B5 ACTA Minbari- WIP Painting- Tiger stripes??

[wargame_insomniac]

Hi

This weekend I wanted to finish painting the 6 Minbari ships I started last weekend. I finished off highlighting the light blue up to space wolf grey, adding just a touch of white for final highlight. That was easy part.

Next came something I was draeding- the tiger stripes. I started with a mid blue followed by a very dark navy. The blues I was using were old GW paints but no labels so not sure of names.

Looking at the models I am not happy with the tiger stripes. I think the models almost look better without. I have taken pictures of both Sharlins and Tigaras/Leshath.The ones on the right were bought as painted by Ross. The ones in the middle are after final light blue highlight. The ones on the left are with tiger stripes added.



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Close up of the ones with tiger stripes:



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What do you think- should I continue doing tiger stripes, give it up as a bad job, or try a different way?

Thanks

James

 

[Da Boss]

I like them quite distinctive

 

[wargame_insomniac]

But which is better in pictures with 3 figures: the one on the left with stripes or the one in centre without stripes?

Thaanks

James

 

[Da Boss]

I like the left stripy one

 

[McKickaha]

If its Minbari, for me, its just gotta have stripes

 

[wargame_insomniac]

OK thx- I just lost confidence. It did nt come out as good as I had hoped it might. I just was nt sure if it was worth doing the rest of them in same way.

Do you have any constructive criticism on how I could improve the stripes?

I thought maybe doing wider stripes so that I could have more shading on dark blue stripes.

Thanks guys

James

 

[McKickaha]

You said it yourself best thing you can have in painting thin straight lines and stripes is confidence. More practically use the thinnest brush you can get, for sharlin stripes i would use a 004. Always add water to the paint you are going to first sight up the position of the stripes not as thin as a wash but not far off it. Take your time and tidy up mistakes as you go with stripes especially, try to make the gaps even as well, if they are not then paint over and fix as you go. Remember no one paints thin lines or stipes without having to tidy them up. Thicker stripes are easier, but think you have tne width just about right on the side of your fuselages, but widen the stripes on the fins next time, the rear jump engine fin as well. Running a slighter lighter band of highlight in the blue bands especially on the fuselage is good idea, fools the eye somehow.

 

[Stormrider]

Also looking at the model and the highlighting you've done so far it looks like your 'dry blending' which is very difficult to do without getting the banding effect.

Here's something to try. Mix up the colour that's already there and paint over the area you're about to highlight with a watery mixture (takes some practice to get it right), then while it's still wet, run your brush over the highlighted area with the highlight colour, again watery. They two will mix together slightly and you can work them together if not, but you'll reduce the banding you're seeing. You can keep doing this for every stage of highlighting and with practice it should flow smoothly. Also, painting watery should help give the appearance of straightness to your lines as there will be no sharp edges to see.

 

[basaint]

I'm no expert but I like the stripes. I think I would try a fatter stripe on the side then thinning it down along the top. I can see it moreso started on the Sharlins.
But again, I'm by far a good tipster

 

[wargame_insomniac]

OK- thanks for feedback. I'll keep on going, and try not to get disheartened.

I tried to shade the darker blue by using a navy ble in the middle- I was going on the theory of stripe being darkest in centre fading out to the edges of stripe. It seems like you are suggesting the opposite with lighter highlights in centre.

The Centauri are looking more and more appealing as painting task!!

Cheers

James

 

[McKickaha]

have a close look at how i have done the stripes on the official noble armada hawkwood or decados ships alternatively have a look at the sharlin on my photobucket albeit it the first cta ship i painted and 5 or six years ago. For all of these I was aimimg for distict bands so lightest colour is in tne centre of the bands, Stormrider was suggesting going towards blending one colour band into the other by using water to help you mix one colour into tne other. Say going from a dark blue band to light blue backround colour of the sharlin in that case the darkest shade of dark blue would be in tne centre of the dark blue band. Depends the look you are aimimg for.

 

[wargame_insomniac]

The way that Stormrider suggested was sort of what I had been aiming for. I agree might need watering down- my light blue was built up over about 7-8 thin watery coats. I think I made the bands too narrow so that I was worried about going too watery with navy blue.

So I will try thicker stripes and more thinner costs to highlight/shade.

It is good to know I am vaguely along the right lines, even though did nt quite come out as well as I had hoped. I guess practice makes perfect!

Thanks

James

 

[shiba-tenchi]

Definitely stripes!

 

[Greg Smith]

Stripes, but not neccesarily from edge to edge with a constant thickness.

 

[nightshade]

I like both of them. But I think the stripes would look better if you gave the whole model a thin wash of medium blue to blend it all together. The Citadel Asurmen Blue wash might work well for this, thinned somewhat. It would make the transitions between colors less harsh.

They look good though.

 

[wargame_insomniac]

Thanks Nightshade- that is a simple suggestion that is within my painting skill level and should help as you said to make the changes less defined and thus look more gradual.

Thanks everyone

James