Of Displays and Disappointment

Inspired by a past project on here with some stunning stained glass, I wanted to attempt something similar but simpler. Lacking the skills to have forged my own art, I leaned on the heretical AI to help design some stained-glass effect designs.

My first attempt was to print out the images onto regular paper, glossing over the top to create a transparent but frosted window look. However, this didn’t end well; the paper absorbed all the spray, and the ink seemed to cause uneven pooling of the varnish. I gave it another go, but eventually I just ended up printing them on glossy photo paper. This proved to be much better as the gloss spray finish over normal paper had caused quite a lot of colour obfuscation and made the windows seem overly dark. On the photo papers, the greens and brighter colours showed through a good deal better. I’m not sure how the backlighting will be affected by the watermarking on the photo paper, but I think with the brighter colours, it will be less necessary.

Now for the rest.

I moved onto the floor tiles, similar to the back walls in method, just with some additional grime and rust. Tried for more of an enamelled green DA emblem on the floors. Although I am tempted to gloss varnish the wall emblems as well to give them a similar pop. They all got a coat of Matt Varnish. I am still undecided about using tiles for the top floor or leaving it clear acrylic for lighting purposes. Once I have it all back together, I will try it out and see how things look.

What I Did – Gothic Wall Backdrop – Dark Angels Ship Interior Style

MATERIALS

Primer

• Chrome Gloss Spray Paint (budget brand)

Shade Paints

• Citadel Nuln Oil
• Citadel Tagor Rage Shade
• Citadel Coelia Greenshade
• Citadel Seraphim Sepia

Contrast Paints

• Citadel Dark Angel Green
• Citadel Basilicanum Grey
• Citadel Rattling Grime
• Citadel Aggaros Dunes

Layer & Metallics

• Citadel Eshin Grey
• Citadel Brass Scorpion
• Citadel Castellax Bronze
• Citadel Moot Green
• Dragons Gold (One Thin Coat)

Tools

• Large Shade Brush
• Medium Shade Brush
• Small Layer Brush
• Medium Dry Brush
• Sponge Small
• Matt Varnish Spray

PAINTING PROCESS

1. Primer: All wall sections primed (again over the initial grey primer) with Chrome Gloss Spray Paint, creating a very reflective metallic base.
2. Shading: Two coats of Nuln Oil were heavily applied across each piece to deepen recesses, cover shine and establish definition. One coat of Tagor Rage Shade layered over to give the chrome an oily, purplish metallic sheen, shifting the tone toward heat‑stained steel.
3. Contrast Layers Basilicanum Grey applied to stonework and gothic arches for a muted, monastic tone. Rattling Grime was carefully applied in recesses, focusing on air vents and ground‑level areas of the walls to simulate built‑up shipboard grime. On the two panels with Dark Angels badges:

• Sword: Dark Angel Green base, highlighted with a mix of Dark Angel Green Contrast + Moot Green Layer, then glazed with Coelia Greenshade for depth.
• Wings: Aggaros Dunes base, sponge‑applied Dragons Gold for a flecked metallic effect, then glazed with Seraphim Sepia for richness.
• Rivets: Aggaros Dunes applied to rivets along the tops of panels, then highlighted with Dragons Gold for a sanctified metallic finish.
• Gothic Windows: On some pieces, the tops of the Gothic windows were sponge‑applied with Dragons Gold, then drybrushed over in the same gold to catch the raised detail and create a radiant highlight.

1. Metallics & Accents Eshin Grey drybrushed across the edges for definition. Brass Scorpion and Castellax Bronze are layered on mechanical details and iconography. Dragons’ Gold is used sparingly on trim and sacred symbols.
2. Final Finish Matte varnish to protect, with gloss left on metallic recesses for a subtle oily sheen. Panels are mounted to the back of an acrylic display case to form the completed backdrop.

QUICK REFERENCE RECIPE

• Prime Chrome Gloss
• Shade: Nuln Oil (x2) → Tagor Rage Shade (oily purple effect)
• Contrast: Basilicanum Grey, Rattling Grime (vents + ground level)
• Badge details: Sword = Dark Angel Green → highlight mix (Dark Angel Green + Moot Green) → Coelia Greenshade glaze Wings = Aggaros Dunes → Sponge Dragons Gold → Seraphim Sepia glaze
• Rivets = Aggaros Dunes → Dragons Gold highlight
• Gothic Windows = Sponge Dragons Gold → Drybrush Dragons Gold
• Accents: Eshin Grey, Brass Scorpion, Castellax Bronze
• Finish: Matte varnish, selective gloss
• Brushes: Large & Medium Shade, Small Layer, Medium Dry

Credit & Acknowledgement Models: All the Panels Designed by AlmostPainted on Cults3D (https://cults3d.com/en/users/AlmostPainted/3d-models).

I had some misprints that I thought I would attempt to correct and add some colours to for the backdrop pieces. Tried a black undercoat, thought it might be better, but it wasn’t. Unsurprisingly, to some perhaps, but it ended up being a real pain with the surfaces of these FDM prints having a very rough and uneven texture. It was definitely evident, especially with these two metallic bases, that the grey was substantially more forgiving than the dark shadows left by the black primer.

Nothing neat, just wanted to slap some paint on so I get an idea of what these look like with a bit of colour from behind the acrylic. I think I’ll have to keep it fairly bright to avoid it becoming a bit gloomy, after a nice display for the models; after all, Dark Angels are gloomy enough already. Possibly, some LEDs will be needed to stop the floor panels from blocking out all the light or maybe a floor rework of some kind.

Progress made, Project continues

Just one layer was needed; it turned out to get to the top with some switching around and a new design for the lowest level. I was thinking about my ravenguard bikes (painted and unpainted) that might look a bit out of place in a gothic window-lit ship level, so I made somewhere a bit more brutalist looking down there. The same artist designed these as well,  I think it adds a nice new dimension to the piece. All of it has had its primer (just cheap grey primer), and now the job is painting it up and getting it to fit altogether a little more seamlessly than it is currently all bluetack and hope.

I continued with the printing and added some more wall pieces/tile variants to the collection. The addition of a few leftover printed icons from previous runs gives some distraction from some of the less-than-ideal prints. Still deciding if I should make it a purely DA display aesthetic for this case or continue with the variations up the wall (I have some Ad Mech to display as well, and the idea may be sidetracking me.) The Artist has some DA-style Engine Room Walls that I am going to try out next and see if they might make a better lower level.