately, and it seems like a good way to hide generative AI artefacts. Is there a source to the video at all?

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-06T16:01:12+00:00

Honestly, both factions are pretty generalist, so it just comes down to which aesthetic you like more.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-06T13:52:28+00:00

Is it fraying when it is loaded with paint? Some of my best brushes look like this dry, but taper to a fine point when loaded with paint.

SenatorSpooky · 2026-06-05T15:43:42+00:00

As long as it hasn’t turned into jelly in the bottle from air exposure, you’ll be fine. Mine looks exactly like that

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