Color scheme advice requested

[emptysubs]

Hi, all. Thanks for taking a peek. I've just finished painting my first unit for my first Age of Sigmar army (example photos attached). I'm new to mini painting, but I'm generally satisfied with the result. They're a bit darker than I'd like, but that's due to my technique. My poor photography skills aren't helping...

In any case, my dilemma is this: how should I approach painting my Saurus? I like GW's color scheme of dark blue scales and light blue skin for Skinks and Saurus, but if I paint my Saurus using the same colors will that be too much of a good thing/not enough variety? I've considered switching from the caledor sky base with a lothern blue highlight that I've used on the Skinks' skin to a stegadon scale green base with a sotek green or temple guard blue highlight for the Saurus, but worry the teal tones of that scheme will clash with cold ones painted in the standard GW scheme.

Having read over the last paragraph I'm feeling slightly silly for worrying about such trivialities, but I'm hoping you will sympathize with my plight and offer up any advice you've got. I've got some primed Saurus waiting for me to stop suffering analysis paralysis

Thanks!

Matthew

 

[Bowser]

I think you can stick with the blues, and put variety in the shields or other models such as the carno and bastiladons that you are sure to get! I like the uniformity of the skinks and saurus, really will look sharp in the table! Paint job is amazing! This skink looks so good!

 

[Ritual]

Well, I'm not one for sticking to suggested colour schemes with anything - so I would advise picking what colours you like. Damn the rules!

If you want to know what colour would work well with your blue dudes, I would say read up on some colour theory. Basically go for something on the opposite side of the colour wheel - in this case orange as it's opposite of blue.

My pro-est tip when coming up with colour schemes is contrast. Both on a miniature level and on an army level.

Here's a colour wheel:

Now take a look at the guys I am working on currently:

The priest is green, to contrast from the red. He also has that on a miniature level with the green and orangey-reds. He also looks good next to the purple of the Warrior shields as that is on the "thirds" of the colour wheel - green, purple, orange.

There's a lot of reading you could do on the matter, but print yourself off a colour wheel and use the contrasts and go from there. Hope that helps.

Nice job on the Skink, by the way.

 

[emptysubs]

Thanks for the advice, guys. And the kind words, too.

I think I'm leaning toward keeping the blue/blue for the Saurus as you suggest, Bowser, but Ritual sure makes a compelling case for going your own way. What a great Skink priest! I also really like the shield on the Saurus warrior. Did you achieve that look by flicking paint from the brush?

Your advice to learn some color theory is solid, Ritual, and I plan to. But for my first foray into miniature painting following GW's scheme seems so much easier (despite the fact they don't always stick to it).

I'm itching to get started painting these Saurus, so I'll let you know how things shake out. Maybe I'll even start a painting log.

Thanks again for taking a few mins to share your thoughts!

Matthew

 

[Ritual]

Please make a painting log, would love to see the progress!

The shield was black/purple airbrushing and then loading up a dry brush with white paint and running it across the edge of some card to flick the paint on - good spot.

If you try it, don't flick straight away, do a couple on some paper first as the first couple of strikes tend to be too globby and look weird.

 

[n810]

I rather like your Dark blue skink,
Be sure to check out the main gallery of the old ones for more ideas.

Ps. I find old tooth brushes are good for the old flicking paint trick.

 

[GrDemon]

I Like more of the blue skinks and saurus warriors. Although the greens are good as well. However you started with painting the skink blue, I would stick with the blue color.

With my core units I decided I wanted some variation in skin tones (scales and head). Here are my saurus warriors.

 

[Crowsfoot]

Nothing wrong with Blue and keeping everything blue but it really is upto you, your army do as you wish.

The skink looks good, I've just bases to do on my 50 but I went green!

What did you wash the skink with?

 

[Nefertem]

I would propose buying a colour wheel at your FLGS. It's not expensive and helps a lot. Otherwise there are a lot of hints in the net, just have a Google search:

http://miniaturetim.blogspot.com/2012/03/color-theory-and-painting-miniatures.html?m=1

Generally sticking to one main colour and the complementary one to accentuate is the easiest way to finish masses of rank and file troops. For single models you can stick to the quadrupels....

Just give it a try, you won't be underwhelmed or disappointed with the results, I'm sure..

 

[Aginor]

Your Skink looks almost like mine, just better.
Good work!

 

[DeadlyRecluse]

You can always use their warpaint or markings to differentiate them, keep colours the same but change the way you apply them and you'll end up with a more cohesive colour scheme and still retain some uniqueness in the unit.

 

[emptysubs]

Thanks again, everyone, for the excellent advice. I decided to stay with a blue/blue color scheme for the Saurus, but rather than use the same shades (listed above) I tried out stegadon scale green, sotek green and temple guard blue. I'm generally pleased with how he turned out, but welcome your comments and criticism.

Oh, and please ignore the poster tac holding his shield on!

Matthew

 

[Crowsfoot]

That warrior looks good.

 

[Aginor]

I know I said this before, but I'll say it again:
This one looks like mine, just better. I love how those teeth and eyes look so sharp!

 

[Warden]

Thanks for the advice, guys. And the kind words, too.

I think I'm leaning toward keeping the blue/blue for the Saurus as you suggest, Bowser, but Ritual sure makes a compelling case for going your own way. What a great Skink priest! I also really like the shield on the Saurus warrior. Did you achieve that look by flicking paint from the brush?

Your advice to learn some color theory is solid, Ritual, and I plan to. But for my first foray into miniature painting following GW's scheme seems so much easier (despite the fact they don't always stick to it).

I'm itching to get started painting these Saurus, so I'll let you know how things shake out. Maybe I'll even start a painting log.

Thanks again for taking a few mins to share your thoughts!

Matthew

Good luck painting your lizards. Personally I am a fan of green, but blue is classic GW color in recent years. Looking forward to seeing more of your progress!