Painting Death Guard banners with washes


With my introduction to washes a few months ago, I've been trying new things out as I get new projects. It's been a little difficult for me when it comes to integrating them into my painting "routine."

I'm so accustomed to not having them that I forget to use them. Out of necessity, I've developed other techniques to get the results I want.

A recent copy of White Dwarf had an article in there by a painter who uses them after he basecoats his models. It creates the shadowing and "darkens" them a little bit. The he goes back and will use the base color again as a highlight.

This seemed to make sense to me and so I gave it a go with the icons on top of these Death Guard banners I'm finishing.

Before, I would paint dark and then work my way through lighter shades by way of layering. Now, I can paint the middle shade, add a wash for detail and shading and then go back and add a few highlights where needed. If I stick to using just the original color, the effect is muted and dark. I can add more highlights for effect and contrast.

I really like the result I can get by going this route instead of my usual way. The image up top on the left, shows what the base colors look like after a heavy wash of Devlan Mud. On the right, I've begun to work back up some of the highlights.

My Project Link: Death Guard Banners

Additional related posts:
Banners from cardstock
Banners from cardstock (advanced)


Ron, From the WarpIf you've got any questions about something in this post, shoot me a comment and I'll be glad to answer. Make sure to share your hobby tips and thoughts in the comments below!