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.

So I'm about to order my first batch of models after deciding to get back into the hobby. I have absolutely nothing except cash, and some files and clippers.

I'll be collecting eldar and painting them in a Biel-tan craftworld style.

The models I'll be painting for starters will be a Farseer, dire avengers, warp spiders and swooping hawks.

I haven't really ever done much painting at all so I have no idea what I'm really doing. So I'd like some advice on what specific citadel colours I would use to paint these. I'm thinking of going the easy route and simply priming, base colouring, and then throwing a wash over it but I don't really know. Also I'd like to base these.

Also any notes on what tools I will need would be great - I never really did any much painting before when I colected, so I want t avoid that this time round.

Sorry if that sounds ramble-y, but to put simply I'd like some help in getting started with painting eldar for someone with practically no experience and no tools. Thanks!

How much are you looking to spend on all this (tools wise?)

How many models are you aiming to paint overall?

Not sure. Happy to pay what I need to pay to get all the gear for setting it up properly, but I'd rather money go to models. Does that make sense?

Starting with maybe 30, but I'll build from there.

I see, well that is good - because it gives me an idea of what you want to do as far as tools go.

First, 30 is not going to be anywhere near enough, but let me see what I can do. I am dumb and thought you meant $30... The below is about the cheapest you can do it, will cost under $100 - if you want to spend more, do it on the tools - you want to do it fast, so you need washes - for washes to not look terrible, you need to make sure all the mold lines are gone.

1. Don't buy any GW tools, you can't afford it, and it's not good enough anyway
2. Have a look at http://www.bnamodelworld.com/ (general hobby supplies), http://www.thecombatcompany.com/ (solid paint/plastic (airbrushes are too expensive)), http://www.undergroundwargames.com/ (alternate paint supplier), and http://www.emeraldhobbies.com.au/ (GW stockist selling dirt cheap for some reason) - that is your new supplier list, don't bother using anyone else (or do, what do I care)
3. At a bare minimum, you need a good hobby knife, a good pair of cutters, some emery boards (woollies), some glue (revell contacta) - that will get them assembled. You may also want some PVA glue and sand for cheap and easy basing. That is about $30 right there, and we haven't even got paint yet. While you are there, grab some brushes - you will need a standard brush and a detail brush.
4. Paint, go to bunnings, get some primer (I use rustoleum flat, it is great) for biel-tan, you will need white, obviously. You could get a really light grey, but that is going to be a bit more advanced.
5. Pick a supplier above, you want the following paints for a really simple Biel-tan (note, I have never painted these dudes, just going off what they look like). These are GW paint names, there is a name converter here somewhere for other lines (I'd probably recommend Vallejo game color - each of these is like $5)
- Abaddon black
- White scar
- Celestra grey
- Dawnstone
- Waaagh flesh
- Warboss green
- Nuln oil
- Biel-tan green
- Lahmian medium

So, you are in for around $80 so far, not including models.

Now to painting - the superfast way is this;

Assemble
Primer spray
Nuln oil the whole thing
Celestra grey everything but the deep recesses
Celestra grey mixed with white to highlight
Paint the green bits dark green, then up to your lighter green, then wash with the green wash
Guns in black, highlight with dawnstone
PVA the base, put sand in the pva, paint the sand dawnstone then highlight it to celestra grey with a drybrush.

That should do a decent tabletop quality, and isn't amazingly difficult

Awesome! Seriously helpful.

Now I'm hoping to get a lot of aspect warriors, is there anywhere I can find a step by step thing like you did here for other troops such as the ones I mentioned? (Avengers, Spiders, Hawks) I'd like to grab as many of the things I need at once.

EDIT: actually, I should be alright if I translate the method you gave me to other models, just replacing bases/shades where appropriate.

Yeah, the method is pretty simple - white is hard to do because white is the highlight - only use white at the very end.

Do a base colour that it will look like overall - do a shade to pick out detail - do a lighter layer which is the main colour (leaving shade in the recesses) - do a bright highlight

There are some really good guides for brushwork, such as this;

http://taleofpainters.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/tutorial-collection-how-to-paint-eldar.html

No biel-tan unfortunately, but it should give you a really good idea of how you can do it.

Also, post a lot of progress pics here, people will be more than happy to help you

Awesome, thank's for this. Really helps.