GW Washes Question

[bhouze]

I've recently started to paint my GK army as I have some time over the holidays. I have also just finished getting the new washes as I don't have near enough of the old ink to do a whole army.
My local retailer (that sells GW paint a half hour away) told me (as he is a hobbiest himself) that I don't need to water down the wash like the old GW inks, I should use it right out of the bottle.
My Asurmen blue on my test model looks WAY too blue over the boltgun.
Anyone out there watered down the new washes with any success ?
I really don't want to have to drybrush over the wash on 50+ models.
Any other ideas would be appreciated.

B Houze

[jagavahn]

You shouldn't have any problems watering down the washes.

[MagickalMemories]

"Don't need to water them down" is in relation to the fact that the old inks HAD to be watered down to be properly used.

If the washes are too dark for you still, you CAN water them down.

I've heard that simple tap water does fine, though some people DO suggest adding a drop of something else to break the surface tension that the water creates.


I'm wondering, did you "babysit" the wash, or slap it on and move to another model?
If you put it on and "babysit" it for a minute or two, you can REMOVE it from the model with your brush, leaving only the stuff you want to remain.
I had some luck with that while doing flesh that was coming out darker than i wanted.



Eric

[bhouze]

With 50+ models... You know after the test model comes out ok it's slap it on city.
GW comments that I can cut the ink by up to 50% or could try black ink over the blue to darken it down.....
On to the next GK with incinerator...

[ancientsociety]

I've had to water-down the new washes as well. Way too dark out of the bottle.

I will say though that I haven't been very impressed with any other new wash except badab black. The thraka green doesn't settle well into crevices like the old green ink used to. After using it on my grot lobba crew, I was forced to go over it again as many of the crevices didn't hold the wash (even with liberal amounts of FlowAid added to the water). Very disappointing.

I recently picked up some of the Tamiya transparents (Smoke & Red) and I swear by them now. They are a tad glossy but they flow VERY well and settle into crevices much better than the GW washes (even without FlowAid). Tamiya Red is excellent for doing realistic blood if you don't water it down.

[Norseman]

I personally have gone through about 6 bottles of Badab Black. I love it. Ogryn Flesh is also a great colour. The others I have not really experimented with enough to say that they are good or bad. The little I have used they have worked well. No glossy crevices anymore i love it. I have been using it straight out of the bottle. I found Badab to light and didnt fill crevices when I watered it down.

Has anyone experimented with the Army Painter product?

http://www.thearmypainter.com/

I have been spending so much on wash lately I was trying to find something cheaper. I was going to give this a try and apply it as a wash instead of dipping. Helluva alot cheaper than GW washes.

[shenlung]

I haven't tested this personally, yet anyway, but I am told that the new GW washes are based off of a Folk Art product called "Glass & Tile" medium. Or at least similar enough in properties, working, etc. to be effectively the same. It can then be mixed with (supposedly) any brand of calligraphy ink and water to produce a nearly identical effect in a wider range of colors.

The recipe I have found is:

2 parts Glass & Tile medium
2 parts ink (I'm going to test Bombay brand from Hobby Lobby)
1-2 parts distilled water

The Glass & Tile medium is $2.00 for a 2 oz bottle
Bombay inks are $3.59 for 2 or 3 oz bottles

If you found a color you really use a lot of, this might be an experiment worth testing. Just thought I'd pass it along for others to try.

[JohnHwangBT]

I bought Black and Devlan Mud, which is supposed to be similar to Tamiya Smoke.

I am used to work in paint washes, so this should be a nice change when I get around to painting later this year...