Isabella Flores
Painting highlights on the edges of armour is a great way to make your miniature models stand out. It's a simple technique that can add depth and detail to your models, making them look more realistic and interesting. The key is to use the side of your brush and thin your paint so it flows easily but doesn't run everywhere. You can create a smooth finish with multiple thin layers of paint, or a matte finish with a gloss coat. When highlighting armour, you want to focus on the edges where the light will hit, such as the top-facing edges. You can also use vibrant colours to make the armour look like it's radiating power.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Paintbrush type | Winsor & Newton Series 7 |
| Paintbrush use | Use the side of the brush for highlighting |
| Paint consistency | Thin paint for a smooth finish |
| Paint amount | Enough paint to cover 1/3 of the bristles |
| Lighting | Focus on the edges where light will catch |
| Colours | Use brighter colours for a stronger highlight |
| Layers | Use multiple layers for a stronger highlight |
| Realism | Avoid highlighting every edge for a realistic look |
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What You'll Learn
Use the side of your brush for a good, clean edge highlight
To achieve a good, clean edge highlight when painting the edges of armour, it is recommended to use the side of your brush. This technique is particularly useful when painting miniatures, such as for a game of Warhammer 40K, where the model will be viewed from a distance.
The key to achieving precise edge highlights is to use the side of your brush to hit the edges. This allows you to have more control over the paint application and helps to create a clean, consistent line. It is important to hold the brush at an angle, approximately 75 degrees, to the surface you are painting. Gently drag the side of the brush along the edges, allowing the paint to "kiss" the edge.
When using the side of your brush for edge highlighting, it is crucial to ensure that your brush is loaded with the correct amount of paint. The paint should cover about one-third of the bristles, and it should be evenly loaded without any excess. Thinning your paint slightly can also help to achieve a smooth finish, but be careful not to thin it too much, as this may result in a loss of control.
By using the side of your brush and following these techniques, you can create clean and precise edge highlights on the armour of your miniatures.
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Thin your paint so it flows easily but doesn't run
Painting highlights on the edges of armour is a great way to make your miniature models stand out. It is a simple way to add depth and detail to your models and make them look more realistic.
To achieve the best results, it is important to thin your paint so it flows easily but doesn't run. The key is to find the right consistency—you want the paint to be thin enough to flow smoothly from the brush, but not so thin that it runs uncontrollably.
The process of thinning paint involves adding water or a thinning medium to the paint and mixing it thoroughly. The amount of water or thinning medium added will depend on the current consistency of the paint and the desired consistency. It is important to add the thinning agent gradually and mix well after each addition to avoid making the paint too runny.
There are a few ways to test if your paint is thinned enough. One method is to use a funnel and observe how the paint flows through it. If the paint flows freely without clogging, it is likely thin enough. Another method is to use a paint stick and observe how the paint drips off. The paint should drip off the stick easily within a few seconds. Additionally, you can test the paint on a brush and observe how it behaves. The paint should load onto the brush properly and flow freely without having to "pull" it.
It is important to note that different types of paint require specific thinning agents. Oil-based paints should be thinned with petroleum or mineral-based products, such as turpentine or mineral spirits. On the other hand, water-based paints, such as latex paint, should only be thinned with water. Using the wrong thinning agent can cause the paint to separate, clump, or become unusable.
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Focus on the edges where the light will catch it
Painting is an art, and highlighting is a technique that can make your art stand out. When it comes to painting armour, highlighting can add depth and make the model look more realistic.
To make your miniature painting more realistic, focus on the edges where the light will catch it. If your light source is overhead, highlight the top-facing edges. You can skip the bottom edges as they are not directly hit by the light. This technique will create visual separation and make the model look clean and sharp.
For a good, clean edge highlight, use the side of your brush. Ensure your brush has enough paint loaded—about one-third of the bristles. You want the paint to be thin so it flows easily, but not so thin that it runs everywhere. Keep the lines smooth and even.
If you are highlighting black armour, you can use a variety of colours for the highlights, depending on the look you want. For a neon or futuristic look, you can use Incubi Darkness and Warpstone Glow, with Moot Green as the final highlight. For a worn metal look, you can use Runefang Steel or Necron Compound. Eshin Grey is another colour that will make your black armour pop.
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Use a bright colour for a sharp corner to make your model pop
Painting highlights on the edges of armour can be an easy way to make your model pop and stand out. It is a simple yet effective technique that can instantly elevate your miniature painting from mediocre to good.
The key to achieving precise edge highlights is to use the side of your paintbrush bristles to hit the edges. It is important to ensure that your brush is not overloaded with paint. Thinning your paint is also crucial for smooth and even lines. The paint should flow easily from the brush without running everywhere. This step requires patience and a steady hand. If mistakes are made, simply let the paint dry and tidy up with a darker shade or the base coat colour.
When highlighting armour, it is important to consider the direction of the light source. In reality, not all edges will be highlighted, only those where the light catches them. For example, if the light source is overhead, focus on highlighting the top-facing edges. By highlighting every edge, you can create a Tron-like look and a lot of visual separation on the model.
To make your model pop, consider using a bright colour for a sharp corner highlight. You can create a vibrant and powerful look by using a vibrant colour for the highlight, making it appear as though the armour radiates power. For example, you could use a bright colour like Thunderhawk Blue for the top edges of black armour panels. To really sell the highlight, you can add a few layers by finding a shade slightly brighter than your first highlight and applying it to the areas closer to the light source, leaving some of the previous highlight visible.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to highlighting armour. Feel free to experiment and find the style that suits you best.
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Layer colours to sell the highlight
When painting highlights on the edges of armour, it is important to understand how light interacts with objects. Highlights are the areas on an object where light hits, and shadows are the areas where light does not. The placement of highlights and shadows indicates the direction of the light source and how it interacts with the object.
To sell the highlight, you need to layer colours. Start by identifying the areas that need highlights. Load your brush with a lighter paint colour and create a layer over the base coat to brighten up that area, leaving the previous layer visible to create a colour transition that indicates light. You can mix yellow or white into your base colour and layer up to a 50/50 ratio of base colour to white or yellow. You can also use a universal cool highlight, such as pale blue, or a warm shadow, such as mahogany or red.
If you are painting for a competition, you will typically use very subtle blending, shading, and highlighting. However, if you are painting a miniature for a game, you will need to push things a bit brighter and darker so that they stand out from a distance. You can also thin down your paints to achieve a smooth finish, but be careful not to add too much water or thinner, as this can result in a glossy finish.
When highlighting armour, you want to focus on the edges where the light will catch it. For example, if your light source is overhead, you will highlight the top-facing edges. You can create a powerful look by framing the face with Y-shaped edge highlights from the armour panels and helmet, drawing the eye to the face.
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Frequently asked questions
Use the side of your brush and ensure it is loaded with about 1/3 paint. You want the paint to be thinned so it flows easily but doesn't run.
Thin your paints with water to get a smooth finish, but be aware that too much water can make the finish glossy. Apply several thin coats to avoid this.
This depends on the style you want. For a neon/futuristic look, you could use Incubi Darkness, Warpstone Glow, and Moot Green. For a more realistic look, focus on the edges that will catch the light.
If you have too much paint on your brush, you may get unevenness. To fix this, take your base coat colour and carefully clean up the edge.
Yes, you can use Eshin Grey for a simple edge highlight. For a more worn metal look, try Runefang Steel or Necron Compound. You can also try Administratum Grey or Ironbreaker Layer.
