# Help Painting Black Space Marines(Raven Guard)



## themandalorian (Dec 24, 2009)

Now I'm new to the Hobby so bear with me please (academy program at GW on the 26th). However I wanted to know what Paints I should possibly buy right now. I bought the Citadel Spray can, as well as brushes. I am wondering though how I should do it, some people in the store recommended 2 options, white basecoat, black foundation paints, then detail, or just black primer and detail. I'm guessing, and some people told me, that priming white, than adding an undercoat of black would look better. However the store manager said the foundation black paint isn't sold seperately. What am I to do? Surely black space marines aren't a rare sight. Suggestions?

Oh and specifically I'm going Raven Guard, thanks!


edit: Sorry I'm probably worrying to much but I wanted advice from some experienced painters

Sorry for the double post browsers acting weird.

ok so I guess I have a few options I guess.

I could also prime black. Then thin out a black paint and lightly paint over the models. Then prime all shoulder pads white, paint the inside black, and the trim red (since I want the red and black trim)

Or I could do the above and try to use the spray gun with chaos black thinned out? Or should I use a grey foundation paint (since its already pre measured to thin it out on the spray gun) over the blakc primed models, will it be dark enough. Orrrrrrr would mixing 2/3 grey and 1/3 black be ok to still use the standard thinning measure? Because this sounds a little easier.

Or final Option, Black Primer, 50 50 mix of water and Chaos Black, add accents/ touch up with a grey (codex grey)? White primer on shoulder pads paint with chaos black and add a crimson red on the shoulder pad trim


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## edd_thereaper (Oct 21, 2008)

i would get black primer, and also i would buy januarys white dwarf magazine as it has a painting guide for legion of the dammed space marines which also have black armour

in brief here is what it says

1.basecoat with 1:1 mix of regal blue and chaos black

2.add a small amount of fortress grey into the mix as a highlight to the edges of the armour

3.highlight edges with pure fortress grey

4.highlight to edges of 1:1 mix of fortress grey and skull white

here is what it should look like










hope this helps

cheers

edd


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## Calamari (Feb 13, 2009)

My Raven Guard aren't the best looking but my method is fairly quick.

Black Spray > wash with Chaos Black > Edge with Shadow Grey.

The wash ensures any bits that were missed by the spray are covered and it also adds a slight shade to the model (the spray isn't as dark as the paint for some reason.

To get the white (on the chest Aquila and as a basecoat for the red trim) just do a coat of fotress grey (it covers black nicely) and then in about 2 or 3 coats you will have a nice even white coat. I don't have any pictures of my Raven Guard but I used the white method for the yellow on my Bad Moons:


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## themandalorian (Dec 24, 2009)

How about prime Chaos black, Citadel Black Wash, highlight with grey, then detail.


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## Fumble Tumble (Oct 3, 2008)

hmm.... 

how about getting a airbrush, putting a mix of black and grey on a model over with a black undercoat, followed by a black wash, the highlight with fortress grey


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## themandalorian (Dec 24, 2009)

how about this? 

revised
1.Prime with Chaos black
2.Touch up all the spots I missed with thinned Chaos Black
3. Use Citadel Spray gun with Adeptus Battle Grey Foundation Paint
4. Highlight areas with grey paint, but which grey?(joints, edges)
5. Use Citadel Black Wash paint (2 or three coats)
6. Re highlight areas
7. Add Detail (eyes, red to trim, other areas)
8. Paint Bolter with standard pattern)
9. Spray White Shoulder pads Seperately with Skull white, possibly another coat but in general Keep it like this.


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## themandalorian (Dec 24, 2009)

Actually I've decided on these three Options, I'd like whichever is easier/looks best. Final Options sound the best?

1. Prime Black
2. Paint Dark Grey Over (thinned)

1 Prime black
2. Paint Chaos black over (thinned0

1. Prime Black
2. Paint Chaos Black or Dark Grey over (both thinned)
3. Citadel Badab Grey Wash


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## nerdfest09 (Nov 2, 2009)

I have a quick way to paint my raven guard. I just undercoat chaos black assemble my models touch up any black with paint then get a can of skull white, and carefully hold the can about15 to 20 cm above the model and give them a quick squirt, this naturally highlights them and leaves the recesses in shade,then i just give it 3-4 washes of badab black which takes off the chalky look and darkens it up nicely then it's just the details such as the chest eagle and eyes and pad rim in red and he's ready to do battle! i'll post a pic later if i can get a camera. hope you try this and it works for you.


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## STATIC (Feb 11, 2008)

^^^ That sounds like a really interesting approach to painting Raven Guard. I'd like to see those pics when ever possible.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

edd_thereaper said:


> i would get black primer, and also i would buy januarys white dwarf magazine as it has a painting guide for legion of the dammed space marines which also have black armour
> 
> in brief here is what it says
> 
> ...


Games Workshop is actually full of it. The basecoat should be black, and the first highlight should be the mix with some regal blue in it. If you mix a 1:1 mix of black and regal blue, you're going to get something that looks suspiciously like a Crimson Fist. 

I'd revise it to read:

1. Undercoat with a black spray.

2. Draw out the highlights using a 1:1 mix of Regal Blue and Chaos Black. These should be vaguely thick lines around the edges of any surface that's going to be black.

3. Mix up a 2:1:1 mix of Codex Grey, Regal Blue, and Chaos Black. Then, apply a layer of that onto the lines you drew.

4. Mix up the previous mix, replacing Codex Grey with Fortress Grey, and add a layer of that, taking care to apply only fine highlights.

5. Then, apply very fine highlights of pure Fortress Grey.


I PROMISE this will look more like what they've shown. The baffling thing about Games Workshop's 'eavy Metal team is that they're not very good painters-- they're very talented photoshoppers. If you ever go to Games Day and look at the Studio armies, you'll see what I mean.


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## Something Yellow (Nov 22, 2009)

I was about to change my colour scheme entirely until I found this page.. Thanks for the info Son of Hours and everyone els!


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