RPG and Tactics: Glaug and Recon Pod

Greetings All,

Just finished a quick tabletop quality paint job on my first recon pod and Glaug and wanted to share a few of my methods.

More to come....

I painted both Zentraedi minis using the same method and paints I used to paint my first batch of Regults, you can find the full tutorial Here. My goal with my first few batches of Zentraedi was to produce a tabletop quality paint job with just a bit of extra detail so they would stand out.

If you haven't heard the phrase "Tabletop Quality" it generally refers to painting your minis with a basic level that looks good on the table from about three feet away, more than the simple 3 color minimum typically required in tournaments, and not master class or Golden Demon level. Typically this level is accomplished with each color receiving a single highlight, wash, or shade.

This time around I wanted to give a bit more detailed info on the Gem Method that I mentioned in my previous posts as well as a very basic look at painting lit up surfaces.

GEM METHOD: Recon pod Eye and lenses.

This method to paint lenses is an old method that has been used for ages to paint gems on fantasy miniatures, and it also looks good on the lenses of modern and sic-fi minis.

1) Base: In this case I used a base of Red Gore, leaving a but of the black showing through at the bottom of the painted area.

2) Body Color: the main color is painted on to the lenses leaving a spot of the previous coat showing through on the bottom/right. In this case I used Blood Red.

3) First Highlight: I next made a 1:1 mix of Blood Red:Blazing Orange. I painted a circle around each lenses, in the case of the smaller lenses I painted it as an arc on the top. This layer is thicker on the top (and top-left) and thinner on the bottom (and bottom-right).

4) Second Highlight and/or Edge: Next I took Blazing Orange and painted the outside edge of the lenses (on the smaller lenses this is an arc on the top of the lense) slightly thicker on the top and thin on the bottom. For punch you can add another edge of a lighter color or the previous color mixed with some white.

5) Wash/Glaze: Next I wash the lenses with a wash of the same color range, in this case Agrax Earthsade and once dry I painted a few white dots to mimic lights reflecting on the surface. Instead of a wash as an Alternative you can paint on a glaze. A glaze usually is accomplished by taking the base color or first highlight and watering it down a great deal, then painting the glaze over the whole surface.

6) Gloss Coat: Lastly for a bit extra shine I paint on a coat of a gloss varnish on the lenses, in this case I use 'Ardcoat by GW.

Here is an example of Gem Method used on one of my old 40k minis.

Glowing Light Sources: Energy weapon muzzles

For added effect sometimes I paint the surfaces adjacent to muzzles of energy weapons, fire, glowing objects, or other light sources to represent the light reflecting off those surfaces. Now this is a very basic tutorial showing a glow from the inside of the weapon and a slight glow on the surface outside the muzzle. On a non-recessed light more nearby adjacent surfaces would glow from the light source.

1) Base: I start by painting the surface with a bright color as base representing a low level glow/reflection. In this case I used Genestealer Purple in the arm muzzles and along the outside edge of the muzzle.

2) Glowing edge/source base: In this case I painted a large dot and edged a portion of the muzzle with Slaanesh Grey as a point source of light and the glow it is causing on an adjacent surface.