Friday 13 May 2016

Dark Angels - Ravenwing bike squad

So the Sergeant hit a wall, darned object source lighting, it seems to be hit and miss


The problem with this is the opacity of the paint. The Acrylic Vermilion has some very weird properties, it thins down with water but doesn't actually become more transparent. Unfortunately those areas where it's applied thickest also behave oddly in that when you try to manipulate the paint it actually peels off like some fluidic skin, leaving the lighter coated areas tinted [as intended] but those areas that require more colour strip back to the black almost. Of course my impatience got the better of me and I just kept on at it until I'd put too much paint on. I mean it's not bad, but it's not right either. It's too red, too opaque, less like a red head lamp and more like someone's daubed the bonnet with Hammer Horror fake blood!


But overall it's definitely within the same palette as this picture, so if I can fix the OSL I'll be happy.


I'll take a break from finishing him off, do the rest of the bikers and hopefully refine the OSL process so I'm happy.

7 comments:

  1. Good luck with the OSL, I am literally struggling with the same thing. The Tamiya paints I use have similar properties to what you described, making them good for some things but rubbish for others.

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    1. I;d already tried dry brushing with it and been less than impressed with the results. Mainly because it just doesn't dry-brush, it's more like shoe polish in that instance even though the Vermilion has a consistency more like toothpaste?!

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  2. I think a light central beam of the base colour mixed with white or bone would give the lit effect you're looking for Dave. Certainly how I have corrected my own bike OSL in the past. Looks great other than that though!

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    1. I tried adding white to the nine central parts of the headlamp, it did not look right at all. I think shading the edges back to black and then a thin layer of black will allow me to apply red on top again, but this time perhaps a different red or be more patient with it.

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    2. Straight white or a mix with the base colour?

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  3. Doesn't look too bad on the guns but I'd just edge highlight the fairing/mudguard with a more vivid red and leave the rest dark. Anyway, you're a braver man than me. Only tried OSL once and was too shamed to post pictures.

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