Smooth transitions: layering, wet-blending and glazes...

Everything from sanding and priming to varnishing!
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Little Jimbo
Posts: 92
Joined: 17 Feb 2012, o 10:43

Smooth transitions: layering, wet-blending and glazes...

Post by Little Jimbo »

In response to the reply i got from Le6n:
Le6n wrote: Thanx. The recipe for smooth thransitions is simple as hell, but requires lots of practice and tons of patience. First of all I paint whole area with mid-tone colour. Then I start building lights with diluted colour brighter than mid-tone. I also apply many layers (that's why the technique is called 'layering') of brighter and brighter colours until the lights come up. Then I start applying glazes (so strongly diluted colour that it almost becomes coloured water) with darker colours into recesses to build shadows. Inbetween I apply several glazes with mid-tone over the whole surface, to join lights, mids and shadows. Then I start to lighten up the lights again. And so on ... Repeating layers of diluted / transparent colours and connecting them with glazes will make your transitions smoother and smoother. It's just up to you, when it's good enough :)...
Read the full replay here

I had a few more questions that i did not wanted to pose in the WIP section of the forum there for I started this thread.

Disclaimer: I know that there is a lot of text and video tutorials out on the web, and i have looks at other resources for some time prior to making this post, so I hope you all will help me clear up/specify a few things.

Questions start:
I have had some success in making smooth transessions the mini as i resolt the mini become glossy and i end up losing the transision in the Specular reflection.
I use Vallejo - Game color pains on a white GW primer. I suspect that the glossiness come in someway from the water I use to dilute my paints, and the many layers of thin paint I apply. So the first question is how do I avoid the use to using many layers of heavy diluted paints, or get rid of the gloss ? Note matt vanish dose not work.

When glazeing how thin is the glaze?, I have been experimenting with glazes but I dont really see any effect when I apply my thin layere of glaze mid tone, I think my dilution rate normally are about 1:5(paint:water).
here is a example, I did how however not use that many layers and that diluted paint on this mini. Link

Now to the hard one: how large a jump between colors shall I make when layering?
I can try to uploade some pictures later today, to try and help this question.

I know that there is room for a lot of personal opinion, in the answers i have posed, so please give your personal opinion if you have one.

I still a question I will like to pose but lest get this one rolling before I extent the mini wall of text.

Regards
Daniel
Le6n
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Joined: 29 Jul 2008, o 14:10
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Re: Smooth transitions: layering, wet-blending and glazes...

Post by Le6n »

As I mentioned before, painting style and techniques are always individual prior to any painter. I may post some pictures from my progress for better understanding of glazing or layering.

First in all, there must be good undercoat, in my opinion. Perfect thin (to not overflow the details), satin matt and good absorbing. It's great for layering and glazing. Without it the paint is smearing on the surface, brush is leaving strokes... Bad in all ways.

I used Vallejo Grey Primer in the past, but since last two sprays left unabsorbing half-glossy surface, I stopped buying it. Now I'm using black or white primer from Games Workshop. To get the best results when primig, I put the spray for few minutes into hot water and then shake it few times. In the result I get thin, mat and absorbing layer.

Your problem with Vallejo colours might be the combination of bad undercoat and thick colours. Vallejo pigment when not good diluted is semi-matt or glossy. I know people appreciate solid bace colour around whole surface in one or two layers. Mistake. I sometimes paint ten or more layers of base colour to get solid base. If you try to get it in one or two, your colour is probably not diluted enough and in the result you got shiny effect.

I stopped using Vallejo colours when I bought whole set of Rackham Paints (discontinued) on internet. They are perfectly matt with good covering ability. Similar to them are Andrea Colours, or Privateer Press Paints (P3). But when I need some specific colour missing in the Rackham set, I use it from my Vallejo colours. Diluted enough on matt surface they won't do anything bad.
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Le6n
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Joined: 29 Jul 2008, o 14:10
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Re: Smooth transitions: layering, wet-blending and glazes...

Post by Le6n »

As I promised, I'm posting here picture portraying dilution of colour when glazing. Right now I am working on violet shadows on inner side of chaplain's cloak. On the tissue you can see how strongly diluted the colour ist - almost coloured water, leaving very transparent strokes.

ImageClick to see full-sized image
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Little Jimbo
Posts: 92
Joined: 17 Feb 2012, o 10:43

Re: Smooth transitions: layering, wet-blending and glazes...

Post by Little Jimbo »

Here is a picture that show the gloss that i am talking about.
ImageClick to see full-sized image

Thanks for the picture showing the dilution you are working with.

Regards
Daniel
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