@@CamoSpecsOnline Hey, as a newcomer to the channel, I noticed you seem to have custom mini's that look almost identical to the enw catalyst line, did you print these yourself or did you purchase them from an independent printer?
That's a good question. The miniatures you see on this channel will only ever be official Ironwind Metals or Mechforce UK metal sculpts or official Catalyst Game Labs Plastic & licensed production resin, or their 3d printed pre-production prototypes that are released to artists in advance of retail.
Cool to hear Tex doing the intro! Sure he is "just a voice in the choir" as he likes to remind us, but it is a rather booming voice! Anyways great videos, as someone who finds painting & I really need to start painting my mechs very stressful your content & site are a huge help.
I've been painting my Gray Death mechs using a contrast paint method you presented in your tan and green camo tutorial. I cover the whole mech with Grypcharger gray, then use the other grays and even some diluted black to do the camo patterns. I'm painting some pirates now and I could see something like this working well with a green camo pattern and then using a brown overtop. Think I'll try it out. Thanks for the inspiration as always. Cheers!
I have no experience with contrast paints and when I saw you applying it like I would a wash and how incredibly dark it was I was screaming at my screen. But it lightened up way more than a little more like alot.
They're also very good doing windshields. Black undercoat, white/light grey detailing, or drybrushing over the black. Tint it all with a light coating of contrast paint of choice. Let dry, redo certain details optionally to bring them back up. I usually like ultramarine contrast because it's so dark.
Thank you. I really try to gear most of my videos to help folks get into painting and see that there are ways to get your miniatures looking good without having to feel like you need an art degree to do it.
@@CamoSpecsOnline And I always imagined the GDL has a place in every BT-players heart, since most people that get introduced to the BT novels start with the GDL books.
Been subscribed to the channel for a bit but decided to pick up some BT for a change after a 20+ yr break and these videos have come in handy in getting back in to the groove. Thank you
if you ever want to try it - for my ComGuards - i Base white - then i take a 10 part contrast medium to 1 part nuln oil wash to give a very subtle wash that works really well and gets into all of the details and leaves a lot of the base coat showing through
Nice. 25 years ago I painted a similar camo, but used sand and an almost black grey. High contrast and looks nice. Thinking on modifying it for new 'Mechs.
That is a neat color scheme! Since I have been watching you tutorials I have been thinking of investing in some Contrast paint. Thanks for sharing this.
I recommend only getting one or two of them just to try out and see if you like them. Some of the most universally useful ones that can be used on a variety of miniatures, (not just Battletech) are Militarum Green, Skeleton Horde, Aggaros Dunes, and Snakebite Leather. Make sure you put an agitator in the pot and shake them up really well before use!
@@CamoSpecsOnline I think about changing the colors to a more traditional tigerstripe. Heavy on the black with green and brown. Do you have any hints which colors I should stick to for that?
Love the camo-work here. I'm attempting almost a reverse of this based off the tail feathers of a Goshawk where the primary color camo band is a Drk Blue grey (using my own Golden paint mix as is what I have), followed by a med blue grey and either side of the equal sized band a pin striped lighter blue-grey or light grey. Should the Drk be the base color or the Medium blue grey in this case?
In most cases I favor adding dark to a light base. Lighter colors can sometimes be difficult to get smooth coverage over a darker base so it's the safer bet to work light to dark in your example.
is there a way to get that audio clip of tex? I have always wanted to audio clip the mech start up sequence for things like car start up audio, or other nerdy stuff, but don't know how, and now tex has made mech start up even more impressive. I'm also glad I have found your video. while I am not painting grey death legion, I have learned much from you on how to paint my own mechs and vehicles
personal taste, I like the "end result" of the "strips segment" (3:04~) best over the final end result of the "finished model" segment. Don't get me wrong, the "finished model" kicks ass. My color scheme I'm thinking about trying to do is a light blue base with darker blue stripes sort of like the Russian "artic camo" on their jet fighters.
If you're planning on adding the blue and white after making the mech grey than I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to use this process to save time and just get right to the details after the grey contrast was dry.
@@CamoSpecsOnline okidoki that might work, im not sure if you're familiar with the Omega Galaxy scheme for Ghost bears, although if you do a new CGL Clan mech in that scheme I will DEFINITELY tune in for that one!
So i know this is an old video but i was wondering if this type of style would work in other colors. Im thinking of doing Corvus Keshik with the dark and lighter purples and blues
You can definitely apply this method with other colors. I suggest testing out the shades and whichever contrast or speedpaint you put over them to adjust the intensity and coverage.
Nope that's a great catch on your part. I apparently didn't show or mention using it to touch up any areas needing a dark recesses or for painting joints instead of using metallics. Thanks for pointing that out.
Chance, yes. Good chance, not really. I do intend to eventually have major clans and houses have at least one scheme each but it's not the only content to create for the channel.
I got a question: did you dilute your contrast with medium and If, how much? I tried to follow your guid for my GDL twice now and all i got was an almost black mech 😅
It seems to come up that there are intensity variations in some of the contrast paints and you're not the first to mention this. I didn't dilute this application specifically, but if you've had issues twice before with the same bottle of paint, then I would suggest a 1 to 1 ratio to start out with. adding 1 part medium for every 2 parts contrast may still be a bit too dark but either of those two will definitely help cut down the tint of the pigment. Hope that helps you.
Mind if I ask what the thought process was using the contrast vs washes? Im asking from a place of wanting to learn the thought process and not a challenging your process.
Contrast is just more beginner friendly in most cases which makes the tutorials more appealing to a broader audience. After it dries if you want to just leave the model alone, it already has a bit of a highlighted appearance by design so it can be less work to finish a model depending on your preference. I have tutorials that show a base coat, wash, drybrush technique and either methods can be good for beginners or batch painting.
I tried this method using the paints that you used and it came out way too dark, too dark to make out the strips. I even did several a redos on the model thinning out the Basilicanum Grey, using a white undercoat, using different greys for the strips etc. All produced a similar result. Not exactly sure what I did wrong but did you have any issues with trial and error on this paint job?
I am in the exact same boat as you. I'm wondering if the paint has somehow changed. My Mechs I tried to paint like this are Extremely dark. I have tried everything to get a lighter shade. That paint is very dark and I am using Grypcharger Gray with dark blue lines underneath now. Looks awesome but not the GDL.
Thanks for replying. I think your right, that GW may have changed their contrast paint. I experimented just after posting and found that using a black wash (Nuln Oil) seems to give me the effect that I wanted.
Sorry to hear that it was too dark. I'm not sure if the contrast paints have changed or not but you can always try out a color over your basecoat on an area of the hex base or another model even to see if it will turn out the way you want. Contrast paints seem to have some variation in intensity and I cannot seem to pin down why one person will get a drastically different result when using the same paint as another.
I’m really glad I found this. I tried to do this as my second paint project and thought I had badly messed up somehow when it basically turned black on me.
@@CamoSpecsOnline Thanks for the reply, your videos motivated me to pick painting back up tonight and it dawned on me that I wasn't too sure what to paint weapon ports and I sort of defaulted to the videogames, red for smalls, green for meds, blue for larges n PPCs, and yellow for anything that doesn't fall in those categories. Haven't run into a situation where the scheme interfered with that convention of thought but I'm sure it will happen down the road.
@@christophermavromatis7724 there’s no wrong way or color. Paint what you think looks best or in your own convention. Freedom of style is one of my favorite things about the Battletech universe.
Absolutely. In fact due to the occasional inconsistencies of Contrast Paint behavior, I'd suggest a test beforehand to see if you need to thin it to a level that provides you with a result you like.
There's no wrong way really but if you're starting out, look at some pictures for inspiration from modern military vehicles. Then when you try, don't focus on small patterns but work on larger shapes at first to practice. The patterns will still look good and be less intimidating and labor intensive.
If I wasn’t going to use an airbrush for the camo patterns, then I’d likely use glazes to highlight shown here: th-cam.com/video/pUTZIeiKi4A/w-d-xo.html
So what would you do if the contrast paint basically turns the whole thing almost black? Or better put what probably did I screw up and how do I not screw it up?
With contrast the fist thing that always comes to mine is the bottle needs lots of agitation. I put metal sprue in mine and shake the crap out of them. If you did that, then the next likely culprit is too much paint. Contrast is a wet application type of paint but in the video you see I spend a lot of time moving and thinning out its coverage. Lastly, if the out of the bottle concentration is very strong then thinning it out starting with a 3 to 1 ratio of paint to medium and working up one part at a time is what I'd do next to see how it performs over my base colors. Test it out on a model with the same colors beneath. I like to use hex bases or non-battletech cheapo minis to try things out on with the same primers and base coats to get a feel for the end result when dry.
I am having a bit of trouble trying to nail this. My paint comes out not as neat as yours. Am I not shanking the paint enough or thinning this contrast paint?
I would always recommend shaking the bottle with an agitator ball or something to ensure a really good mix. Additionally many folks have found the thinning of the contrast paint dramatically improved their results as the pigment can be heavy and over darken the greys.
I applied the contrast paint the same way it was shown in the video, but mine is looking very dark and it looks like it blotted the camo stripes I had underneath instead of dark toning it. Did I use too much? I've never tried contrast paints before and I thought you needed a lot at first and then spread it around. I feel so deflated. 😔
Sorry to hear it didn't work out the way you wanted, the thing I'm hearing when folks tell me their model turned out darker than they had wanted is that I apply my contrast very quickly. If you apply too much you'll definitely get too much pigment built up and it will dry too dark. The easiest way to mitigate this is to thin the contrast down about half, or use the lighter grey shade of contrast paint so you don't end up with too much splotching. Unfortunately some contrast paint isn't as forgiving or consistent at times and apparently I misjudged the ease of use for following my tutorial.
@@CamoSpecsOnline I recently tried one more time with a smaller brush so I wouldn't apply too much and tried to go quickly as I can....it still ended up too dark. It was a bit lighter than my previous attempt, but it still was a failure. I don't know what I'm doing wrong when I'm even using a smaller brush. 😟
I'm curious where do you buy all of the miniatures from? perhaps I've missed it but i where would you recommend to buy them from? Rather new into battletech and i would like to get some miniatures myself is all.
These newest plastic ones are from the Clan Invasion Kickstarter. You can also get some of the other Inner Sphere plastic mechs in the A Game of Armored Combat and Beginner Box sets that are currently at retail. Metal Battletech miniatures are made from Ironwind Metals and available from online retailers like Aries Games.
@@conradvalentino6250 to add, you can still join the kickstarter and receive your stuff next year during wave two shipping. The variety of packs available will be daunting haha, but pick what you like visually.
My basilicanum grey dries too dark, far darker than shown here. I've shaken vigorously and I tried laying down as thin a layer as I could but it still basically painted my mini entirely grey over a fenrisian grey, am I missing something here?
Perhaps try the next grey down if you're still having issues. You're not alone in getting mixed results with some of the contrast paints colors, especially Basilicanum. If you aren't thinning at least 50/50 then I'd go there, or as I mentioned already, go to the lighter shade of contrast paint color that the name eludes me at the moment. Hopefully you can find a result that gets you some better results that remain consistent.
@@CamoSpecsOnline I triesd thinning it down and I had much better results, I thought it'd work straight from the pot but apparently not, haha Thank you
Are you thinning your contrast paint? I've tried this on three mechs now and it just comes out really dark. Even with wicking away off the panels and trying a light hand instead of the aggressive top down that you started with. I'm wondering if my contrast paint is drying too fast after application cause I don't seem to have as much working time as you do.
I didn't thin any of my contrast in this video. You're not the first person to comment on inconsistencies of contrast paints and I believe there's a bit more variation in intensity due to any number of factors. The bottom line is that I suggest you test out the color you want to use first on either a practice mini, hex base, or even just a piece of primed plastic with your undercoat on it so you can see what it looks like after drying. This will help you find your ratio to thin the paint that you have. I hope it that helps.
Dry rushing is a technique that uses a brush with very little paint (usually most of the paint is wiped off into some tissue or paper towel) and the brush is then lightly applied against the raised edges of the model. The raised edge will scrape more paint off of the brush than the smoother areas, resulting in the raised edges being highlighted.
They're out of stock but should be returning soon due to overseas shipping delays. store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-forcepack-inner-sphere-command-lance
I've heard this time and again and for some unknown reason which I can't pin down. Perhaps the strength of the Basilicanum Grey has changed or it's adhering to the base colors better than it did to my chosen paints. Either way I'm sorry to hear it blacked out your work. I'd suggest a different grey/black contrast paint or perhaps using about a 50/50 mix of the Basilicanum and contrast medium to thin it.
@@CamoSpecsOnline thank you for the suggestions. I ended up doing something similar to that and trying again. The turnout was better and I am happy with it.
I've followed this tutorial, as well has a friend of mine, and both of us have experienced that Basilicanum grey is WAY too dark for this. It blacks out the entire mech.
There has been a lot of feedback about that and it seems the best answer I've come up with is to thin the contrast paint by about half and use it as such. I'm still uncertain as to the inconsistency but I understand the frustration in not getting the results when following an example.
Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. I've read some folks found that the speed at which the paint was applied and spread had an impact on the final shade. Faster being lighter, but I've been recommending everyone just simply thin the paint to about 50/50 with medium, or even try using a slightly lighter shade of grey contrast like Space Wolf Grey.
You're the first to give feedback stating the contrast turned it brown. Most of the issues are directed at too dark. Either way, it is unfortunate to hear about the issues and I recommend a thinned out application of the contrast paint, preferably with contrast medium to about 50/50.
That contrast paint really muted and dulled out the camo pattern and almost removed it. For this look you could just dip it for a similar result. The overall approach seems fine but use a series of light washes or thinned down inks instead.
My contrast series is geared towards rapid completion and simplicity for new or young painters. I don't at all disagree that washes and inks would be to better effect but they draw out the process.
The contrast over a camo-scheme is an awesome idea, kick ass!!!
Thanks! Sometimes “see what happens” discoveries work out well.
@@CamoSpecsOnline Hey, as a newcomer to the channel, I noticed you seem to have custom mini's that look almost identical to the enw catalyst line, did you print these yourself or did you purchase them from an independent printer?
That's a good question. The miniatures you see on this channel will only ever be official Ironwind Metals or Mechforce UK metal sculpts or official Catalyst Game Labs Plastic & licensed production resin, or their 3d printed pre-production prototypes that are released to artists in advance of retail.
Cool to hear Tex doing the intro! Sure he is "just a voice in the choir" as he likes to remind us, but it is a rather booming voice! Anyways great videos, as someone who finds painting & I really need to start painting my mechs very stressful your content & site are a huge help.
Thanks for the feedback and we're grateful you find our content helpful!
I've been painting my Gray Death mechs using a contrast paint method you presented in your tan and green camo tutorial. I cover the whole mech with Grypcharger gray, then use the other grays and even some diluted black to do the camo patterns. I'm painting some pirates now and I could see something like this working well with a green camo pattern and then using a brown overtop. Think I'll try it out. Thanks for the inspiration as always. Cheers!
Great to hear that. My color choices are always optional and I'm glad to hear you're getting results with different colors. Thanks and happy painting!
I have no experience with contrast paints and when I saw you applying it like I would a wash and how incredibly dark it was I was screaming at my screen. But it lightened up way more than a little more like alot.
They're also very good doing windshields. Black undercoat, white/light grey detailing, or drybrushing over the black. Tint it all with a light coating of contrast paint of choice. Let dry, redo certain details optionally to bring them back up. I usually like ultramarine contrast because it's so dark.
Great guide. Thank you for your work and dedication to Battletech.
My pleasure, we all love games!
Damn, you make this look easy. Great work on that Marauder!
Thank you. I really try to gear most of my videos to help folks get into painting and see that there are ways to get your miniatures looking good without having to feel like you need an art degree to do it.
Looks great. That contrast paint made my soul hurt until it dried. Nice job.
Thank you. It takes a bit of faith to trust the process!
This legendary model was one I was super excited to paint up.
Same here!
Just got it in Legends box. I am so happy with it. Great models overall.
Never been a huge fan of GDL but the quality of this painting is GORGEOUS
Thanks and I'm not really a GDL guy either but the colors and methods here work great for a lot of other units....Clan Smoke Jaguar...;)
@@CamoSpecsOnline I was actually thinking about doing this for Ghost ears. What suggestions would you make?
@@CamoSpecsOnline And I always imagined the GDL has a place in every BT-players heart, since most people that get introduced to the BT novels start with the GDL books.
@@Presbiter Claners don't have a heart...
Love the MechWarrior soundtrack in the background! Great video!
Thanks!
Been subscribed to the channel for a bit but decided to pick up some BT for a change after a 20+ yr break and these videos have come in handy in getting back in to the groove. Thank you
Welcome back and thanks for following. New content has been sparse due to real life but we’re still planning on creating more.
Great example of "trust the process", all that contrast paint was horrifying haha. Nice work!
Thank you very much!
I used the method, with some minor change on grey primers. It turned out far better than I could have hoped. Thanks for putting this out there sir.
Glad it helped!
That's a SICK paint scheme! I wouldn't have thought of using the contrast paint as a top coat/wash...great tip.
Thanks, Contrast paints can do cool things with various undercoats.
if you ever want to try it - for my ComGuards - i Base white - then i take a 10 part contrast medium to 1 part nuln oil wash to give a very subtle wash that works really well and gets into all of the details and leaves a lot of the base coat showing through
Thanks for the tip. I typically use contrast paints for tutorials so my Apothecary White tutorial is where I usually point most folks.
I’ll be following this tutorial for sure. Thanks for sharing it. The final result looks great!
Definitely one of your best paintjobs, and easy to emulate. Superb!
Thank you so much 😀
That looks simply awesome dude. I love that paint scheme. You made it look simple and easy. Nice job.
Thank you, I’m glad you like it.
Great timing. I am soon to start my own Grey Death Force. Amazing work.
Awesome!
Hey never thought to use a contrast as an allover wash to get this effect sooooo easy why did I not figure this out sooner lol thanx man
I have to say that I love your videos. They have really helped to improve my skills. Keep them coming, please!
Thanks, will do!
Nice. 25 years ago I painted a similar camo, but used sand and an almost black grey. High contrast and looks nice.
Thinking on modifying it for new 'Mechs.
I'm rereading the GDL trilogy and this great video has me thinking about making a Lance or two. Nice work.
Those are great reads for BT. Thanks and hopefully you get to painting up your own GDL soon.
Looks wonderful!!!
WOW, thats an awesome paint scheme!!!
Glad you like it!
That is a neat color scheme! Since I have been watching you tutorials I have been thinking of investing in some Contrast paint. Thanks for sharing this.
I recommend only getting one or two of them just to try out and see if you like them. Some of the most universally useful ones that can be used on a variety of miniatures, (not just Battletech) are Militarum Green, Skeleton Horde, Aggaros Dunes, and Snakebite Leather. Make sure you put an agitator in the pot and shake them up really well before use!
Fantastic paint scheme. Good work. Thanks for the inspiration.
Many thanks!
The final look is similar to the Steiner paint scheme I used 20 years ago, though yours definitely has better detailing. And you got Tex!
Thanks!
I love the new intro! Great video as always!
Thanks, we like to refine and improve as we can.
Awesome job, you did a great job with contrast colors. I going to copy, so really cool!
Thank you, copy away!
After I finish my Ghost Bear Star, I am doing this. You taught me how to do the Davion Blue. Time to try Gray Death.....ummm gray!
Gray, grey, great! 😀
Beautiful work. Definitely going to give this a try. Thank you sir!
Since I have a marauder from the salvage box, I will try this pattern :-)
Wonderful!
@@CamoSpecsOnline I think about changing the colors to a more traditional tigerstripe. Heavy on the black with green and brown. Do you have any hints which colors I should stick to for that?
I'm going to crib a lot of these techniques for the Smoke Jaguar camo
Excellent, the colors will definitely work well for them.
Outstanding sir!
Thank you kindly!
Very helpful, been a decade since I last touched a model with a paintbrush. Warhammer is far too expensive and frustrating.
Great tutorial! Gonna try this method.
I used this method for a Clan Smoke Jaguar Beta Galaxy force.
U did a good job painting.
Thanks
Love the camo-work here. I'm attempting almost a reverse of this based off the tail feathers of a Goshawk where the primary color camo band is a Drk Blue grey (using my own Golden paint mix as is what I have), followed by a med blue grey and either side of the equal sized band a pin striped lighter blue-grey or light grey. Should the Drk be the base color or the Medium blue grey in this case?
In most cases I favor adding dark to a light base. Lighter colors can sometimes be difficult to get smooth coverage over a darker base so it's the safer bet to work light to dark in your example.
Very nice
Great paint tutorial! May I ask - what's the closest equivalent of the Dark Warm Grey from Vallejo/Citadel? Thanks!
Thank you very much! I'd suggest Vallejo Model Air Base Grey as a substitute.
@@CamoSpecsOnline Thank you! Found out that Dawnstone (Citadel) is also an equivalent! :)
Wow!!! Thanks
Brilliant
is there a way to get that audio clip of tex? I have always wanted to audio clip the mech start up sequence for things like car start up audio, or other nerdy stuff, but don't know how, and now tex has made mech start up even more impressive. I'm also glad I have found your video. while I am not painting grey death legion, I have learned much from you on how to paint my own mechs and vehicles
Message us at camospecsonline@gmail.com and we can see if we can help.
personal taste, I like the "end result" of the "strips segment" (3:04~) best over the final end result of the "finished model" segment. Don't get me wrong, the "finished model" kicks ass. My color scheme I'm thinking about trying to do is a light blue base with darker blue stripes sort of like the Russian "artic camo" on their jet fighters.
Could this scheme be used for the Omega Galaxy Ghost bears? They have that grey with white snow dots and blue panels?
If you're planning on adding the blue and white after making the mech grey than I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to use this process to save time and just get right to the details after the grey contrast was dry.
@@CamoSpecsOnline okidoki that might work, im not sure if you're familiar with the Omega Galaxy scheme for Ghost bears, although if you do a new CGL Clan mech in that scheme I will DEFINITELY tune in for that one!
Hi there! I'm failing tryin to find a genyosha painting tutorial but, could this, without the camo strypes, be a way to go?
Absolutely. If you like the way the grey looks then omitting the darker stripes would work just fine.
Love it, great tutorial - thanks!
So i know this is an old video but i was wondering if this type of style would work in other colors. Im thinking of doing Corvus Keshik with the dark and lighter purples and blues
You can definitely apply this method with other colors. I suggest testing out the shades and whichever contrast or speedpaint you put over them to adjust the intensity and coverage.
Great video.Is it possible to do video on how to paint a mech in Comstar colors?
Thanks. I’ve covered Comstar/WoB here: th-cam.com/video/OW1twroJV18/w-d-xo.html
Did I miss the use of the charcoal? Where did you use that?
Nope that's a great catch on your part. I apparently didn't show or mention using it to touch up any areas needing a dark recesses or for painting joints instead of using metallics. Thanks for pointing that out.
I think I will use this style for a more generic forest-camoflaughe.
Is there a way to get the tex voice pack for custom start up sounds ?
I think there's a place for it on the Everything Battletech Discord server. I'd check over there. The ones I have are custom made for the channel.
Great Tutorial, are you using Fighting Piranha for your decals?
That's my guess, got an order for some green burbs, wolfs and bears for myself.
Thanks and yes, those are from FPG.
@@CamoSpecsOnline Awesome, I am wrapping up a pair of Bandai TIEs and will then start on my Wave I.
Any chance of a clan ghost bear paint scheme next 🙏
Chance, yes. Good chance, not really. I do intend to eventually have major clans and houses have at least one scheme each but it's not the only content to create for the channel.
Great video! Can you do a Phoenix Hawk next? Maybe 2nd Canopian Cuirassiers ?
Very useful tutorial.
Glad it was helpful!
I got a question: did you dilute your contrast with medium and If, how much? I tried to follow your guid for my GDL twice now and all i got was an almost black mech 😅
It seems to come up that there are intensity variations in some of the contrast paints and you're not the first to mention this. I didn't dilute this application specifically, but if you've had issues twice before with the same bottle of paint, then I would suggest a 1 to 1 ratio to start out with. adding 1 part medium for every 2 parts contrast may still be a bit too dark but either of those two will definitely help cut down the tint of the pigment. Hope that helps you.
@@CamoSpecsOnline Thanks alot for the tips, i'am defenetly going to try our the GW medium, i'll let you know how it went!
Mind if I ask what the thought process was using the contrast vs washes? Im asking from a place of wanting to learn the thought process and not a challenging your process.
Contrast is just more beginner friendly in most cases which makes the tutorials more appealing to a broader audience. After it dries if you want to just leave the model alone, it already has a bit of a highlighted appearance by design so it can be less work to finish a model depending on your preference. I have tutorials that show a base coat, wash, drybrush technique and either methods can be good for beginners or batch painting.
I tried this method using the paints that you used and it came out way too dark, too dark to make out the strips. I even did several a redos on the model thinning out the Basilicanum Grey, using a white undercoat, using different greys for the strips etc. All produced a similar result. Not exactly sure what I did wrong but did you have any issues with trial and error on this paint job?
I am in the exact same boat as you. I'm wondering if the paint has somehow changed. My Mechs I tried to paint like this are Extremely dark. I have tried everything to get a lighter shade. That paint is very dark and I am using Grypcharger Gray with dark blue lines underneath now. Looks awesome but not the GDL.
Thanks for replying. I think your right, that GW may have changed their contrast paint. I experimented just after posting and found that using a black wash (Nuln Oil) seems to give me the effect that I wanted.
Sorry to hear that it was too dark. I'm not sure if the contrast paints have changed or not but you can always try out a color over your basecoat on an area of the hex base or another model even to see if it will turn out the way you want. Contrast paints seem to have some variation in intensity and I cannot seem to pin down why one person will get a drastically different result when using the same paint as another.
I’m really glad I found this. I tried to do this as my second paint project and thought I had badly messed up somehow when it basically turned black on me.
What’s the mw4 mercs remix playing in the background?!
It's a selection of tracks from MW2 Mercs
Gonna start this one tomorrow. Any chance you’ll do a video on Morgan Kell’s Archer and Aidan Pryde’s Timber Wolf?
Hey B1, have you ever discussed the colors you use for laser lenses, and the thought conventions on using red green blue or yellow?
Typically I'll use green or blue more than red, but it's mostly based on what stands out against the rest of the miniature.
@@CamoSpecsOnline Thanks for the reply, your videos motivated me to pick painting back up tonight and it dawned on me that I wasn't too sure what to paint weapon ports and I sort of defaulted to the videogames, red for smalls, green for meds, blue for larges n PPCs, and yellow for anything that doesn't fall in those categories. Haven't run into a situation where the scheme interfered with that convention of thought but I'm sure it will happen down the road.
@@christophermavromatis7724 there’s no wrong way or color. Paint what you think looks best or in your own convention. Freedom of style is one of my favorite things about the Battletech universe.
Would this still work if you used a medium for the contrast? or not as well?
Absolutely. In fact due to the occasional inconsistencies of Contrast Paint behavior, I'd suggest a test beforehand to see if you need to thin it to a level that provides you with a result you like.
I want to try this scheme but I can't find Pro Acryl Dark Warm Grey - is there another paint that is similar that anyone would recommend?
Try Vallejo dark grey or GW Mechanicum Standard Grey.
@@CamoSpecsOnline You are a life saver my friend! Thank you! Your videos are amazing - thank you for what you do for us and the community :)
Newbie question, how do you paint basic camo patterns like in the video?
There's no wrong way really but if you're starting out, look at some pictures for inspiration from modern military vehicles. Then when you try, don't focus on small patterns but work on larger shapes at first to practice. The patterns will still look good and be less intimidating and labor intensive.
Great job, I'd skip the static Tufts personally, the scale is off imo unless you use tiny bits
What process would you follow if you had to paint this colors in your style? you know, without contrast and dry brushing everything.
If I wasn’t going to use an airbrush for the camo patterns, then I’d likely use glazes to highlight shown here: th-cam.com/video/pUTZIeiKi4A/w-d-xo.html
So what would you do if the contrast paint basically turns the whole thing almost black? Or better put what probably did I screw up and how do I not screw it up?
With contrast the fist thing that always comes to mine is the bottle needs lots of agitation. I put metal sprue in mine and shake the crap out of them. If you did that, then the next likely culprit is too much paint. Contrast is a wet application type of paint but in the video you see I spend a lot of time moving and thinning out its coverage. Lastly, if the out of the bottle concentration is very strong then thinning it out starting with a 3 to 1 ratio of paint to medium and working up one part at a time is what I'd do next to see how it performs over my base colors. Test it out on a model with the same colors beneath. I like to use hex bases or non-battletech cheapo minis to try things out on with the same primers and base coats to get a feel for the end result when dry.
I am having a bit of trouble trying to nail this. My paint comes out not as neat as yours. Am I not shanking the paint enough or thinning this contrast paint?
I would always recommend shaking the bottle with an agitator ball or something to ensure a really good mix. Additionally many folks have found the thinning of the contrast paint dramatically improved their results as the pigment can be heavy and over darken the greys.
@ thanks for the reply bro, ill go do that:
I applied the contrast paint the same way it was shown in the video, but mine is looking very dark and it looks like it blotted the camo stripes I had underneath instead of dark toning it. Did I use too much? I've never tried contrast paints before and I thought you needed a lot at first and then spread it around. I feel so deflated. 😔
Sorry to hear it didn't work out the way you wanted, the thing I'm hearing when folks tell me their model turned out darker than they had wanted is that I apply my contrast very quickly. If you apply too much you'll definitely get too much pigment built up and it will dry too dark. The easiest way to mitigate this is to thin the contrast down about half, or use the lighter grey shade of contrast paint so you don't end up with too much splotching. Unfortunately some contrast paint isn't as forgiving or consistent at times and apparently I misjudged the ease of use for following my tutorial.
@@CamoSpecsOnline I recently tried one more time with a smaller brush so I wouldn't apply too much and tried to go quickly as I can....it still ended up too dark. It was a bit lighter than my previous attempt, but it still was a failure. I don't know what I'm doing wrong when I'm even using a smaller brush. 😟
Any substitute for the pro acryl warm grey?
Probably Vallejo's Dark or German Greys.
I'm curious where do you buy all of the miniatures from? perhaps I've missed it but i where would you recommend to buy them from? Rather new into battletech and i would like to get some miniatures myself is all.
These newest plastic ones are from the Clan Invasion Kickstarter. You can also get some of the other Inner Sphere plastic mechs in the A Game of Armored Combat and Beginner Box sets that are currently at retail. Metal Battletech miniatures are made from Ironwind Metals and available from online retailers like Aries Games.
@@CamoSpecsOnline Thanks! This info is really helpful!
@@conradvalentino6250 to add, you can still join the kickstarter and receive your stuff next year during wave two shipping. The variety of packs available will be daunting haha, but pick what you like visually.
My basilicanum grey dries too dark, far darker than shown here. I've shaken vigorously and I tried laying down as thin a layer as I could but it still basically painted my mini entirely grey over a fenrisian grey, am I missing something here?
Perhaps try the next grey down if you're still having issues. You're not alone in getting mixed results with some of the contrast paints colors, especially Basilicanum. If you aren't thinning at least 50/50 then I'd go there, or as I mentioned already, go to the lighter shade of contrast paint color that the name eludes me at the moment. Hopefully you can find a result that gets you some better results that remain consistent.
@@CamoSpecsOnline I triesd thinning it down and I had much better results, I thought it'd work straight from the pot but apparently not, haha
Thank you
is that Tex doing the voiceover in the intro?
Yes, Tex is a friend of the channel and contributed to the voice work.
@@CamoSpecsOnline that's awesome!
I am big fan of his work as he is responsible for reigniting my interest in battletech.
Are you thinning your contrast paint? I've tried this on three mechs now and it just comes out really dark. Even with wicking away off the panels and trying a light hand instead of the aggressive top down that you started with. I'm wondering if my contrast paint is drying too fast after application cause I don't seem to have as much working time as you do.
I didn't thin any of my contrast in this video. You're not the first person to comment on inconsistencies of contrast paints and I believe there's a bit more variation in intensity due to any number of factors. The bottom line is that I suggest you test out the color you want to use first on either a practice mini, hex base, or even just a piece of primed plastic with your undercoat on it so you can see what it looks like after drying. This will help you find your ratio to thin the paint that you have. I hope it that helps.
@@CamoSpecsOnline thanks for the advice.
Sorry for the noob question, what exactly is dry brushing?
Dry rushing is a technique that uses a brush with very little paint (usually most of the paint is wiped off into some tissue or paper towel) and the brush is then lightly applied against the raised edges of the model. The raised edge will scrape more paint off of the brush than the smoother areas, resulting in the raised edges being highlighted.
Hey Camo Specs, we are near to 2021, you need at least 1080p videos.
Sweet, buy me a new camera! 😆
where is the mini from? im looking for a Nice marauder to paint
They're out of stock but should be returning soon due to overseas shipping delays. store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-forcepack-inner-sphere-command-lance
Do you use primer on these mechs....do you prefer Plastic or Metal mechs?
I prime everything I paint. I like both metal and plastic, it really depends on the company and the sculpted model.
where do you get the new battletech mini's? are they 3d printed or something?
These are from the Catalyst Game Labs Battletech Clan Invasion Kickstarter. They'll be hitting retail late this year and early next year.
@@CamoSpecsOnline awesome because they look amazing
I still dont get the difference between those contrast paints and an ordinary glaze. Can anyone elaborate whats the difference?
I got to the contrast part and everything was looking great but the contrast dried and just left the entire mech black !
I've heard this time and again and for some unknown reason which I can't pin down. Perhaps the strength of the Basilicanum Grey has changed or it's adhering to the base colors better than it did to my chosen paints. Either way I'm sorry to hear it blacked out your work. I'd suggest a different grey/black contrast paint or perhaps using about a 50/50 mix of the Basilicanum and contrast medium to thin it.
@@CamoSpecsOnline thank you for the suggestions. I ended up doing something similar to that and trying again. The turnout was better and I am happy with it.
where is that model from?
It's one off the new plastic Marauder sculpts from Catalyst Game Labs. The Inner Sphere Command Lance is the box set you'd find one in.
I've followed this tutorial, as well has a friend of mine, and both of us have experienced that Basilicanum grey is WAY too dark for this. It blacks out the entire mech.
There has been a lot of feedback about that and it seems the best answer I've come up with is to thin the contrast paint by about half and use it as such. I'm still uncertain as to the inconsistency but I understand the frustration in not getting the results when following an example.
@CamoSpecsOnline I finally got it! Just took a 3:2 mix of grey to contrast medium and it came out really good.
Fantastic, glad to hear you found what worked for you. Thanks for sharing.
Great video! I'd love it if the music were a little softer or less distracting ;)
Hm...that didn´t work out well. The Basilicanum Grey did not lighten up as expected and drowned the camo pattern.
Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. I've read some folks found that the speed at which the paint was applied and spread had an impact on the final shade. Faster being lighter, but I've been recommending everyone just simply thin the paint to about 50/50 with medium, or even try using a slightly lighter shade of grey contrast like Space Wolf Grey.
The contrast turned my mech brown😢
You're the first to give feedback stating the contrast turned it brown. Most of the issues are directed at too dark. Either way, it is unfortunate to hear about the issues and I recommend a thinned out application of the contrast paint, preferably with contrast medium to about 50/50.
That contrast paint really muted and dulled out the camo pattern and almost removed it. For this look you could just dip it for a similar result. The overall approach seems fine but use a series of light washes or thinned down inks instead.
My contrast series is geared towards rapid completion and simplicity for new or young painters. I don't at all disagree that washes and inks would be to better effect but they draw out the process.