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Hello,

I’m starting to Warhammer game for the first time in my life. I don’t have an experience of building models and painting them. So everything is going to be new for me. I ordered Fyreslayers Start Collecting and I was going to order the 20 recommended paints that are listed on Games Workshop Fyreslayers Start Collecting page. When I shared this on facebook, someone told me this: “Keep in mind the recommended paints on the GW site often aren't the ones used in the picture on the box. best thing to do is come up with your own paints scheme for the colors you want”

What does this mean? So are those 20 paints for all the different schemes? I mean if I just needed only one scheme, don’t I need the all 20 of them? I want my Fyreslayers to be just right on the box. What scheme is that and what paints do you think I need to get for that scheme if I don’t need them all?

Thank you.

Download the Citadel Paint app. It is super helpful.

For a basic Fyreslayer, the app lists six colors: black, orange, tanned flesh, dark red, copper and silver. You could paint a perfectly acceptable tabletop scheme with just those six colors. Maybe a black or brown wash over the whole mini.

However, the app also takes those six colors and breaks them down into three or four paints each. This lets you layer different shades of the same color to create a more blended and natural look.

So, yeah, you could definitely use 20+ paints per mini, but you don't have to.

The Warhammer TV YouTube channel is also an excellent resource...

Thank you all very much! I have the app but I didn't know they had a section where showing the paints I needed. I'll check the app thoroughly today And thank you for sharing the videos. I'll watch them today. I think they'll give me an idea of what I really need!

Don't stress too much about buying dozen+ colours at the beginning. At first brush control is waaaay more important to learn than layering progressively lighter colours for shades. Sure you want to learn that eventually and it's not rocket science but it can wait. Getting colours on right part is way more important.

Also you can do similar effet by mixing bit of black or white to base colour to create darker(shade) and lighter(highlight) colours. Albeit consistency isn't 100% but that works better for more organic things anyway. Who cares if skin between 2 models isn't 100% same shade? Skin colours change anyway...

Helps avoiding expensive start up prices. Citadel colours aren't all that cheap so if you use those 20 colours add up REAL fast.

tneva82 wrote:
Don't stress too much about buying dozen+ colours at the beginning. At first brush control is waaaay more important to learn than layering progressively lighter colours for shades. Sure you want to learn that eventually and it's not rocket science but it can wait. Getting colours on right part is way more important.

Also you can do similar effet by mixing bit of black or white to base colour to create darker(shade) and lighter(highlight) colours. Albeit consistency isn't 100% but that works better for more organic things anyway. Who cares if skin between 2 models isn't 100% same shade? Skin colours change anyway...

Helps avoiding expensive start up prices. Citadel colours aren't all that cheap so if you use those 20 colours add up REAL fast.

Thank you. So what would be your advice? It's difficult to decide where to start. I was planning to buy the 20 paints that were suggested on the website but now when I check the Citadel App, I don't see all of those 20 paints are used for the models. But there are actually more than 20 paints in the app if you go deep down the side colors. That's why I'm a little confused now The budget that I saved for the paints is only up to 20 paints right now. But I can add maybe 5 or 10 more if necessary. Or if I can only use 10 paints to paint the models I can just get 10 of them. If I were more experienced probably I'd make an easier decision.

For more specific advice, this is what I would do:

First, you need a spray primer. Many of us use a cheaper brand in black or white, since this layer will be mostly covered. Whatever brand you buy, make sure it is matte, not satin or glossy. Or, Army Painter makes a spray called Barbarian Flesh that would save you some time when painting all the skin.

I would then use these GW colors:

Abbadon Black
White Scar
Cadian Fleshtone
Ironbreaker
Auric Armor Gold
Troll Slayer Orange

Your choice of colors for the little bit of cloth. They used red, so Wazdakka Red if you want to do that.

After all of your colors are laid out, give the whole mini (except maybe the silver parts) a wash of Agrax Earthshade. This will add depth and detail. If it makes the mini too dark, you can do a little highlighting with the original colors.

This will give a basic and simplistic paintjob, but your goals at first should be learning to thin your paints, "coloring inside the lines", and practice, practice, practice. If these are the first minis you have ever painted, you can't expect them to come out just like the pro-painted ones that took many many hours of practice.

Thank you very much! I'll do my best. I'm planning to get the Fyreslayer paint set that is sold at GW. Probably those will be more than enough for whole army I'll build.

I already have the black Citadel primer spray. I think that will help me to do good first start Thank you!

I would consider getting white or grey. Skin and orange are tough ones to paint over black. Alternatively at least paint white layer over relevant parts.

Btw if you ever paint yellow or red that's even more important

edit: Bit more detailed explanation. Bright colours like red and especially yellow are generally rather opaque. That means that on black undercoat their coverage will be very poor. Even after like 2-3 layers you can have spotches of black visible and colour will be rather muted(albeit which might be effect you are going for...). It can be done but to get good clean red or heaven forbid yellow(one of the harder colours to paint) over black undercoat will take lot more coats than over white.

Black undercoat meanwhile works better for more down to earth colours like greys, browns etc. It is also easy to use in that even if you miss a spot in recess the black will serve as shadow while with white it would be very obvious annoying miscolour.

Thus if your model is going to be with largely brighter(and fyreslayers seems to fit the bill) white basecoat is generally recommendable or at least go over the spots you base with lighter colours over with light grey or white. With fyreslayers those hairs would be the obvious spots to paint with white before following the main paints to ensure clean bright colour there.

It comes annoying if model has significant amount of BOTH types of colours. Depending on model if the parts are separate pieces in assembly part it might even be worth it to spray them separately before assembling...

tneva82 wrote:
I would consider getting white or grey. Skin and orange are tough ones to paint over black. Alternatively at least paint white layer over relevant parts.

Btw if you ever paint yellow or red that's even more important

edit: Bit more detailed explanation. Bright colours like red and especially yellow are generally rather opaque. That means that on black undercoat their coverage will be very poor. Even after like 2-3 layers you can have spotches of black visible and colour will be rather muted(albeit which might be effect you are going for...). It can be done but to get good clean red or heaven forbid yellow(one of the harder colours to paint) over black undercoat will take lot more coats than over white.

Black undercoat meanwhile works better for more down to earth colours like greys, browns etc. It is also easy to use in that even if you miss a spot in recess the black will serve as shadow while with white it would be very obvious annoying miscolour.

Thus if your model is going to be with largely brighter(and fyreslayers seems to fit the bill) white basecoat is generally recommendable or at least go over the spots you base with lighter colours over with light grey or white. With fyreslayers those hairs would be the obvious spots to paint with white before following the main paints to ensure clean bright colour there.

It comes annoying if model has significant amount of BOTH types of colours. Depending on model if the parts are separate pieces in assembly part it might even be worth it to spray them separately before assembling...

Thank you for your advice. I appreciate it. I was planning to buy 2 primers. White and Black. But the manager of the GW store told me he painted all of his Fyreslayers army with black primer and he also showed me their picture. So he said I'd be ok with black but, of course everyone has different experiences. So I'll keep in mind before starting painting my army. I'm still waiting for the Start Collecting box to arrive. If I can find a white spray in our local store, I may consider to get one. But unfortunately I can't find the brand Citadel (at least the spray) in Turkey. So I may have to look for some other brands.

You might want to ask him did he specifically blot out parts of the model with white(the hair would be the main worry) before painting it with main colour. The white doesn't need to be that neat or even to work so it doesn't take that long. I generally use pretty damn big brush to put in some white. Even when it's not that even coat it helps the bright colour over it.

But of course you can try it. At least fyreslayers aren't the worst one for black undercoat. Iyanden eldars and imperial fists would be tough one(predominantely yellow for both). But keep in mind if it doesn't look good at first it is likely due to the black undercoat but that's then fixed by more coats.

Oh and keep in mind THIN your paints. This especially if you do multiple coats to get good even cover over black. Multiple thick paint layer=details lost, brush signs will be visible=not good. Several thin layers>1 thick coat. And more so when you are trying to build good even coat of light colour over black undercoat.

BTW don't worry too much about is it citadel or not. Citadel products work but they are also expensive. You can get similar for cheaper price elsewhere and availability could be better.

BTW when you progress and move toward different types of models(which you likely will...You might think "I'll just get fyreslayers and play with them" but this hobby as fun habit of drawing you in in many ways ) keep in mind that different undercoats can be archieved depending on model. For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl9NszJDxt4

That model is primarily metal so it was good idea to use metallic primer. Black would be good start for metals but here simply priming with metal works out great. It's also light enough colour doing that yellow over it isn't that much of a problem(quoting Duncan: two thin coats should be just enough). For models with lots of armour this is very good idea.

Just something to keep in mind for future when your model collection grows.

tneva82 wrote:
You might want to ask him did he specifically blot out parts of the model with white(the hair would be the main worry) before painting it with main colour. The white doesn't need to be that neat or even to work so it doesn't take that long. I generally use pretty damn big brush to put in some white. Even when it's not that even coat it helps the bright colour over it.

But of course you can try it. At least fyreslayers aren't the worst one for black undercoat. Iyanden eldars and imperial fists would be tough one(predominantely yellow for both). But keep in mind if it doesn't look good at first it is likely due to the black undercoat but that's then fixed by more coats.

Oh and keep in mind THIN your paints. This especially if you do multiple coats to get good even cover over black. Multiple thick paint layer=details lost, brush signs will be visible=not good. Several thin layers>1 thick coat. And more so when you are trying to build good even coat of light colour over black undercoat.

BTW don't worry too much about is it citadel or not. Citadel products work but they are also expensive. You can get similar for cheaper price elsewhere and availability could be better.

BTW when you progress and move toward different types of models(which you likely will...You might think "I'll just get fyreslayers and play with them" but this hobby as fun habit of drawing you in in many ways ) keep in mind that different undercoats can be archieved depending on model. For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl9NszJDxt4

That model is primarily metal so it was good idea to use metallic primer. Black would be good start for metals but here simply priming with metal works out great. It's also light enough colour doing that yellow over it isn't that much of a problem(quoting Duncan: two thin coats should be just enough). For models with lots of armour this is very good idea.

Just something to keep in mind for future when your model collection grows.

Wow! Bunch of great information. Thank you so much. I'll definitely get a white primer as well! At least these primers will help me in most cases!

Thank you very much for your advices. And I know Fyreslayers won't be my last stop But I need to learn the game with Fyreslayers before digging in other armies