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Time to pick a subject for next month!

Three Colour Maximum: You asked for the Technical Challenges to make a return, so here's one! Your entry should be painted with a limited palette featuring maximum of 3 identifiable colours. Shades/tones are of course allowed within those 3, but on the final model, everything visible should be obvious as variations on the same 3 colours.

Blades In The Dark: Assassins, agents, killers in the shadows; few factions struggle to find some use for a hidden attacker sowing chaos in the enemy ranks. Your entry should be a model for whom stealth is the preferred weapon.

Paragons of Virtue: Every story has its heroes, the mighty who rise above the rest and set an example to follow. Your entry should be one such model (or several), a figure who inspires and exemplifies the heroic ideals.

The Enemy Without: Lurking beyond the edges of civilisation, there are are always fell creatures, vicious monsters and unknowable terrors. Your entry should consist of models that embody this terrifying beyond, from feral Skaven tunnelling beneath a city to a Tyranid swarm encroaching on the galaxy from beyond.

Okay! I'm voting for the technical challenge again...hopefully it gets up this month!

Really kinda not feeling inspired by any of them, but can probably find something for any of them. Went for paragons because I can think of two options for that (oathsowrn halling paladin and some croc games Tethru) if I burn out on one.

Voted for Blades in the Dark. I've got an idea about a Ghostkeel I want to try out.

Voted Paragons since I have a primaris ancient to paint

Voted for paragons, but I think I should be able to scrounge up something for any of the categories except three color maximum. I'm thinking a converted Kayvaan Shrike for the Blades in the Dark, converted bike captain for Paragons of Virtue, and a DnD Beholder for The Enemy Without.

I can fit any except Blades in the Dark, so I went for Paragons in order to get another stab at my Chaplain, poor guy has been sitting in a box for months. I have Necrons and Crimson Fists for the other categories.

Voted for Paragons of Virtue, but really none of them are terribly convenient for me. I could probably do something for any of them, at least.
Three Color Maximum: Most of my Chaos Daemon models could be done with three basic colors. Pink Horrors (Pink, Gold, Silver), Bloodletters (Red, Black, Bronze), Plaguebearers (Green, Pink, Black), Flamers (Blue, Purple, Orange)
Blades In The Dark: Pity I'm already working on my Assassins, or they would work well for this. I've got a Tau Ghostkeel that needs work, though.
Paragons of Virtue: I've got a Tau Coldstar Commander that would work, but more likely I'd do one of many Dark Angels Characters that need some love (probably more than one).
The Enemy Without: Oh man, where do I start? I've got the Lost Patrol Genestealers, plenty of Daemons, some Hordes monsters (from Cirlce Orboros), perhaps even some Lord of the Rings stuff including trolls and orcs.

after a little abstract thinking, I could probably shoehorn something into any of those themes...but, although it wouldn't be the most "useful" use of my hobby time, it could be the most interesting and challenging...and it's got the old ideas flowing...so I went with "3 colour maximum"

I'm pretty stoked for 3 colors.

I voted to Paragon. Would like an excuse to paint my JP Lt. Any of the other options will probably end up with me painting Tippy, the loneliest homorgaunt.

But I’m game for whatever.

Enemy Without

Also, May is my birthday just sayin

I went for 3 colour just cos I want to see a tech challenge (and had previously asked for one )

 Nevelon wrote:
I Any of the other options will probably end up with me painting Tippy, the loneliest homorgaunt.

I think you have a vote from me already just because of the name

Well that was a close one. For a long time it was a tie between TCM and Paragons, then Blades in the Dark (fittingly) came out of nowhere to snatch joint first. So as is generally done when there's a tie, we'll do both!

Three Colour Maximum next month, and Blades in the Dark in June!

Hmm. I guess I could go with some scouts next month. Would prefer something stabby rather then just stealthy, but the ones I have are shooty.

 Midget Gems wrote:

 Nevelon wrote:
I Any of the other options will probably end up with me painting Tippy, the loneliest homorgaunt.

I think you have a vote from me already just because of the name

Tippy came to me in a 3rd hand lot of old minis. While it included some GSC and a few other ‘Nids, she was the only hormagaunt. Now ‘gaunts like to be in large groups. Endless waves, carpeting the world. But she’s all alone, and really needs a hug. She likes hugs.

And anyone who has ever built the old metal homagaunts can tell you why she’s named Tippy. Not to center-of-gravity shame her, but she’s all up and out front with her mass.

Is this the first time a technical challenge won or did it already happen before?

Hi guys, I'm entering for the first time, so not 100% sure about the rules exactly, and had a question about the 3 colour rule. If, for example, I use red, blue and silver as my 3 colours on the palette am I able to mix the red and blue to use purple on my model too?

I'd interpret it as, if you chose red, blue, and silver...you could use the full range of light-dark, warm-cool, etc, of those colours...but probably not mix them to make further distinct colours, such as purple...right?

...otherwise, what's to stop me from taking red/blue/yellow, and being able to then mix to make orange, green, purple, and pretty much everything inbetween?

.....but then, are we counting black, white, grey, and silver, as "colours"?

As a general rule, the theme asks for 3 identifiable colours, and identifiable is the key bit. Basically, you're allowed the full array of shades/tones of any given colour, but the model's general palette should keep to 3 colours. In other words, you look at it from a distance and can go 'yeah, that model is painted with an X, Y and Z colour scheme'.

I'm not going to be massively strict; for instance, if your model has a red cloak and the highlights go a bit pink, I'm not going to disqualify you. Likewise, if you've got a red, blue and silver Space Marine and want to add some squad markings in white, that's also fine so long as it's minor. If you want to add some metallic chipping or muddy weathering, that won't count towards your limit.

To avoid confusion, I will ask people to post their chosen colours alongside their final pics.

I appreciate it's a fairly technical and challenging round, so if you want to run something by me before you start then feel free to post in the thread or PM me with any queries on what is and isn't allowed.

Gonna go with Daemons then. Probably Pink Horrors.

Pity the "enemy without" won't win. I'm planning to do a "pit of Slaanesh" piece of terrain and this would be a good motivation. :/

I recently saw a miniature someone very talented had painted using just white, red, and black. They had somehow mixed up tones that looked like brown leather, and a convincing skin tone. I have no idea how they did it, but would this be an acceptable way to tackle the challenge? Three colours on the palatte, mixed cleverly?

It'd have to not be red, yellow and blue, because you can mix everything with those!

I'd judge that on a case by case basis, but in theory, so long as you could look at the final model and say that the predominant colours were red, white and black it'd be fine (ie. your brown is not so much a brown as a dark red). It's less about the number of paints you use, more about the number of colours that can be seen on the final model. Though if someone wanted to take on that challenge, I'd probably allow it, but I'd want clarification alongside the proof that that was what you were intending.

Can you post a pic of that mini for reference?

I will post my paints along with my proof pics in that case.
Entirely NMM models will work well with this challenge.

Sooo stupid question: does that include the base as well?

Nope, bases are not included.

...in the 3-colour limit?

I would've thought they would be?

No, that's just too limiting, as if you want a base to contrast strongly then you're left with 2 colours for the model itself. I don't want this to be so hard as to be off-putting, just enough to get people thinking creatively.

you're being entirely too kind in my opinion, but ok

I mean, if you want to go Hard Mode and include the base in the 3 colours, you're welcome to take the theme as far as you like! I'm just setting the ground rules fairly leniently so people aren't put off. I imagine this won't be quite as popular as some other themes, but I want to keep it as accessible as possible within the constraints of the idea.