Danol's Retribution - Reaver-Class Titan of the Legio Invigilata

Disaster has struck!

On Saturday morning I varnished the checked armour plates using Humbrol Clear then went away to make my breakfast......

Upon my return i noticed pink streaks over all the white checks........

Horrified doesn't cut it as a word.......

TIP
The Humbrol Clear does not react at all well with something in the Tamiya paint causing it to bleed.  This didn't happen on the white squares I painted using exclusively Vallejo paint so the problem lies in the reaction between two of the active agents in the Humbrol Clear and the Tamiya Paint.  So word of advice don't use Humbrol Clear with Tamiya unless you want instant and random rain streaks :)  I would assume that the same happens with Gunze paint as well but I have no proof of this.  

So the whole lot needed stripping and redoing......the joy

As such my Saturday was not too productive as I was a tiny bit angry and don't paint when I am like that.  

So Sunday was productive right?

Was it f**k 

I spent all of Sunday trying to repaint the red but could either not manage to get the colour right or I ended up with a sand paper like texture on the surface that looked utter bobbins.

I eventually found out what was causing this.......

TIP
When airbrushing the higher the PSI the finer the atomization of the paint will be, meaning the small blobs of paint will be smaller.  This also means that if you hold the airbrush too far from the model the paint will dry enroute from the nozzle of the airbrush to the surface of the model leaving a rough sand paper like texture, the smoothness of the blend between colours might be perfect but you will not have that lovely smooth finish.  Therefore it is best to lower the PSI to a level you are happy with and keep the airbrush fairly close to the surface you are spraying.

Therefore the higher the atomization (due to PSI) the smaller the droplets of paint will be and therefore the quicker the paint will dry.

Find a balance by practicing. 

So although it may look like I wasted a weekend I learnt some stuff that will only benefit me in the long run.  So it was not a total loss.......

Oh and I managed to get the red bang on perfect last night, possibly better than it was the first time (well second infact) around.  To coin a phrase used by one of the painters who inspires me; Roman Lappat....

"Everything happens for a reason" 

The reason here was to teach me lessons. :)

Danol's Retribution - Reaver-Class Titan of the Legio Invigilata

Much black armour painted.....

Very nearly ready to start the gold trim....

But before that I decided to dry fit it all to give me an idea of what it will look like....

 
Couple of things need adjusting before I start the banding like the highlighting on the leg plates needs toning down slightly as it is a little too bright at the moment.

But we are heading in the right direction :D

Danol's Retribution - Reaver-Class Titan of the Legio Invigilata

Candy Coating and Checks Tutorial


From the black undercoat I basecoated with Hull Red and then layered up through Flat Red and then Flat Yellow to give a result as below.

Then using a very thinned down clear red I candied the armour, it is basically an airbrushed glaze of a transparent colour.

This results in a lovely rich red.  I then gave the entire thing a coat of clear to protect the red when I use the masking tape.

Whilst the varnish dries the squares are drawn and cut out.

Each square is attached with care to create a chess board ensuring that the squares are firmly pressed down.

Then I basecoated the entire armour plate again in Beige, layering up through Pale Sand and then White.  Thin coats are a must ensuring each coat is dry  before proceeding to the next.  Once totally dry remove the squares and your done.

A simple technique that just requires a little time, care and patience but well worth it in the end.  It has been mentioned to me that it would have been easier to do the cream/white first then the red however there is a valid reason for this reversal.  When candying the red the clear red leaves an almost plastic coating so that when removing the tape you run the risk of it peeling off the clear coating, I encountered this problem when I painted the oil marks on the pistons, for the pistons I eventually got around the problem by removing the tape whilst the paint was still wet however for this check pattern there are many bits of tape whereas on the pistons just one per piston so it was easy to paint one piston and remove the tape. But if the red was done without the clear red candying involved I would have done the lighter colour first and then the darker.

Danol's Retribution - Reaver-Class Titan of the Legio Invigilata

So having looked that the pads when i got home last night I felt that the only option was to strip them as I wasnt happy with the balance of the red when the plates were on the Reaver and looking from the front.  From above it is not a massive issue as due to the size of the Reaver you will not see a perfect top down view like in the photo below, unless of course you are a giant, a small demographic I am not overly concerned about appeasing.

Red is now lovely and smooth, there was only one bit of bleeding under the masking tape at that was on the part of the Adeptus Titanicus T but I am not overly concerned about that once the metals are done and it is gloss varnished and then given an oil wash the shading created around the metals will cover that up.

I also sorted out a basic walkthough on how to do this with pictures but had no time to post before work.  Will post them later.

Danol's Retribution - Reaver-Class Titan of the Legio Invigilata

More bloody checks!!!

Although I think I am going to strip these and redo them as the red is very un smooth in places and not identical on both shoulders.  But we will see what I feel like when I start painting tonight.

I also did a tester for the black armour using a left over shin guard from my long since sold Warhound.

Assume that the light source is from the right of the picture.

Danol's Retribution - Reaver-Class Titan of the Legio Invigilata

This weekend has been rather productive.  Although I forgot to take much in the way of bloody photos, I enter a zen like state of painting and forget to do stuff so I will sort some out tonight.

Anyway I managed to get the following stuff done: 

1. All the pistons, including all the toe, hip, shin and thigh pistons, there are so many but they are done and I am happy :D

2. Planned out the colours for the armour plates.

3. Got the red gradient done on all the armour plates that will be red, namely the toes, lower piston guards, gun armour and knee pads.

4. Started the paint bonewhite armour, including the checks on the red knee pad, and the head.

Strawberries and cream anyone?

5. Painted the endoskeleton for the head and the pipes on it.  Araldited the tubes in.

I am considering doing the same red and bonewhite check pattern on both shoulder plates as well because it looks rather striking I though.

I feel there is serious progress being made and I am liking it :D

Danol's Retribution - Reaver-Class Titan of the Legio Invigilata

Little bit of a lack of updates in the recent few days.  On Sunday my airbrush broke on the needle locking mechanism so had to get a replacement part from the USA, downside of a badger I guess.  Luckily my mate Ian had a spare H&S Evolution knocking about that he leant me ready to resume on Monday. 

On top of that I have spent the last week painting, stripping and repainting the pistons about 5 or so times.......I just could not get an effect or colour I was happy with.  In the end though after a little discussion with a mate James I swapped paint from a mix i had made myself to tamiya smoke with a little sepia ink, bingo!  painting of the pistons is very simple, paint the piston metal then mask it off at different stages and airbrush on the tide marks removing the tape as you progress up obviously starting with the end of the piston that you want the darkest first.  Simple yet effective.  They are not perfect as i had to strip and reprime so many times, there are a couple of little divets on them but they are only noticable if you are nose close.....as in sniffing the model, I tend not to allow people that close to myself or my models unless they possess a lovely pair of boobs.

I have also been working on all the base metals which are done across the model, just need to start the super detailing and weathering on them and they are done.

I decided that the brass bits didnt really work just painting the same as the other metals and then glazes with sepia and burnt umber so i gave them a light overbrushing of Rub and Buff Antique Gold, result was for me spot on.

And before I go......

 "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"