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Hey all

So, it's stupid o'clock in the morning again, and having tried some tests I'm failing with my paint "strategy"...

I've reached the point where I'm starting to paint some parts of my Warhammer Fantasy Inn, build thread here - https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/788962.page

Currently I'm trying to get the roof colour right in preparation for painting the main roof areas (big area, want to avoid getting it wrong and having to strip paint off, as that's likely to cause damage to the roof).

In White Dwarf #154 Adrian Wild (the guy who made the OG building I'm loosely replicating, and who contributed to many of the terrain articles in White Dwarf and made terrain pieces that GW used at the time) describes his method for painting roof tiles that classic "blue/grey" slate colour. It is thus - Chaos Black undercoat, drybrush with Ultramarine Blue overall, then edge drybrush Codex Grey, Space Wolf Dark Grey, Space Wolf Light Grey.

Problem is we're 28 years down the line and Citadel's paint range has changed. I know what the new colours are supposed to be with regards to the old colours (although actually I'm having to guess that Space Wolf Dark and Light grey are in fact what then became Shadow Grey and Space Wolves Grey, and are now The Fang and Fenrisian Grey?). I'm also aware that Coat D'Arms still make paints that are "usually" close to the original GW paints (because they supplied GW with them at the time), I say usually because their Bronzed Flesh is more orange than I ever recall Bronzed Flesh being, so that paint hasn't remained the same...


Anyhow, I tried some tests on some sections of a roof on a seperate part of the building, with paints that I have, to try to establish the basic colour. I've tried Dark Reaper, I've tried Altdorf Guard Blue (which is supposed to be an equivalent to old school Ultramarines Blue?), Macragge Blue, Kantor Blue, and I also tried Vallejo Game Color Ultramarine Blue.

None of those looked right to me. Vallejo's Ultramarine Blue for example came out looking too bright, even when drybrushed over black. Dark Reaper is just too grey. Kantor Blue too dark. Although Macragge Blue might be close, but I need to try it again as I was using a pot I had thinned for airbrushing.


Anyone here any tips on colours I could use and/or paint recipes for that classic blue slate roof tile look using current ranges of paints?

Thanks in advance.

I'd use thunderhawk blue. It's like dark reaper but a lighter slightly more blue tone. Layer that over black then drybrush with a light grey for a slate effect. However, also don't dismiss mixing in different values to your blues. Slate isn't a single unified blue colour. I'd have some darker and some lighter, some more grey etc. If it's for a roof you'll want some tonal variation to help the eye distinguish the different tiles.

Have a look at intermediate blue by Vallejo. Slate can be many tones, even has a tint of purple in it. At least, I'd try a mix of a medium/dark blue,purple and grey.

Thanks guys. I've looked at Thunderhawk blue and I don't think that's right for the base colour, still too grey. Might get it for changing the tone of some tiles though. Intermediate blue doesn't look right to me either, I'm familiar with it from model aircraft kit building.

I'm going to put this on hold (again) for a few weeks until I have funds freed up and buy a pot of Coat D'Arms Marine blue and see if that's anything near the look of the blue I'm after. Hopefully it is, seeing as CDA supplied GW with paints back in the early 90s.

WD 154 is circa 1992, so likely the paints described would have been the MkII paint range (hexagonal with soft lids). Ultramarine Blue is a vivid, basic blue; darker than old Enchanted and leaning a bit less green, but not into the purple-blues the way Nauseous Blue is.

I haven't found Coat D'arms to be close matches in colour to all the '90's paint - it's a bit of a hodge-podge and I suspect some are more in line with the very first range of colours. For example their Nauseous Blue 167 is notably lighter and greyer than my bottle of '92 Nauseous Blue, while Enchanted Blue 117 is slightly greener than Lightning Bolt Blue and much greener / weaker coverage than Enchanted Blue.

Thunderhawk Blue is way too grey and way too green-leaning to be a substitute for 90's Ultramarine Blue, as you suspected. It's almost a desautrated teal.

P3's Frostbite is pretty close to MkIII/IV Space Wolves Grey; it's a touch lighter. P3 Underbelly Blue is also a potential contender if you were looking for a slightly greener-greyer option. Hard to judge exactly where the MkII Space Wolves Grey sits but it looks potentially a touch bluer/brighter than its 2000's replacement from photos.

Codex Grey I don't own, but it looks like a neutral or slightly blueish mid-tone grey, which shouldn't be hard to mix.

You could save yourself a hell of a lot of money using housepaints for terrain - check out the Wilko's range, it's what we use for terrain. Plenty of good blues and greys there.

Check out Luke's APS for colour recommendations, we just nicked what he did!

 Skinflint Games wrote:
You could save yourself a hell of a lot of money using housepaints for terrain - check out the Wilko's range, it's what we use for terrain. Plenty of good blues and greys there.

Check out Luke's APS for colour recommendations, we just nicked what he did!

I have checked out Luke's APS, and other youtubers. And when you start from nothing, there's very little saving to be had, whatever brand you go for. Especially as this is a one off project.

Thanks anyway though, I have sorted out the paint for the roof.

No worries, look forward to seeing the finished article- might have a crack at one myself after seeing how you solved all the tricky problems ;-)