Dipping - Step by Step Tutorial

I originally posted this tutorial in my Gnoblog, but I then realized this is the right spot for it! 
I also took a better pic of the final result. Enjoy!

I started by assembling the models and removing the mould lines. This is very important in the dipping process, because the dip tends to pool there if you don't remove them.

I applied PVA glue on the bases and added modelling sand. I undercoated the models black.

I then painted all the basecoats.

The colors I used are:

Skin: Commando Khaki
Pants: Gretchin Green
Boots, straps: Calthan Brown
Wood: Bestial Brown
Steel: Boltgun Metal
Gold: Brazen Brass
Stone: Codex Grey
Base: Graveyard Earth

This is what I got:



For applying the dip, I used GW's Large Flat Drybrush. I waited for about a minute after I painted a generous amount of the dip on the model and the base, and using the brush, I removed the exess dip wherever it pooled too much.   

It looked like this:



I cleaned the brush with some nitro thinner, and left the models to dry for 24 hours in a well ventilated place (it stinks!).

I then sprayed them with a layer of anti-shine spray, to get rid of the annoying glossy finish.

The last step was to tidy up the base. I quickly drybrushed it with some lighter tones, and painted the rim with Bestial Brown.

The final result:

Great tutorial.
Very simple, but effective.

When I saw the first picture, I thought "Ooh, that's not going right" because of the chosen colours, but the end result is very good

Thanks Lexy!

Yes the colors always look bad in the pre-dip photos  !

But the thing is that you always have to pick colors with the darker-final-result in mind, or you'll just end up with a very dark miniature with no details showing.

those are really nice, the finish is really deep and pretty.
im always scheptical of dipping methods as they seem to somtimes produce ugly looking finishes, but this is really nice.
i might use this if i start a nightgoblin force

They came out great! I'll probably do this if I start a horde army.

Whoa those are good. It's a shame the painting competition deadline is over.

What do you use for dip?
I couldn't find it in your post.

Is it the Army Painter stuff?

Looks like Devlan Mud to me.

Check out the latest comic.

http://www.ninjabread.co.uk/

@ drear, Savage

Yes, dipping produces very nice results with greenskins and horde armies in general(Skaven, Beastmen etc)!

Here's some Orcs I painted with this method: Linky

@ Eg Giant-tripper

I have sent a dipped entry for the competition and I believe that it's nicer than the Iroguts!

@ No Gut No Glory

Yes, it's the Army Painter - Strong Tone.

@ *.*

Check my Gnoblog for more dipped Ogres!

http://www.ogrestronghold.com/forum/index.php?topic=13448.0

This is a great techique.  I even joined the forum to tell you that!  (finished lurking)

I would like to try it myself.  I have found the dip on Maelstrom, but can you tell me what spray you used to dull them down?  I really dont like a glossy finish.

Thanks, Jawa.

Testor's Dullcote does the job nicely for my dipped models.

I actually discovered a cool alternative to dipping using GW paints (found this method out while experimenting on my skeletons). If you take a little 'ardcoat (i believe its thier gloss varnish now) and mix it up with devlan mud (you mix till you get the desired darkness) add a bunch of water and voila, you get a "dip"

I find it to actually be far superior to the dip method for the following reasons

- You can do it selectively to any areas you choose
- You can make it pool where you want, removing some of the downsides of dipping
- It dries quicker! a few minutes as opposed to a few hours
- You can paint detail ontop! you can still highlight/shade it!

Also, i've found adding a touch of black ink works great if you want to do it really dark, or for metals

It sound like a solid dipping method! But:

- It's more expensive.

- The pigment of Quickshade produces colors that are much more lively in comparison to Devlan Mud that "kills" the colors a bit. That's because it's actually darker than quickshade. 

- You can also do ot selectively with quichshade if you use a brush and be a bit careful.

-  Details can also be painted on top of quickshade.

It's worth a try though! Nice tip.

It sound like a solid dipping method! But:

- It's more expensive.

- The pigment of Quickshade produces colors that are much more lively in comparison to Devlan Mud that "kills" the colors a bit. That's because it's actually darker than quickshade. 

- You can also do ot selectively with quichshade if you use a brush and be a bit careful.

-  Details can also be painted on top of quickshade.

It's worth a try though! Nice tip.

Yes, i've never tried quickshade so i cant comment, but i have an inkling it might just be varnish + inks, so im sure you could take some ardcoat and mix it up with other inks to get various shades of colors

I'll have to pick up and try some quickshade, and report on my findings on the two

also, yes the devlan mud does mute it down a bit, but not so much when mixed with equal parts of the glosscoat and some water - check my skelies in the painting area they are still quite vibrant and white

also, yes the devlan mud does mute it down a bit, but not so much when mixed with equal parts of the glosscoat and some water - check my skelies in the painting area they are still quite vibrant and white

Linky? 

http://www.ogrestronghold.com/forum/index.php?topic=15263.0

Skelies, mud dip and bleached bone/skull white highlights

Thanks for the guide.  I have my quickshade and anti gloss spray in the mail and it should be here by the weekend.  I do like the look of the gutripper tribe so I will be using the red on the arms and graveyard earth/shadow grey mix but if your khaki is lighter and it comes out darker I may use a more fleshy color.  After you add the anti glossy spray do you add anything else likje a highlight to the figures?  Also do you need to base pre dipping?

If you really need to speed things up, you could basecoat the base and dip it to.
That's what I did fot the tutorial. But I found out that painting the base after dipping, produces a more crisp and satisfying result.

Thanks again for your time with the guide.  I followed it to a "T" and after I sprayed on the anti-shine matte varnish I got a "cracking" effect on the model.  It looks like tiny veins all over the model.  It does not look bad on the ogre skin but on the pants and armor it's devistating.  I'm really disappointed.  I hear you want to use it in a dry climate, I'm in California with no humidity I don't get it.  I plan on contacting Army Painter about it.

That can happen if its too hot/cold or humid, also you might have used too much spray as well.

Thanks for the tip I only did 1, so I will just do them in batches of 1 until I get it right.

Really interesting tutorial, I had never even heard of 'dipping'!

Tried it on 2 more bulls, results were much better.  I did it around mid day in the sun and didn't go overkill on the spray.  If you try this method use very light spray, you can always spray it again if it seems glossy.  Also my other one seems to appear less "cracky" over the past few days.  I'll post some photos in the next few weeks when my Dad comes and visits and brings his uber Rebel to take them.

Here are my first results.  Not the best but these are the first minatures I've ever done and I'm not that artistic I draw stick figures as people.







You can see the "cracked" effect I refered to in an earlier post on the Bellower.

That's some nice dipping you did, and the color selection is right on the spot!

Thanks again for your time with the guide.  I followed it to a "T" and after I sprayed on the anti-shine matte varnish I got a "cracking" effect on the model.  It looks like tiny veins all over the model.  It does not look bad on the ogre skin but on the pants and armor it's devistating.  I'm really disappointed.  I hear you want to use it in a dry climate, I'm in California with no humidity I don't get it.  I plan on contacting Army Painter about it.

The cracking effect has happened to me once (it was on the limited bruiser model for all my bad luck), but you should be fine if you spray on a hot dry day (thankfully we get a lot of these here in Greece ), as you pointed out. You are right about the multiple thin spray layers, it gets the desirable results 99.99% of the time. 

Thanks again for your time with the guide.  I followed it to a "T" and after I sprayed on the anti-shine matte varnish I got a "cracking" effect on the model.  It looks like tiny veins all over the model.  It does not look bad on the ogre skin but on the pants and armor it's devistating.  I'm really disappointed.  I hear you want to use it in a dry climate, I'm in California with no humidity I don't get it.  I plan on contacting Army Painter about it.

Back in the day I ruined a few model tanks and aircraft before discovering i was going too heavy on the spray, which caused exactly what you describe here. It's always safer to go very light; you can add a few coats if some spots are missed or light.

AND, as a fellow gut-ripper, I mostly follow the book's blood-effect but i save that last red ink until after I dullcote them - a great contrast to the dull skin and creates the illusion of wet, fresh blood.

I have been advised against spray varnish and told to try Vallejo brush on matt varnish.  I am planning for a dipped ogre army but will start in end-May.  Will post some results that i have once they become available.

I am really glad that I found this thread!  Thanks so much for all the people who posted advice and tips on this thread.   Thanks especially to Hargus56 and to Head_Not_Found.  I have a batch of models that have the exact same "cracked" effect that Hargus56 showed in his photos.  I couldn't understand why it happened that way.  I think that I really sprayed the matt varnish on excessively thick.  Next time I will do very thin coats.  Thanks again to all who posted here.  Peace. 

So I've been doing this for five years. What is dipping? I would like to also say "those models look great."

Love the tutorial, great step by step directions as well as pics, showing just enough.
One thing I don't get is that u called it 'dipping'. If u don't 'dip' it then surely ur just doing an all over wash?
What is the definition of dipping?