Washes for 30k Blood Angels

[Cris R]

I’m at the stage in painting my Legion where I’ve glossed my BAs and ready to use a dark wash to give them a deeper, richer look that makes them look worn but regal at the same time. Here is my list of washes to see if folks had recommendations for ones that I could use to get this effect. I’m also happy for new recommendations as well.

• Army Painter Dark Tone
• Citadel Nuln Oil and Nuln Oil Gloss, Agrax Earthshade and Agrax Earthshade Gloss
• Scale 75 Dark Stain, Grease, and Dark Mud oil washes
• AK Brown Streaking Grime for Red Hulls
• MIG Productions Black Wash
• Secret Weapon Heavy and Soft Body Black washes
• Vallejo Model Wash for Grey and Dark Vehicles 

[SkimaskMohawk]

So from what I know, AMMO, MIG productions and AK all are basically the same stuff at the end of the day. Similarly their browns only differ for how thin/thick they are and not the actual colour when it comes to things like "brown for yellow hulls" "brown for this" "brown for that".

 

I'd assume the enamel/oil stuff is just easier to clean up any over spill than the acrylics, but if it's all equal then it really comes down to personal preference. I like streaking grime for a really weathered model as it acts as a filter as well, but if it's just for pin shading it can come off a bit strong.

[Noserenda]

From dusty memory on mine i used Agrax earthshade pretty much all over and then some nuln oil in select deeper or dirtier areas, then after highlights id pop a little army painter red wash on areas that were too bright. 

12339143_10153738378125797_8981438212081904704_o by Noserenda, on Flickr

(More pics in that album, just grabbed a relatively clear one :)  ) 

[MARK0SIAN]

You can get some nice effects by thinning down the contrast paint using contrast medium to make them more like a wash. There’s a few good darker tones you can use and they still behave like contrast paint so they’re naturally drawn to the recesses.

[Cris R]

You can get some nice effects by thinning down the contrast paint using contrast medium to make them more like a wash. There’s a few good darker tones you can use and they still behave like contrast paint so they’re naturally drawn to the recesses.

I’ve got that medium on hand. Which Contrast paints would you recommend?

[MARK0SIAN]

 

You can get some nice effects by thinning down the contrast paint using contrast medium to make them more like a wash. There’s a few good darker tones you can use and they still behave like contrast paint so they’re naturally drawn to the recesses.

I’ve got that medium on hand. Which Contrast paints would you recommend?

If you want darker I’d go with wildwood I think it’s called. There’s a darker one called cygor brown but I haven’t tried that myself so I can’t vouch for that one. Snakebite leather also works nicely but I’ve never used it on red.

[SkimaskMohawk]

Wildwood is pretty dark, I'd definitely really think it down or at least be ready to add medium to it on the model.

[Doctor Perils]

If you want a richer look you may also want to look into more purple colours (for example druchii violet) though you may run the risk of it looking less worn in that case

 

How about reikland fleshshade? It'll look less brown than agrax (and therefore more regal) without leaving the worn and weathered palette

[Spagunk]

My goto is one that Saint Duncan did a video: base mephiston red, 2 coats of nuln oil.

 

The follow up is dry brush/layer mephiston red with a 2nd layer of evil suns red.

[Cris R]

If you want a richer look you may also want to look into more purple colours (for example druchii violet) though you may run the risk of it looking less worn in that case

 

How about reikland fleshshade? It'll look less brown than agrax (and therefore more regal) without leaving the worn and weathered palette

 

 

My goto is one that Saint Duncan did a video: base mephiston red, 2 coats of nuln oil.

 

The follow up is dry brush/layer mephiston red with a 2nd layer of evil suns red.

My recipe for my Blood Angel's red so far takes elements of these approaches and ones from Brofist's Zenithal priming tutorial. The process is:

 

1) I spray black to the underparts of the model, then do a Zenithal prime using the Army Painter primer spray cans in this order: Chaotic Red over the model save for the black undersides, then Dragon Red for the upper 45 degree angle, and then finally top it off with Pure Red over the very top.

 

2) Mix Lahmian Medium and Carroburg Crimson and brush that over the red to blend the layers together so they look more coherent.

 

3) Gloss coat and weather using washes, which is where I am right now. The responses to this thread have been helpful for finalizing this step, so I appreciate the feedback.

 

I'm getting an airbrush later this year and will use that to refine this technique but I'm happy with the results so far. I'll post pictures in a separate thread one I've got more photos to share.

Edited June 8, 2021 by Cris R

[NiftyVT]

I use a dark brown enamel on my BA. AK or MiG will work. See my sig for thread link. I have a step by step with pictures that you might find helpful. Edited June 8, 2021 by NiftyVT

[Cris R]

I use a dark brown enamel on my BA. AK or MiG will work. See my sig for thread link. I have a step by step with pictures that you might find helpful.

Holy Papa Sang, that's beautiful work. I may need to pick up those washes now because that's the look I'm going for. Would the MIG Productions Brown Wash work as a substitute for what you used?

[NiftyVT]

 

 

I use a dark brown enamel on my BA. AK or MiG will work. See my sig for thread link. I have a step by step with pictures that you might find helpful.

Holy Papa Sang, that's beautiful work. I may need to pick up those washes now because that's the look I'm going for. Would the MIG Productions Brown Wash work as a substitute for what you used?

I recommend getting the Brown and Dark Brown and then doing a test model for each. Then you will probably want to experiment a little with how bright you make their armor before the wash because the wash, even if you pin wash it, really darkens the armor down when you wipe off the excess.

[Cris R]

 

 

I use a dark brown enamel on my BA. AK or MiG will work. See my sig for thread link. I have a step by step with pictures that you might find helpful.

Holy Papa Sang, that's beautiful work. I may need to pick up those washes now because that's the look I'm going for. Would the MIG Productions Brown Wash work as a substitute for what you used?

I recommend getting the Brown and Dark Brown and then doing a test model for each. Then you will probably want to experiment a little with how bright you make their armor before the wash because the wash, even if you pin wash it, really darkens the armor down when you wipe off the excess.

 

Just picked up the MIG Production Brown and the AK Dark Brown washes. The emphasis will be on the brightest parts of the armor to build in some shading that got lost through the Zenithal priming. The darker parts will get a very light layer of wash for texture but the Zenithal priming took care of the shading for me already, so that's going to save time.

[Xenith]

 

I’m at the stage in painting my Legion where I’ve glossed my BAs and ready to use a dark wash to give them a deeper, richer look that makes them look worn but regal at the same time. Here is my list of washes to see if folks had recommendations for ones that I could use to get this effect. I’m also happy for new recommendations as well.

 

 

It would be great if you had a photo to show what you mean. I can't think of one wash that would both enhance the red and make the recesses dirty brown etc. 

[Cris R]

 

 

I’m at the stage in painting my Legion where I’ve glossed my BAs and ready to use a dark wash to give them a deeper, richer look that makes them look worn but regal at the same time. Here is my list of washes to see if folks had recommendations for ones that I could use to get this effect. I’m also happy for new recommendations as well.

 

 

It would be great if you had a photo to show what you mean. I can't think of one wash that would both enhance the red and make the recesses dirty brown etc. 

 

Here is a photo of one of the Assault Marines to give you a sense of where it is right now. Some have more shade depending on how the Zenithal prime came out. That said, I'm not looking for more red; I just need a wash that gives more shade and wear to the red without going overboard like you see in other Legions.

[Lucien Eilam]

I think it would be hard to get the effect you’re describing with a single wash. You have a really nice deep red going there already, I’d be wary of anything to make that much darker.

 

I’d consider a very careful, targeted pin wash in the recesses. That could be a dark brown (warm), black (cold and stark), or even deep purple (richer) depending on the effect you’re going for.

 

For the “worn” look, I’d try an oil filter (like a glaze, so thin it’s the consistency of dirty water, applied sparingly so it doesn’t pool or just run into the recesses) with a brown/black grime/grease paint all over the otherwise finished model.

 

I use Abteilung Engine Grease and Starship Filth for this kind of thing, but I’m not sure they’re still in production. There are loads of similar paints on the market though, or you can mix your own with generic black and burnt umber. Mig Jimenez’ AMMO have a range of acrylic filters designed to be applied directly, including a version of Starship Filth, which might be easier to use than thinning oils. I haven’t used them though so I can’t vouch for it.

 

A single filter coat will be almost imperceptible, but you can build it up to the level of griminess you want with multiple coats.

 

Whatever you end up doing, test the whole process on something disposable first. That model is looking pretty great already.

[Cris R]

I think it would be hard to get the effect you’re describing with a single wash. You have a really nice deep red going there already, I’d be wary of anything to make that much darker.

 

I’d consider a very careful, targeted pin wash in the recesses. That could be a dark brown (warm), black (cold and stark), or even deep purple (richer) depending on the effect you’re going for.

 

For the “worn” look, I’d try an oil filter (like a glaze, so thin it’s the consistency of dirty water, applied sparingly so it doesn’t pool or just run into the recesses) with a brown/black grime/grease paint all over the otherwise finished model.

 

I use Abteilung Engine Grease and Starship Filth for this kind of thing, but I’m not sure they’re still in production. There are loads of similar paints on the market though, or you can mix your own with generic black and burnt umber. Mig Jimenez’ AMMO have a range of acrylic filters designed to be applied directly, including a version of Starship Filth, which might be easier to use than thinning oils. I haven’t used them though so I can’t vouch for it.

 

A single filter coat will be almost imperceptible, but you can build it up to the level of griminess you want with multiple coats.

 

Whatever you end up doing, test the whole process on something disposable first. That model is looking pretty great already.

Thank you! I just wrapped up a side project where I experimented with the Scale 75 oil washes, which are grease and stains, and the filtering effect was very subtle and smooth. So that could be an option moving forward.

Edited June 15, 2021 by Cris R

[SkimaskMohawk]

If you want a stained and slightly tinted look I'll try and link a WIP shot of a glaive after work. Filters/streaking grime can really transform a paintscheme.