# [SOLVED] Painting Blue Power Armour



## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

Hey people, reaper here with another PPA installment.

This one is for possibly my favourite colour to paint, blue!

Blue is just such a nice colour to paint. It's simple to shade and highlight, it applies without fuss, it makes a striking colourscheme.

so here's how i paint the bue you'll see on the marine in my attachment.

1) Undercoat black

2) Basecoat midnight blue

3) Apply several layers of regal blue, leaving MB in the recesses

4) Hghlight with ultramarines blue

If you want a darker, more CF blue then here's what I'd reccomend:

1) Udercoat black

2) Basecoat midnight blue

3) Apply several layers of a 50/50 mix of midnight blue/regal blue

4) Highlight with ultramarines blue

This gives a deep blue with nice contrasting highlights.

Let's hear other people's methods


(Can't seem to attach in this post, I'll try again now)


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## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

There we go


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## 10228 (Sep 8, 2008)

If you want my method, just wait a bit for my tutorial, then I will link it. I have no pics at the moment, but I do:

1. Undercoat Chaos Black
2. Base coat with 1:1 Chaos Black/Regal Blue
3. Leaving a small amount in the recesses, paint Regal Blue
4. Again leaving a small amount in the recesses, paint 1:1 Regal Blue/Ultramarines Blue
5. Highlight edges with Ultramarines Blue and a small dab of Skull White


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

Blue is pretty forgiving. It's great for practicing (or learning, for that matter) blending. In the interest of that, here's how I do blue with shading and lengthy blending in mind, rather than a three-stage highlight that's perfect for getting models on the table.

The progression I use is, again, using Reaper Master Series paints. I'll include the GW equivalents where possible, though.

1. Undercoat black.

2. Get an even layer of Ultramarine Shadow on the areas that are going to be blue. This stuff is really bloody dark-- it's slightly darker than GW's Midnight Blue-- so go ahead and get it into all the crevasses. If I had to mix some up using GW's paints, I'd do maybe 80/20 Midnight Blue and Black. 

3. Next up is a 50/50 mix of Ultramarine Shadow and Ultramarine Blue. The GW equivalent is probably pretty close to the Foundation color Mordian Blue, however that stuff is so thick and high in pigment that you don't want to use that. A mix of maybe 75/25 Midnight Blue and Mordian Blue would probably do the trick, as would a 50/50 of Midnight and Enchanted Blue. I probably should note that the Reaper Ultramarine Triad is NOT the same thing as GW's Ultramarines Blue by a long shot. 

4. Now, the blending begins. Mix up 25/75 Ultramarine Shadow and Ultramarine Blue. GW's Enchanted Blue is close enough for jazz. Blend it into the initial layer, and emphasize an even coat as you progress out.

5. Pure Ultramarine Blue (50/50 Enchanted Blue and Ultramarines Blue) is next. Again, leave some of the previous layer showing, and blend the join. A wash of Asurmen Blue (that'd be GW's blue wash) helps blend the layers together at this point. 

6. Now, we want about 75/25 Ultramarine Blue and Ultramarine Highlight (straight Ultramarines Blue works). Same deal as steps 4 and 5 with the layering. Wash it again with Asurmen Blue. 

7. One more blending layer. 50/50 Ultramarine Blue and Ultramarine Highlight (Ultramarines Blue with a bit of Ice Blue or Space Wolves Grey mixed in... kind of have to play that one by ear.). Emphasize the edges with this layer. One more wash of Asurmen Blue.

8. Now, at the very extreme edges, pure Ultramarine Highlight (about 50/50 Ultramarine Blue and Space Wolves Grey) goes on. You want very fine lines, and nothing too flashy. If it ends up a bit strong, another wash can fix that, as can reapplying the Step 7 mix as a sort of 'eraser' layer.


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## LVix (Oct 18, 2008)

I feel like a real amateur here but I thought I'd give my method for a nice dark blue. (Possibly suitable for Crimson Fists.)

Note: I used midnight blue originally but as GW have discontinued it, either use a thinned down Necron abyss foundation paint to replace it or another suitably dark blue. (A 5:1 mix of Regal Blue/Chaos black may also work but will be duller.)

White basecoat.
Stage 1 - 2:1 mix Midnight blue/Liche Purple
Stage 2 - 2:1:1 mix Midnight blue/Liche Purple/Regal blue
Stage 3 (highlight 1) - add 1 part Bleached Bone to the mix
Stage 4 (final highlight) - add a further 2 parts Bleached bone to the mix

Here is my little marine with that blue.


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## Amra_the_lion (May 26, 2008)

white dwarf 346, pgs 91 and 95. Really lays it out easy in both tutorials and looks professional


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

The blue for the armour i paint:

1.) black primer 
2.) base coat thin layer midnight blue
3.) slowly add a few more layers of midnight blue to the areas where the light might hit.
4.) add enchanted blue slowly on a palette with the midnight blue
5.) progressive amounts of enchanted blue added as highlights
6.) ice blue as a lighter blue highlight, again progressive amounts
7.) skull white added to the ice blue highlights as a final contrast
8.) et voila









bear in mind i spent hours and hours getting lots of thin layers on to get the effect right. Its all about patience and practice, visualising the light sources.


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## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

Moo that is outstanding, I'm lost for words


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## jakkie (Dec 21, 2007)

wow, these look nice and simple
i need a nice dark blue for my CFs - what are peoples opinions on the foundation paints??, adn des anyone know the 'Eavy Metal method?

thanx


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## MAKmarine (Jul 15, 2011)

I'm not sure exactly which way 'Eavy Metal does it but on the gw sight if you go to Space marine articles and then to Space Marines: The battle force the second page looks pretty good


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## Dawnstar (Jan 21, 2010)

Brilliant 

I've been looking for a tutorial on how to paint blue for a while


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## xenobiotic (Jun 7, 2008)

1. Necron Abyss
2. Thraka Green Wash
3. Regal Blue Highlight
4. Enchanted Blue Highlight
5. Ice Blue Highlight
6. Asuremen Blue Wash
7. Result:


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