Hot Lead Vol. 2 - Blending

This shot shows how to achieve smooth blends over a wizard's cloak.

3-disc set available for purchase at:
http://hot-lead.org/dvd/

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• miniatures
• minis
• pewter
• painting
• wargames
• wargaming
• reaper
• games
• workshop
• gw
• 40k
• WHFB
• privateer
• rackham
• confrontation
• www.hot-lead.org
• blending
• layering

[SDSHugh]

Hi, thx for posting this video. Ok, so lets say that I've mastered wet-blending for two dimensions (not true, but working on it.... :)), i.e. going from dark to light in one along one line... how would i apply that to three dimensions... i.e. lets say a big bulging bicep... all around the base of the bicep, you want it to be shadowed, but at the top you want it to be light, and the highlight follows a circular path (around the bicep) as opposed to a straight line...

[HotLeadMini]

@SDSHugh Good question! View the surface like you're painting a topographical map. The highest point (usually the top 1/3 of the bicep muscle) is the brightest. You blend gradually down layer by layer until the bottom 1/3-1/4 is the darkest color.

The painting technique is exactly the same. You're still blending two "lines" together, but they're just curved. Imagine painting lines around the surface of a sphere. The soft brush bristles will conform to the surface regardless of the shape.

[kevinmcc100]

what kind of paint do you use?

[HotLeadMini]

@kevinmcc100 I use Reaper Master Series paints, with a few old GW inks.

[Guitarkalle]

Great video! How do you know when you should blend or when you should drybrush? I guess you don't want to dry brush skin since it gets a bit 'dusty'? But what about clothes and other material?

[HotLeadMini]

Thanks. You can drybrush anything (even skin), but it always looks a little grainy.

Thats okay if you want cloth with a little texture (like a woolen cloak), but I still use a few glazes to smooth out the roughness.

You can also drybrush metal armor, depending on how fine the metal paint pigments are: too thick and the metal gets a real rough texture. Usually drybrushing is the way to go for chainmail for instance.

Blending is required for smooth skin, cloth or NMM armor.

[warliteminis]

I like how you have a color chart posted on your wall behind you :)

warliteminis.blogspot.com

[SDSHugh]

Mr HotLead. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and respond to my question. I've been struggling with this for the past week. That was such a perfectly descriptive answer, I can see it vividly in my mind.. now I just need to make my hands obey my mind... :):):)

[GodzSniPer300]

im really impressed so I orderd your vid but I was wondering 2 things Is reaper paint better than others and if so why and does your vid include thinng paint?

thx again

[ovresmot]

Thanks Laszlo! I never knew how wet blending worked until I just saw that. (No I'm not being sarcastic). BTW those suspenders are sexah.

[PandaTheater]

I am impressed sir! very impressed indeed! So much so in fact that I have just ordered a copy of your set of DVDs. I have had many questions about mini painting techniques and how to implements them. just the few minutes you have posted here has cleared up alot. thank you so much for making these DVDs available for people like me.

I salute you sir. Keep being awesome!