Hi guys !

After a long time lurking on this forum, and allowing my models to collect dust, I have decided to post up some progress pictures to keep me motivated!

For my Tau I felt that they didn't need flashy colors or anything metallic as this would detract from their ability to adapt and camoflauge to new environments. Also, I wanted to paint them in an urban camouflage / Sa'Cea style and I really like the way that the first test models have come out. I am taking inspiration for the bases from WWII photos of Berlin and Stalingrad, as well as other major urban battles and hopefully those will start to be good. The end goal is to have a 500 point cadre to restart and relearn the hobby, and then expand from their! So here it is! DSLR and photos galor! C&C always welcome as well as advice!

Basic Idea:


Steps (?)
Black Primer
Gray Armor
Black Retouch / Undercoat on legs
Blue Gray Heavy Drybrush
Black Wash (I have a damp paper towel that i quickly spot touch as I dislike the look of heavy wash)
White Drybrush
Brown Feet/Boots

Im still playing with the shoulder plates, Id like a heavier contrast but dark gray was not so, maybe just Black? Thoughts?

Firewarriors:










And the dislike pile:


After those, I have started to finish them up, and build some stealth suits

That poor fire warrior getting spiked into the ground!! Someone should tell that bully it's not nice to do that!

He disappointed his commander by not wearing the appropriate battle attire! On a serious note, what color should i try for dry brushing the boots and the shoulder plate accent at the bottom? codex gets washed out in the dry brushing. black?

finished painting the first wave of fire warriors. gotta finish three more bases then ill show off the goodies. the stealthies are primered, waiting paint tomorrow. should be a great evening!

Certainly can see you've zapped a majority of the classic mould line issues.

The brown could do with another layer, then hit it with Devlan mud wash for quick results

What grey are you using? It's very strong in pigment on earlier models.

- Tael.

Here are the 3 based Firewarriors, and the 3 other completed ones. The basing took a bit longer than expected to set and the prime to dry, so thats why its 90% done. On top of this, i have all the stealth suits primed and base coated as the prime missed a few spots. gotta work on the color scheme though as im not in love with it.

*disclaimer*
Got crazy with my 50mm lens. And now realize its better to not take photos with it. Now on the photos will be taken with my 18 - 55mm.

Warriors:






COHERENCY!!


bases

Stealth Suits:








THANKS! I take great pains when assembling to thoroughly remove all the mold lines. I'm stopping by the hobby store tomorrow, so devlan mud wash will be on my list! Gray i'm using for the fire warriors is fortress gray with a black wash then a skull white dry brush. I have one older pot and one new pot. The old pot is revived with water and may be thicker (possibly).

Changed the stealth suits completly. Now i am mixing black and gray to make a very dark gray, then building up the gray from their. following a black ink wash, i highlight with codex/fortress/skull white and the first one came out pretty good. will have pics and two done by tomorrow hopefully

WIP Suits: so many layers too, huge PITA. mixed black with gray to make a more blackgray, then apply then slowly begin to get to the actual gray, then light gray, then a tiny white highlight.









any advice going forward? what do i highlight/drybrush blue gray with?

If you are working Blue Greys, check out some Space Wolf articles, perhaps even some Ultramarine (dark scheme style). Should help with the colours you have chosen.

Perhaps even decide on using the blue elsewhere on the model, to break up the "two-part" nature of the current scheme?

- Tael.

6 more FW's WIP, and i got my 4 crisis suits to round out my small cadre. will post more pics. man, this has taken a month. Hardly felt like that at all!

I like the gritty effect on the armour of your dudes. It looks to be a very effective urban camo scheme. I'm less sure about the brown boots/hoof coverings, but that's entirely a personal preference of mine.
I like how the grey of your Stealth Suit ties it in to the rest of your guys and the deep blue makes him stand out enough to mark him as part of a different unit.

Yeah, I'm all about armies and units that look coherent on the battlefield.

My dudes are grey too, though I went for Space Viking Werewolf Grey so my Pathfinders could have an actual concrete grey camo colouration. I don't have any Pathfinders yet as a matter of fact, but I was thinking ahead, which is rare for me.

got the other 6 FW's completed and awaiting basing. My question is how to I model a markerlight onto a stealth suit Shas'vre?