Blue/Orange color scheme for GSC gang?

[Stoic Raptor]

Hello,

 

I've been thinking about color theory and I wanted to go with a split-complementary paint scheme for my Genestealer Cult gang for Necromunda.

I figure that orange hazard suits would be a nice contrast to the pale purple skin tones and blue carapace and armor details.

 

The specifics, however, seem to elude me.  I've got nearly the full lines of Citadel and Privateer paints and I wanted to find which particular colors would work best for this.  I've tried to make little color swatches but I'm not yet satisfied.

 

Has anyone here tried this sort of color scheme on any sort of model yet, or seen it done well on someone else's work somewhere?

 

I'm open to tips on which colors to use (I don't really want to buy other paints if I can find an approximation in the lines I have) and examples of the scheme elsewhere (I think the Brokkrs from Warpath are probably the first thing that comes to mind as far as what I've seen already).

 

Also, given that this is the Underhive and the cult is probably trying to blend in, I don't want it to look too garish.

 

Any help, advice, suggestions or examples are greatly appreciated.

[Bung]

If you have an Android phone get the paint rack app. It will help you find complimitary colors and the like.

[Subtle Discord]

I really like the idea of orange hazard suits as it fits their intended industrial role perfectly. Naturally, with anything like this, the outcome will be completely subjective. If colour swatches aren't doing it for you it may come down to doing a few test models (even if it's not the actual models you'll be using in the end) to see how the colours interact on something that creates light and dark values in the colours. Remember that along with choosing the colours that it's usually best to give them a hierarchy of primary, secondary, and (usually) tertiary; treating the colours in equal measure will be one of the best recipes that will take the scheme towards garish.

 

You've got the right idea about a split-complementary scheme but have a look at an actual colour wheel and notice that there's a range to any one colour; pure in the middle with a blend with the next pure colour on either side. A pure orange or a red-orange split-complimentary will be more of an orange + blue + green combination and you'll want to shift to a yellow-orange to push the complementary split towards the purple of the wheel. I can't suggest specific colours, but light/dark value is good contrast so consider a bright yellow-orange for the suits, keep the purple and blue elements toned down and/or darker, and have other details neutral.

[Stoic Raptor]

Thanks, that's exactly the sort of advice I was hoping for.  I know there's a GSC video on Warhammer TV that's got a similar scheme, and I was watching Ghool's videos on YouTube about color theory.  

I'm just kind of looking at my colors to find the right orange, to begin with.  Something like Ember Orange or Heartfire in P3; not really sure what's a good yellow-orange in Citadel colors.

 

Ill take a look at the Paint Rack app and see what it suggests.

[Stoic Raptor]

I found this picture that's kind of what I had in mind - what do you think?

[Subtle Discord]

Yeah, there you go; see how the orange is really vivid and bold and adds the punch while the blue and purple are darker to contrast well. The orange here is very true but highlighting is very yellow; it would be up to you if you want to push the base orange more towards the yellow-orange to start. After I posted I even considered that white could be an interesting neutral colour to pair with the scheme and here you go, I think it's successful.

 

However, I would consider two things. It may or may not work but I'd be tempted to swap the orange and white in the pictured scheme to make it more dominant; it's more of the secondary colour there. Also, I wouldn't aim for such a clean final presentation; look at the wear-and-tear in the sculpts, that would look nicer if it was dirtied up a bit with some final weathering, in my humble opinion.

[Arkhanist]

I found this picture that's kind of what I had in mind - what do you think?

 

I think that's the rusted claw scheme from the 'how to paint genestealer cults' booklet. I dug out my copy (needed to make up an order for free shipping!) though I think it's only officially available as a digital purchase now.

 

 

For the orange:

basecoat: jokaero orange

wash: agrax earthshade

all over layer: troll slayer orange

edge highlight: tau light ochre

 

I'm not a huge fan of the hybrid skin in that scheme though, it's very harshly highlighted and too strongly purple for my taste - I'd pair it with a paler variant, something like this one from one of the designers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's another scheme of paler orange cloth and dark armour that I rather like in the book, sons of jormungandr.

 

that orange is:

base: averland sunset

shade: fuegan orange

highlight: yriel yellow

Edited March 17, 2018 by Arkhanist

[Stoic Raptor]

I'd be tempted to swap the orange and white in the pictured scheme to make it more dominant; it's more of the secondary colour there. 

 

I'm horrible with white, so I'll probably use as little of it as possible.  I was looking at the new Kill Team trailer and saw the GSC, and my first thought was "those would look so great, if I could paint white well."  I know the colors and the techniques but I've never been pleased with the results.

[Subtle Discord]

The pictured white from the bottom studio image really just looks like a white or bone base with a very light sepia wash over it and a bit of white highlighting. However, there's nothing stopping you from doing black in the place of the white; pick out all the metal bits, give them a black wash, and highlight the black. Both provide a good contrast to the other colours in the scheme, especially the orange.

[Stoic Raptor]

Thanks!  I took a look at some things and couldn't find anyone selling the book itself, so I decided it's worth the $8 to buy the eBook.

I'm thinking Cult Hydraic might give me some good ideas too - especially when it comes to painting the armor, which is more of abone color than grey-white.  But I really think that using Tau Light Ochre for the edging on the orange will bring it closer to yellow than something like Fire Dragon Bright.

I've always been surprised at how a simple edge highlight changes how we visually perceive the color of an entire area.