Washing Away

As a not awesome painter, I will admit that the introduction of washes was a boon. However, I learned through trial and error that it is not so simple as slapping Devlan Mud all over a model and expecting grand results. So I decided to make this post to help people who are just starting out in painting or who haven't yet learned how to use washes to their best effect.

A small anecdote: when I was an undergrad many years ago, I took Art 101 because I thought it would be fun. I got a C - which is annoying because it dragged down my GPA for a class I didn't need. So, I am not a great artist. But I did pay attention on the more science-based aspects of the course (I just did not implement them well), such as color theory, tone, etc. Also, I have learned how to paint within my limitations. Even if I learned how to blend paints well (I don't see that happening, too impatient) I just cant "see" how to highlight a model. This is where washes have helped me greatly - it gives me information about what areas of the model should be highlighted. There is still some judgement needed, especially on large flat areas (for this I suggest looking at really well painted models and studying the placement of shades) - this is something I struggle with.

Any painter should learn a few things about color theory. I am no expert, so don't take anything I say here as gospel. Basics: there are cool and warm tones of most colors. For instance, and orangey red is warm, while a blue red is cool. Yellow with a grey base is cool, while a brown base is warm. The important thing about tone: using a cool toned wash on a warm toned color (and vice versa) may make your model look dirty, and not necessarily in a good way. Another thing about color theory, colors have opposites, which when you are talking in strict terms, means that if you mix green with red, blue with orange, purple with yellow, you get black. With paint, you more often get an off shade of black brown. But color opposites can be useful when looking at washes, as you can use an opposite color to get a different shading effect than if you just chose a brown or black wash. Thanks to Ratty on the Wyrd forum by the way for pointing this out - I had learned it in that art class, but hadn't thought to apply it in this way to mini painting.

I am currently using the no longer current GW washes. When these run out, I will likely move to Secret Weapon or Vallejo washes, but I haven't used these brands yet. So the rundown on washes I currently use, and what colors I tend to use them on:

Badab Black: pretty much anything, except yellow or orange! Depends on the effect I want. Vallejo has a soft grey wash that I want to get next time I order from an online retailer, as it is not carried locally - I think this will be neat on white, but we'll see.

Devlan Mud (dark brown): I tend to use this on brown, green, red (when I want to keep a warmer tone).

Ogryn Flesh (medium reddish brown): Use this as a first wash on flesh, pinks, reds, browns, dirty grays, purple, pink. I also use this to warm up something that I used Devlan Mud on already.

Gryphonne Sepia (tan): This is a pretty light wash color, but can be useful if you are painting a warmer white/beige tones, and is also useful for paler flesh. Can also be used on yellows and oranges. Possibly even pastel greens and blues, but I have not tried it on these colors, so it may not work as expected.


The following are more situational, and I tend to use these as glazes as much as washes (I use them as a second wash over items that had a first wash of brown or black, to bring the main (related) color back out.

Baal Red: Good for oranges, pinks, and even greens.Mostly used as a glaze though.

Leviathan Purple: Doesn't do a whole lot for shading, unless the base is lighter. It is useful on yellow though! (Again, thanks to Ratty for this tip) I also use this over greys, you can see this in my Tina crew, where I used it for the fur trims, or over a light blue. Also I use this on reds occasionally.

Asurmen Blue: This particular shade of blue I have found to be quite potent - be careful if you are using it over a first highlight as it can really obliterate the work you put in. This does deepen existing blues, which is nice if you start with a blue gray, as it makes it more blue. I have not tried this over orange yet, but should work similarly to the way purple on yellow works. Can also be used on greens or purples to shade a bit and alter the base tone.

Thraka Green: This works well over lighter, olive greens, which is what I did with the Ophelia crew. It doesn't do much for anything deeper than a mid tone though. Again, try using it over red instead of black and see what you think. Also can be used over grey and brown to give a mossy look, nice for woods and stones.

Now to the important stuff. Washes should NOT be viewed as a quick and easy way to finish a model. They are tools and are best used with precision, as you would any paint. Using the guide above, and your own experimentation, determine what wash will best serve your needs for various areas of the model. Washes are not generally one shade fits all, and if you try to use them this way, your model will often end up looking dirty and sloppy.

What washes do: I mentioned above that the first wash gives me insight into what areas of the model need more attention, which is why I wash after completing the base colorings. I need help in order to see what the model wants. Washes can provide an uneven shading, as they tend to sit in the crevices. This does not mean that if you just use the biggest brush you have to dab it all over that it will seek the recesses out. I will discuss this further in a moment. Washes can bring back a color and deepen/enhance/alter tone, as described above, this is often called a glaze. Washes can be used to fix minor mistakes, such as excessive highlighting. It won't completely cover them, but a few washes can deepen the base enough to where they are less noticeable. Washes can provide some "faux blending" by softening the distinction between highlights/base colors, but they will not provide the same effect as if you did a proper blend in the first place.

What Washes Don't Do: They won't save a sloppy paint job. They won't provide the sort of natural effect that an expertly blended paint job will convey. They won't turn your model into a prize-winning masterpiece without a high level of skill.

Viscosity. Think about how water forms droplets on a window - it doesn't move as a sheet, it forms droplets that run along the path of least resistance, or where pushed by force. All fluids are viscous to some extent. What this means is, you need to tell your wash where to go. If you just slop a wash all over a painted mini, you will inevitably get staining where you don't want it, where it chose to pool rather than where you wanted it to pool. In general, you want it to gather in the recesses (if being used for shading, I'll talk a bit about other uses next).

What this means - you need to use a properly sized brush to guide the wash into the recesses and thin it out over the flat areas. It is just like painting, except you want it to gather in certain places. Good painters will tell you to only use the tip of the brushes when applying paints, a rule that I often break when highlighting btw, but this is how you ought to use the brush. Washes are different. When working with textured areas, it is often easier to use the flat side of the brush (the bristles still, not the handle) to push the wash into recesses. Using just the tip, it will often suck up some of the wash, which is counterproductive if you want it to stay on the model. If any pools occur on an area where you don't want them, you need to spread them out immediately, as it only takes a few seconds for the wash to start drying and leave a stain. For this reason, it is best to work small areas at a time and move around the model in an organized manner.

If you are using a wash as a glaze, you want to instead make sure that it is spread evenly across the model in a thin layer. Because washes leave a much thinner layer of pigment than paint, you can wash an area multiple times without obscuring details, so as with paint, it is best to use thin layers and build up to the desired tone (wait, I don't do this with paint - but I do with washes!). You want to make sure each wash coat is dry before starting another.

One last thing - it is important to use the proper size brush for the area you are covering and apply washes precisely where you want them, especially when using multiple colors of wash - where two washes meet you want to avoid overlap generally.

So that is my experience with washes. I use them quite a lot - they have helped me have much nicer looking minis I think. But you must use them wisely, not sloppily. I guess, a sloppily washed mini is better than one with no shading or highlighting, but not by much. They are so quick and easy to use, though, that expending a small amount of extra effort is really not asking too much. The most important thing about using washes, or any other painting technique, is to be ready to experiment. Because washes are so thin, it is not too awful when you make a mistake or something doesn't turn out as expected. Just apply a thin layer of paint over it and try again. Note, it is best to try new things on areas that can take a little extra paint, not the finest of details.

As always, questions and comments are appreciated.