+ inload: Painting Death Guard Plague Marines +

+ Back at the tincture-pools + 

+ It's been a while since I've had time and the opportunity to paint, so it was nice to dust off the brushes. While enthusiasm is high, I thought I'd crack on and do a little batch of Death Guard for the Tzi'Na Crisis campaign. +

+ Theoretical +

+ The concept is simple – the impact will come from high contrast, and the aim is for a quick and effective scheme that I enjoy painting. Having deliberate aims like this helps stop my hobby turning into a job, and keeps the approach to painting playful and fun. If I want to really go in-depth, I'll turn to the Blood Angels [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+]; if I want some organic forms to paint, I'll unpack the orks of Luggub's Drop Legion [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+]; and if I want freehand fun, I'll turn back to The Sons of the Temple [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+]. +

+ As for the Death Guard themselves, they'll be my go-to for washes, glazes and a generally more free and expressionistic style. Perhaps surprisingly, the complexity of the figures lends them to this approach. It's easy to get bogged down in all the detail, but that can lead to an overly-fussy finish, which stops the figure 'reading' clearly. Better to leave some things indistinct, and lead the eye where you want. +

+ Practical +

+ Nadrotmistr Oto Thumor is the furthest along of the new batch, as fits his role as herald. I've used a black undercoat – regular inloaders will know I favour grey mostly – because I want the greatest possible depth in the recesses. The complexity of the figure also means black helps throw up contrasts while I work, so I don't miss something. It also dirties the finish, which suits the Death Guard well. +

+ 1_ The basic scheme starts with a quickly-applied mix of silver ink and Mithril Silver (or equivalent). Unlike my normal grubby metallic approach [+noosphricinloadlink embedded+], this is a very clean and bright basecoat. The reason for this is that it will be covered with layers of inks, washes and glazes – if I start too dark in tone, the contrast will be lost completely. +

+ 2_ I use a 15mm flat watercolour brush to apply the paint, with a semi-drybrush technique. Using a large brush gets things done quickly and stops me being too fussy. I don't worry about cleanliness here. As long as the paint is the right consistency, it won't spoil the details; and can be overpainted easily. +

+ 3_Once the silver is dry, I change to a size 2 round brush to paint the shoulder pads and tabards with a new paint called – surprise! – Death Guard Green. It's a nice olive, which gives a cool military effect. This helps to ground the more fantastical elements. +

+ 4_ Next, I use Vallejo's Off-White, a colour I bought especially for this project. It's a lovely warm neutral hue that works as a good base for the earthiness I hope to build up. This is applied more carefully to the remainder of the armour plate. +

+ 5_ Once dry, an initial layer of Seraphim Sepia mixed with diluted Sepia ink goes on over the whole figure (this is a glaze or filter, as it's intended to subtly alter the surface colour). I quickly add pure touches of Nuln Oil and undiluted Sepia ink into the recesses to build the tone there (this is a pin wash, as it is more obvious and directed). 

+ 6_ While the glaze remains wet, I dry my brush and use the tip to 'lift out' highights by touching the bristles to areas I want brighter. The dry bristles soak up the excess paint and leave a brighter, cleaner area. +

+ That's the stage I've got to so far on the Blightbringer (second from left). The Plague Surgeon (second from right) is pre-glaze, and the Tallyman (rightmost) is pre-Off White. Note the messiness of the silver application. +

+ I find this an effective technique that's fun to do; and it's quick, too. I got fourteen figures to the stage the Tallyman's at within fifteen minutes or so, and working up the Blightbringer to the stage shown only took another quarter of an hour. This should – I hope – allow me to get the force to a basecoated standard quickly; after which I can spend a bit more time on each figure to take them to the stage the Plague Marine on the left (shown also below) is at: