Painting/Airbrushing Ultramarines Rhinos

[Forza St. Pauli]

Hello chaps!

 

The painting of my second tactical squad is slowly but surely coming to an end and after that I want to start airbrushing the Rhinos of both squads.

 

"I‘m just not sure about the color"

Same goes for me! What do you think what kind of blue should I use? A brighter- or a darker blue compared to the power armor?

 

Of course I can use the same color that I used for the power armor, but I’m afraid the whole army will look a bit „sterile“.

 

Overall I would prefer to use Vallejo Model Air. They have some paints that I think would really fit to my army (e.g. 71.004 Blue, 71.087 Dark Sea Blue or 71.088 French Blue). Furthermore could try to thin down the color that I used for the power armor (50:50 Regal Blue/Ultramarines Blue).

 

Here are some pics of my Ultramarines… just a reminder ;)

 

P.S. I intend to paint my Rhinos in a similar way like the guy in

.

 

Your comments are very wellcome. Thanks in advance :)

[Brother Valerius]

I can't see a chapter having different colors for vehicles and Marines, honestly. Change the colors over the years? Yes. Two+ colors at once? No.

[Tranc]

Perhaps the shade of blue changes over the years, but the vehicles don't get repaint every time the color changes. So there could be variations depending on when the vehicle rolled off the assembly line?

 

In any case, I agree with the sentiment of making an army less sterile. Here are some of my rhinos to give you an idea of what various blues look like on them. I think most shades will work, so it's up to personal preferance or how well they look in combination with the accent colors.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads...4287_271252.jpg

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads...6_4287_7169.jpg

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads...4287_125699.jpg

[ShinyRhino]

I'd have to echo the sentiment that it's not the best idea to make your Rhinos a different color from your Marines. Some might call the use of one color for an army "sterile" while others call it "unified".

I'd take a page from Tranc's book and use the details on the vehicles themselves to break up the blue. Add company color to the inset armor panels. Add freehand details, or attach additional decorative bitz (the plaques in the Venerable Dread kit are stellar for this).

[Forza St. Pauli]

Thanks for your replies!

 

So, the general opinion seems then, that I should use the same paint that I used for the power armor.

 

I'd have to echo the sentiment that it's not the best idea to make your Rhinos a different color from your Marines. Some might call the use of one color for an army "sterile" while others call it "unified".

Well, that's a very good point and I like it :)

 

I have read a few topics on different boards, regarding the use of citadel paints with airbrush. Most people don't seem to like that, because the big pigments could choke/jam the pistol. Otherwise... the guy in the mentioned video above uses thinned Citadel paints.

 

I think I'll give it a try :P

[ShinyRhino]

Thinned Citadel paints won't destroy your airbrush. I used thinned Reaper master Series with minimal issues. The folks who are real stickelrs for paint tend to be the fine scale modelers, and they use specially formulated stuff from Vallejo Model Air a lot. Citadel paint will fire though an airbrush just fine. It simply takes a bit of experimentation to find the correct ratios for mixing and thinning.

[Taliostro]

normally a 1:1 Ratio Water to Paint does the trick for GW Blues.

Greens tend to need a bit more Water, Red a bit less. But you get good results and little mess with a 1:1 Ratio.

[Forza St. Pauli]

Thanks to both of you for your advices. I'm going to try that... Do you always use water for thinning?

The guy in the vid uses Vallejo thinner...

[Taliostro]

Thats because he actually uses Vallejo Game Color Paints and ModelAir Paints for the Rhino. Rule of thumb is: alway use the thinner of the brand of paints you're airbrushing.

Vallejo Game Color -> Vallejo Paint Retarder or Pure Water or Vallejo ModelAir Thinner

Vallejo ModelAir -> straight out of the bottle or with only a drop of ModelAir Thinner

Tamiya Paints -> Tamiya Thinner XA-20

LifeColor Paints -> Lifecolor THinner

and so on...

 

For GW paints, there is no GW-thinner avaiable, so using pure water in a 1:1 Ratio is more than suitable.

But be advised: Airbrushing needs some practice for good results, so before actually brushing a mini, practice a lot on paper with differents paints, Paint:Water Ratios and Airpressure.

[Forza St. Pauli]

I have litte experience with airbrushing... but it's been a while since I last used an airbrush gun (more than 20 years :)). The advice with a 1:1 ratio seems pretty good :) As far as I got any results I'm going to post some pics.

[UltraRich]

Ive done about 7 rhinos/preds with the airbrush now using Citadel paints and its been fine.

Ive got a Iwata eclipse which is all metal so every now and then I soak the needle and end in air brush cleaner (£4) which makes all the paint wipe straight off.

If you want any pics let me know.

[Forza St. Pauli]

Pics are always wellcome, mate ^_^

[UltraRich]

Heres my thread on Ultra Rhino / Predator painting

Thread

 

This is how its starting to look

 

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f372/rbrewster101/SDC11601.jpg

 

Let me know if you need any info on these

[ShinyRhino]

Those are smooth, UltraRich.

What psi are you running your Iwata at when doing these?

Is that IG dozer permanently attached to the front right Rhino? I've wanted to use those on mine for a while (the prong ram the Rqazorback kit comes with just stinks), but haven't figured out a solid way of making them removable for games when I don't take the upgrade.

[UltraRich]

Thanks

I'll check next time Im spraying (I just know its half way around the gauge!)

As mine are just display pieces that I paint for fun the dozer blade is attached.

It would be easy to magnatize though as there are two prongs that go under the body of the Rhino where you could set a couple of magnets. This would mean you could attach it to any Rhino you wanted without the magnets showing. If you want a pic drop a note on my wip thread

 

Sorry Forza, I dont want to take this thread off course.

[UltraRich]

What psi are you running your Iwata at when doing these?

 

30PSI

Im actually finding this will push normal paint and even watered down foundation paint through the airbrush.

Whats odd is Ive just bought a new smaller needle for fine detail work and this sprays the paint fine but doesnt like washes?

[Forza St. Pauli]

Sorry Forza, I dont want to take this thread off course.

That's absolutely alright for me, mate! :)

 

Very decent (spray)paintjob on the tanks! I like those a lot!

 

I'm curios... could you please tell me how you painted the shaved hair on one the Techmarine?

[UltraRich]

Sorry Forza, I dont want to take this thread off course.

I'm curios... could you please tell me how you painted the shaved hair on one the Techmarine?

 

It was pretty straight forward

Take the flesh colour of your choice (for me it was GW foundation paint mixed with elf flesh) add a spot of chaos black and you get a pinky/blacky (?) colour. Now thin that down to a milky consistency and paint it on the head. It also works on stubble but as these are ultras theres none of that :)

[Forza St. Pauli]

Pretty simple... thanks for the tip :yes:

[REFILLABLE]

My wife kindly bought me a baby elephant compressor and HS30 and HS80 airbrushes for Christmas, the airbrushes you can buy for around £20 and the compressor you can get with an HS30  for around £60.... brings it with in the realms of mere mortals..  Thank you wife!  For ultramarines vehicles I do cheat a bit.  I use the following steps, it's simple and quick and looks ok.

 

1.Prime the parts on the frame with Vallejo Black Primer from a can

(Excellent fine spray, quick drying, very Matt finish.  I do it on the frame so that it's easier to hold, also after the parts are trimmed it makes areas needing some filling and sanding stand out)

3.Dry brush metallic parts with increasingly brighter metallic (silvers) starting with GW Lead Belcher.

4.Give Metalic areas black wash

5.Assemble the model as far as possible.

6.Mask off metallic areas.

7.Pray model all over with GW Kantor Blue (LEAVE THE BLACK IN ARES OF NATRURAL SHADOW ALLOWING OVERSPRAY TO DO THE BLENDING)

8.Go Back and use black to add preshading in to recess areas and panel lines.

9.A very light over pray of GW Kantor Blue to subdue the black pre-shade.... Just a little.

10.Spray the CENTRE of panels with GW Calador Sky (I think that's how you spell it.. probably wrong), a very subttle coat with mainly air through the airbrush, build it up gradually (having a dual action airbrush makes this easy)

11.Carefully spray a little GW White Scar on to sharp corners and edges.

12.Over spray the whole of the model from the top and sides (avoiding areas of shadow) with GW Calador sky (this trurns the white parts in to a brighter shade of Calador Sky).

13.Gloss varnish

14.Apply decals with Microset to set in place and dissolver that horrible silvery carrier film, then Microsol to seal it in place

15.Pin wash with artist black Oil (from a tube like toothpaste) thinned with spirits to point of being black water consistency.

16.Satin or Matt varnish.

17.Any weathering powders, streaking effects paint the lenses etc.

 

It sounds a lot but by using an airbrush each coat dries so quickly it's all a lot quicker than it sound and although it looks like a lot of steps, it's actuallyy really simple and quick and very few colours and shades need.  At least that's how I do the blue for Ultramarines Vehicles... Great thing about this hobby 100 ways to do everything and no right or wrong way just personal taste.

[Ishagu]

Guys I see some spectacular work on show here.

I thought I was a decen painter but obviously I still have a way to go!

 

*feel free to check out my pics in album "Ishagu's Ultramarines"*

[Forza St. Pauli]

You're on a good way Ishagu, Your miniatures are looking pretty good so far! Like me you have a very neat painting style, but IMO your miniatures and vehicles need a little more depth, so you should invest time for shading them  (e.g. fill out any recesses on your thanks).

 

If you want to have a look at my models, check out my gallery :)