Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Fellow Dakkanauts --

A friend of mine just made a considerable investment in his first 40k army and chose the new Blood Angels. He is interested in getting acclimated with the airbrush method to paint his army and asked me to recommend colors. I was wondering if there are any recommendations for Vallejo Game/Model Air/Color and GW paints that more experienced Blood Angels painters can recommend, and if possible, an example of the results.

I painted a Space Hulk set solely with GW paints (and a brush) and I love the outcome color-wise. Here's the basics of what I used, so anything close to this would be great, but I am open to any and all suggestions:

* Chaos Black primer
* Mephiston Red base coat
* Agrax Earthshade wash
* Evil Sunz Scarlet highlight 1
* Wild Rider Red highlight 2
* Brass Scorpion (gold trim base coat)
* Ghenna's Gold (gold highlight)
* Caliban Green (base coat for eyes/scopes)
* Moot Green (highlight for eyes)
* White Scar (general reflections, super highlights)

Here's the results:



Much appreciated!

Looks sharp

If it were me, I would use the airbrush to prime and basecoat the red, and to basecoat relatively large areas of green or other colors where I could use a shield. I would do some of the highlights with the airbrush. Some of the naturally spherical objects might be airbrush friendly too.

I would switch to a paintbrush brush to get in the gold, silver, black, purity seals, etc. as the only way to get the crisp edges is to mask, and it takes as much time to mask ask it does to just paint. There are some things like edge highlights around the bolter casing, which are "impossible" with an airbrush, in the sense that it's fifteen times more work than the seconds it takes with a paintbrush, and you'll never quite get it like that anyhow (it's just the wrong tool, IMO).

I would also do all the washes with a regular paintbrush. it's just easier to control.

Anyhow, just remember that an airbrush gives you a line (or dot) with diffused edges. This is good in some cases, and bad in others -- it's a great tool if you want diffuse edges on a 3D object; it may be a a poor tool to paint crisp edges on the same object. In some cases, like the yellow/black stripes, you can wing it by using and advancing a shield to get crisp lines, but usually, it's just more trouble than it's worth, because the object you're painting wraps around (it's three dimensional) and the wraparound is angled.

I like 'em, by the way!

Disclaimer: I started the hobby again a few months ago, so I don't have a lot of experience. However, I was exactly in your friends shoes during the fall.

I more or less follow what Buypainted shows here, i.e. painting before gluing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUCuokzElBw
IMHO it's more of a "production line" and I need to field some models.

I've painted two squads and a Razorback so far. My next unit I'll paint like this:

Airbrush:

Prime red ( http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/627855.page )

Base coat 1: VGA Bloody Red 72.710. Spray at a 45 deg angle (first zenithal highlight)

Base coat 2: VGA Hot Orance 72.709. Spray at a 90 deg angle (second zenithal hl)

Brush:

Base coat weapons with GW Averland Sunset. Highlight with a lighter yellow. Wash with Agrax Earth.

Base coat aquila with GW Rakarth Flesh, then VGC Polished Gold (72.055). GW Griphon Sepia wash.

Base coat soft armor/vents on back pack/'abs' with a mix of VGC Tinny Tin (72.060) mixed with GW Nuln Oil and Vallejo Glaze Medium.

Eyes/lenses: Small white dot. Then 'fill' the eyes/lenses with green mixed with glaze medium (I don't remember the exact one I use. It's VGC)

Airbrush:

Vallejo Gloss Varnish

Brush:

Wash with GW Drakenhof Nightshade. I use blue because it contrast a lot with the red. Be precise with the wash, so there's less clean up. The gloss varnish should make it easier. I've tried using oil wash, but from my limited experience it's not worth the hassle.

Add decals

Airbrush:

Vallejo Matte varnish