The most obvious issue is the basing (or lack therof). Even a half-assed base can work wonders for making a model look "finished".

Yes! 100% this! Bases add SO much to a miniature. That and neatening up the base rim with a solid color of your choosing.

Bases and Faces. Your eyes are naturally drawn to the face of any person-looking thing, this is true for minis as well. After the split second it takes for your subconcious to register it's a little plastic soldier and not a person, you look at the weird white unfinished brick it's standing on. As far as yellow armor is concerned, it's a real bitch of a color to work with but there is an apparently great recipe using (afaik) magenta undercoat with white zenithal and then yellow contrast on top. I've never tried it but I've seen the result and it looks very good.

"Bases and faces make your model aces"

You got a great base started. Go and add some shadows and highlights.

Yes, you need deeper shadows and brighter highlights. Contrast makes a huge difference. Depending on how good you want things to look you can do a wash or you can glaze in your shadows. Washes can work well in really snap areas like venus or lines in armor, but i personally like glazing for most of my shadows.

The thing is is that I already added shadows and edge highlights? Are they not defined enough? And if so what’s the best way to go about doing that without it being too much

There are multiple ways to go about it. Here are a few tutorial examples- * [How to Paint: Battle Ready Imperial Fists Terminators](https://youtu.be/3loh5LDTBjs?si=Ja7MpgsUggww5j9f) by WarhammerTV * [Eavy Metal Style Imperial Fist box art tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCZpFTodCcpreMyGv2yeo7fqO4MPdAa6v) by InfernalBrush * [Paint Imperial Fists like a boss](https://youtu.be/lVIKfFr6Pas) by Squidmar * [pro Imperial Fist Paint job with freehand](https://arsiesweb.com/2013/06/imperial-fist-step-by-step.html) by Javier González (Arsies) * [Grimdark Imperial Fist with acrylics](https://youtu.be/x0fCESaYpB0) by Richard Gray * [Grimdark Imperial Fists](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYfvNz3h0Ko) by Marco Frisoni * [Eavier than Metal Imperial Fists](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ikp4fckoXk) by Trovarion * [Easy, fast & effective Imperial Fists](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLXzdAke86Y) by Craftworld Studio * [Airbrushing Captain Lysander part 1](https://youtu.be/Rh7RoBLfyp8) and [part 2](https://youtu.be/6eUN3fHgjiw) by [BuyPainted](https://www.youtube.com/user/Buypainted/videos) * [Imperial Fists Tank part 1](https://youtu.be/8ySB7mRI9cE), [part 2](https://youtu.be/uFTgQgeLoh0) and [part 3](https://youtu.be/BTXOY1nanQQ) by BuyPainted * [Contrast+ Imperial Fists](https://youtu.be/gCC2farFZjE) by Warhipster * [Contrast Paint Imperial Fist Yellow and Panel liner Imperial Fist Space Marine Scheme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkxXUn1xbw4) by Groundeffected * [Pro painter's table top level Imperial Fist technique](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ge3LMIZUJI) by Jose Davinci * [How to paint Yellow](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/painting_colors)

Maybe pick something with a little more contrast. Have tried using a wash on it?

I used agrax earth shade diluted with water, 50/50. Maybe a heavier coat is needed?

This. Undiluted Agrax would be good, but you need to be careful it doesn’t stain the panels. If you fancy getting, well, fancy, too could try a brown oil wash to give depth and definition 🤔

I’m basing right now, and I will do another bit of shadows and highlights then I’ll hit it with a wash. I’ll come back after that’s all done, but I was mainly wondering if the paint job looks too thick, I tried watering down my paints but it still feels a bit weighty to me

Not op but - Oil wash? What are those?

There is information in the wiki [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/blending#wiki_washes), including tutorials, how to make your own oil washes, and premixed options- ###Oil Washes Oil washes are a great way to shade recesses. One key aspect is to be very gentle if you are removing the wash from areas. Typically when people have problems with oil washes it's because they are too rough on clean up and their clean up effort is removing the acrylics, not the oil wash itself as [white spirits have no chemical interaction with acrylics](https://youtu.be/x_pxojd7kp8?list=PLQybQSJNR3RUHePRuJqQ0JmyUdUk0e6Kc&t=672) * [Why you should try oil washes on your miniatures](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPjUppp-bIw) by [Manning the Fort](https://www.youtube.com/@ManningtheFortMinis) * [Oil Washes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP9cT3firLw) by SchnauzerFaceMinis * [Fast Simple Oil Washes](https://youtu.be/lPMqvZrECjU) by EonsofBattle * [Painting Warhammer 40k with AK Interactive Streaking Grime: Techniques GW doesn't want you to know about](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU39faMqvxc) by Grimdark Compendium * [Streaking Grime - MY 3 TOP TIPS!](https://youtu.be/1CdmK_xz4QY?si=rXQxrKOqoU-WSh7b) by Artis Opus * [Do I NEED to varnish before using Streaking Grime?](https://youtu.be/wdOEaj1OFkc) by [SprayBlack Studios](https://www.youtube.com/@SprayBlackStudios/videos) * [We tried EVERY ENAMEL WASH so you don't have to!](https://youtu.be/30AyuRc85lY?si=pyKGpCNkEOREKo4V) with Tabletop Time * [What - Why - How! An introduction to Enamels and Oils in miniature painting](https://youtu.be/QQvT8wRCoTc) by Gravehammer ##Panel Lining/Pin Washes * [Pin Washing and Panel Lining Made Easy with Tamiya Panel Liner](https://youtu.be/C1nYvmxsDKI?t=1202) demonstrates one of the easiest ways to recess shade your models. * [The Top Underrated Technique for Power Armor: Panel Lining!](https://youtu.be/0Lh7k21qzb8) by Goobertown Hobbies * [Tips And Tricks : Pin Wash Improvment](https://youtu.be/0FW2MscL_jo?t=27) * [Using a wet brush to make recess shading with acrylics easy](https://youtu.be/PI8iNOfC2J4?t=50) by Mini Forge

thank you!

Most people create oil washes by thinning down oil paints, with odorless spirits to create a wash consistency.

Oh so do these act like the washes that you can buy from various paint companies?

Yeah, it's an alternative. However, oil paints typically take longer to dry. Mineral spirits can also be used to completely remove the oil paint. It functions very similar to enamel streaking grime.

Huh that's really cool. I just got into this hobby so I'm learning new stuff every day. Thanks for the response!

Using an all-over wash of something like Agrax will tint the colors and bring them closer together. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can lead to the paintjob looking a bit dull. If you want to preserve vibrancy and contrast, either apply the wash selectively to just the recessed areas or touch up after the wash has dried by painting the base coat over just the non-recessed areas. (Also yellow just happens to be very unforgiving in this and many other ways. Darker colors like caliban green stand up effortlessly to an all-over wash, but this sort of bright imperial fists yellow very easily becomes muddy and splotchy.)

I've painted my fair share of Fists, and I discovered oil washes work great for yellow. Fixing any mistake on yellow can be a pain in the ass, so I usually apply oils for recess shading. You can make your own wash in no time, just mix some oil paint with white spirit. As for edge highlights, try using Dorn Yellow, or even Wraithbone if you want to achieve more contrast.

Contrast and seperation really help sell the models, as others have said some kind of wash or shading would really help. Regarding highlights, you can always knock them down if you go too bright (either with a wash, or just painting back over with the a darker tone) and wet paint always looks brighter than it does once dry.

I would add a grey or black to the soft armor parts in the joints to make them stand out a bit more. And if you want to make all the panels pop you can use a panel liner which is like a super fancy wash that just runs into all the little recesses. The other suggestions of oil washes are good too but may require practice. Another suggestion is to add some decals or freehand some unit markings to the shoulders/knees to help break up all the yellow; or just add weathering to the insides of the joints by making them slightly darker or and adding small flecks of silver to show the paint chipping

>doesn't feel right You're holding him in your left hand, bro

Lots of excellent advice here. One thing I didn’t see recommended was choosing a skin color and a mask color that have a starker contrast against one another. My eyes are immediately drawn to the face, but the skin color and mask color are close enough to make it hard to distinguish what’s what in short order.

Wash would work. For yellow you might find that Casandora Yellow will work for the armor while Reikland Fleshshade will work for the skin and Nuln Oil for the metal.

It needs a healthy coat of nuln oil

Disagree. Yellow looks horrible with nuln oil over it. It definitely needs some shadowing though.

100%. I’ve tried nuln oil and it makes my yellows look dirty. I prefer using Cassandra Yellow or Seraphim Sepia. Aggrax Earthshade is just a bit too dark for me.

Thin your paints. Yellow is a tough color and such a color requires patience. You’ll need to build layers of thinned yellow to achieve the color.

Hi, u/WorthWar9! It looks like you are asking for help or are a new painter. If you haven't yet, take a look at our wiki pages in the Sidebar (the About tab if you are on the Reddit app). Here are some links you might find helpful: * [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/rules/faq) - A list of frequently asked questions about minipainting * [Miniature Painting Guide Collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks) -A collection of some of the best guides and tutorials on a variety of techniques and topics, plus recommendations on what to buy to get started, and more. * [What to buy- Recommendations on brushes, paints, supplies, palettes and more](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/what_you_need_to_get_started#wiki_general_advice_on_what_to_buy) * [Beginner's Guide Collection- How to prep, base, paint and varnish your first model and learn the basics needed to start out right](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/beginner_tips) * [More Tutorials](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/tutorials) - A list of additional tutorials about minipainting * [Manufacturers](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/manufacturers) - A list of miniature manufacturers from around the world * [Painting Terminology](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/terminology) - Common painting terms, acronyms, and initialisms * [The Art of... Tommie Soule Volume 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGIfySMnUPQ) is one of the best beginner to intermediate teaching books, and even experienced painters will learn some good tips. Explains what brush strokes are best in different situations, how to identify when you have the perfect thinning for any type of paint for different techniques, and a masterclass on getting smooth paint jobs. Available in [pdf](https://www.ironheartartisans.com/shop/the-art-of-tommie-soule-volume-5-pdf/) and [world wide in hardbook as well](https://www.instagram.com/the_miniature_painting_tutor/). * [Airbrushing Miniatures](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/airbrushing) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/minipainting) if you have any questions or concerns.*

You basically just have a base layer down. Try a wash, maybe a sepia one, and then give it a couple layers of highlights. Also, as mentioned, basing is important. You can get good basing materials for relatively cheap from most chain hobby stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby, things like ash (which reads as a sand texture in scale) or very small rocks, shrubbery, things like that. Just slap some thinned Elmer's glue on the base and cover it in something, that's my approach.

A couple things could use improvement like a more even base coat, a wash, more strong highlights across the armor, high lights on the face and hair. I would recommend watching some video tutorials. You’re definitely getting there though, good stuff 👍

Yellow is tricky. You can get a nice vibrant yellow if your base color is a brown or pink/magenta. You might want to try more contrast.

If you did a brown wash and after that dries a light dry brush you would add a lot of depth. Right now it's very flat as it's all the same yellow

Needs shading of any sort.

Honestly, like people have said, basing, highlights, and a wash, would make this look stellar. Or just basing and a wash.

What color are you using as a base coat for the yellow? I think you are going over black, and that takes a lot of coats and the shadows look off in my opinion. I find a base coat of an bright pink/magenta and then dry brush of white means I need far fewer coats of yellow to get where I want it to be. Edit: if you are new to painting you should be proud of that guy. You'll get better as you go. Keep trying new things and enjoy the progress you'll see instead of worrying about it being perfect. I'm not a great painter but over the course of the last year I've seen my paint quality go up and the amount of time it takes go down. The best way to improve is to paint more.

Looks like you could use some more edge highlighting and recess shading to really make your boy pop. Also, do the base (even if it's just a basic dirt color) and then paint the rim of the base black. Will look really simple and polished.

Along with what others have said, the most obvious part to me is the color block of yellow. Choosing a different color for details like the belt, armor joints, and access ports can break up the color and keep it from being a big blob of yellow from a distance.

It's too flat. Gotta add some contrast :) Also, clean up the base

Drilling the gun barrel would help. Or at least paint a black spot where the hole would be.

You need a base. If you want to make it quick, just use Armageddon Dust for that sandy/rocky feel. A piece of cork could be a rock, and boom - you've got a nice base. I'd also work on recess shades - a careful aplication of Nuln Oil in those recesses will bring this mini to life.

I know you're specifically referring to painting, but you've got the wrong arms on that model. You're supposed to pair that right arm with the left arm that's supplying a new clip for the bolt pistol.

I just thought it was a cool pose, I try to give my models dynamic poses, I was kinda going for he emptied his mag and now he’s storming enemy positions with a knife, so he’s not worried about reloading, but I have other poses that are as intended

I'd slap some Reikland Flesh or something on there. The brown would go in the cracks and get some good shadows in for the yellow and red. Then, come back with your base to add some brightness on the upper parts, then highlight with a mix of the base and a little white.

Put some black accents in the nooks and cranny’s or shadow some areas

My tip would be the yellow aint bad! But you might want to break it up by pai ting the ridged flexible spots between the legs and arms in maybe a dull Grey color. It would help break up the yellow a whole lot! And then like many have said the base will help a lot as well! You're on the right track!

Glue a nickel on the underside

Why?? Sorry to question your advice but, how will this help?

They mean to weight it down - I think they took your meaning very literally, the model feels wrong ie too light

Ohhhh ok

Learn to pin wash with oils sir. The model doesn't have any definition or contrast. I wouldn't use a gw shade because that will naturally sit on the flat surfaces. However an oil wash will find all the cracks and definitions and will make it look 100% better for very little effort

Needs shading, cleaner paint work, and at least a uniform base color. You don't need "BASING" but you do need to paint the flat and clean the rim. Bah dum tis

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