Painting a Black Dragon

Minigrift · Post by **Minigrift** » Sat Aug 07, 2010 4:59 pm

Hi guys!

Now, I hate asking for help with anything, but having looked round for a good guide for painting a Black Dragon - none was to be found. Looked on the GW site - nope. Warseer - nope. Librarium Online - no help there... Here - nope! My Google searches gave me plenty of advice in actually drawing or painting a dragon on paper... But no help painting a dragon model!

Having recently finished my Dreadlord on Black Dragon conversion, I want to get it painted! The Dreadlord is easy enough, but the dragon... isn't. I think the biggest thing I've painted so far is a Bretonnian Pegasus Knight.

Anyway, right, stop rambling... Has any one got any tips or pointers for painting a black dragon? Where should I start? What colours work best with black?

Better yet... If someone could point me toward a tutorial for painting a black dragon, it would be much appreciated!!

-Grifty-

Toddums · Post by **Toddums** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:46 am

I recently thought about this too...

sorry I'm no help, best I could think of is to gradually add codex gray to the black for the highlights

Lord tsunami · Post by **Lord tsunami** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:06 am

this guy has a really nice black/bone theme for his minis. check out his blog, and maybe PM him with question. very talented guy imo

http://www.druchii.net/viewtopic.php?t= ... &start=200

Minigrift · Post by **Minigrift** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:54 pm

Thanks guys!

Sarcon's work is indeed impressive! Read through the whole thread! Still don't have a tutorial for painting a dragon, but might start regardless... Was going to post in the thread and ask him, but noticed the last post was over 2 years ago! So sent him a PM instead!

Cheers for the head's up Tsunami

Nellamik · Post by **Nellamik** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:22 pm

Here is my Dreadlord on Black Dragon.

If you want to see up close views
http://s778.photobucket.com/albums/yy64 ... k%20dragon

If you like what you see let me know and I will go into detail on how I painted the dragon.

Minigrift · Post by **Minigrift** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:54 pm

Wow! That is a mighty fine dragon you got there Nellamik!!

I do like what I see... So, how did you paint such a magnificent beast?

Nellamik · Post by **Nellamik** » Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:44 pm

Thanks I appreciate that.
I wanted a blue aspect to the black dragon but not too much.

First I based the dragon Flat black.
Next I highlighted (dry bryshed) with dark grey then again with light grey.
Then I washed the dragon with GW's Asurmen blue.
That came out quite blue so I washed over that with GW's Badab black.
I was happy with the skin tone that I ended up with. The grey is still there but the blue wash really changed it and he still has the black appearance.

Minigrift · Post by **Minigrift** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 1:40 am

Wow! That easy, eh? I assume it would work for other colours as well, like red for example.

I got the Dreadlord painted earlier today, that wasn't too difficult! Will get the dragon painted over the next few days and maybe post up some pics if anyone is interested!

Blaznak · Post by **Blaznak** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 2:37 am

On my dragon, I went with a black primer. Then I drybrushed the entire thing with a dark green (I think it was the Orc color). After that I hit it with black inks for a wash and then followed up by carefully using a lighter green to hit the scale details.

It looks black at first glance but as you look more, its got a lot of nifty detail to it.

~B~

L1qw1d · Post by **L1qw1d** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:28 pm

I'm still working on mine.

Black Primer, and I gunmetal and grey to give it an undersheen

I've put in some turquoise at the extremities and mixed some purple up and down parts of the body IN the black.

right now, since I've over painted it twice gradually adding more black, the main next step is the highlight colours, and ard coat. (sadly the purple has all but disappeared- it made it look interesting with it's blackness). I throw metallics in the high light things. Sadly I don't have many of the graveyard earth, or bubonic brown or the good tan selections so I have to figure out what to do for it's undercarriage.

Nellamik · Post by **Nellamik** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:59 pm

Wow! That easy, eh? I assume it would work for other colours as well, like red for example.

I got the Dreadlord painted earlier today, that wasn't too difficult! Will get the dragon painted over the next few days and maybe post up some pics if anyone is interested!

Of course we are interested, will he look like he came out of Lockness?

Sarcon · Post by **Sarcon** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:08 pm

I sent you a PM, Grifty.

Minigrift · Post by **Minigrift** » Sun Aug 15, 2010 4:29 pm

Nellamik wrote:
Wow! That easy, eh? I assume it would work for other colours as well, like red for example.

I got the Dreadlord painted earlier today, that wasn't too difficult! Will get the dragon painted over the next few days and maybe post up some pics if anyone is interested!

Of course we are interested, will he look like he came out of Lockness?

Shall try to avoid that if at all possible! It's coming along nicely, but so very slowly... Will have some pics up in a few days, if everything goes as planned!

@ Sarcon - got it, thanks