Because the paint scheme was so monochromatic, I was able to save time and effort by using a colored primer, in this case a metallic one. The islands recieved a similar treatment with a 50% grey primer, leaving the models partially done before I'd even lifted a brush.
I have to say, this is probablly the easiest of the ships that I've painted so far. Even without the colored primer, there's only four colors to the entire ship. A couple washes on the metal gave it some depth, and a single round of careful highlighting ensured the black armor looked appropriately vicious.
The Dreadfleet has been much simpler to paint than the Grand Alliance. The complete lack of sails on three of the five ships, coupled with the limited color palette, makes painting faster and easier. The results are just as impressive thanks to the wild sculpts, but the challenge is severly decreased. I know this will not hold true for the Capital Dreadfleet ship, but the other four will be/have been a breeze.
GW continues it's slightly disturbed love affair with the human skull in these gorgeous sculpts. Thanks to the texturing, these islands play well with dry brushing and washes. The dry brushing leaves a very gritty feel, perfect for stone, and different color washes give the finish a multilayered effect. I found the volcano island to be particularly rewarding, second only to the glowing double skull.
Painting lava is tricky, but a little practice goes a long way. I found the key was to get the underlying color just right, especially the gradients. The shape of the pit actually lends itself to wet blending; mixing different shades of paint before they've set. You can mix and swirl the colors to your heart's content without having to worry about spilling. Anything the hits the inner wall of the volcano will become part of the ambient glow of the lava. Only when I was completely satisfied did I very carefully drybrush the top layer with black.
That does it for now. Next up, more evil on the high seas!
