Into the Jeraboa Nest. Desert Rats 2

Previously I'd talked about getting my Crusader tank painted and finding enthusiasm for the rest of the force. As the plan is to use some new techniques for the units I'm going to use today as a little tutorial and record for how I'm trying to 'speed paint' the infantry.


So I've already spoken about the basic starting point for the whole army in "getting started desert rats 1".
A zenithal Highlight of Halford’s filler primer over a black base followed by a burnt umbra wash to deepen the shading.

After this the whole model is dry brushed with bleached bone (or when my old pot runs out I'll move onto Tyrant skull) this leaves them like this.

The trick now is to move onto glazes and washes.
To start with a layer of the very old GW fleshwash applied to all the skin before being cleaned up and highlighted with bronzed flesh. After that it's about breaking up the three main elements of the uniform; shorts, shirt and straps/pouches/canteens. To do this I use the following selection of glazes and washes used in different orders on different models to add a tint to the basecoat.

Reikland Fleshshade
Agrax Earthshade
Lamenters Yellow
Waywatcher Green

For instance the use of the green glaze on the shorts and socks of the mortar team, yet variation between the two is added buy using an agrax wash on the loaders shirt and the yellow glaze on the straps of the other man.

Likewise the difference between the yellow and green really stands out on the officer with yellow shorts, green socks and an Agrax wash on the shirt.

Following on from this it's a matter of tidying up and final details such as boots painted black or brown with two layers of Reikland Fleshshade.
The best discovery was that with the variation in colours could be balanced out with a simple drybrush of Underhive Ash, which thanks to it's yellow green tone works as well over the green or yellow glaze. I've even used the same techniques on my nurglings, getting to the same bleached bone stage and then using washes to pick out different nurglings is then followed by dry brushing the whole pile with Underhive Ash to bring them back into line.
In fact I'll be doing the same on all my nurgle daemons and sharing progress there in a later post.

The first models to be fully finished were the two weapon teams.

Along with the Underhive Ash, Eldar Flesh provided the final highlight for the skin tones, Bleached bone for anything shaded with the two brown washes and areas that didn't get a tint can be highlighted with Pallid Wych Flesh for a bleached out appearance.

Final details include a 3 shade brown for wood work (scorched earth, beastial brown and snakebite leather), black with a light Mechanicus Standard Grey dry brush for metalwork.
The bases used sand painted with snakebite leather, then a liberal layer of Agrellan Earth in patches. Washes of Reikland Fleshshade and Agrax Earthshade help to blend the two base colours before a highlight drybrush of Bleached bone was applied.

With the process defined it wasn't long before the two officers where finished. 

And I even painted the eyes on the two of them. 
Since then I have added some grass tufts for a bit more colour on the base but I don't seem to have a picture so I'll leave you today with the group shot of everything finished at the time of these photos. 

I've got a load of pictures to share from our bolt action first games night which I may try to write up and also the nurglings and another model have moved on towards finishing. Adding to that I have a bunch of pictures for a flame sculpting tutorial. I do however have a masters degree to submit assignments for, a 2 year old that's not sleeping well and a busy job.
Combined I've really struggled to get up the mojo to write stuff up so I can't promise any sort of schedule in the coming months.
So until next time TTFN.