Painting Sang Guard

[bigted]

Hello brothers

I was lucky enough to get a set of Sanguinary Guard for Christmas. My problem is I'm not sure the best way to paint the gold armour. I've spent a long time browsing the internet looking for a decent tutorial, but none of them have really helped. I tried painting gold once, and it was a disaster (the fact that I only had one gold paint at the time, shining gold, probably didn't help .) Anyway, I was hoping you guys could help me out.

Thanks!

[Gaweda]

I always used to dread gold. Using the citadel paints seemed to require so much effort (and I generally enjoy citadel paint). Now I use Vallejo Liquid Gold Old Gold which is an alcohol based paint. One coat, a splash of seraphim sepia and then a highlight with it and mithril silver produces stunning results.

 

The only caveat is you need one brush set aside for only that paint, and you need alcohol to wash that brush in, because water would totally ruin the paint.

[Emperor's Instrument]

When I did mine I used Calthan Brown as a base coat, it was from the original GW foundation paint range but I'm not sure if that still exists. I then did two coats of shining gold to get a solid colour before I coated the whole model in brown ink. 

[Shaezus]

I know what you mean about shining gold; on it's own, it's totally pants. I use a black basecoat, couple of coats of shining gold - not too thick on the last coat - then go over it all with a light coat of nuln oil. Finish off with a coat or two of matt varnish and the end result is a nice metallic look which shines nicely in the light. Not too fancy but it looks great.

[SnorriSnorrison]

My Sang guard were painted with a layer system:

 

- started with a basecoat of Scorched Brown + Shining Gold 1:1

- layered about two or three coats of pure Shining Gold(add some water)

- highlights with increasing amounts of mithril silver in the gold.

- shadings in pure Scorched Brown(thinned heavily, and Lahmian Medium added), painted into the recesses of the armour.

- Glazes of Gryphonne Sepia to achieve a different tone of gold.

 

Post #91 shows the results.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/190550-snorris-2nd-company-we-are-bloodied-yet-unbowed/page-4

 

 

Snorri

[Jønke]

For mine i did the following.

 

-Black basecoat

-Airbrush Tin bitz

-Airbrush Shining gold (might have been burnished gold but think its shining)

-Generous devlan mud

-Highlight with shining gold again

 

I'm a very lazy painter so if you paint half as good as what the marine in your avatar looks like my advise might just be for the trashbin.

 

Following picture is crap but it was what i've had:

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t94/jesperplougmann/2013-11-16190600.jpg

[LutherMax]

My method was:

1) Tin Bitz base coat

2) Spray Shoning Gold from above (couple of coats)

3) Sprayed highlights with Vallejo Model Air Gold

4) Wash with Daler Rowney sepia ink mixed with Johnsons Klear

 

http://www.themightybrush.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Blood-Angels-Sanguinary-Guard-02.jpg

http://www.themightybrush.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Blood-Angels-Sanguinary-Guard-03.jpg

[tsijben]

I was really lazy and went to our home-depot for some metallic gold spray.

Other layers don't work extremely well on top of it, but the gold-effect itself makes up for that in my opinion.

 

http://imgur.com/a/dA2pK

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

I just use the new Citadel paints exactly as the GW painting guide recommends and have had no problems at all, and have been happy with the results. So, What I do is:

 

1. Prime with black spray

2. Basecoat of Balthazar Gold

3. Wash with Agrax Earthshade

4. Layer with Gahenna's Gold

5. Highlight with Auric Armour Gold

 

Judge the results for yourself:

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BflzTlQqfiQ/UTFly_D1hWI/AAAAAAAAA40/nEmxUSuUV2Q/s1600/Sanguinary+Guard+Finished.JPG

[Gaweda]

There is a GW painting guide?

[Deschenus Maximus]

Airbrushing - makes painting gold SOOOoooo much easier!

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Yes. It's pretty good in my opinion. I found it helpful in getting my painting "to the next level". Again, you can judge for yourself from the pictures above. Here's the link to the book: http://www.games-workshop.com/en-CA/How-to-Paint-Citadel-Miniatures-ENG

 

Although this appears to be a different version than the one I own. Very similar but the miniatures on the cover of my book are different.

[Gaweda]

Great, appreciate it.

[bigted]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Some great methods here, I'll do a few test models and see how the gold turns out. Luther, I think yours look incredible! I'm a big fan of some of your other models, especially the Mephiston you posted on the kitbash thread. How did you do the gold on Tycho? Sadly I've used up all my likes for today, but I would like a lot of these posts if I could. I want these guys to look really really good, so the more complicated the better . However I have no experience with NMM so I would prefer to do metallic metals. Thanks again everyone. I'll post my first test model when I'm done.

[LutherMax]

Cheers bigted!

 

For Tycho I wanted the armour to have more of an aged look, like it was a relic suit. Tin Bitz base again (I guess you would use Balthazar Gold now as Nicodemus did) and then drybrush with Rub n' Buff Gold Leaf, coat of varnish, sepia wash. I got the idea for Rub n' Buff from the most recent FW Modelling Masterclass book. It's not a paint, more like a paste, but gives a very realistic look. The gold flecks go everywhere when drybrushing so it's important to do all the gold first before any other colours. Also, like with Vallejo Liquid Gold mentioned earlier you need alcohol to wash your brush as it's not water based.

 

If you're going to experiment with different colours / materials / techniques you might want to try it out on some spare bits before you go all guns blazing on your Sang Guard models - there are only five in the box!

[bigted]

Cheers bigted!

For Tycho I wanted the armour to have more of an aged look, like it was a relic suit. Tin Bitz base again (I guess you would use Balthazar Gold now as Nicodemus did) and then drybrush with Rub n' Buff Gold Leaf, coat of varnish, sepia wash. I got the idea for Rub n' Buff from the most recent FW Modelling Masterclass book. It's not a paint, more like a paste, but gives a very realistic look. The gold flecks go everywhere when drybrushing so it's important to do all the gold first before any other colours. Also, like with Vallejo Liquid Gold mentioned earlier you need alcohol to wash your brush as it's not water based.

If you're going to experiment with different colours / materials / techniques you might want to try it out on some spare bits before you go all guns blazing on your Sang Guard models - there are only five in the box!

Don't worry, I'm testing on a footslogging honour guard squad that I made some time ago. Did you water down the Rub n'Buff at all? An art shop near me stocks it (according to their website) so I'll likely pick it up and give it a try. If I can get my sang guard looking half as good as your Tycho I'll be very happy .

[LutherMax]

No need to thin it (definitely don't use water with it!). Just squeeze a bit out onto a palette, work it into the bristles of your brush and lightly drybrush onto the model. Build it up in layers as you go. If you have a look at Asterion Moloc on my blog, I used it for him too, just used more washes to darken it to a bronze colour.

[appiah4]

My trick to painting gold is to start with a base of copper+brown mix on top of a black undercoat, I then go up to red gold, yellow gold or silver, depending on the age of metal I want.  I suggest you try this, and you will find it works amazingly well for such a simple idea:

 

1. Pirme black

2. Basecoat 1:1 mix of copper and brown

3. Layer red gold

4. Shade with shade of choice (Flesh washes work great here, but Green and Purple can make interesting shades)

5. Layer red gold (again)

6. Layer yellow gold (if you want to) or highlight with yellow gold and call it done

7. If you layered yellow gold, highlight with silver and call it done

 

Result:

 

http://image.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_8363/gallery_60983_8363_1962.jpg

[Karhedron]

There is a great blog here by a guy who tried various different golds in looking for the perfect mix for his Sanguinary Guard.

 

His final "recipe" is listed below but would probably be simplified a bit without losing the overall effect.

 

Base coat 4:1 VMC Brass : VGC Scrofulous Brown using Airbrush

Wash with thinned P3-Umbral Umber

Highlight with 4:1 VMC Gold : VGC Scrofulous Brown

Glaze with very thinned 1:1 P3-SanguineBase : GW-DA Green to pull highlight into the shadow

Re-touch highlight color,

Highlight with 3:1 VMC Gold : GW-Mithril Silver

Add 4-5 reflective 'spots' with GW-Mithril silver near top/front of model.

 

http://atticwars40k.blogspot.co.uk/2011_10_01_archive.html

[Theduke08]

http://taleofpainters.blogspot.com/2010/07/tutorial-how-to-paint-sanguinary-guard.html

 

This is one of my favorite Sang guard painting tutorial.  Ive used this for all of my gold and get solid results.  

 

[Morticon]

My method was:

1) Tin Bitz base coat

2) Spray Shoning Gold from above (couple of coats)

3) Sprayed highlights with Vallejo Model Air Gold

4) Wash with Daler Rowney sepia ink mixed with Johnsons Klear

 

http://www.themightybrush.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Blood-Angels-Sanguinary-Guard-02.jpg

http://www.themightybrush.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Blood-Angels-Sanguinary-Guard-03.jpg

 

I wish i could do my jump packs like that O_O

[appiah4]

 

My method was:

1) Tin Bitz base coat

2) Spray Shoning Gold from above (couple of coats)

3) Sprayed highlights with Vallejo Model Air Gold

4) Wash with Daler Rowney sepia ink mixed with Johnsons Klear

 

http://www.themightybrush.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Blood-Angels-Sanguinary-Guard-02.jpg

http://www.themightybrush.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Blood-Angels-Sanguinary-Guard-03.jpg

 

I wish i could do my jump packs like that O_O

 

 

Yeah, what really makes that figure is ultimately the jumppack lighting and exhaust grime..  The gold isn't my favorite, if the artist would pardon me saying so, but overall it looks ace.

[LutherMax]

I painted that model some years ago (I guess around when the Sang Guard kit first came out). There are things I would do differently when I look at it now (edge highlights for example) but personally I like the 'muted' look of the gold...

 

@ Mort next time I do some jump packs like that I'll take some pics of the process :)

 

You can see the rest of the unit here:

http://www.themightybrush.com/?p=142

[Vettanker]

I painted that model some years ago (I guess around when the Sang Guard kit first came out). There are things I would do differently when I look at it now (edge highlights for example) but personally I like the 'muted' look of the gold...

@ Mort next time I do some jump packs like that I'll take some pics of the process :)

You can see the rest of the unit here:

http://www.themightybrush.com/?p=142

I'm not normally a fan of lighting effects, mostly because most ppl muck it up IMO, but that jump pack is awesome and I'd love to see how you did it too.

[bigted]

Alright, I've finished the test model. I think I'll use him as a Captain or something. I'll post pics ASAP. I think he looks pretty good.