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Hi everyone,

Picked up a box of Fire Warriors recently. My Ork army is standard Deff Skulls blue (Chaos Black undercoat), so I want the Tau to have a warm palette for contrast's sake.
I have the following in mind: red and orange armour with yellow sept markings and white cloth. Since the basecoat is already white, the cloth is halfway done, except I don't know how to shade it (Nuln Oil?). I was hoping that there is a quick, easy way to shade a white basecoat, known only to ye geniuses of Dakka.
Please share thy wisdoms

Watered down nuln oil, use in the gaps only as it won't work the same way as shading other colours.

I paint the shade colour first and then highlight up to white. A couple of thin coats should give an even clean colour.

If you have it, start with the old foundation paint Dheneb Stone because it makes for a nice warm shade for white and then work up to P3 Menoth White Highlight and maybe pure white for the brightest of the highlights.

Also keep in mind that your primary color could be something like a light grey with only the very brightest highlights being pure white and the effect will 'look' white.

Use grey or blue tones for the base for a "cold" white and beige for a "warm" white. I've used a blue wash over a white base followed by a series of white glazes with good results in the past. The sad truth is that there is no shortcut to good looking white and for that reason I try to avoid it like the plague for rank and file troops.

Here is a very easy method I recently discovered:

It consists of 1 Basecoat, 1 Wash and 1 Highlight, and gives you a nice shaded white finish.

Essential preparation:

1. Get some matte medium (from Michaels, any art store or online).
Mix Nuln Oil (Badab Black) half-n-half with matte medium.
Add a bit of water (preferably with some Flow Improver). A few drops (8-12) will do, if you mix in the Nuln Oil pot.
Keep in mind that matte medium is white BUT it dries clear.

This preparation might seem overwhelming to some, but it makes AAAALLLLL the difference.
You might think; "Oh, man. Matte Medium? That is like for Pros! I really don't paint enough to warrant that".
Shut up! Just trust me and get it. You will not regret it at all.

2. Get GWs Ceramite White base paint.

3. Get Vallejo Model Air White.

Painting:

Basecoat with GWs Ceramite White.
Here we are making the best use of the coverage that the GW Base paint provides.
This coat doesn't have to be perfect. Just be as neat as you can be bothered to be. Some streaking is ok.
If you are painting the entire (or the majority) of the model white you can just spray a white basecoat on.

Wash with your Nuln Oil/Matte Medium mix.
Because we have mixed with Matte Medium it doesn't taint the model as much and it flows a lot better.
The amount of wash you need......I can't tell you. You really need to try it on a model and see.
The wash will look white and kinda pale, but it will dry black.
Don't let the wash gather on large flat areas (it will make your work a LOT easier later). Just run the brush over the area one more time to move it a bit.

Highlight with the Vallejo Model Air White.
Here we are making use of the qualities that Vallejo Model Air provides.
Since this is a paint made for airbrush use it is thin, but with the same intensity of colour that we are used to.
Now you highlight the white leaving the shaded areas untouched.
Do not slopper this white on. As the paint is rather thin it tends to run all over. Just put a little bit on your brush and highlight.
Start with the extreme edges, and cover more and more until you like the result.

Thats it.