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.

Starting up a Warhammer 40k army, I haven't played or painted in over 4 years so I am rusty to say the least. But I really like black and green so I decided to do a combination of the colours in a Space Marine army.

First attempt at the lightning type effect, the gradient isn't great on this one as it's my first try.


2nd try at the effect, I'm getting better at it but still could be improved.


I'm looking for any constructive advice on how to paint the rest of the guys. I was thinking of drybrushing the guns w/ silver, and adding a little bit of red for perhaps the emblem etc. Also I think some grey highlighting against the black might look good. Any suggestions? Thank you.

Boltgun metal, washed with Badab Black might be nice for the boltguns... Dark and subdued?

Also, the eyes might be helped by a contrast color, such as red. If you´re good with blending, try blending the lenses a bit, from dark to light.

And the purity seals could do with some paint as well, possibly light brown, with dark red or a purple for the wax?

Just some thoughts, I don´t know how strictly you are going to stick with the green and black scheme..

those need to have a colur scheme underneath for people to properly judge them, green lighting bolts might make one colour scheme work and wreck another ("Look! My hello kitty marines are being frazzled by lighting!!)

How about cropping your pictures in Paint or something before you post them, please?

Nice. I think you have done the lightning really well. Keep it up.

Every spraypaint artist I have ever seen makes their lightning turn white in the center, much like a lightsaber. I'd say go for a little more highlighting (with a ~very~ thin brush, or perhaps at this point, a sharpened toothpick.)

I would do the red eye suggestion, paint the green parts gold, go with boltgun/silver on the bolter.

Maybe consider painting each team with yellow, blue, purple, or other bold bright lightning depending on what tactical squad or whatever they belong to? there was a great tau player that did this exact thing and it looked great.