Necron Painting

So it has already been said that I will be doing Necrons for the next little while, I just figured I would show a pic of what 4 hours of work managed to do for me today and perhaps get a little advice.



The advice I am looking for is about the orange highlighting on the edge I have done, is there an easy technique to edge such small pieces? So far my best luck has came from gently dabbing the edge, if theres an easier way then stabbing it over and over again it would be nice.

No real easy technique for doing that sort of thing, that I know of, I'm afraid. Just a good small pointy brush and a steady hand. What may help, since you are painting onto black panels, is to use an orange basecoat paint. It has extra pigment and if done well, can work in one coat.

Another option that might work is to paint the outside orange bits first, then come in with the black and fill in the panel in the middle.

Thats what I figured, although I did not think of doing the orange first. Thank you

another way to do edging instead of 'stabbing' it on, is you put a little more on the bristles, and you use the side of the brush to apply it; dragging it along the edge of the panel.  the tip of the brush never touches the model.  once you get used to that method, you can keep your lines an even thickness and sharp.

Thanks for great advice once again, first real attempt at painting a miniature so any advice given is much appreciated.

A word of warning if you do dusktiger's method. Depending on your brush and thickness of paint it can react quite differently each time you do it. The first couple of times you might be frustrated with the results. Once you get the hang of it though it saves time and looks good, so keep at it!

Thank you and I will, after all practice does make perfect

i have a question about the 4 hours thing. is that total or just for the orange?

The silver base can be done in a couple ways that makes life much easier. the first is to just basecoat the model that colour. apply a liberal black wash, and then highlight again in silver.

the other way is to basecoat black, and then drybrush the model heavily in silver. that will leave the black recesses in place and generally looks good.

if you are doing several units worth of these, you going to go mad if your hand painting silver over black.

4 hours total, I attempted to dry brush with necron compound first but it just did not workout how I wanted so I just went with putting the silver over black. however base coating in silver would make life easier

Silver- super easy way is just simply paint all silver, then wash with nuln oil (black wash). Once that has dried, a very fine drybrush (hardly any paint on bristles) of silver to bring back the edges. You can do more washes in succession first for darker or grimier silver.

Orange- the lining technique that dusky described is a good way of learning. If you're planning on painting a whole lot of models with the lining technique tho, a tiny brush, and a steady hand is what you want to practise.

Ways to paint smoother- rest hands on table, touching edges of palms. Before you go for a line, breath out, it will steady your hand. Another great way to save your hands from cramping using this technique (cuz they will cramp) is take a dollop of bluetac, and stick the base of the model onto a cork or paint pot, and hold that instead of the fig. Makes your life a whole lot easier.

I might do some paint day demo stuff soon at the den, if anyone wants to see some of the techniques I use.

I used one wash of nuln oil on the silver, I have not gone back to highlight the edges with silver but then again I am not done, that is just where I stopped. I will definitely be trying the technique dusk mentioned and surprisingly I do have a steady enough hand to do it, just need to concentrate more. However, the whole painting technique I did not know and will be trying it out…have to try a bunch of stuff out actually. If you do any of that demo stuff I would definitely like to know when and hopefully I could make it.