Black Matt
"Hey, I've followed your blog for a while now and you always seem to floor me with new expansive ideas on how to make models look even more thrilling. I've been stumped with my newest figs (a mech eldar list) and have no clue as to where I'm headed with them, so I figured I'd ask the pro for any crumbs off the table haha.
> I've tried what I can on my jetbikes, dry brushes and washes, I can do easy designs like flames lightning bolts and thorns, but nothing has seemed to actually make the models stand out. I've tried adjusting the models by taking the top of the jetbike and flipping it underneath the shurriken catapults, But that took away a smooth surface which allows more interesting looks from off the table (and the vypers can do the same, but the grav tanks cannot. I've also thought about using a sort of medieval house crest theme for each biker, but I don't think that it will really look that gratifying in the end so I've decided against it for now anyways. Any color scheme is good to me, so far I've tried a saim hann red with flames and a completely black jetbike with streaks of lightning across it. Although they both look nice up close, on the table it's not very noticeable and I feel something either bigger or simpler would make a better effect.
> Any ideas would be a great help!"
"Hey, I've followed your blog for a while now and you always seem to floor me with new expansive ideas on how to make models look even more thrilling. I've been stumped with my newest figs (a mech eldar list) and have no clue as to where I'm headed with them, so I figured I'd ask the pro for any crumbs off the table haha.
> I've tried what I can on my jetbikes, dry brushes and washes, I can do easy designs like flames lightning bolts and thorns, but nothing has seemed to actually make the models stand out. I've tried adjusting the models by taking the top of the jetbike and flipping it underneath the shurriken catapults, But that took away a smooth surface which allows more interesting looks from off the table (and the vypers can do the same, but the grav tanks cannot. I've also thought about using a sort of medieval house crest theme for each biker, but I don't think that it will really look that gratifying in the end so I've decided against it for now anyways. Any color scheme is good to me, so far I've tried a saim hann red with flames and a completely black jetbike with streaks of lightning across it. Although they both look nice up close, on the table it's not very noticeable and I feel something either bigger or simpler would make a better effect.
> Any ideas would be a great help!"
Sincerely, Ben
Ben,
Ok sorry I put you off and thanks for remining me! In my defense I'm trying to buy my first place and I don't have a pc at work, so I'm typing this up on my blackberry. I was having a conversation with an old friend and he is new to the hobby and we were discussing his color choices. He chose something out of the chaos codex. A somber grey and bolt gun metal. He wanted or envisioned his army as working with stealth and didn't see the point of bright color due to real life war time tactics. Bright yellow doesn't make good camoflouge!!
HOWEVER, this is not real and we are playing with plastic men. I wasn't about to stiffle his creativity by telling him that. I want him in the game so I have something to talk about with him. He doesn't play and he is only doing this for his own enjoyment. You, are different and you need to stand out with a bad ass army. I have several armies painted several different ways. What people say are my best painted armies are my two most outrageously painted. Bright yellow and bright orange. They command attention. I'm doing a black army now that I want to be my masterpiece, but that is so much more difficult with black or dark colors. So what I am trying to say is that I guess it begins with your color choices. If you want someones attention, grab it firecly! Freehand designs are a bonus but I have seen armies that deserve awards due to the level of detail and freehand but got ignored and looked over! Sad but true! Good luck Ben! Got any pictures of your stuff you wanna submit?
Black Matt
Color theory is a system of relationships that seem to exist between colors in the visible spectrum. Many of us know the fundamentals of color theory; there is a color wheel containing all the visible colors, there are three primary colors distributed evenly around this wheel, and all other visible colors are located somewhere between the primary colors. What many of us should but don't know is that such a system can be used to arrive at color combinations that communicate and emphasize what we want. Sometimes, it's not what you say, but how you say it. Color theory is a tool for making a statement with color, without having to "say" it.
It should go without saying that the color choices that are made when designing and painting an army are paramount when soliciting someones else's favor, the paint judges!!! Blue, red, and green are the easiest colors to make stand out and look intense. Yellow, orange and white look even more intense, but are much more difficult to paint. Blacks and dark colors are the easiest to paint but are the most difficult to stand out! I have still not been successful in this endeavour.
When I am asked about color choices, or more specifically, how do I make my army, "pop," I tell them first about color choices but I also mention color relation. I personally do not like complimetary colors on models, because they make me puke. However, I do suggest to people that choose a strong secondary color for there models. Single colors models, regardless of how well they are painted, are BORING. Yellow models are intense but unless trimmed in black, red, blue, green bore me. Certain colors go well together. Bright blue with yellow shoulder pad trim for instance. The list goes on and on unlike me, and since this is an open ended discussion I will now take my leave and see if anyone else has anything to say!
Ben,
Ok sorry I put you off and thanks for remining me! In my defense I'm trying to buy my first place and I don't have a pc at work, so I'm typing this up on my blackberry. I was having a conversation with an old friend and he is new to the hobby and we were discussing his color choices. He chose something out of the chaos codex. A somber grey and bolt gun metal. He wanted or envisioned his army as working with stealth and didn't see the point of bright color due to real life war time tactics. Bright yellow doesn't make good camoflouge!!
HOWEVER, this is not real and we are playing with plastic men. I wasn't about to stiffle his creativity by telling him that. I want him in the game so I have something to talk about with him. He doesn't play and he is only doing this for his own enjoyment. You, are different and you need to stand out with a bad ass army. I have several armies painted several different ways. What people say are my best painted armies are my two most outrageously painted. Bright yellow and bright orange. They command attention. I'm doing a black army now that I want to be my masterpiece, but that is so much more difficult with black or dark colors. So what I am trying to say is that I guess it begins with your color choices. If you want someones attention, grab it firecly! Freehand designs are a bonus but I have seen armies that deserve awards due to the level of detail and freehand but got ignored and looked over! Sad but true! Good luck Ben! Got any pictures of your stuff you wanna submit?
Black Matt
Color theory is a system of relationships that seem to exist between colors in the visible spectrum. Many of us know the fundamentals of color theory; there is a color wheel containing all the visible colors, there are three primary colors distributed evenly around this wheel, and all other visible colors are located somewhere between the primary colors. What many of us should but don't know is that such a system can be used to arrive at color combinations that communicate and emphasize what we want. Sometimes, it's not what you say, but how you say it. Color theory is a tool for making a statement with color, without having to "say" it.
It should go without saying that the color choices that are made when designing and painting an army are paramount when soliciting someones else's favor, the paint judges!!! Blue, red, and green are the easiest colors to make stand out and look intense. Yellow, orange and white look even more intense, but are much more difficult to paint. Blacks and dark colors are the easiest to paint but are the most difficult to stand out! I have still not been successful in this endeavour.
When I am asked about color choices, or more specifically, how do I make my army, "pop," I tell them first about color choices but I also mention color relation. I personally do not like complimetary colors on models, because they make me puke. However, I do suggest to people that choose a strong secondary color for there models. Single colors models, regardless of how well they are painted, are BORING. Yellow models are intense but unless trimmed in black, red, blue, green bore me. Certain colors go well together. Bright blue with yellow shoulder pad trim for instance. The list goes on and on unlike me, and since this is an open ended discussion I will now take my leave and see if anyone else has anything to say!
