Color identification and other misc questions

[Skywrath]

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/7/78/Warp_Gheists_Heretic_Astartes.png/revision/latest?cb=20180213213557

With this colour scheme (see above) Caledor Sky ended up too dark, so I'm looking for something lighter - can someone identify this azure colour, as well as a shading recommendation? 

Secondly, aside from Retributor Armor and Leadbelcher I find that the GW metallics don't have enough metallic pigment in them, where do most people go to for their metallics? Any recommendations?

Thirdly, in some painting tutorials some people used washes in pippetes for precise application of recess shading - what's everyone's experience with that if you use that technique?

Edited September 30, 2022 by Skywrath

[Urauloth]

Scale75 metallics are about the best you'll find. They have a lot of metallic fleck, and it's much finer than in GW metals, which is an extremely important attribute of metallic paints imo. It's why I avoid leadbelcher myself; the coverage is fine, but the fleck is coarse and I don't like the flow and the finish.

Not sold on applying washes with pippetes personally. Precise application is what good brushes are for.

Your image link isn't working by the way. You'll need to delete everything after the .png I think. This should do it:

Can't help with the blue I'm afraid. It's a colour I never really use.

[Bryan Blaire]

For the blue, are you wedded to GW paint colors?  If so, I would look at using Teclis blue as your base, with Lorthern blue as either a midway color or highlight, depending on how you want it to look - Ahriman blue may also be a good starting point, although that isn’t as blue, mixing with Hoeth blue to work up layers and highlight.  If you aren’t, there are plenty of color lines that have some kind of azure blue you might be able to use (I typically stick to Vallejo, Scale75, and Golden, and ProAcryl, but there are definitely others, and you could even look at mixing your own).

For shading, I would use an oil wash of either cobalt blue or Payne’s grey personally, but you could also use a careful application of Drakenhof Nightshade if using GW shades or Celestium/Leviadon blue Contrast (see below) to shade recesses depending on how dark you want them.

For metallics, I also really like Scale75’s metallics, but I am liking the Vallejo Metal Color line even more - I enjoy using Scale75’s Alchemy colors to adjust the base colors, but also use acrylic inks to tint the Vallejo Metal Color to get things to look closer to the way I want.

Can’t really say anything about using pipettes to apply washes - depending on what you are using, I’m not sure that the application would be any more precise than using an extra-fine synthetic brush - it may take longer applying smaller amounts of shade color each time, but short of using micron size pipettes, I can’t see the precision available for application being much better than a brush.  To get better shading results, I would suggest oil washes first, then probably enamels, and then using two brushes - one with the Contrast color you want to shade with, and the other loaded with Contrast medium to hit any sloppy edges when applying the Contrast color to move it back to the recesses.  You may even be able to lay down the medium ahead of time to prevent too much slopping and prevent any lines, but you probably have to be quick to apply the Contrast color before the medium dries.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Bryan Blaire

[Grotsmasha]

Duncan's finished model looks quite like that image's colour,