Why is EVERYONE painting Grimdark?! | Warhammer Painting Styles

[@SiegeStudios]

Keep these episode weekly, and free, by leaving a 5 star review over at Apple Podcasts: shorturl.at/fCIT8 We'll read the best ones out on the show!

[@donkeyboom6047]

When I think of Grimdark, I think of how the Space Marines would have looked like on the 55th day of the Seige of Terra

[@mtlj-paints]

"Like going food shopping when you're hungry" Damn that's accurate.

[@colin_painting_adventure]

The Indian in the cupboard by Lynne Banks is the story I believe you are talking about. Grim dark is a style of painting not a reflection on the quality of the paint job. It's dark, very dark, dank, dirty style.

[@ThePigMensToes]

This is the movie^^

[@nicksmith1415]

That is exactly what came to mind but I didn't think James is old enough to remember this. Wasn't it aired in the 80's?

[@kealyj]

Book was 1980, movie was 1995.

[@nicksmith1415]

@@kealyj Oh Wow! Thank you. I checked up and I will have watched it on Jackanory read by Martin Jarvis. That was in 1981. I didn't know it was a proper film, cool. Lynne Ried Banks passed away only earlier this year at 94. Thanks to you and James I now have a movie to watch, yay.😁

[@RequiemWraith]

When I hear grimdark, I don't think of heavy weathering, or heavy battle damage, in fact some of what I consider the best examples have no weathering or damage. Instead it's capturing the overall mood described in a lot of 40k texts. How everything is barely hanging together, everything is 'tired'. What I think of is really muted colours, it gives a feeling that even the colours are tired. To try and put it more into words than 'a feeling', imagine painting red, and Khorne red is your about your brightest highlight, or Kantor is your brightest blue. It's the appearance you'd get seeing all the models in twilight rather than at midday.

[@T0mm3n]

Id agree with this take. Muted colours (or even a zorn palette if youre a true Blanche enthusiast) and enough weathering to make it look used and dirty but not like its just been fished out of the garbage. Also easy on the rust and texture paints, I hate when joints and mechanical workings have so much rust and gunk on and in them they look totally clogged and non-functional, whilst being part of a machine that is meant to be working and moving about.

[@petejobson5036]

me and a friend of mine have painting evenings where we both sit on FaceTime and just paint together for a few hours a couple times a week. It makes army painting that bit more joyous

[@Pawntoe4]

01:08:00 Indian in the Cupboard! Great movie.

[@johnbruce4004]

Re 'realism' on old Forge World models. I remember chatting with a FW staffer who was a bit hacked off his GD entry didn't place because in the Judges' words it was"too realistic". Good show as ever, thanks.

[@dalefoster4561]

Used the tip drying hack when Airbrushing. First time in years I have had a blockage free session - thanks for that - so simple. Why haven't I heard this on the millions of KZbin tuitions I've seen prior to this. Thanks and keep up the banter

[@jamesotero_figureart]

Totally welcome!

[@theboldbear1973]

It seemed a bit long winded to me! Surely just dip a cloth in some cleaner, wipe the tip, then dry using same cloth.

[@758richy]

​@@theboldbear1973I agree. I just keep an "ultra soft" toothbrush in some water and use that if some tip dry starts to builds up. Clears it extremely easily and quickly without the need to remove any needle protectors or sketch caps. I suppose it helps being able to identify early when some tip dry is becoming an issue. Harder and Steenbeck have some really good videos on their channel about how to correctly use an airbrush which minimises tip dry (though you can't avoid it completely of course.)

[@Hive_Mind_Goes_Om_Nom]

There's a mantra in my industry - story is king. It resonates well with our hobby, too. The models I enjoy the most tell a story through pose, paint, and base. It brings our bits of plastic to life.

[@josephbradshaw2825]

I've stolen the colour scheme because its so friggin good but started my own chapter with it. Love what you are all doing :D

[@_iJamo]

Like what George said about the power axe bit, you can get these test panels with all different weps and faces etc from Taro. Defo scratches an itch or to test

[@drgungopewpew2506]

Villainy Inks coming out and being a more widely used product thats targeted at miniature painters also opened up the grimdark door to a lot of people

[@1984neilwat]

One of the things with painting in the grim dark style is that you can have real fun trying out new things. You can paint grim dark with just acrylics and your standard brushes but there is a huge amount of different approaches you can try. It is also interesting what you can do with waste materials and things you find around the house to influence this effect.

[@CygnusMaximusXIII]

I'll raise the hobby hack by saying that if you have the transfer you want in white, you can apply it and put inks over it to change the colour, and if the background is really dark, you don't even have to be that careful. It works a treat with Raven Guard transfers and yellow ink to make Hawk Lords!

[@PowerPilgrim]

"The Indian in the Cupboard" for the movie reference maybe?

[@SiegeStudios]

Apparently so! Had a few people point it out 🙏

[@thesigmaritepainter7803]

Great podcast!

[@WarmasterPainting]

Another enjoyable episode 👍

[@aroncheek5092]

That reminds me I want some blood angels 😂 I've got my piles of potential under my bench, it consists of second hand gundam,new gundam, scale cars , miniatures and several things I've printed

[@maxgregor3201]

Can I add bulk buying basing materials to the future proofing your hobby discussion. I bought some tufts on a small manufacturer and they discontinued them. I've stopped adding units to the army as I can't face sitting down and replacing the tufts for something that's still in production 😢

[@ybfc311]

because its quick, easy and fits the setting 👍🏼 my black templars are a piss to paint 🤣

[@oleww50]

I tried getting some old Vallejo 70.950 but no luck, 4 new bottles arrived, even though the image was the old image! Can you tell me what the difference actually is? Thanks!

[@GeorgeColemanMinis]

It’s no longer a matte finish and the paint consistency is slightly different also

[@758richy]

​@@GeorgeColemanMinis 😮 I better stock up. I imagine it will take awhile for the new stock to get to us down here in New Zealand so hopefully there is still lots of the old stock available!

[@eviltables7235]

Good show. Think this could have used a bit more explanation of common grimdark techniques and materials beyond just weathering and blood/rust. Especially when it comes to oil and enamel washes

[@SiegeStudios]

Thanks! Maybe we can go into more detail on a future episode, if people would like that 🤔

[@neon_necromunda]

Space Mcquirk also had a hand in influencing the grimdark style adding to John Blanches setting of the Grimdark scene

[@shanesmith7672]

I went to order a jumper but the postage to Australia was the same price as the jumper :(

[@SiegeStudios]

If there was anything we could do for our Aussie listeners to make it cheaper I promise we would. The best we can suggest to get the cost down is to potentially do a group order with some friends or gaming group, etc, and split the cost!

[@chillumaperios1873]

The film James is talking about is called Indian in the cupboard

[@sinisterplank3113]

I think you're on the money with what grimdark really is. I don't think it's necessarily tied to painting, it's far more of a mood and feeling. My first exposure to grimdark as a term came through tabletop role-playing games, to describe a dark, gritty, evil setting. Like Middle Earth if Sauron had won (Midnight, an old Grimdark D20 role-playing game.) As far as painting it goes, it's a feeling that can be achieved at both a high and low level of refinement.

[@HappyDuude]

Ironically perhaps grimdark is the approach that helps if paints change - if you look at a picture of soldiers deployed, its extremely rare that uniforms and kit are the same colour. Having some wear and variability can allow for some of the paint differences.

[@mastodonseven]

Ive got that light with a different name on it, wonder who the OEM is?

[@michaelcaricoo]

Grimdark is the NMM phase from 3-4 years ago. Everyone had to do NMM, it's all you say and then it balanced itself back out

[@Americium-120]

It's a little more than that. Grimdark always had a niche audience and it's just gaining in popularity as people realize that the box art 'Eavy Metal style isn't the only style out there. There's also a lot of scale model painters moving into the hobby and bringing a more realistic style with them.

[@fri8601]

I dont think grimdark is the result of particular techniques. I think its just an intended departure from the pristine, bright, colourful models. Imagining if it was more realistic and more heavily in line with the lore. I think you could use a load of eavy metal techniques and still paint a grimdark style. it adds a lot of character. really puts the models into that world.

[@DrSomhairle]

Maybe he’s thinking of Bagpuss

[@mikewalf]

Can we have a routine word pronunciation section of the pod cast?

[@danscarfe7020]

Particularly to correct the errors. Guilliman this weeks..

[@dalefoster4561]

"BATTLEGROUND" (by STeven King). Film where Toy Soldiers come alive and take issue with a dude. Amazing film. This is what could happen if you mistreat your toys.

[@michaelcarter577]

I prefer the heavy metal style over grimdark. The box art is what gets me interested in buying and owning the model so that's the style I copy.

[@SiegeStudios]

We're not going argue with you there!

[@TheRonan92]

I mean theres good reason 1st and 2nd edition warhammer 40k art is the most sold of any.

[@nicksmith1415]

And this is why I said Joe is a guest. Pauls fame has created a monster, he's changed🤣🤣🤣

[@robertwareham8466]

I know it was most likely ironic, but... Pro-nun-si-ation.

[@ernie1903]

I’ve batch painted a lot of armies , buying batches of paint is key , I won’t tell you how much bottles of AJ blood red I have for my blood angels lol

[@lambey6113]

i think either learning something and winner and mutually exclusive. you can win and still learn. just means yours was the best out of the competition, not that your model is perfect and nothing to improve on.

[@Winter-Nine]

Question for next pod... is it coming home?

[@joestevenhart]

The next one will be recorded after the final but I'm happy to confirm for you... it is indeed coming home ⚽

[@Winter-Nine]

@@joestevenhart I realised that after I typed this 😂, come on 🤞🏻

[@Winter-Nine]

:(

[@garyjenson1326]

If models are habitually unfinished it becomes difficult to improve as a painter. The difference between an average paint job and excellent is that extra 10% at the end. Not getting to "finished" means you won't get reps in on that elusive last 10%.

[@xxth.legion]

The old art from 3rd edition influenced the way I paint today.

[@johnandre2962]

Because it's easy to do. Quick and easy to get decent results.

[@petejobson5036]

The fact George has never won a painting competition is a travesty!

[@tiny_worlds]

Grimdark is often overdone IMO. I'm a fan of the OG Blanchitsu style but the over-weathered "ultra realism" look can go too far. That Leviathan Dread is IMO too weathered and just reads as a messy blob, no matter how well-done it is. Blanche's original style is gritty and textured but also uses some very bright colours and unrealistic effects.

[@ahhh6201]

the john blanche comparisons always felt very surface level to me.

[@tiny_worlds]

​@@ahhh6201 he was the originator of the style as I see it. I suppose I just don't see the ultra weathered dusty, rusty, realistic stuff as actually "grimdark". The Forgeworld style certainly isn't grimdark and is more of a realistic scale model style. If I paint WW2 tanks, I do them in a Forgeworld style. When I think of grimdark, I think of Mordheim artwork / INQ28 style, high contrast with grungy textures and lots of kitbashing, showing themes of rampant mutation and sickness, body horror and unrealistic proportions.

[@RequiemWraith]

It's a Necrork!!!

[@thebigchon7417]

The film is ''The Indian in the Cupboard''

[@SiegeStudios]

Thank you, James simply could not remember the name!

[@riran_86]

That is an amazing blast from the past

[@Easy_Mode_Minis]

Indian in the cupboard :D

[@jheu781]

Grim dark looks better than slap chop, it's quicker than GW method.

[@niallrichardcurran2466]

I just wanna know how to spell chiting chittting or whatever its called :P

[@tjthehobopainter9173]

Bon Maman strawberry jam and fresh croissants. Thé way to start a day during the cool of summer mornings 😊 Where does the 'pile of shame' logic come from? Does a car enthousiast feel shame over his garage with old cars; Is a comic fan ashamed over having numerous comics? No. Simply because it isn't some random pile, it is a collection. As is warhammer for us. New in box, assembled, or painted; it is still a part of the agglomeration. So definately a pile of potential and something to be proud of. Example: Did I need the three old metal Goff Rockers for gameplay reasons? No, but, I'm both happy and proud to have them in my Ork amassment ^^

[@verigone2677]

Indian in the Cupboard

[@blackrabbit2316]

Putting take out under the sofa?

[@dazza1156]

In an effort to counteract the cartoonification of the current warhammer line?

[@DavidManser]

Oldhammer would like a word

[@ahhh6201]

would honestly say that the line is far less cartoony now than it ever has been

[@riran_86]

Where's Joe?

[@joestevenhart]

My unbiased opinion is that this should be the pinned comment

[@The40Kwarrior]

@@joestevenhartshould it?