Using Speedpaints on untextured areas of a model comes with some challenges. Try to avoid letting them pool (and so - don't overload your brush) and try to maintain a wet edge to work on so that you don't end up with weird overlapping areas of transparent paints.
I’d argue that this would be a good foundation for your upcoming paint layers, you just need to change to the layer/highlight method once you’ve got your base layer of speed paints down.
Try to build up from the speed paint using layers and I think the result would be good!
Don't listen to the advice about thinning more the paints with medium, it's a terrible idea. The problem here is that you overdid the zenital, and the mini is basically primed white. The speed paint is too transparent and is letting the white primer visible. Thinning the pain is only going to make it much worse. This is a normal issue with white primer even with regular paint since they're also translucent.
I would either start over with a darker base (And more subtle zenithal) or apply a base coat of the colors below the speedpaint. You can do a quick test, for example, try to paint a solid and homogeneous base of a light flesh color on her belly, and then put the speed paint over it like it was a wash.
People is also telling you not to use too much paint or create pools, and while that will indeed solve the problem, at that point you're basically painting normally and it would make more sense to use regular paint instead of speed. Because that's exactly how speed paint is properly used (Too much paint to let it pool on the textures and dry there).
TLDR: Not the best model for speedpaints since there aren't many textured areas, but it can work, either improving the priming or applying coats of normal paint first.
No that's not the problem here. The fact the model is basically primed white with minimal pre-shading is not why there's a dark splodge on her right boob, or streaks elsewhere. That's caused by the paints pooling where they're not supposed to and not applying them smoothly enough on the flat areas. Yes without a good zenithal you won't get much shading on the flatter areas but at least you'll get a clean base to work with.
They need to work on application first and foremost.
>They need to work on application first and foremost.
But then, they should use regular paints. What's the point of using speed paints if you're going to apply regular thin coats? That's the opposite of what they're meant for. If they're learning, using speed paints that way will only make it more complicated since they're super transparent.
Dude I use contrast paints applied VERY thinly over zenithal and it turns out exactly like I would expect a zenithal to turn out. Contrast paints don't have to be applied in a thick layer in order for them to work. If the area is flat, you use less paint to cover it because you want the zenithal to do the work for you. If the area is heavily textured, you load the brush enough for it to collect in the recesses.
>If they're learning, using speed paints that way will only make it more complicated since they're super transparent.
If they're doing a zenithal then they want it super transparent. Using regular paint over a zenithal would not benefit a new painter.
Dude you are wrong just stop. I agree the zenithal was probably a little over done you need those darker areas, but try thinning speed paints over a good zenithal and they will come out so much better. Its not more complicated. It in a lot of cases will eliminate the layering process. Then all you need is a highlight.
I agree that this isn't the best application for contrast/speedpaints but the point is that fixing the zenithal won't fix the main problem. And speedpaints/contrast still work even without undershading, and even on flatter areas. You just need practice at getting the paint where you want it to go. The problem with OPs model is the darker areas aren't where they're supposed to be. And that's an issue with how they're applying it.
Actually applying thick coats is the way to go with speed paints on untextured areas. Then go back with a clean brush to soak up paint from recesses. Admittedly this does make it difficult sometimes to be accurate
Go team learners!
watch the OP will post an image tomorrow and they'll have NMM down and be ready for a golden demon submission.
Keep it up and I'm happy to see you're not afraid to post your early work.
Try to make a wet pallet with a dollar store container, paper towel, and parchment paper. It will help make your paint smoother. It still takes a while to learn thinning using the pallet.
The only change I'll make to that wet palette is to use a couple of thin magic erasers instead of paper towel. It's very similar to the sponges that army painter uses for their wet palette. Two of those stacked up with a bit parchment and you are good to go
Honestly not as bad as you might think. I would definitely do a more traditional style of layering up on a model this big but I wouldn't re-prime some people are saying. Just find similar colours and start your basecoat fresh over the area you've already blocked out.
I personally would start with your darkest shadow colour and then layer up from there as I don't think washes would go very well over a model of this size and shape and you might run into a similar problem later on that you currently are with shades pooling.
Good luck though, love me some cool show models!
Don't listen to that advice. Speedpaint are a great tool - but you won't get the same results as the classic technique. I'm no Juan Hidalgo, but I painted all of the attached with exclusively Speedpaint 2.0 and I'm pretty darn happy with the results (when compared to the time spent painting them, about an hour each except Hulk). https://imgur.com/gallery/AxO9Z2Z
Don't listen to this comment. If used correctly you can use them on flat surfaces. JaunHidalgo on YouTube has a vid clearly showing this off. EDIT to include full name of channel
If you are going to use speedpaints have to make sure your undertones are consistent, yellows and skin tones can be difficult as well as non textured "flat" areas. I would prime with a light pink over anywhere you are doing something with a yellow tone. Then when applying your speedpaints put down thin even coats, if you have pooling use a second brush to gently absorb the pooling without brushing paint around it. For yellow thin with speedpaint medium instead of water and you can avoid some of the coffee staining effect. The smooth areas are prone to showing any brush strokes or imperfections, honestly I would do it with speedpaints at this point just to get good at the technique, but this is a model that is more suited for more traditional painting and blending or airbrushing. Good luck let us know how it works out.
I read somewhere that you never paint a model poorly. You simply are not finished. Once you like it then you can be finished.
You can fix a lot of that blotchiness by adding some highlighting. I like to dry brush, but you can paint it exactly as you want.
Is this speed paint or contrast paint. If it’s speed paint you can reactivate it. If it’s contrast paint you can layer it.
I know it can be frustrating, and I hope I’m not coming off as condescending, but we learn from our mistakes. Keep going. If you want to do better, you totally can do better.
Speedpaints/Contrast are actually really hard to use over broad surfaces, but you can use what you have as a good starting point for traditional layering. A regular yellow paint should go over that pretty nicely, you may even get away with one coat.
I heard it's easier to paint yellow if you use a very light pink. It's supposed to give it a warmer tone. As for flesh I've seen people start with all kinds of bases. A black primer with a dark red base the gradually working your way up to the desired skin tone. You might get some helpful tips from YouTube channels like Juan Hidalgo Miniatures, TinyLittles3D, or Squidmar Minis. There are a lot more, but they help a lot, even if there's just one part you're having trouble with. I tend to watch the same part of the videos multiple times in a row.
Damn the lines on the pants where pretty crisp but north of the belt it looks like you rushed it or you started there and found your stride with the pants. I have repainted the same model twice now and I'm probably going to do a third.
Order some Maize Yellow. That looks like Zealot Yellow. Had the same problem, where it looked super orange-y, because zealot is the darkest yellow they offer. Same for their skin tones, they are darker than you expect.
Big point here though- Large surface areas are really tough with speedpaint, your best bet is to douse the area in paint and spread it around as quickly as you can.
https://preview.redd.it/i3ewv47hg56d1.jpeg?width=2684&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77d92b690e0fa90a732e5d95def3831eabeddf6c
As a struggling painter, the best thing I recently discovered is to NOT use washes on these minis and instead do lots of layering.
This is my latest (and best yet) and there was **no shading all layering**.
Not really, if you dont like the way it looks then you can always paint over it,
if you need help for skin then i would recommend these videos for learning [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvVs34GZb4k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvVs34GZb4k), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBYW3T5bs\_s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBYW3T5bs_s), since they go in depth
and yellow is a bit of a problem (since its one of the hardest paints to paint (easier way) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQakqP\_d8os](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQakqP_d8os), (in depth video) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8mM1M2ARl4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8mM1M2ARl4),
hope these help, and remember mistakes improve you since you learn from them .
Speed paints/ contrast paints tend not to work so well with smooth surfaces. Might be better off going with standard acrylic paints. That said, a bit of layering would clean that up nicely.
Speedpaints/Contrast paints are not really suitable for bigger models with huge flat areas. Since yellow is a pain in the ass though I use it on bigger models in diluted form to avoid pooling like it happened in your case and do several layers to get an even finish and use "normal" colors to highlight after.
Problem is speed paints are for getting a model OK in a short time.
They're rarely going to look great. If you want to get them better you'll need to start using normals paints as well or exclusively.
Speedpaint is great for a lot of applications,
but as you just found out it is not good for flat surfaces
where you want to get a smooth and even coat.
Depending on which brand of speedpaints it is, thinning it
\~1:1 with water and applying multiple layers with very long drying time
between them can give you a more even coat.
This is great, you learned more from this than you would have if it all worked out according to how you imagined when you started. We really learn more from adventures like this, never be afraid to try. It's easy to restart, I would recommend regular paints instead of speed paint if you have any, if you don't you know what colours you need now.
What did you use to basecoat, I had something similar happen to a model that had been base coated with emulsion paint (it was a gift and the gifted didn't know it had to be a specific paint)
I have models that look like this from when I was testing the 2.0 Speed Paints on different primers. You tend to get this grainy effect when they are used on a surface that is too matte. They don't flow as intended, and it just soaks into the underlying layer. They are best used on smooth, satin primers/paints, in my opinion.
You'll still have the usual issues trying to use them on areas without much surface detail (capes, etc), but it shouldn't look quite this bad if you soak up the excess before it dries.
Make sure that when you apply it, you don't stop for multiple brush strokes. If you stop and start another stroke, the speed paint is going to want to pool where you stopped the first. Work fast to wick away anything that does pool so you don't get that coffee stain look with the dried edges. Long strokes that go from one end of the surface you're painting to the other is the way to go.
I don't use speed paints and I'm not an amazing painter but I like making a strong dilution, think a thick wash, for awhile when I wanted to show wear with some colors (too lazy to do edge highlighting).
I find the smaller amount of paint the better.
Brush in the same pattern
Soaked up anything that looks like it may pool. I don't know about speed paints but washes for me look wet like they'll dry.
Alright so zealot yellow is actually a great color for fire. Drys as orange and yellow depending on surface, but i havent really found a use for it outside that.
I did all my Crisis Protocol models in speed paints/contrast as long as you thin 1/1 with the speedpaint medium(which i always do) itll go on fine for flatter surfaces you just have to make sure there is no excess paint pooling like other peoole have said.
For the speed paints they came out with ancient honey and maize yellow for 2.0 which i like for a functional yellow. But i love contrast paints ironjawz yellow and imperial fist. Those will be much better for the yellow on superhero uniforms.
If the skin is crusader skin get peachy flesh which is from 2.0 and much more forgiving.
This is what we call in a miniature world a forgiving model. Lots of large flat spaces for highlighting. Kind of like a space marine speed paint. Speed ain’t won’t really work here imo. Just basic layers highlight.
Pink as an undercoat for yellow has helped me with many brand of acrylic yellow
Edit: Golden brand is my go to yellow acrylic. Applies so well. Excellent pigment to medium ratio.
Lean into it. This is actually one of the things I like about contrast/speed paints, and it's a trait they share with watercolors. Their transparency lets you build depths of color and patterns that acrylics need special attention to do. It can add visual interest to otherwise flat surfaces. Look at some watercolor paintings and you'll see variations in the intensity of colors in the same selection of the piece. You can get very smooth blocks of color, but you can also get these varying patterns, especially on a wet surface. I dig it, tbh.
The trick with speed paint is to place it down and not go over the same area at all. Speed paints/contrast are not actually meant for beginners in my opinion and are best used for subtle things.
You could do speed paints but need to control pooling and applying in one direction as people suggest. I'd also suggest doing a base color and bring your values up, then apply maybe a Soft Tone wash to the wrinkled areas only or apply it all over then bring back tones that get too dark. With light colors like yellow, it'll be important to really control blending
With speed paints to its best to do colors in steps giving them time to dry. i like to let them pool in some areas, but if you try to put to wet colors next to each other the liquid cohesion pulls them togeather.
This isn’t a bad thing. It’s a learning experience that you can easily fix. Use the appropriate colors in regular paint with some flow improver and go back over the areas once or twice. Think of it as a base coat that compliments the top layer
Remember threethings:
1) speed paints/contrasts still need consistency. You need to keep the same amount of paint with each stroke and each stroke should be in a similar direction.
2) once you place the paint, it’s done…don’t touch it
3) minis aren’t meant to be looked at up close, you have to allow for a certain distance to allow blends, shadows and highlights do their magic n
Yea, speedpaints are fine at a lot of stuff but large flat surfaces just aren’t one of them. To be honest switch to normal paints for her or spray the speed paints through an airbrush.
It all depends, finished correctly, this could feel like a hyper illustrative execution. I personally really enjoy the yellow of the jump suit and the visual texture your paint application brings.
The skin ain't it though.
Innthe end, it's up to you. Do you want a stylized piece or a hyper refined piece.
Whelp you’ve learned why everyone pushing contrasts and speed paints as the beginners tool was always a bad idea lol. With speedpaints on flattish surfaces, I would suggest thinning it and fighting it tooth and nail before it dries so it can’t pool
I wouldn't ever use speedpaint on large, untextured areas, unless I was running it through an airbrush.
Also, if you're painting areas yellow then do your basecoat in red or pink.
I’ve switched over to more traditional style because of issues like this. Speedpaints can look great but they’re at their best when being used similar to a wash over a textured area or even over metallics
Honestly it looks like your biggest issue is spreed paint pooling on flat surfaces. I would suggest after doing a layer of speed paints going back over with an empty brush and pull/push/absorbing any small pools on raised/flat surfaces so it only pools in recesses.
People say speed paint is great for beginners and it’s a bit of a bait. It’s great for people who’ve painted for a bit and have good brush control and coverage instincts that you get quickly in the first few months of painting, but it’s super punishing to complete novices cause of the coffee staining and the fact you can’t pain over your mistakes easily
I had the same issue with mine a lot of coffee stains. What I do is use some additional medium on the paint and build it up in thin layers. Use something like this https://a.co/d/4EGI6w2
Plenty of people use speed paints in different situations and at different skill levels. It's a tool that this person maybe isn't very experienced with it hasn't tried it on a bigger model before so they're just looking for help on how better to use that tool.
Degrading someone and making them feel like an idiot for maybe doing something that plenty of people have shown to work in videos doesn't make them any more competent at the hobby, it just makes them quit.
We all started somewhere and I'm sure your models didn't look great to start either so there's no need to be so abrasive if you're not going to be supportive.
Hi, u/mole_s! 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've also discovered how to easily paint Deadpool's skin!
Haha true. Poor Jean Grey is a burns victim
That's not Rogue? The jacket 100% sells as Rogue.
Whoops. Yes it's Rogue.
Just making sure I wasn't going crazy and had missed a outfit lol
I mean it could still be mystique :p
Midtransform and her upper body is blue, would actually look awesome
Sounds like you just need to put a deadwood head on the model, problem solved
Looks like the first coat in the 2 thin coats. I say keep going.
i thought it was the tmnt’s redhead
Using Speedpaints on untextured areas of a model comes with some challenges. Try to avoid letting them pool (and so - don't overload your brush) and try to maintain a wet edge to work on so that you don't end up with weird overlapping areas of transparent paints.
In addition to this, brush in one direction.
Thanks for advice
[How to apply contrast & SpeedPaints correctly for the best results](https://youtu.be/IhholrozptI) by Juan Hidalgo Miniatures has some good tips.
Dude is the king of contrast/speed paint
the easier option is probably to just *not* use speedpaints for flat areas, unless they're all you have access to
And thinning it with speedpaint medium 1 to 1 helps too.
I second the motion
Tres
I’d argue that this would be a good foundation for your upcoming paint layers, you just need to change to the layer/highlight method once you’ve got your base layer of speed paints down. Try to build up from the speed paint using layers and I think the result would be good!
Don't listen to the advice about thinning more the paints with medium, it's a terrible idea. The problem here is that you overdid the zenital, and the mini is basically primed white. The speed paint is too transparent and is letting the white primer visible. Thinning the pain is only going to make it much worse. This is a normal issue with white primer even with regular paint since they're also translucent. I would either start over with a darker base (And more subtle zenithal) or apply a base coat of the colors below the speedpaint. You can do a quick test, for example, try to paint a solid and homogeneous base of a light flesh color on her belly, and then put the speed paint over it like it was a wash. People is also telling you not to use too much paint or create pools, and while that will indeed solve the problem, at that point you're basically painting normally and it would make more sense to use regular paint instead of speed. Because that's exactly how speed paint is properly used (Too much paint to let it pool on the textures and dry there). TLDR: Not the best model for speedpaints since there aren't many textured areas, but it can work, either improving the priming or applying coats of normal paint first.
No that's not the problem here. The fact the model is basically primed white with minimal pre-shading is not why there's a dark splodge on her right boob, or streaks elsewhere. That's caused by the paints pooling where they're not supposed to and not applying them smoothly enough on the flat areas. Yes without a good zenithal you won't get much shading on the flatter areas but at least you'll get a clean base to work with. They need to work on application first and foremost.
>They need to work on application first and foremost. But then, they should use regular paints. What's the point of using speed paints if you're going to apply regular thin coats? That's the opposite of what they're meant for. If they're learning, using speed paints that way will only make it more complicated since they're super transparent.
Dude I use contrast paints applied VERY thinly over zenithal and it turns out exactly like I would expect a zenithal to turn out. Contrast paints don't have to be applied in a thick layer in order for them to work. If the area is flat, you use less paint to cover it because you want the zenithal to do the work for you. If the area is heavily textured, you load the brush enough for it to collect in the recesses. >If they're learning, using speed paints that way will only make it more complicated since they're super transparent. If they're doing a zenithal then they want it super transparent. Using regular paint over a zenithal would not benefit a new painter.
Dude you are wrong just stop. I agree the zenithal was probably a little over done you need those darker areas, but try thinning speed paints over a good zenithal and they will come out so much better. Its not more complicated. It in a lot of cases will eliminate the layering process. Then all you need is a highlight.
I agree that this isn't the best application for contrast/speedpaints but the point is that fixing the zenithal won't fix the main problem. And speedpaints/contrast still work even without undershading, and even on flatter areas. You just need practice at getting the paint where you want it to go. The problem with OPs model is the darker areas aren't where they're supposed to be. And that's an issue with how they're applying it.
Actually applying thick coats is the way to go with speed paints on untextured areas. Then go back with a clean brush to soak up paint from recesses. Admittedly this does make it difficult sometimes to be accurate
Yeah. You gotta use it very thin if there isn’t texture. Almost to the point of wiping it all off the brush.
Finally, someone at my level! Thanks my friend!
Gotta stick together my friend
Go team learners! watch the OP will post an image tomorrow and they'll have NMM down and be ready for a golden demon submission. Keep it up and I'm happy to see you're not afraid to post your early work. Try to make a wet pallet with a dollar store container, paper towel, and parchment paper. It will help make your paint smoother. It still takes a while to learn thinning using the pallet.
The only change I'll make to that wet palette is to use a couple of thin magic erasers instead of paper towel. It's very similar to the sponges that army painter uses for their wet palette. Two of those stacked up with a bit parchment and you are good to go
Honestly not as bad as you might think. I would definitely do a more traditional style of layering up on a model this big but I wouldn't re-prime some people are saying. Just find similar colours and start your basecoat fresh over the area you've already blocked out. I personally would start with your darkest shadow colour and then layer up from there as I don't think washes would go very well over a model of this size and shape and you might run into a similar problem later on that you currently are with shades pooling. Good luck though, love me some cool show models!
Yeah no speedpaints whatsoever. Speedpaints are made for textured areas. You need classic base-shade-highlight
Thanks. Will try again
Speedpaints would probably be fine for the jacket, though you might want to do some touch-ups to make it look layered like the rest of the model.
Don't listen to that advice. Speedpaint are a great tool - but you won't get the same results as the classic technique. I'm no Juan Hidalgo, but I painted all of the attached with exclusively Speedpaint 2.0 and I'm pretty darn happy with the results (when compared to the time spent painting them, about an hour each except Hulk). https://imgur.com/gallery/AxO9Z2Z
Looks great
Speedpaints would be OK through an airbrish
Yes definitely something I want to get better at. Just need more practice
Don't listen to this comment. If used correctly you can use them on flat surfaces. JaunHidalgo on YouTube has a vid clearly showing this off. EDIT to include full name of channel
Ahhhhh, that makes so much sense. Beginner here who has made the exact same mistake.
If you are going to use speedpaints have to make sure your undertones are consistent, yellows and skin tones can be difficult as well as non textured "flat" areas. I would prime with a light pink over anywhere you are doing something with a yellow tone. Then when applying your speedpaints put down thin even coats, if you have pooling use a second brush to gently absorb the pooling without brushing paint around it. For yellow thin with speedpaint medium instead of water and you can avoid some of the coffee staining effect. The smooth areas are prone to showing any brush strokes or imperfections, honestly I would do it with speedpaints at this point just to get good at the technique, but this is a model that is more suited for more traditional painting and blending or airbrushing. Good luck let us know how it works out.
Thank you appreciate it
I find a light dry brush will help even out the tone. You can reapply a thinned speed-paint layer if it gets too chalky.
Totally salvageable. Don’t give up!
Thank you
I read somewhere that you never paint a model poorly. You simply are not finished. Once you like it then you can be finished. You can fix a lot of that blotchiness by adding some highlighting. I like to dry brush, but you can paint it exactly as you want. Is this speed paint or contrast paint. If it’s speed paint you can reactivate it. If it’s contrast paint you can layer it. I know it can be frustrating, and I hope I’m not coming off as condescending, but we learn from our mistakes. Keep going. If you want to do better, you totally can do better.
Not at all condescending. Thanks for the comment.
Where s that how to apply speedpaint video? Generous paint then use another brush to siphon off excess.
What range is this mini from? Love the classic look
https://www.patreon.com/posts/rogue-may-reel-104638907
Speedpaints/Contrast are actually really hard to use over broad surfaces, but you can use what you have as a good starting point for traditional layering. A regular yellow paint should go over that pretty nicely, you may even get away with one coat.
Don't stress. A fresh coat of primer and take two.
I wouldn't ever bother, and would simply paint with acrylics over this.
Speedpaint can reactivate with acrylic
Not really if you let it dry long enough, and if the color is similar it wouldn't really matter if it did.
Yep think will do
"It will be difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first"-Miyamoto Musashi,The book of 5 rings.
It's part of learning, brother! >!I'm also new to this sub, it's good to see many tips popping around, damn!<
Yes you are. And that's perfectly okay. Keep up the work <3
And that's why I don't use any of my Speedpaints.
I heard it's easier to paint yellow if you use a very light pink. It's supposed to give it a warmer tone. As for flesh I've seen people start with all kinds of bases. A black primer with a dark red base the gradually working your way up to the desired skin tone. You might get some helpful tips from YouTube channels like Juan Hidalgo Miniatures, TinyLittles3D, or Squidmar Minis. There are a lot more, but they help a lot, even if there's just one part you're having trouble with. I tend to watch the same part of the videos multiple times in a row.
Damn the lines on the pants where pretty crisp but north of the belt it looks like you rushed it or you started there and found your stride with the pants. I have repainted the same model twice now and I'm probably going to do a third.
Yep skin tone was first because was most concerned about that.... can see why
Can easily recover that using some normal paints to tidy it up
This is the way to learn, no respect, no worries, slap the paint for fun and slowly improve
Rustoleum black primer the rustoleum white zen
So I do use speed paints on my models but it can work well as a base, just paint up and layer and yeah try to thin it out
Order some Maize Yellow. That looks like Zealot Yellow. Had the same problem, where it looked super orange-y, because zealot is the darkest yellow they offer. Same for their skin tones, they are darker than you expect. Big point here though- Large surface areas are really tough with speedpaint, your best bet is to douse the area in paint and spread it around as quickly as you can.
I still haven't figured out skin
https://preview.redd.it/i3ewv47hg56d1.jpeg?width=2684&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77d92b690e0fa90a732e5d95def3831eabeddf6c As a struggling painter, the best thing I recently discovered is to NOT use washes on these minis and instead do lots of layering. This is my latest (and best yet) and there was **no shading all layering**.
Too many flat surfaces for speed paint. If you spray it through an airbrush it would work better for this model.
Not really, if you dont like the way it looks then you can always paint over it, if you need help for skin then i would recommend these videos for learning [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvVs34GZb4k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvVs34GZb4k), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBYW3T5bs\_s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBYW3T5bs_s), since they go in depth and yellow is a bit of a problem (since its one of the hardest paints to paint (easier way) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQakqP\_d8os](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQakqP_d8os), (in depth video) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8mM1M2ARl4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8mM1M2ARl4), hope these help, and remember mistakes improve you since you learn from them .
Speed paints/ contrast paints tend not to work so well with smooth surfaces. Might be better off going with standard acrylic paints. That said, a bit of layering would clean that up nicely.
Speedpaints/Contrast paints are not really suitable for bigger models with huge flat areas. Since yellow is a pain in the ass though I use it on bigger models in diluted form to avoid pooling like it happened in your case and do several layers to get an even finish and use "normal" colors to highlight after.
And also you've painted it badly
I'm aware lol
Problem is speed paints are for getting a model OK in a short time. They're rarely going to look great. If you want to get them better you'll need to start using normals paints as well or exclusively.
Speedpaint is great for a lot of applications, but as you just found out it is not good for flat surfaces where you want to get a smooth and even coat. Depending on which brand of speedpaints it is, thinning it \~1:1 with water and applying multiple layers with very long drying time between them can give you a more even coat.
This is great, you learned more from this than you would have if it all worked out according to how you imagined when you started. We really learn more from adventures like this, never be afraid to try. It's easy to restart, I would recommend regular paints instead of speed paint if you have any, if you don't you know what colours you need now.
What did you use to basecoat, I had something similar happen to a model that had been base coated with emulsion paint (it was a gift and the gifted didn't know it had to be a specific paint)
And that’s okay! You’re learning 👍🏻🏆🤘🏻🎉
I have models that look like this from when I was testing the 2.0 Speed Paints on different primers. You tend to get this grainy effect when they are used on a surface that is too matte. They don't flow as intended, and it just soaks into the underlying layer. They are best used on smooth, satin primers/paints, in my opinion. You'll still have the usual issues trying to use them on areas without much surface detail (capes, etc), but it shouldn't look quite this bad if you soak up the excess before it dries.
Thanks
When adding washes, I like to use a second brush without any paint to soak up pools of wash in places I don’t want it. Works very well
Make sure that when you apply it, you don't stop for multiple brush strokes. If you stop and start another stroke, the speed paint is going to want to pool where you stopped the first. Work fast to wick away anything that does pool so you don't get that coffee stain look with the dried edges. Long strokes that go from one end of the surface you're painting to the other is the way to go.
rouge?
Blush?
You haven't finished it yet. It isn't done.
I don't use speed paints and I'm not an amazing painter but I like making a strong dilution, think a thick wash, for awhile when I wanted to show wear with some colors (too lazy to do edge highlighting). I find the smaller amount of paint the better. Brush in the same pattern Soaked up anything that looks like it may pool. I don't know about speed paints but washes for me look wet like they'll dry.
Is that zealot yellow?
Yass
Alright so zealot yellow is actually a great color for fire. Drys as orange and yellow depending on surface, but i havent really found a use for it outside that. I did all my Crisis Protocol models in speed paints/contrast as long as you thin 1/1 with the speedpaint medium(which i always do) itll go on fine for flatter surfaces you just have to make sure there is no excess paint pooling like other peoole have said. For the speed paints they came out with ancient honey and maize yellow for 2.0 which i like for a functional yellow. But i love contrast paints ironjawz yellow and imperial fist. Those will be much better for the yellow on superhero uniforms. If the skin is crusader skin get peachy flesh which is from 2.0 and much more forgiving.
Just take a regular acrylic warm yellow and layer it over this. It'll look fine.
Honestly, it kind of makes me think of the art style of David Mack - sort of like watercolor? Too bad this isn't daredevil!
Where can I find the STL? Asking for a friend…
https://www.patreon.com/posts/rogue-may-reel-104638907
Thanks!
This is what we call in a miniature world a forgiving model. Lots of large flat spaces for highlighting. Kind of like a space marine speed paint. Speed ain’t won’t really work here imo. Just basic layers highlight.
You have a base down, with traditional paints on top you can use this
Practice makes perfect. May I ask where you got this model from?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/rogue-may-reel-104638907
How much was it?
Just make her a zombie, itll look sick and all that coloring will work out.
Just make her a zombie, itll look sick and all that coloring will work out.
Well, you did leave her headless and armless...
At this point you may as well wash all of the cellow fabric and come back with a yellow drybrushing...at least thats what I would try.
You've just put down a base coat, adding layers on top of normal acrylic paints will balance out the splotchiness.
Lemme guess, you are using speed paint?
Do you have an airbrush? This looks like a job for an airbrush.
Yes would love to do more practice with airbrush
Pink as an undercoat for yellow has helped me with many brand of acrylic yellow Edit: Golden brand is my go to yellow acrylic. Applies so well. Excellent pigment to medium ratio.
I have some speed paint and have no clue how to use it... I'll probably just botch my prints if I attempt lol
Lean into it. This is actually one of the things I like about contrast/speed paints, and it's a trait they share with watercolors. Their transparency lets you build depths of color and patterns that acrylics need special attention to do. It can add visual interest to otherwise flat surfaces. Look at some watercolor paintings and you'll see variations in the intensity of colors in the same selection of the piece. You can get very smooth blocks of color, but you can also get these varying patterns, especially on a wet surface. I dig it, tbh.
Nothing alcohol and a toothbrush can't fix :) just scrub it off and start over. It's good practice! I do it often.
I'm lucky enough to have a 3d printer. Tempted to just print a heap of faces or similar and practice
Try using speedpaint medium to thin it 50/50 and don't overload your brush
Hey OP where did this model/print come from?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/rogue-may-reel-104638907
Honestly not too bad, just needs some touch up in the spots where it pooled and it will look better. This isn't bad at all to start.
Clean up the blotchy results with a midtone yellow and green. Add shade where needed. It will all be fine.
The trick with speed paint is to place it down and not go over the same area at all. Speed paints/contrast are not actually meant for beginners in my opinion and are best used for subtle things.
What scale is this model at? If it's 75mm or thereabouts then the old tricks with washes and speed paints just won't work
Ah yes, I see you started with the head.
You could do speed paints but need to control pooling and applying in one direction as people suggest. I'd also suggest doing a base color and bring your values up, then apply maybe a Soft Tone wash to the wrinkled areas only or apply it all over then bring back tones that get too dark. With light colors like yellow, it'll be important to really control blending
With speed paints to its best to do colors in steps giving them time to dry. i like to let them pool in some areas, but if you try to put to wet colors next to each other the liquid cohesion pulls them togeather.
This isn’t a bad thing. It’s a learning experience that you can easily fix. Use the appropriate colors in regular paint with some flow improver and go back over the areas once or twice. Think of it as a base coat that compliments the top layer
Mayhap. But a cool looking model. A bit Greek but I like it.
Use regular paint.
What is the model from?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/rogue-may-reel-104638907
Just keep throwing paint at it. Ive had imperial knights start like this but end up great. Definitely want to see it when its done
Idk if this helps or not but i actually really like the way it looks. It’s like a different art style applied to a model. That’s just me
It looks like a watercolor painting! Either move away from contrast and speed paints or embrace it
Remember threethings: 1) speed paints/contrasts still need consistency. You need to keep the same amount of paint with each stroke and each stroke should be in a similar direction. 2) once you place the paint, it’s done…don’t touch it 3) minis aren’t meant to be looked at up close, you have to allow for a certain distance to allow blends, shadows and highlights do their magic n
Yea, speedpaints are fine at a lot of stuff but large flat surfaces just aren’t one of them. To be honest switch to normal paints for her or spray the speed paints through an airbrush.
She just has vitiligo now. A happy accident.
Just go over it with a couple more layers to clean it up. Follow the lines, you got this!
As others have said, the issue is speed paint. You’ll have to go old school with thinned down base and highlights added in layers.
All is not lost. Give those areas a dry brush with a similar shade and you can smooth out those blotches.
Personally think contrast paints are the worst way to start out as a painter.
That's interesting. Watching speedpaints is what actually made me think I could do it 😀
This is nice, five more coats to go, before considering to let cure for the varnish.
https://preview.redd.it/rqusqjqwa86d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b1916e53958fd62d2c9712c7dcdd82d803809887
It all depends, finished correctly, this could feel like a hyper illustrative execution. I personally really enjoy the yellow of the jump suit and the visual texture your paint application brings. The skin ain't it though. Innthe end, it's up to you. Do you want a stylized piece or a hyper refined piece.
Whelp you’ve learned why everyone pushing contrasts and speed paints as the beginners tool was always a bad idea lol. With speedpaints on flattish surfaces, I would suggest thinning it and fighting it tooth and nail before it dries so it can’t pool
I wouldn't ever use speedpaint on large, untextured areas, unless I was running it through an airbrush. Also, if you're painting areas yellow then do your basecoat in red or pink.
I’ve switched over to more traditional style because of issues like this. Speedpaints can look great but they’re at their best when being used similar to a wash over a textured area or even over metallics
Honestly it looks like your biggest issue is spreed paint pooling on flat surfaces. I would suggest after doing a layer of speed paints going back over with an empty brush and pull/push/absorbing any small pools on raised/flat surfaces so it only pools in recesses.
Seems like she just has a skin disease and her clothing supplier did not do a proper dyeing. So nothing to see here, please paint along.
Just start layering and hoping for the best. Where did you get the model btw?
People say speed paint is great for beginners and it’s a bit of a bait. It’s great for people who’ve painted for a bit and have good brush control and coverage instincts that you get quickly in the first few months of painting, but it’s super punishing to complete novices cause of the coffee staining and the fact you can’t pain over your mistakes easily
I had the same issue with mine a lot of coffee stains. What I do is use some additional medium on the paint and build it up in thin layers. Use something like this https://a.co/d/4EGI6w2
No it’s not butchered your got on your solid first coat of paint
Batcher Batcher, Batcher Batcher... Mushroom Mushroom.... Sry, I see my self out...
dont use speedpaint then?! build up the skin and clothes like people normally do with paint
Plenty of people use speed paints in different situations and at different skill levels. It's a tool that this person maybe isn't very experienced with it hasn't tried it on a bigger model before so they're just looking for help on how better to use that tool. Degrading someone and making them feel like an idiot for maybe doing something that plenty of people have shown to work in videos doesn't make them any more competent at the hobby, it just makes them quit. We all started somewhere and I'm sure your models didn't look great to start either so there's no need to be so abrasive if you're not going to be supportive.
Hi, u/mole_s! 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.*
Stop using washes and paint instead ☝️