Sunday, January 1, 2012

Tau Color Schemes

Painting a full army is one of the joys of the hobby. It takes time, effort, dedication, planning and execution. While talent and ability may influence the end result, effort and persistence are much more important. Many of the greatest painters have yet to complete full armies, while moderately skilled painters accomplish some really stunning armies.

Planning is important. It generally starts with an army list and color scheme. For me, finding the right color scheme took ages. As I started collecting and assembling my force, I paged through copies of White Dwarf, army books and the internet until I found a color scheme I wanted.

We're lucky these days in that there are now 3 main companies that produce some really awesome acrylic paints; Privateer Press, Vallejo and Games Workshop. I use all three in painting and prefer some over others for different things.

Here I have done a few test models that may help you choose a color scheme. These include a list of colors so that you can copy or adopt any of the colors I've used here. The only mixing I've done on these models is with highlighting and shading.

Rai'Dallah Sept


Armor Plate Color
VMC German Uniform Green, highlighted by adding GW Skull White
Soft Armor Color/Lower Forearm Guards
 GW Chaos Black, highlighted by adding GW Bleached Bone to Chaos Black
Shin Boot Wraps/Gloves/Carbine Ball/Hair
Deneb Stone, highlighted by adding GW Skull White
Skin
GW Shadow Grey
Pulse Carbine "Metal" Parts
Adeptus Battlegrey, shaded with GW Black Ink and highlighted with Fortress Grey

This color scheme is an overall cool theme. I really like how the Shadow Grey Skin and German Uniform Green go together. Deneb Stone is used as a spot color and black adds contrast. You could swap out the Deneb Stone for a warm color that could work, but might end up looking gaudy. I decide to stick with cool colors for this model.

For a battlesuit, German Uniform Green would still be the main color and I might even use Shadow Grey as an alternate color on the armor plates. For Hammerheads and Devilfish, I would likely make a camo pattern with German Uniform Green and Shadow Grey, with Black on certain armor plates to break up the camo and add contrast to the model. Deneb Stone would be used for Sept Markings on all vehicles and Battlesuits. Deneb Stone could also work for helmets to signify leaders like Shas'Ui Fire Warriors, Shas'Vre Crisis Suits. I might give a Commander a Black Helmet with Deneb Stone stripes to set him apart.

Farsight Enclave


Armor Plate Color
GW Red Gore, shaded by adding a little GW Chaos Black and GW Hawk Turquoise. Highlighted by adding Dwarf Flesh.
Soft Armor
PV3 Khaki, shaded by washing it with GW Orgyn Flesh Wash, highlighted by adding GW Skull White
Straps
GW Scorched Brown
Pulse Carbine Ball and Lenses
GW Hawk Turquoise

Pulse Carbine "Metal" Parts
Adeptus Battlegrey, shaded with GW Black Ink and highlighted with Fortress Grey

Farsight Enclave Armies are typically red and I decided to go with a Dark Red for this one. This color scheme is different than others in that most Tau Schemes have a darker Soft Armor and a lighter Armor Plates theme. This one flips that and give you lighter colored Soft Armor and darker Armor Plates. In retrospect, I may have added some yellow somewhere on the model, but this is fine for a quick paint job.

On Battlesuits, you would use the Khaki color as your alternate armor plate color, and use grey for the mechanical parts of the model.

 Dai'La Sept

Armor Plate Color
GW Chaos Black, Highlighted by adding GW Shadow Grey.
Soft Armor
Vallejo Model Color: Khaki 
Straps
GW Scorched Brown
Pulse Carbine Ball and Lenses
Blood Red, Highlighted by adding Blazing Orange


I painted this model years ago when I was still determining the colors for my Cadre. I didn't like it at the time because it's too dark, that you can't see details. I still don't prefer it, but I thought I would add here for your benefit. In retrospect the model might have been improved by yellow sept markings instead of white.

Old Shatter Hands' Cadre Prototype


Armor Plate Color
GW Kommando Khaki, Highlighted by adding GW Skull White.
Soft Armor
GW Dark Angels Green
Straps
GW Scorched Brown
Optics, Lower Arm Armor and Grenades
GW Codex Grey.
Pulse Rifle Ball
Gold

This model was one of the pre-cursors to the scheme I finally settled on for my Fire Warriors in my army. Looking back at it after all these years, I still see why I liked it so much. MOst of the model is  bright, so you can see all the details. The Khaki and Green go well together, yet are different shades so there is contrast. That's something that is important to remember on models, contrast generally looks good, makes models pop and attracts the viewer.  Contrary to popular belief, contrast is not achieved by choosing complimentary colors, like blue and yellow. Contrast is achieved by light and dark.

Note:  This post is a work in progress that will continue to grow in its scope as I get more color schemes developed and models painted. It will be added as a link to the side bar of this blog in some way in the near future.  




14 comments:

Corvus said...

Good schemes overall, but I think some the bases does not fit with the mini. Try painting the base trim black or in a darker, more neutral color.

I especially like the tau skintone with the dark spots, very well done!

Tim said...

Corvus, that is excellent feedback. Poked around your site to see what you were talking about. You're right, minis do look better when the base trim is black or at least dark. What do you think about the color of the base top, like the dirt and sand and stuff?

I've fallen into using mostly warm browns for that, but I think I might need a change...

Jordan said...

If you'd like, you can use my cadre's colors. Val. Khaki with GW bleached bone.

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4756937#post4756937

Brian said...

I like the black one. I am stripping my Tau and redoing them when I get my airbrush and I like black scheme you have there.

Tim said...

Hey Brian, I would suggest yellow sept markings then. I really think it would make the models pop.

Anonymous said...

Excellent article! I especially love the new idea of going back and adding more Tau color schemes to this article. I'm sure to be checking it out as the gallery grows to include more inspiration. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Farsight Enclave scheme is ace! I really like it!

Cobalt Cannon said...

They all look great! Although for the last one, I would probably replace the green with either a knarlock green or a warm mid brown.

One thing about Farsight Enclaves:

To my knowledge, an official farsight enclave paint scheme doesn't yet exist. A lot of the schemes that have been used were based off of the painted commander farsight on Gamesworkshop's webiste. In an article that existed on their web sight about that model, the painter did mention that he basically pulled that paint scheme out of his butt, because there was no official paint scheme.

The Scheme Tim has looks really slick! The info that I have on Farsight is that he and his forces were from Vior'la sept and their sept color is blood red. So a Vior'la scheme with blood red sept markings, or any scheme with blood red sept markings can work for any farsight enclave.

I can't wait to see the other schemes that Old Shatter Hands comes up with.

Tim said...

@J, if you want your comment published, choose a softer, more polite tone. However, I want to thank you for bringing Reaper Masters Paints to my attention. Unfortunately, I've never used them before so I cannot speak about them.

Brian said...

So have you seen this scheme yet?

http://emperorscodex.blogspot.com/2011/12/inspire-necrotau.html

I think that I am going to do this so I can fit this army fluff into my CSM.

Cobalt Cannon said...

I checked out that Paint scheme Brian.

The colors look really serious, and could be a good scheme, but the conversions are far too dark for Tau. It appears to be completely opposite of the Tau'Va philosophy of "For the greater good." It's almost what I would imagine a farsight enclave force could look like if they turned to chaos ( which wouldn't happen ). There is so much self indulgence in adorning yourself in the corpses of your enemy, that I can't see Tau doing that. Even if they are Necron parts/tech.

Cool color scheme though.

Anonymous said...

You should add your current Tau color scheme as well, for the gallery to be more complete. I'd like to see the colors used and what you have to say.

CrashTestDummy said...

I was wondering if you had any ideas for a good skin color for Kroot that would go along with the Dai'La Sept paint scheme?

Tim said...

@Crashtestdummy, you win the bloggername award. I love it.

For kroot skin color for Dai'La, I would paint them with a tan skin color. I might actually base them with bestial brown, and use bronzed flesh as the mid tone, (leaving Bestial Brown in the recesses). Highlight by adding white to bronzed flesh. Give them black rags, potches and armor plates and you are good to go. Possibly even black rifles.