Bolter colours

[Rikera]

So i've recently been contemplating changing my whole armies weapon colour (from red to black) and i was just wondering if anyone has any photo's of their DA with black weapons, particulary in rank and file?

 

I've tried googling but only really found one image and the models were painted with a different color green (not da green or caliban) so not a good comparison to my own.

 

Also heard one of the older codex's had them featured in black but i now only have the 2013 one.

 

Thanks for any help ;)

[[TA]Typher]

I'm in the same boat. I've already started changing it. I think they really look better black.

[Grand Master Belial]

Have a peek through the PtR thread. I've been painting mine black for years and I have some photos there. Another thread is the LPC thread. Both are pic heavy.

[Bryan Blaire]

My threads may also give you an idea of what a black bolter body will look like: I use a black body with a brass icon over a darkened "boltgun" metallic frame against a green chest plate with bone detailing. I also use green pauldron insets and a green power pack, but everything else is black (head, arms, legs).

 

Links are in my signature.

[Interrogator Stobz]

There are some pics in my Blog (Sig link), first 13ish pages are greenwing with black weapon casings.

[Isiah]

I've also seen silver (the old boltgun metal with very silver highlights) weapon casings looking very awesome on someone's DA.

 

You can see some black-casing marines here (bottom row). My personal pref is and always has been for black casings. But fashions change - currently red seems vogue with GW <_<.

[deathspectersgt7]

I have blk casings for my AoR and for my DAs.

[facmanpob]

Black here for my GotC ..... Much more grimdark than red imo

[Rikera]

Have a peek through the PtR thread. I've been painting mine black for years and I have some photos there. Another thread is the LPC thread. Both are pic heavy.

 

Where can i find those threads?

 

Thanks for all the replies guys, looked through the blogs posted and in sigs. I definitely think the black looks better. Looks more natural and realistic to me. I was worried that it would look worse than the red because of the dark armor but it doesn't.

 

I also dont like that there isn't any fluff to why the DA have red bolters. I love all their fluff and the whole changing on green from black power armor etc. just no reason why they have red bolters lol

[Grand Master Belial]

The contrasting color to green is red according to color theory. But as was noted through the years, too much red and the Dark Angels became Christmas Angels (especially when the colors were brighter). Games Workshop also had a Red Period (2nd Edition 40K) where every miniature had red on it somewhere. But as the gamers got better with their painting skills and Games Workshop stopped innovating and started maintaining, the Red Period came to an end and 40K went Grim Dark in terms of painted minis with a more realistic bent.

 

Notice there is no in-universe explanation, no fluff piece. This is entirely out of the 40K universe. Can red casings look good? Sure! They just need to be a darker hue to match a darker green. When the Dark Angels are about as bright as a Salamander, then it is probably better that the bolters be black.

 

Path to Redemption

 

2013 Librarium Painting Challenge

[Onisuzume]

I've also seen silver (the old boltgun metal with very silver highlights) weapon casings looking very awesome on someone's DA.

You can see some black-casing marines here (bottom row). My personal pref is and always has been for black casings. But fashions change - currently red seems vogue with GW .

Red's always been En Vogue, afaik.

We've had Red Boltguns since at least 2nd edition.

And personally, I like the red weapon casings with black armour, adds a bit of contrast.

Although the red I use is fairly dark.

That said, I got several dozen marines with black bolters that I cba to change.

Here's a bunch all rank and file with black bolter casings.

Yeah, that's some old 2nd edition starter marines in the back there.

And yeah, I got way too many combat squad leaders in there (12 or so).

[Rikera]

I've also seen silver (the old boltgun metal with very silver highlights) weapon casings looking very awesome on someone's DA.

You can see some black-casing marines here (bottom row). My personal pref is and always has been for black casings. But fashions change - currently red seems vogue with GW .

Red's always been En Vogue, afaik.

We've had Red Boltguns since at least 2nd edition.

And personally, I like the red weapon casings with black armour, adds a bit of contrast.

Although the red I use is fairly dark.

That said, I got several dozen marines with black bolters that I cba to change.

Here's a bunch all rank and file with black bolter casings.

Yeah, that's some old 2nd edition starter marines in the back there.

And yeah, I got way too many combat squad leaders in there (12 or so).

Yeah but they used to be really really bright red. Everything was a bit more "toyish" back then though...like those stupid banners made from stickers. The ultramarines looked the worst with the bright yellow trimmings and bright red guns. Alot more toned down now with the gold and black.

I think thats what isiah was getting at; recent editions and paint scheme's moved more to an authentic feel but the red guns are coming back.

[march10k]

Here you go.  Funny thing is, I thought, yeah, I have scores of them...then I couldn't find any pics of regular tactical marines...except this one shot of a tactical squad that I did up for the first month of the redemption challenge.  Strange...I remember having pics of all of my squads online...somewhere.

 

 

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff471/headhuntersix/WIP/PICT0378.jpg

[Rikera]

Hey march, thats class. They look great with the black weapons.

 

Think im gonna change them, the more i look at my guys together with the red weapons the less i think "dark" angels. As there is no fluff surrounding the use of red bolters there's nothing holding me back.

 

Thanks again to everyone who posted, more than enough pictures and examples (nice work too). :)

[Buyback]

I remember that in one of the Imperial Armour books there were Dark Angels and their weapons had black casing with ocasional red stripes. That could look interesting. When I finally restart my DA i will try this approach.

[Wraithwing]

I'm a red bolter casings man myself.

 

I use a darker red, and I think it looks nice.

 

So, presenting the defence of red bolter casings, check out the link in my sig! :P

 

Cheers,

 

WW

[Rikera]

Yeah yours does look good wraith, its kinda like a scarlet red. Thing is the reason they are red is to bring out the weapon more and contrast i guess, your model wouldn't look as good if it had a black pp, probably wouldn't even look at the weapon when first viewing it irl.

 

I just dont like it when i look at my own guys in rank and file. Especially next to my scout squads who have black/boltgun metal weapons.

[Rizara]

Black looks great with green, and If I was actually Paintined Dark angels and not a successor, i would have gone with black bolter casings.  Why, they are military, and our modern military use black weapons.  Black goes good with everything as far as weapons go.   However, being that my chapter is already in black armor, I went with red bolters to give them some color.

 

So paint them black, I do for just about every army unless the armor is black itself. 

[Shiodome]

The contrasting color to green is red according to color theory. 

 

red and green are complementary colours, not contrasting.

[Rikera]

 

The contrasting color to green is red according to color theory. 

 

red and green are complementary colours, not contrasting.

lol why post that?

 

They may be "complimentary" when paired together but red and green ARE contrasting colours. Heard of RGB? ill asume you have, well the spectrum of RGB shows green is fairly close to the opposite of red hence the whole reason RGB exists.

 

Any artist or graphic designer knows that they are contrasting colours.

[Rizara]

actually as an artist, red and green are complimentary colors.  They are not contrasting, however the shades you choose can create a contrast.   Red and green, yellow and purple, orange and blue, those are all complimentary colors and will always look good with their pair.   The reason red and green become offensive or appear to contrast is because everyone sees christmas colors and they get sick of it.  You can pick different shades that start to contrast, such as pairing up a yellowish green with a bright red.  They will start to go against each other, and not look good even though yellow and red look descent together.   It also depends on the amount of color you add, as a subtle amount wont contrast but if you choose a larger amount, they can.   That is why the bolter in question becomes a question, because the weapons are a large surface area which choosing the wrong color or shade of a color can create a contrast with your armor color.   Keeping your color limited will have no overall effect on the whole, such as purity seals being red, eyelens being red, those are fine, and wont give the appearance of christmas, but too much red such as power fists, weapon casings, chainswords, can drastically change the appearance of the army if not given the right color.

 

However, back on topic, because dark angels are a dark green, usually going with a bright red creates a contrast and doesn't always look good, but going with a dark deep red will provide a smooth compliment to the darker green.  If you go with a brighter green, then using a red of any shade will turn them into christmas lights.  If that is the case, sticking to a neutral colors will help them not turn into eyesores and keep your army bright, yet realistic at the same time.  This means, going with greys, whites, off whites, black, and even shades of browns can create a better compliment to the brighter greens than going with christmas colors. 

 

Also, RGB as you are putting it is only when dealing with light, and is a graphic color option.  When dealing with paint, such as painting of models, they use a different set of color theory.  In the argument you are using, we could just go with the CMK values which would be more appropriate because it is printed colorst, not light's colors.  Also, RGB is a triad, and you are saying that green is directly opposite of red, which it isn't however a blue green is.   RGB would be something to argue about if he was creating a digital art that was only going to be seen and produced through light waves, such as on a monitor.     Not trying to create a heated argument, just simply stating that it is invalid when it comes to painting miniatures, as they use a different set of color theory rules than graphic designers might, due to the fact that graphic designers are often making things in a digital format that has to be printed. 

[Brother Immolator]

Oh Christmas tree! Oh Christmas tree! Tralalallalalalla!!!!

I like them grey myself, couldn't get past the artwork of the previews codex (though it was older than that).

That said I am not a fan of the bone aquila either. Too radical I guess :P

[Brother dean]

My 2p  (now that you have decided)

 

Red on Ravenwing

Black on tacticals

Green on termies.

 

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w20/fred40k2002/DSCN9556.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w20/fred40k2002/Dark%20Angels/DSCN9610.jpg

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w20/fred40k2002/Deathwing/Septius039.jpg

[elmo]

Sorry - but my vote is still for red - but a dark grim red and not "Santa's coming to town" red.

[facmanpob]

 

 

The contrasting color to green is red according to color theory. 

 

red and green are complementary colours, not contrasting.

lol why post that?

 

They may be "complimentary" when paired together but red and green ARE contrasting colours. Heard of RGB? ill asume you have, well the spectrum of RGB shows green is fairly close to the opposite of red hence the whole reason RGB exists.

 

Any artist or graphic designer knows that they are contrasting colours.

No to belabour the point, but according to colour theory, colours that are next to each other on a colour wheel are known as analogous or harmonious colours, whilst those opposite each other (such as red and green) are known as complimentary colours.

 

:)

 

Sorry - but my vote is still for red - but a dark grim red and not "Santa's coming to town" red.

Don't you diss Santa, my lad, or there'll be no presents for you in 9 months time! ;)