I conceived of my scheme years ago, but I feel like it has been lacking lately. Maybe because it is lacking a complimentary color? I wanted to walk a line between popping detail and having a more grounded palette. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Be brutally honest! https://imgur.com/YJyG3C1
looks pretty neat dude, some nice contrast and pretty stark highlights. I'd try and get some higher contrast or blends in the gray/black cloth
I think if you're going for a cell-shaded look, you've nailed it. That's not meant to be a criticism, but a style comment. I feel like the black shading on the cloth is a bit too artificial looking. I think a light blue(GW's Aethermatic Blue contrast springs to mind, immediately) would work quite well for the lights by the by. That's my feedback. Hopefully it helps. They look like care has been put into them, so you keep doing you either way.
I wouldn't say I am going for that or want it. By the cloth, you're referring to the grey pants or tan vests/tops?
Honestly? It's all over the model. It's most noticeable on the cloth bits(pants and sleeves) and the boots. Again: please note that I'm not saying they look bad. It's a good look if that's what you'd been trying for.
I really like it! :) I quite like the red/bone/black combination – the only thing I would perhaps try to change are the yellow lights which could contrast more with the bone color. I first thought maybe orange, as that really pops from the surrounding bone color (at least on my naffatuns, see below), but then you'd have issues on the red, since orange and red clashes. A light blue would also contrast nicely, but again not sure on the red. I think I'd try making the lights on bone orange and either leave the lights yellow in the red context or try a contrast-y light color such as light blue. Again, great and bold color scheme! Some ideas for the lights (did not have much time to cleanly shift the colors):
Wow, thanks @Florian Hanke ! Your Naffatun look good. I wanted a little departure from the official scheme but the green is nice. I agree that there are color issues on bone and red, so I was thinking of dropping one of those. Another alternative was putting lights on dark color (pants grey or gun black). I also experimented with greenish squad markings. Specifically: - green squad marking on ghulam - dark tone wash on ghulam pants (at @kanluwen suggestion) - coal black mask and comlog console - red mask on Nasmat More advice and comments appreciated! https://imgur.com/a/aOgdH1x
I think your guys look really good. Don’t change the main colours. Maybe just do the lights in green rather than yellow as this will contrast better (at the moment the yellow is blending in with the bone).
These are great ideas! I especially like the black mask on the naffatun because of the contrast with the lights and I have to also add squad markings on my Haqq. Perhaps switching the upper breastplate (with the yellow lights) also to coal black to intensify the contrast with the yellow lights is the way to go. Just the one plate, since it'd then also contrast nicely with the red parts. But that's just me searching for details – personally I'd be extremely happy to have these on a battlefield, looking as they do!
Good ideas and feedback. Now I am thinking of something like mostly VMC Buff and Basalt Grey neutrals with Burnt Red into Carmine, then P3 Coal Black (or dark dark grey) with maybe P3 Necrotite Green lights? I am thinking of leaving visors (eg, Fasid, Hassassins) the yellowish tone. So something like the Varuna scheme, with red and green instead of blue and red.
Slapped some dark grey blue on the Fasid's chest around the lights but I'm not sure about it. Maybe make it a stripe, or add more of that color over all?
If you're happy with it, you've got it nailed down. As trite as that might sound, it looks really solid now. I realize now some of the 'cell shading' effect is that it seems you're going for NMM and that's what is causing it--and as I said, if you're happy with it? You've got it nailed down. PS: I hope my comments have been remotely useful. I've decided to try to focus on doing stuff like this, rather than just being Grumpy Gus all the time. But don't tell anyone. This is the painting and modeling thread secrets!
I'm definitely not going for that cell shading aesthetic. Your comments have been useful for sure. I'm in analysis paralysis right now. Now I'm wondering if red and green will be too christmasy.
It would depend on the green. If you go for something like a military green, you should be fine. Check out "Death Korps Drab" from GW's paint range. It is a new base paint added when Contrast dropped. It's kinda like a green-grey? I think it could be good for what you want to have green.
I was thinking more along the lines of green optics/lights (instead of yellow) and a green for small accents.
I mentioned "Warp Lightning" contrast earlier I think--and I'll reiterate it if I did! :P It's a very vibrant green for optics and the like, when applied over a white or the Grey Seer(white-grey) that they have. I'd do a blue or grey for the small accents if you're going for green lights.
I picked up some VGC Scorpion Green and like some the preliminary results. I'll try to post something more completed before long. I'll think about grey-blue accents too. With tan and red armor, grey cloth, and green lights, I don't want to introduce something else too attention grabbing since I don't want too many colors, but I'll try it out. Thanks for the advice everyone.