Painting Tau - 40K Terra

Dragoon King · 10-14-2007

Hey guys, I would like to help a good friend (Asariel) out, but I know next to nothing about the Tau empire. He is wondering what colors the Tau should be painted, so any info on this subject would be really helpful. Thanks!

Lord Commander Erus · 10-14-2007

I tall depends on the septs, etc.. Actually, a good place to look for idea off the top of my head is the Dawn of War army painter, Peruse the skisn there to get an idea of how the different colors are painted on. If the septs there don't match the color he wants, he can even swap the (for example) blue/white on a sept for... red/gold or something. Though Tau are usually in my experience in primary colors, no metallics.

Dragoon King · 10-14-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Commander Erus

I tall depends on the septs, etc.. Actually, a good place to look for idea off the top of my head is the Dawn of War army painter, Peruse the skisn there to get an idea of how the different colors are painted on. If the septs there don't match the color he wants, he can even swap the (for example) blue/white on a sept for... red/gold or something. Though Tau are usually in my experience in primary colors, no metallics.

Thanks LC. My friend doen't like the yellowish color much. I'll try to convince him to use white with black, that would be sweet!

Ikarus · 10-14-2007

Is what I paint my Tau Fire Warriors

Dragoon King · 10-14-2007

Wow, Ikky, that is just what I had in mind. Awesome!

Lord Commander Erus · 10-14-2007

A good variant of that is to replace the red with an ice blue/hawk turquoise color. Snow themed bases, and you have an awesome theme to your army!

Mart007 · 10-15-2007

A point to consider is your friends painting skills. White is very hard as is yellow and certain shades of red to get right, it is down to the low pigment count in the paints which makes them thin. One of our friends who is a noob to 40K has painted his Tau Dark Angel Green with white badges and red accessories, looks great.

Just something to consider.

Wakim · 10-15-2007

I`d paint my taus in the color(s) of the USSR

Lord Commander Erus · 10-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mart007

A point to consider is your friends painting skills. White is very hard as is yellow and certain shades of red to get right, it is down to the low pigment count in the paints which makes them thin. One of our friends who is a noob to 40K has painted his Tau Dark Angel Green with white badges and red accessories, looks great.

Just something to consider.

True.. But white with a white primer can't be that bad, can it?

Mart007 · 10-15-2007

oooooh yes - ask Drax. It's getting the shading right on white that is the killer, it is really hard to get a clean looking model and because you cant highlight you have to be spot on.

I would recommend people to steer away from white if you can. Simply because of the headaches!

Lord Commander Erus · 10-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mart007

oooooh yes - ask Drax. It's getting the shading right on white that is the killer, it is really hard to get a clean looking model and because you cant highlight you have to be spot on.

I would recommend people to steer away from white if you can. Simply because of the headaches!

What about an off white/greyish white..?

Mart007 · 10-15-2007

You would be better going a touch warmer off white bone would be easier.
You will need good painting skills with the off grey as that could look mucky.
I'm not saying dont, I'm just saying if you have limited painting skills you maybe better picking a different colour as even painters with the highest skills can struggle with white.

Test it out on an unimportant mini first. I think you will see what I mean.

to paint white you need to base coat Space wolf Grey or enchanted blue, and build about 3 coats of white on that - for pure white.

Lord Commander Erus · 10-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mart007

You would be better going a touch warmer off white bone would be easier.
You will need good painting skills with the off grey as that could look mucky.
I'm not saying dont, I'm just saying if you have limited painting skills you maybe better picking a different colour as even painters with the highest skills can struggle with white.

Test it out on an unimportant mini first. I think you will see what I mean.

Only reason I ask is my friend is doing an apoc army with 'Purity Above All' and every available squad w/ an Apothecary in white.. So I was wanting a heads up with him. He's no daemon painter, but he's ok.

Mart007 · 10-15-2007

Get him to test. I say this because if your friend has reasonable skills he could make his minis look not as good, if he had simple choosen a different colour.

I'll try and dig up some painting white tutorials as people have different ways.

Gregor Xenos · 10-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Commander Erus

Only reason I ask is my friend is doing an apoc army with 'Purity Above All' and every available squad w/ an Apothecary in white.. So I was wanting a heads up with him. He's no daemon painter, but he's ok.

Check out pg 74 of the guide i gave ya, It only shows the head *and its about painting eyes* but it also shows an excellent buildup to get a good white finish.

Wakim · 10-15-2007

You know, black tau with orange touches look awesome

Sadly i didn`t take a photo of `eh, but i`ve got `em on DoW if that hels in any way

Lord Commander Erus · 10-15-2007

Hmm.. Wakim... You made me think of Bengals!

All this talk has made me want to play Dow: DC again.. What race for campaign?

Gregor Xenos · 10-15-2007

Necrons!!!!!

Lord Commander Erus · 10-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregor Xenos

Necrons!!!!!

I'll suck w/ them, but i'll try!

Drax · 10-15-2007

how can you possibly suck at DC with Necrons? it like the Super Space Marine army for dribblers!

Lord Commander Erus · 10-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celephus Drax

how can you possibly suck at DC with Necrons? it like the Super Space Marine army for dribblers!

BEcause I despise them?

Wakim · 10-15-2007

Dude, you can take on ARMIES with just your lord and a couple of squads of whatever you like

Sloar Pulse goes a long broken way

hairyyahoo · 10-15-2007

erus, it occurs to me that D_C is the man to talk to about painting white power armour.

Wakim · 10-15-2007

Hey, you`re right

He has some really sweet white minis

Ikarus · 10-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Commander Erus

True.. But white with a white primer can't be that bad, can it?

It still is. Considering you want to black line, then also make it true white color, white primer wont do that for ya.

Quote:

erus, it occurs to me that D_C is the man to talk to about painting white power armour.

Asked D_C but seems like hes getting a guide up.... so we have to wait..

I am still waiting to paint my tau for the guide hahah.

His white is godlike compared to mine.

10-14-2007	#1 (permalink)
Dragoon King Arch Heretic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cawood, KY Posts: 2,586 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 69 Thanked 77 Times in 60 Posts Blog Entries: 1	Painting Tau Hey guys, I would like to help a good friend (Asariel) out, but I know next to nothing about the Tau empire. He is wondering what colors the Tau should be painted, so any info on this subject would be really helpful. Thanks! __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “Nothing you can lose by dying is half so precious as the readiness to die, which is a man’s charter of nobility.” George Santayana.

10-14-2007	#4 (permalink)
Ikarus Emperor Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Seattle, Washington Posts: 1,455 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 57 Thanked 277 Times in 96 Posts Blog Entries: 3	Is what I paint my Tau Fire Warriors __________________ HORDES: TROLL BLOOD: 1.250k Pts To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. BATTLEFIELD 40k: VOTE VOTE VOTE To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-14-2007	#5 (permalink)
Dragoon King Arch Heretic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cawood, KY Posts: 2,586 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 69 Thanked 77 Times in 60 Posts Blog Entries: 1	Wow, Ikky, that is just what I had in mind. Awesome! __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “Nothing you can lose by dying is half so precious as the readiness to die, which is a man’s charter of nobility.” George Santayana.

10-15-2007	#8 (permalink)
Wakim Lieutenant Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 989 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 56 Times in 44 Posts Blog Entries: 2	I`d paint my taus in the color(s) of the USSR __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.*

10-15-2007	#12 (permalink)
Mart007 Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Posts: 1,025 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 105 Thanked 83 Times in 68 Posts Blog Entries: 1	You would be better going a touch warmer off white bone would be easier. You will need good painting skills with the off grey as that could look mucky. I'm not saying dont, I'm just saying if you have limited painting skills you maybe better picking a different colour as even painters with the highest skills can struggle with white. Test it out on an unimportant mini first. I think you will see what I mean. to paint white you need to base coat Space wolf Grey or enchanted blue, and build about 3 coats of white on that - for pure white. Last edited by Mart007; 10-15-2007 at 02:21 AM.

10-14-2007	#2 (permalink)
Lord Commander Erus Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 6,324 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 172 Thanked 316 Times in 217 Posts Blog Entries: 3	I tall depends on the septs, etc.. Actually, a good place to look for idea off the top of my head is the Dawn of War army painter, Peruse the skisn there to get an idea of how the different colors are painted on. If the septs there don't match the color he wants, he can even swap the (for example) blue/white on a sept for... red/gold or something. Though Tau are usually in my experience in primary colors, no metallics.

10-14-2007	#6 (permalink)
Lord Commander Erus Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 6,324 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 172 Thanked 316 Times in 217 Posts Blog Entries: 3	A good variant of that is to replace the red with an ice blue/hawk turquoise color. Snow themed bases, and you have an awesome theme to your army!

10-15-2007	#7 (permalink)
Mart007 Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Posts: 1,025 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 105 Thanked 83 Times in 68 Posts Blog Entries: 1	A point to consider is your friends painting skills. White is very hard as is yellow and certain shades of red to get right, it is down to the low pigment count in the paints which makes them thin. One of our friends who is a noob to 40K has painted his Tau Dark Angel Green with white badges and red accessories, looks great. Just something to consider.

10-15-2007	#10 (permalink)
Mart007 Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Posts: 1,025 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 105 Thanked 83 Times in 68 Posts Blog Entries: 1	oooooh yes - ask Drax. It's getting the shading right on white that is the killer, it is really hard to get a clean looking model and because you cant highlight you have to be spot on. I would recommend people to steer away from white if you can. Simply because of the headaches!

10-15-2007	#14 (permalink)
Mart007 Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: UK Posts: 1,025 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 105 Thanked 83 Times in 68 Posts Blog Entries: 1	Get him to test. I say this because if your friend has reasonable skills he could make his minis look not as good, if he had simple choosen a different colour. I'll try and dig up some painting white tutorials as people have different ways.

10-15-2007	#16 (permalink)
Wakim Lieutenant Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 989 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 56 Times in 44 Posts Blog Entries: 2	You know, black tau with orange touches look awesome Sadly i didn`t take a photo of `eh, but i`ve got `em on DoW if that hels in any way __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.*

10-15-2007	#17 (permalink)
Lord Commander Erus Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 6,324 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 172 Thanked 316 Times in 217 Posts Blog Entries: 3	Hmm.. Wakim... You made me think of Bengals! All this talk has made me want to play Dow: DC again.. What race for campaign?

10-15-2007	#22 (permalink)
Wakim Lieutenant Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 989 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 56 Times in 44 Posts Blog Entries: 2	Dude, you can take on ARMIES with just your lord and a couple of squads of whatever you like Sloar Pulse goes a long broken way __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.*

10-15-2007	#24 (permalink)
Wakim Lieutenant Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 989 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 56 Times in 44 Posts Blog Entries: 2	Hey, you`re right He has some really sweet white minis __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.*