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.

I use a wash on my Orks but I am painting Ultramarines now. It looks great on Orks but is there any benefit for SM? My models are coming along ok but I am reluctant to wash one in case it spoils it.

Most definitely ! washes will bring the detail on those marines and make them really stand out.

Try one and see if you like the result.

SMs are really designed for a clean 'heraldic' style of painting with hard edge highlights, IMO.

Ok, I'll give it a try. Any particular colour wash to use with smurf blue?

For me it's the 41st millenium and it's woretorn so marines look better worn and torn, you can't say that a marine gets through a battle with no dirt or battle marks on him unless he uses Mr sheen

Anyhoo back to washs, you could try a couple of things -

1. Devlan Mud
2. a mix of badab black and Asurman blue wash

sorry for my dodgy spelling..

or just pure asrumen blue...this would just add enough shade to the small cervasses...

Yeah, you need to decide whether you're adding shading (in which case a mixture of asrumen blue and badab black might work well on the blue armour) or dirt and battle damage (in which case Devaln Mud is probably the way to go).

The biggest difference between washing marines vs orks is that you'll generally have to be much neater with marines - they're on average much tidier and cleaner than orks

Kilkrazy wrote:Try one and see if you like the result.

SMs are really designed for a clean 'heraldic' style of painting with hard edge highlights, IMO.

this +1 , i think wash will make the SM look dirty and dodgy paint job , clean cut are the best .

I find Space Marines look better with black lining and highlights/blending. A wash will make them look dirty, which can be okay if that's the look your going for.