New painter looking for some advice on a new color scheme

Hello all! I've recently begun working on a lizardman army, and I decided to avoid the more typical blue color scheme; the blue looks great, but I just didn't like it. So instead I've gone with a black undercoat and a scab red for scales, using tin bitz, dwarf bronze, and shining gold as accents. Here's some images, I'd love any advice to make them "pop" a little more; right now they're kinda dull. I painted the "obsidian" parts of the weapons with glossy coat, but it's hard to see in the pictures. A friend suggested adding a second smaller coat of a brighter red on the scales, but I'd like to know what you all think.

These pictures are of the Saurus warrior command group, and Chakax, sans his little flags (haven't gotten to those yet)

 

Re: New painter looking for some advice on a new color schem

I actually really like them the way they are, but I'm one of those people that likes an army that doesn't scream "look at me!".

Purple, I think, is a tricky colour to compliment well. Blue and purple go well together but don't contrast, hence the lack of "pop". I think one of the best colours to use to make a purple model "pop" is yellow. It might be a bit more popping than you want, but you could try bands of yellow over their backs (perpendicular to the spine, around 1 to 2 scales wide and wrapping around about half the model).

But that might be more contrast than you are looking to achieve. Red would give a more subtle contrast than yellow. But like I said, I think they look good already

EDIT: I'm not sure how you painted the gold there, its a bit hard to see in the pictures, but you could paint that a bit brighter as well if you wanted and would make the models stand out a bit more. Like the way I painted it on this Cold One Rider...

http://www.lustria-online.com/viewtopic.php?p=67986#p67986

That was a Brazen Brass base coat, either Devlan Mud or Black wash, then highlight with Shining Gold just in the high points so they shine a bit more when the light hits it. Brazen Brass unfortunately doesn't exist anymore, but I think its similar to 50/50 Tin Bitz and Dwarf Bronze, or maybe 30/70, or maybe you can get something similar from another company, I haven't looked (what the heck happened to GW metallics?? They used to have heaps, now only 7, and no actual "colours"... oh well).

 

Re: New painter looking for some advice on a new color schem

The Scab Red on the black looks indeed more like Purple. I had the same problem on my shields. I decided to put first a Bestial Brown layer, then 2 Scab red layers and then a layer of Red Gore. This is more Red. Mechrite Red on the black gives an even better result, because it is a foudation colour. Picked this up from a Skaven player and Skavenplayers tend to use it a lot (cfr. The UnderEmpire).
Don't get me wrong: I like your colour sheme. Just saying for when you want a more red colour.

 

Re: New painter looking for some advice on a new color schem

And really like how your grass stands on the base! I really need to learn how to do that.

 

Re: New painter looking for some advice on a new color schem

Really like the colours, thinking of using a purple on my stegs.
What have you used for the grass tufts?

 

Re: New painter looking for some advice on a new color schem

Thanks for all the comments! I used some "Jungle Tufts" from my local hobby store for the grass, it's a nice pack of about 50 grass tufts ranging in size.

 

Re: New painter looking for some advice on a new color schem

I actually really like your Color Scheme on the Saurus and Chakrax