To Strip Or Not To Strip? My Lizardmen. Not My Clothes.

[ElectricPaladin]

Tell me honestly: should I strip my lizardmen and start again?



This is a comparison shot of a lizardmen trooper - one of the only ones I got painted - and next to him, a recently painted Knight of Blood trooper, one that got an equivalent degree of effort. It's been almost a year since I painted a lizardman, and now that my buddy jberrysf is getting into Fantasy, I find myself drawn back to these scaly *******s.

The questions I am asking you are thus:

1) Based on the disparity between my skills of almost a year ago and my skills of now, should I strip my lizardmen and start again? I've managed to paint all of... four models, so it's not like it would be a hardship.

2) Again, based on the degree to which my skills have grown, do you think I should continue to dip my lizardmen, or should I use the more nuanced methods to which I have become accustomed?

By the way...

Please don't bother to tell me that I should have scraped off the mold lines on my marine. I KNOW. Blame almost-a-year-ago-me. I didn't notice until it was too late and I'm not going to start again. He's only one trooper, only a couple of them have this problem, and it's nigh-impossible to notice on the tabletop.

[Chaoschrist]

Actually, I think the Lizardmen mini looks better than the marine. But I guess you don't want to hear "you've become a worse painter"... both look fine and all, but for some reason I even thought the lizardman was the most recent one.

I think a more fair way to look at it would be to paint a Lizardmen figure and compare that to the one from last year.

As for the dipping question. I think dipping works fine some figures/armies and some just don't really need it as such. Thus I think dipping is fine for those lizards. Different techniques for different armies I guess

The only reason I'd consider stripping and starting over (especially with a minimum amount of figures painted) is when I'd run out of a certain color and it's not available anymore (the GW paints come to mind since their overhaul last year) and would create a visible difference in figures because of different tones.

[ElectricPaladin]

Actually, I think the Lizardmen mini looks better than the marine...

I've actually heard that before. I think I managed to grab my ugliest marine...

[ACE01]

I'd paint up a new lizard test mini, non dipped, in the same colour scheme and then compare the difference. If you're happy with the dipping, given the larger amount of figures needed and the ranking up, go with it. Also, if you are like me and lack the discipline to finish armies then do for the dipping.

You can also always paint in some extra highlights and detail onto models for front ranks.

Tldr: paint a non dipped test, and compare time/effort vs results.

[damienhell]

Might be just the photo, but i dont see any effect on the marine.
And i agree with the above, the lizardman is better looking.

[euansmith]

ACE01 speaks troth. I rather like your lizardman. The real test with a Warhammer Army (unless you are entering a painting competition) is to see a block of minis all ranked up together and viewed as though they are on the tabletop. If you have got your army painted to that standard I think you can feel pretty happy with yourself. The sample looks better than a lot of the "pro-painted" stuff for sale on ebay.

Also, splash out on some tussocks of grass. Sticking a few of them on a minis base can really make it look like you have lavished some love on them. A few packs of slightly different colours will give a more natural look to the finished mini and the overall unit.

My painting style is block in the colours, apply a wash and admire from afar...

Here is a sample of my own stuff They need grassy tufts... [url]http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af346/Mysterious_Hu/Adeptus%20Iratus/BosunHiggs02.jpg[/url]

[chrisloomis13]

I agree with the rest, the lizard looks good from what can be seen. Also, do you have another recent model to compare to that isn't majority metallic paint? Not that your Blood Knights look bad, but I don't feel metallic paints showcase a painter's skill as well as non metallic paints. Not that I'm asking for some NMM or anything, but maybe you have a librarian w/ the blue army?

I think the painting on the lizard is good and if you had a ranked up unit they would look down right snazzy. If you need to get models painted fast for one reason or another, than go with the dipping, but I urge you to resist it. Also, before you strip a model you should consider how fast a painter you are. In the time you spend repainting 4 figures, you could have painted 4 more, and then you would have 8. The old ones can be back ranks, or as I like to call them, the first casualties! And lastly, as there was an option to vote for you to change your scheme, I think the red is good and a quick way to make it pop would be to add a blue, turquoise, or green color to the model. Doesn't have to be bright gems either, a grey blue edge highlight on the black weapon, instead of a neutral hue grey, can go a long way.

[King Damo]

I think the thing to consider is whether your going to paint the rest of your lizardmen in the same scheme, or whether your going to scrap the colours all together and go for something different.

If your going to go for a different scheme, by all means yes, strip the figure, if your going to continue with the same colour scheme, don't worry about stripping him, it will only be one or two models that MIGHT stand out, and depending on where you hide them in the unit, your opponent won't tell the difference.

Honestly, I like the scheme, it's nice to see a Lizardman that ISN'T painted the stock standard blue.

[James_33]

I agree with the others; the reptile actually looks pretty good. And in the time that you can repaint those four old models, you could do four new ones. It might be a lot more effective to paint up a new model to the standard you want and then to touch up the older models to more closely match it.

My own painting skills and techniques have improved significantly over the past two years. On top of that, when GW updated their paint line, they slightly changed the hue of the paints I use the most. Now not only are my newer models better, but they're even a slightly different color than my first ones. However, I've realized that I'd go crazy if I replaced or repainted every model to meet my current standard.

The best advice I ever got was the "12-inch rule"; if you can hold a model 12 inches away and be happy with it, it'll be perfectly fine on the tabletop.

[Noomdab]

Given the quality of the Lizardman, and the obscene amount of models you will need. I say stay with the same mode. My Orks are the same way, they might not be the pinnacle of my painting skills, but they get on the table and look great there. Hundreds of 'em.