Here's a step by step of how I did my Star Trek Attack Wing (WizKids) - Enterprise D. I did a whole bunch of stuff wrong so, it's not really a tutorial per se. Take from it what you will.
I went for a grungy, weathered look.
Starts out vanilla with a wash of shade that I just put on it because it looks really bad at first.
Paint all over with gunmetal. The luminescent bits I painted white and masked with liquid mask. Did a terrible job of it.
Shade wash and drybrush highlights.
Then I apply a layer of chipping effect fluid. Same effect might be achieved with hair spray. I put too much of this, accidentally.
Paint gray all over.
Wash shade and drybrush highlights.
Then I wet the paint and chip the paint.
Then I sealed it with fixative (it's what I got, I guess matte varnish would be better). Then I Removed the mask and painted and repainted the lit areas. I washed the thing several times over and highlighted as well.











