Vostroyan Firstborn Command Squad tutorial

Part 2 – Painting basics along with some colour theory waffle.

The mysterious colour theory

Those of you who feel that you already know the colour theory well enough, and know to employ it effectively when choosing colours for your minis, you are free to skip ahead. Those of you whose minis look like an explosion in a paint factory occurred and they were the most immediate victims, stay with me for a while.

First off, I want to introduce you to the colour wheel:

Now, I certainly hope you read the entirety of the link in the last tutorial's Artist's Comments, which does explain the theory behind the practice of choosing the right colours. If not, here are two others:

• http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm

• http://www.artyfactory.com/color_theory/color_theory.htm

The idea is that we have three primary colours; cyan, magenta and yellow, from which all other colours are derived. If we mix the three primaries with each other, we get purple, orange and green, the so-called secondaries. Now, in some colour wheels, to simplify, the primaries cyan and magenta are replaced with blue and red, respectively. It's not make or brake to understand the idea, but it's good if you are aware of this. Either way, from the primaries and secondaries all other colours are derived. Apart from black and white.

I won't dwell on this much longer, as I assume you read the tutorials there through. They explain it much better than me.

Now, I direct you to the following site (no, I am not copping out. This is all part of a plan):

• http://kuler.adobe.com/

I hope you can do a little multitasking, as I want to conduct a little exercise with me. Now, if you don't have the necessary plug-in installed, just go download them and then come back. I'll wait here.

Done? Good.

I want you to click on Create in the left-hand menu. That directs you to create your own basic colour scheme. Yes yes, I know, I just had you read through a smack-load of stuff on the colour

Picture from www.tigercolor.com

theory when there's a short-cut. Here's the thing: you won't know what the feth the Adobe kuler is all about if you do not know the theory behind... ur... colour theory.

Anyway, what are we going to create? We are going to create the colour scheme for the Vostroyan Firstborn!

Select the Compound choice from the Select a Rule-submenu. A compound chooses one base colour (in our case red, as it will be dominant), a few complimentary colours to the base, as well as some analogues to the base (green and orangey-brown in our case, respectively). As our main colour is so intense, the two/four compounds chosen are more muted in response to this. You can goof around a bit with the kuler if you like (it's great fun!), but when your done, we'll move on.

Now, why did we choose a compound set and not anything else, like a split-complimentary, as they are harder to mess up? Well, we're working with small-scales here. To use split-complimentary is totally an option, but I wanted something more daring (and harder, 'cause that's how I roll!). Also, I was told to adhere to the 'Eavy Metal colour scheme. But I needed to know some stuff behind that too, and I have some minor gripes with a few of their colour choices. Hence kuler.

The red is the main colour, and had this been a split-complimentary the other two would've been tourqoise and yellowish green. One warm and two cold. With the compound, we get the above mentioned balance. Apart from the green, the colours are warm in nature. This is good, as the green will feature on such small details that it won't sap the warmth from the mini. Warmth is key for small-scale minis, and this is why we go with the compound! It's also one reason that 1:72 scale model tanks in all green camo look so strange. They have no warmth in them to draw our eyes to it.

Now that I have made you all fall asleep with this horrid droning on about the importance of colour theory, let's get to the thing we are all here for, the step-by-step tutorial of the Vostroyan Firstborn.

Before we begin, I am going to enter a disclaimer about that this is all how I paint things. Don't take my word as absolute. For the love of God, don't! Experiment with mixes, shades, highlights and paint consistency to your heart's desire. Just don't experiment on minis you care a lot about, is all I am saying ;-)

Also, I did promise a little rant over so-called layering of miniatures in the last tutorial, but I have taken up enough space here already with that (the rant can be found over at my blog/journal: http://valkyriedagboken.blogspot.com/2009/01/subtle-art-of-miniature-sculpture.html ). The original point had been to paint them all in one lovely go. The layering of the officers and the standard bearer blew that idea out of the water.

Oh, and one last thing on paint consistency, though I told you to experiment with it: I have my mixes somewhere between cream and milk. I know, weird analogies, but that's where you want it. Paint shouldn't be water-thin, unless it's a wash or glaze, but that is higher-order stuff. In this tutorial, we use the Citadel Washes out of the pot.

Before we start, I want to highlight that I use abbreviations for the different paint ranges.

• Foundation Colour – FC

• Citadel Washes – CW

• Citadel Colour – CC

• Vallejo Game Color – VGC

• Vallejo Model Color – VMC

Comparison chart for the various lines can be found here:

• http://www.miniaturewargaming.com/index.php/mwg/comments/vallejo_citadel_paints_co mparison_guide/

Basic painting tutorial of the Vostroyan Firstborn

Before we start off, I want to say that the Bronze and Gold steps are my takes on two methods presented in recent (late 2008) White Dwarf magazines. I have tweaked them a bit, but credit is to the 'Eavy Metal team for developing them in the first place.

Step 1 – Now, however much I have been bitching about the presumed layering of models, most of the time, the skin layer is the ”lowermost” of all. And that's how we are going to work: from the inside out. Almost all top-level painters work this way as it presents the lowest risks for cock ups. And any slips, as seen here, are going to be covered up later.

The base layer was painted with Tallarn Flesh (FC). This was highlighted on the cheeks, jaw, lower lip, nose and brow with Elf skintone (VGC). This was given a wash of Ogryn Flesh (CW) after which the Elf skintone was retouched. Finally, an extreme highlight of Pale Flesh (VGC) was done on the nose-ridge, chin and most prominent parts of the cheekbones and brow.

Step 2 – You will have noticed I have painted both moustache and fur hat, but these were special for the medic, so I won't go into how here.

Now, for this picture, I have painted in both the red uniform with Mechrite Red (FC) and the leather straps, trousers and boots with Calthan Brown (FC). These were going to get the same wash to establish the basic shades of both colours, namely Devlan Mud (CW), so they were painted at the same time to save said time later.

Still with me? Good, we have a lot more to do!

Step 3 – So, what's happened here then?

Well, I've built up the red, as most of the red in over the brown leathers. I say most, as the boots and trousers basically are below the red. Just be patient when doing the bits mentioned.

Over the Devlan Mud wash, I paint on Bloody Red (VGC), being sure to leave some Mechrite Red showing and steering well clear of the recesses with Devland Mud in 'em. After that, I start highlighting the Bloody Red bits with a highlight mix made up of Bloody Red and Hot Orange (VGC) in 50/50 amounts.

As the paint is thinned down a bit, it takes a few layers to get a consistent colour. Use this to your advantage when highlighting, to create an almost seamless gradation. Ideally, it would be seamless, but that is beyond my current skills.

It should be noted that Bloody Red is not a very opaque colour, so you might need a few goes with that on its own to create a consistently coloured base to build later highlights from. Just saying.

After this, give all the red areas a nice wash of Baal Red (CW). This'll take away most of the orange tinge in the 50/50 mix of Bloody Red/Hot Orange and restore that lovely rich red.

Step 4 – So here's how the brown leather was painted: I started with pure Parasite Brown (VGC), again careful to leave the base of Calthan Brown and Devlan Mud showing in the recesses and deepest recesses respectively. Over this, as highlight, there was Parasite Brown mixed with increasing amounts of Plague Brown (VGC), until it was 25% Parasite and 75% Plague, more or less. At least more than a 50/50 mix of the two.

Now, you might see that this looks really harsh and awful and not very leathery at all. Also, it could just be the camera. Either way, it didn't look too good.

Step 5 – The colour is now fixed. Here's how:

I gave the brown bits another wash of Devlan Mud and after that I gave one last, extreme highlight to the most prominent area with pure Plague Brown.

The Devlan Mud was key here, as it brought back a lot of depth to the colour, and also restored the slightly reddish feeling of the Parasite Brown, which I felt had been lacking in the last step. It was too yellow!

Step 6 – Here's the third (and last) chap we'll get to know in this tutorial: The Grenade Launcher Guy!

He's showing off the fur hat and the base for the next step, the wood-grain.

The fur hat's colour scheme is:

Charadon Granite (FC) base, Scarred Brown (VGC) overbrush and a final light overbrush with Beastie Brown (VGC).

The stock was based as follows:

Scarred Brown base over which Beastie Brown was painted, leaving Scarred Brown showing in the deepest recesses, as with the cloth.

Ah yes, and here you can see exactly how sloppy I am when painting.

Step 7 – This is most likely the hardest bit on this entire tutorial! Wood-grain!

This requires a steady hand and some knowledge about wood, which I am to share. Uh, the knowledge, not the hand!

The first thing to mark out, before doing the lines in the wood-grain itself, is to mark out a few branch-spots, as I call them. The wood-lines will spread around these, as can be seen on the stock in this picture.

Now, the first layer of wood-grain is painted in using Cobra Leather (VGC). This is mixed with Bonewhite (VGC) for highlights to the same grain. And yes, you will need finer and finer brushes as this progresses.

To make this even more difficult, I wanted a kind of reddish tint to my wood, giving the mini more cohesion, as Cobra Leather and Bonewhite are yellow-based. So, between grain-layers I gave the wood parts a wash with Ogryn Flesh (CW). This was skipped between the two last highlight stages though.

Now, if you survived this, give yourself a good pat on the back. We now move to the metallics!

Step 8 – This shows the first part of the silver metal bits. I started off with a base of Gunmetal Metal (VGC) which was then washed with Badab Black (CW). The stuff that was painted silver was gunbarrels, chainmail, buckles and piping. As well as the entire vox-set.

This was then highlighted with a Chainmail (VGC) overbrush, before being washed with Badab Black again.

One little word on metallics and dilution: be careful not to dilute the metallics too much, as that makes them practically impossible to use. Also, after using metallics, change water, or else the little metal flakes in the metallic paint will show up in non-metallic paint. If you can, have separate ”metallic brushes” which you only use metallic paints with. It's not strictly necessary, but it does do away with a lengthy cleaning process using lukewarm water and soap after a painting session involving metallic paints.

Step 9 – Again, we give an overbrush of Chainmail. However, this time, we don't follow up with a Badab Black wash. Instead, we highlight the most extreme parts of the silver metal with, that's right!, Silver (VGC). The Citadel Colour line has a more imaginative name: There it's called Mithril Silver. But beggars can't be choosers.

Step 10 – We now move onto the bronze armour. All the armour plates and some other ”metal” details (entirely your own choice here) are painted with a 50/50 mix of Black (VGC) and Bright Bronze (VGC).

This is then highlighted with Bright Bronze on its own, leaving the base mix showing in the recesses.

Step 11 – After that, we give all the bronze a nice wash with Devlan Mud. Yeah, it's one very useful wash, innit?

To give that final shine to the bronze an extreme highlight of 50/50 Bright Bronze and Silver is painted on.

Now, there are some metal parts left. These are going to be painted a nice gold(!).

Step 12 & 13 – Remember how I said that the wood-grain was the hardest part of this tutorial? I think I might've been a bit premature in that statement. Sure, the wood-grain required a very steady hand and was not going to excuse slippage. Well, you know what? The gold parts are just as unexcusing. They are not going to apologize sloppy craftsmanship, oh no!

But, me being a clever sort (or so I keep telling myself), I have developed a workaround.

Now, anything still left of ”metal” nature on the minis is to be painted gold; stock-butts, eagles, ornaments, gasmasks, decorative skulls... you name it!

We start off with a 50/50 mix of Scarred Brown and Glorious Gold (both VGC) as the base. This is then highlighted with Glorious Gold on its own. Careful to leave some of the base mix showing. Now, on top of this, paint a 50/50 mix os Glorious Gold and Silver, again being careful to show some of the previous layers in the recesses.

Now, this is where the gold starts to be difficult for us. We need shade in the very deepest recesses. And there are two ways past this little hurdle; one easy, one harder.

The easy way is simply, through controlled brush use, paint Devlan Mud into the recesses, at least two layers.

The hard way is to make your own wash to paint into the recesses. The mix will be made up of 1 part 50/50 mix of Black and Scarred Brown, 1 part Glaze Medium (VGC) to remove surface tension and prevent the paint from pooling oddly, and uptowards 8 parts water. This is a highly liquid mix and requires a very steady hand to pull off. It does look better than the easy one, however!

Either way you choose, the final stage for the gold is to paint a very extreme highlight to the gold using Silver on its own. There should be just enough to show a tiny line of silver. Overdo it and you have white gold instead of yellow.

Step 14 – We are on the how stretch now!

Now, you might've noticed these little paper-things on the minis? They are so-called Purity Seals and are a common feature on the Imperium of Man's elite soliders in the Warhammer 40k universe.

They're fairly straightforward to paint though:

Start with a Cobra Leather (VGC) base. Highlight with Plague Brown (VGC) and top that off with Bonewhite (VGC).

They look fine like this, but if you feel daring (and I did), you can add ”writing” to these straps with diluted black paint stippled on to make it looks like lines of writing. No one can read that fine print anyway, so don't worry over it saying anything!

Step 15 – The medic was pretty special, what with his grey hat and such. Also, he had special markings on his shoulder. Here's how:

Stonewall Grey (VGC) base and direct highlight of Dead White (VGC).

The helix-insignia was painted using Gory Red (VGC) highlighted directly with Bloody Red.

Step 16 – Where we get to see the colour wheel exercise in action!

Now, these minis are very warm, with lots of red, bronze and yellow browns. A nifty way of making the warm warmer, is by introducing some cold colours. Enter the greens we selected way back when!

All wax seals and some of the glass on the instruments, as well as the grenadier's goggles, were painted with Dark Green (VGC) as base. This was highlighted with Sick Green (VGC) and finally Scorpy Green (VGC).

With glass, always keep the brightest highlights away from the light source!

Hey! We're pretty much done! All that is missing now are some final tweaks (white ”sparklies” to glass and battle damage) as well as a nice coat of varnish as well as basing. After that, they are ready to go to war!

The bases were easy enough: Astronomican Grey (FC) with Snow flock in two-three layers on top. Flock is glued to the base using watered-down PVC woodglue. Use an old disused brush to apply it to the base and be careful not to get glue on the minis' feet.

I will round off this with a list of all the colours used in this tutorial as a list!

• Astronomican Grey (FC)

• Charadon Granite (FC)

• Tallarn Flesh (FC)

• Calthan Brown (FC)

• Mechrite Red (FC)

• Ogryn Flesh (CW)

• Devlan Mud (CW)

• Badab Black (CW)

• Baal Red (CW)

• Black (VGC)

• Dead White (VGC)

• Elf Skintone (VGC)

• Pale Flesh (VGC)

• Parasite Brown (VGC)

• Plague Brown (VGC)

• Bloody Red (VGC)

• Hot Orange (VGC)

• Scarred Brown (VGC)

• Beastie Brown (VGC)

• Cobra Leather (VGC)

• Bonewhite (VGC)

• Bright Bronze (VGC)

• Gunmetal Metal (VGC)

• Silver (VGC)

• Glorious Gold (VGC)

• Dark Green (VGC)

• Sick Green (VGC)

• Scorpy Green (VGC)

Bye!!