Painting gold!

Do you find that when you start a project/job/chore you'll do almost any other project/job/chore to avoid dealing with a big decision or mental block? I definitely do and I have used this personality flaw to my advantage by avoiding making a decision on how to paint my Plaguebearers by painting my Blood Angel Captain. 

I'd like to pretend this is the first stage but it's actually the third! Thank god it's only one model.

I've leant quite a few things from just painting this much so far, lets find out what they are.


So to start off here are the stages of the painting for the gold. This is the same process as I used on my bikers but as they only had small areas I approached this with some trepidation. 

this and the one below are after applying a mix of Leviathon Purple and Ogryn flesh wash into the recesses.

After the wash I then applied a Devlan mud wash to the recesses (thinned of course).

Reapply the Glorious Gold highlights to even out the washes.

1:1 Glorious and polished gold highlights to follow.

Finally, a silver highlight for some edges to make it zing!

First thing, I'd like to apologise for the quality of the photos as it is quite hard you see the subtle paint work (OK stop laughing!). I persist in taking photos with my phone whilst painting rather than trying to set up a more successful environment but it always seems too bright or dark. 

First thing I have learnt is just how useful it is to have a painting journal (some call them recipe books but the term just doesn't sit right with me). Not having to rely on memory and being able to record what stage I have got up to in the process and jump back in at a later date was incredibly useful. I also found that it made me more confident with the final outcome during those awful stages of painting a model where it just looks terrible.

Secondly splitting the model up and mounting each part not only helps to avoid touching/rubbing the paint off but does actually make holding the model easier and therefore painting easier/more enjoyable.

Thirdly metallic paints are a pain. They don't like being thinned, they dry really quick and are really bad for brushes, so it has taken a lot of practice to be able to get a smooth and consistent finish. One trick I found was to mix a little of the Metal Medium in after thinning the paint during base coating to get an even finish. This does result in a paler, muted version of the colour you are applying but you can then go back over with a ever so slightly thinned layer without the medium and it brightens it right back up.

Lastly I can't praise the 'Eavy Metal tutorial book enough. After a few practices and some tweaking to suit your style the guides they have can make a real difference to the quality of your painting. I'm not sure if you can still get copies of it but it is the best guide GW have produced.

No on to the dreaded white on the wings! Oh wait I have an entry in my Journal for that too.