Paint scheme

[Loathir's Own]

Hello fellow wolf brothers I was wondering about a paint scheme for my space wolves.

 

Me and my local group are playing in Adepticon here in the US in April of 2012 and we are doing the first war for Armageddon (SWs and GK) we have ideas for the lists but we are doing a 6 x 4 display table that is going to be excessive. When I look at the current scheme for the wolves I believe they wont stand off from their brothers in silver. We would like to have a dynamic feel for our chosen color pallet and I plan on collecting the entire chapter, some day before the end of my life.

 

The board will be red mars like mud a green/ grey river and some city rubble as the forces of khorne/angron are smashing down the walls around helsreach. The defending space wolves are directing the disorderly guardsmen/militia as they scramble to meet the horde at the falling gates. All at once bursts of lightning and smoking contrails of thunderhawks and inquisitional vendettas sweep from the skies striking at the heart of the daemon primarch's ranks. The Space wolves are now on the prowl.

 

The ideas that i have seen so far are numerous and I would like a darker grey but, I think a focus on the blue would "pop" more I will try to get a picture of the GK models tomorrow night and post them so you guys can see what I am working with color-wise.

 

Thank you ahead of time.

 

~LO

[Sigmund Hammerhand]

If you ask me, the blue looks silly on space wolves. It's like they're ultramarines who have spent too much time in the sun so the colours are all bleached out. Grey is the way to go, any shade will do. The darker schemes are usually thought of as pre-heresy schemes. What makes the models stand out is the use of yellow and red on the shoulder pads, knees, helmets and so forth, not the colour of the armour itself. Yellow armour stands out, and red, or bright blue. But space wolves stand out because of the details on the armour.

[littlbitz]

If you are interested in the "Blueish Grey" Space Wolves I did an article a ways back that may help.

 

I have painted Space Wolves in both the plain ole Grey, and the Shadow Grey, and to tell you the truth I prefer the Shadow Grey with its blue tint, I think it really makes the models pop. The flat grey ended up looking a bit too washed out for my tastes.

 

But thats the wonderful thing about Space Wolves, the shade of grey is entirely up to the Wolf Lord.

 

Painting Tutorial Part I

 

Part II

[Prot]

I think they all stand out since there is no real 'Space Wolves' paint colour persay.

When I started mine, it took me 2 large attempts, and a third to get the actual colour I prefer. This is a 50/50 Space Wolves grey and Shadow Grey result. It's my favourite so far.

(this picture is probably a touch bright.)

[Mr. Danvers]

I'm a big fan of the more neutral grey tone myself. I think the blue-grey can look good, but I definitely think its for very very good painters. Prot's work above is a good example, if a little bright (probably cause of the picture like he said) for my own tastes.

 

I use an Adeptus Battlegrey, wash with Badab black and drybrush with Adeptus again scheme. I'm not a brilliant painter and I'm more of a gamer than a painter, so the quicker I can get things done, the better for me. Must remember to remove mould lines next time......

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/jaymz2k4/My%20SW%20Army/IMAG0036.jpg

 

I've ended up posting this picture so many times, it's sad. I really need to take some more pictures of my stuff. This is an example of what I aim for.

 

I saw an SW army at Games Day a few years ago that was a Codex Grey colour with yellow markings (which also appeared in WD when the new codex came out, but I cant remember what issue number it is) and I've taken that style and emulated it. I tend to go for muted colours, then use brighter colours for markings and honour badges. I'm not a fan of having a massively bright army scheme personally, I just don't think bright colours and/or pastel blue suits the attitude and style of the wolves.

 

But as it's always said: your army, your choice :huh:.

 

Mind you, the amount of times I've been accused of playing 13th Co. cheese in the past just because I didn't use blue-grey has nearly led to people being hit over the head with the hardback rulebook ;).

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

If you click the Great Company link in my sig, you'll come to a collection of moderately well painted models. I tend to use a dark gray, with Mechrite Red shoulderpads and gold trim. They would definitely stick out from Grey Knights.

[Wulfebane]

If you ask me, the blue looks silly on space wolves. It's like they're ultramarines who have spent too much time in the sun so the colours are all bleached out.

Not that I don't think neutral grey looks good (I've seen several example armies) your argument is completely flawed. Sure, blue-grey miiiight have a chance of looking like bleached out Ultramarines (though the blues are entirely different temperatures), but neutral grey can look like Grey Knights, or 13th Co., or Iron Warriors, or dirty White Scars.... or ANY army that chooses black or white as a color scheme. Personally, I'd rather have my army being deviated in opinion to just one army, not several options. Plus, as you say, it's all in the details anyway; Who in their right mind would see a blue-grey armor with wolf pelts and runic totems and think Ultramarines...

I prefer blue-grey over neutral grey for my army, going lighter and whiter as the "experience" accumulates for the model (BCs are bluer, LFs are whiter, etc). Plus they really stand out on the tabletop, and let's be honest.. who has seen a GW terrain piece that wasn't totally color saturated?

My example.

I think of it as a cold, snowy, spectral sort of camo tint you might find in winter/tundra warfare, vs simply dark-to-black tints used for camo. To me, the black is boring and a stereotypical mindset, but I can definitely appreciate it when painted well on other people's armies. When I shade things down in the nooks'n'crannies, I prefer Devlan over Badab to give it a warmer, muddier tone. Dirt or rust isn't black, after all.

[Kami]

Now i know many people dont like the blue, but i think it can work and will really help the army stand out vs grey.

I tried to go for the new 5th edition scheme thats used on the boxes and in the codex. It gives them an icy look, almost glowing blue especially when in melee against darker painted enemies. An opponent once called them "Ice Wolves".

http://mightylandraider.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Greatcompany2.jpg

 

I only used fenris grey as base and drybrushed space wolves grey, very easy.

[Sigmund Hammerhand]

Not that I don't think neutral grey looks good (I've seen several example armies) your argument is completely flawed. Sure, blue-grey miiiight have a chance of looking like bleached out Ultramarines (though the blues are entirely different temperatures), but neutral grey can look like Grey Knights, or 13th Co., or Iron Warriors, or dirty White Scars.... or ANY army that chooses black or white as a color scheme. Personally, I'd rather have my army being deviated in opinion to just one army, not several options. Plus, as you say, it's all in the details anyway; Who in their right mind would see a blue-grey armor with wolf pelts and runic totems and think Ultramarines...

 

Er... well, I'm not making an argument here. I'm saying that's what it looks like to me. Every last space wolves army using blue always looks like that to me. That's just the way it is, and you can't really argue with how things look to people. If it looks nice to you, I'm not saying you shouldn't paint them that way. I just said why I'm not painting them that way myself.

 

Whether neutral grey or whatever looks like another army is sort of irrelevant because I wasn't saying that it doesn't look like the bleached out armour of another marine chapter. In fact I was sort of saying the opposite.

 

So really, trying to argue logically is sort of difficult when you talk about taste.

[Iron-Daemon Forge]

I saw an SW army at Games Day a few years ago that was a Codex Grey colour with yellow markings (which also appeared in WD when the new codex came out, but I cant remember what issue number it is) and I've taken that style and emulated it. I tend to go for muted colours, then use brighter colours for markings and honour badges. I'm not a fan of having a massively bright army scheme personally, I just don't think bright colours and/or pastel blue suits the attitude and style of the wolves.

 

But as it's always said: your army, your choice :).

 

You can find that army by Dom? in the Skaven issue of the WD, the month after Space Wolves where release in 2009. So Nov issue, UK. Also I poste up some photos last year from Warhammer World where his & Phil Kelly army where on show.

 

As to the topic.

 

As everone said it all come down to what you like. For my Space Wolves that I taken to tournament since Nov last year, I went for the Dark Armour due to I am not a fan of bright colour. However that the same time I do like the way the 2nd ed era Space Wolves where painted & if your able to get your hands on (base on UK) White Dwarf 185 Kim Syberg Space Wolves are nice in a blue ton. Or there 4th ed era Rule book with George Dellapina Space Wolf army.

 

But for me I went for dark ton due to not like to bright a colours & just like the art work from codex Space Wolves, current one that is. To help make the army stand out a little I added thing like Blue Viking Runes are my spot colour to just add a little brightness & to draw people into to see the army, the conversion, paint work, etc..... While I also went for mute reds to help out as well.

 

You can see my Wolves by these many, many links

 

Minor update: I was working on the Grey Hunter test mini yesterday. I painted with Adeptus Battlegrey, Codex grey and fortress grey with a badab black wash. Not having much experience with washes, I did it in that order. Might as well have not bothered.

 

I done this, but the Black Wash before the Codex Grey & Fortress Grey Highlight. With the wash what not working for you?? As one of the key area (just guessing) to make sure it dose not go on to heavy & in patch. Just make sure that there is some water on your brush, I alway wash my GW Wash brush before going to the Badab Black wash or what ever type of wash.

 

You can see my own Space Wolves by these links. As said I use Adeptus Battle Grey as my main colour, Badab Black wash, highlight with Codex Grey & then fine highlight of fotress on the edge of the armour plates, etc....

So far doing pretty well in the tournament scene with the force ;)

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...0&start=250

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...=217834&hl=

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...=215563&hl=

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...=223020&hl=

 

http://www.the-vanus-temple.com/?p=2266#

 

http://www.the-vanus-temple.com/?p=2263#

 

http://fromthefang.blogspot.com/2011/02/wa...s-painting.html

 

http://marts-warhammer-40k.blogspot.com/20...ted-armies.html

 

http://incunabulum.co.uk/blog/2010/10/15/b...wolves-1750pts/

 

Here with video (the army change a lot since this tournament with a whole host of new conversion, idea, etc...)

 

http://incunabulum.co.uk/blog/2010/08/22/e...-of-the-armies/

 

Only once I can rememeber that this time.

 

IP

 

Then some new links

 

http://theveilsedge.blogspot.com/2011/04/l...290439544854040

 

You can also see Spikyjames Wolves on this topic. Also info on why my Space Wolves are the way they are

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...=227758&hl=

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...=227752&hl=

 

Also it worth check out Spikyjames Space Wolves as since a few month before the codex was release back in 2009 up to now, he went through three diffrent Wolves armies. Each one diffrent

 

One before the codex was release by a few days/weeks

 

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/...sp?aId=5100021a

 

His second army after the codex was release

 

http://s3.zetaboards.com/The_Ammobunker/topic/7073977/42/

 

Or his recently one posted in one of the links above

 

http://space-wolves-grey.blogspot.com/2011...ves-armies.html

 

Just to get some diffrent idea. As other have said it up to you, there no right or wrong way to go about it. It why I like the Space Wolves as it up to there Lord how they look, etc.....

As Jervis said in Standard Bearer last year from the Blood Angels release, he talk about how no two armies are the same & about painting thing your own way.

"For exsample, we all know Ultramarine have blue armour, but the exsact shade of blue & techniques you use to represent it & exactly what marking you use. The result is that while over the years, I've seen dozen of diffrent Ultramarines armies they are rarely exactly the same"

 

IP

[Prot]

Now i know many people dont like the blue, but i think it can work and will really help the army stand out vs grey.

 

Actually I think most people prefer the blue, but the 'grey' crowd is usually quite outspoken about their grey preference.

 

I too prefer the icy look of a cool, cold blue (as shown in my own picture posted above) but I agree it is a lot more difficult to pull off. I know it took me three goes to get my 'recipe' right they way I wanted.

 

Therefore, I think if you want to go the quicker route, I'd recommend looking at the grey tones.

[Max_Dammit]

I use a shadow gray and am now washing them badab black (watered down) to give them that bit darker and gray feeling.

 

But shadow gray is a :D to photograph, and always looks bluer in the pic than in real life.

[Levitas]

I use a mix of black, shadow grey and codex grey. Highlight pure shadow grey, then a final of shadow grey and codex grey. Looks like this.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XAJ8-YA6XYo/TatXAA_f--I/AAAAAAAAAa4/rZScTd3S8_8/s1600/Wolf_lord_onfoot.jpg

[Loathir's Own]

Thank you all for posting I will get the pictures up of the GK later this week.

 

We have 11 months to do the army in and I believe I will carry the scheme over to my full great company and then into my chapter.

 

Adepticon is a 4 person tournament where each of the 4 team members has 1000 points. These team members will be randomly selected to play a 2 v 2 (2000pt. game) for 4 games allow all of the armies to play at least once. There are 250 teams so, we all won't play each other, but the results will tally. The competition to win is only about 45-50 % of the actual tournament the rest is in painting, modeling, team spirit and sportsmanship. Conversion and painting however are high on the list and most people who do well, do well because of their skill with the brush. In painting and team spirit sections their is a section on theme and what 40k historical event that happened to have your 2 armies work together or why your 1 army is there.

 

My team has already decided that I will be doing the fluff and the design for the display board, the converter of the group will be working with each army to make them stand out, and the painter will be inspecting our painting, the last team member will be assisting with all the above and possibly helping with shirts and such for team spirit.

 

As per the color scheme. The painter would like to do something like what Insane Psychopath did with his except with wet blending the highlights down to create smooth transitions between shading and highlights, and I would like to do something that is a little more stand outish from the red mud on the planets surface. And stand away from the khorne bezerkers that they are fighting, that is why I was thinking more blue then grey.

 

Again thank you all for your help it is giving me some ideas as how to accomplish painting my space wolves so that we can hopefully place at Adepticon next year. I will show the painter of our group all of your suggestions.

 

Soon as per our agreement we will be posting pip and wip all in one thread on here and warseer to fuel our competition, if any of you guys would like to take a look it will be in my sig. I will still keep checking back on this thread to see if there are any more suggestions.