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I have around 2000 points of Sisters of Battle models that I want to repaint to give them the quality of the models in the Witch Hunters codex, and I'm looking for tips. I painted the whole bunch of them in about two weeks just to get them to playable status, using drybrushing to compensate for highlights and solid colors for trim. Now that they look good overall, I'm embarking on a project to strip their paint a few at a time and redo them-- I don't care how long each model takes, I want this project to take enough time to prevent me from buying a ton more models or starting a new army

Anyway, here are the things I'm thinking about and hoping someone can help me with:

• Bases: This is the first thing, since I've realized that basing the model before you paint it is a good thing. I have my eye on the new "urban basing kit"- has anyone seen it? Does it have enough stuff for 80-ish models, and is the resin and razorwire suitable for troop figures? I want my girls to be marching through a blasted, scorched urban type environment and have had decent results using just sand, but it's nothing special. If the urban basing kit isn't any good, can I get much mileage with slate? Will it need to be painted or mixed with other stuff?
  
• Basecoat: I first intended for my girls to have black armor with quick drybrushed Shadow Grey highlights, but laziness and overzealous drybrushing led them to be much more grey than black. I like the effect of the drybrushed grey and would like to keep it, only it's a bit sloppy. Is there a way for me to paint on a sort of dusty shadow grey with an even, uniform coat? Maybe a particular sort of brush, or just a very light drybrush with repeated coats?
  
• Highlights: For the armor, I'm thinking of using Codex Grey for hard edges with sparing applications of Space Wolves Grey, and very light Codex Grey lining in on particular details like around the leg actuator dealies on the armor. For the robes, it will be a standard red cloth effect with a scab red basecoat, 1:1 scab:blood for the next layer, blood for the next, and a touch of blazing orange for the last. Hopefully I'll be able to accomplish some decent blending between the layers I've got this part pretty well figured out, but if you have comments on a method or color scheme that would work out better I'm all ears.
  
• Guns and trim: I want to do the guns in boltgun metal with a light chainmail overbrush and an ultra light mithril silver, pretty standard... The trim will mostly be shining gold with some light burnished gold highlights. Not much of a question there either, just throwing it out to give a full picture of what I'm going for.
  
• Hair and faces: Another one I've got pretty well in hand, thinking of using tanned flesh/dwarf flesh/elf flesh like the codex says, only I have my own preferred method for eyes-- I paint the socket black, then paint some thin white across it, leving the black outline. Then I paint a thin vertical black line for the pupil, which is the tricky part that always screws up. I think I'll try for a .005 micron pen for that. Hair should be space wolves grey with a watered down skull white, maybe some enticing black forleocks or something
  
• Things i must be insane to be considering: I know I'm crazy, but I want to paint all kinds of little ornate decorations and will need a lot of help figuring out how to do it. First off, I want to give my girls little fleur-de-lis tattoos on their cheeks. The shape shouldn't be too tough with some practice, but what color(s) do I use? On the robes and weapons, I'm thinking of having little prayers scrawled all over, around the border of the robes and on the casing of the guns. Will this look ok with just black, or is there a way I can layer text to give it a nicer look?
  
• Sealing: I sealed my last paintjob with citadel matte varnish, and I got some very bad effects. This is odd since it has worked well for me in the past. Some models were ruined by too thick a coat and almost all started to chip and wear as soon as I started playing with them. Does anyone know of a more durable sealer than citadel matte varnish, one which will keep the paint nice for a good long time without wrecking the colors?

Faces and Hair... Supposedly, they're recruited from across the imperium... so they should NOT all have the same skin tone and hair color.

Posted By KiMonarrez on 06/10/2006 4:28 PM
Faces and Hair... Supposedly, they're recruited from across the imperium... so they should NOT all have the same skin tone and hair color.

 

True, but with black armor darker skin tones kind of blend in to much.  As for hair - I am all for different colors.  I used to have my mini's with all black hair but changed that idea after I painted one with blond hair and it looked good.

Can't comment much on the other ideas - but the Urban resin pieces will not go far enough for that many models.  You might be able to cut them up enough for 20 at most I would think - maybe.  I haven't used my slate yet so I can't say how far that will go.  The smaller bases probably wouldn't be that good for the razor wire either but you may have an idea to make it work.  The next base size up and larger looks to be better for that.

 

" they're recruited from across the imperium... so they should NOT all have the same skin tone and hair color."

ah yes, but now they all have the same beautician.

If your armour is a little too grey, try giving it a black wash (practising on a test figure first)

Re bases, consider the new COD buildings. Cut out a nice rivetty bit the size of a base, use sandpaper on the back to flatten it, glue it onto an actual base, trim, add a small amount of rubble, paint. (Although for metal figures this might not be quite so suitable, as you'll also need to cut mounting holes.)

The basing kit is small. its like.. twice the size of the dice sets they sell.

80+ models? Highly doubtful.

My store only managed to get one. If you are wanting them, you better start shopping around to hoarde enough for that many figgies.

why not just use fine grade sand for the dust/rubble/etc then thin slices of balsa wood to make slate?
Thats what i did with my termis and trust me,it looks damn good when painted.You'll only have to draw some lines into it for flooring tiles.
Prime black then just paint it over with codex grey and you got your basing.

For the rest,your plan sounds solid enough but i would still advise you to try highlighting your girls instead of dry brushing them.At least try it cause it looks really good and less beginner-like.

Tattoos would be in black i think on them,so you can see them.White scriptures on black armour or something that really stands out and can be seen.

Good luck on the 80+ though

On the hair issue, it's pretty easy to justify.  Hair is as much part of the SoB uniform as the armor, robes, and little =I= dealie.  SoB are a monastic order and vanity is probably regarded as a terrible sin within convents, thus they all have the same haircut and dyed hair to prevent the distraction of trying to look pretty so they can devote their full attention to combat training and prayer.

As for faces, the biggest problem I see is that they all have the same facial features.  They look like white chicks whether you paint them brown or olive or black...  They look sorta funny with different skin tones if you examine them up close.  Also, I don't want to have to figure out how to paint 2 or 3 different skin tones, faces have been enough of a challenge to get right already.  And like it was mentioned above, darker skin on dark armor doesn't stand out so well and will impact the overall look of the army.  That said, I like the image of SoB as a ravening horde of rabid zealots, and different hair especially would give them a more motley look...  I can probably get more milage out of stuff like tacking on purity seals and scrolls all over the place, though.

Oh, you'd be surprised how nice it looks with the occasional really pale skinned red-head. I have a few in my sisters army.

And by different skin tones... I meant for pale skin, not quite so pale (very dillute skin wash), somewhat tanned (bronze flesh w/ some skull white), tanned (bronze flesh), etc...


I'm not saying do every single model a different skin tone... but throw some variety in there.

"As for faces, the biggest problem I see is that they all have the same facial features. They look like white chicks whether you paint them brown or olive or black... "

it would be great if they made plastic SoB. you can change the head angles at least! it doesn't change the "same ole face " syndrome, but it helps some.

sounds good, an idea i use on my bases for my IG is cut up peices of plasticard and sprue, glue on, cover the rest of the base in sand/slate and paint. the sprue etc looks good as metal. might help to bulk out urban basing kit to cover that many models.

Ok, I think I'll be going with a shadow grey basecoat because after studying my codex to figure out how to highlight the armor better, I realized that black armor with red robes = order of our martyred lady. Black with red is just about the most common SoB scheme you can do, and I want a bit more variety. Shadow grey armor highlighted with codex grey and space wolves grey for extreme highlights should get me the effect I'm looking for, I think.

Thanks for all the tips everyone!