This free video shows how to paint a Grimdark Black Templar to tabletop standard (make sure you are logged in to view!)
Materials and Paints:
- Paints: Games Workshop (Mephiston Red, Evil Sunz Scarlet, Yriel Yellow, Morghast Bone, Screaming Skull), Vallejo (Basalt Grey, Neutral Grey, Pale Grey Blue, German Grey, Metal Colour Exhaust Manifold, Metal Colour Gunmetal Grey), Scale 75 (Necro Gold), P3 (Morrow White)
- Oil Colours: Winsor & Newton (Black, Burnt Sienna)
- Odorless Mineral Spirit: Winsor & Newton Sansodor
- Primer: Badger Ultimate Primer in Black
- Brushes: Artis Opus Series S size 1 and 00, Small Drybrush
- Varnish: Vallejo Mecha Matt Varnish (optional Mecha Gloss Varnish)
How to Paint a Grimdark Black Templar – Step-by-Step Guide:
1. Base Preparation: Prime the model black, leaving the head with blue tack for easier eye painting.
2. Armour Texture and Highlights:
- Stipple German Grey (or a dark grey mix) over the armour, focusing on the edges and avoiding leather pouches and shoulder pads. This creates a textured base for highlighting.
- Progress with lighter greys, like Basalt and Neutral Grey, using a similar stippling technique. This builds up the highlights and adds depth.
3. Shoulder Pads: Paint shoulder pads with Neutral Grey. This area will eventually be white but start with a grey base to create a grimy look.
4. Masking for Airbrushing: Use putty to mask off areas and airbrush a mix of Morrow White and a touch of Abaddon Black on the shoulder pads, creating a gradient effect.
5. Detailing Black Areas: Use black paint to touch up any overspray from airbrushing, particularly on the armour trim and the Black Templar cross.
6. Leather and Skull: Apply Mournfang Brown to leather areas and the skull. The oil wash will later help blend and shade these parts.
7. Gold Details: Paint gold areas with Necro Gold, watering down the metallics for a smooth finish.
8. Metallics: Fill in all metallic parts with Gunmetal Grey. Oil wash will later enhance these metallics, providing depth and shading.
9. Skull Highlight: Add a quick highlight of Morghast Bone to the skull to make it stand out against the dark base.
10. Verdigris Effect: Apply a mix of Sotek Green and White for a verdigris effect on gold areas, focusing on recesses and crevices.
11. Oil Wash: Mix Burnt Sienna and Black oil paint with mineral spirit and apply generously over the model. This step dramatically alters the model’s look, blending and toning down highlights and adding a weathered effect.
12. Touching up Highlights: Redo the highlights in smaller areas using Neutral Grey, Dark Sea Grey, and Pale Blue Grey. This step refines the highlights post-oil wash.
13. Lenses: Paint the lenses starting with Mephiston Red, followed by layers of Evil Sunz Scarlet, Fire Dragon Bright mixed with Yriel Yellow, and finally pure Yriel Yellow for a glowing effect.
14. Final Touches: Reapply metallic paints to certain areas for a contrast boost. Apply final highlights and adjust any last-minute details to your liking.
Explore more of the latest free videos!
If you don’t have an account, please sign up here! The website currently has over 350 video tutorials, plus step by step guides and PDFs. You can explore more free videos with a free “freebies” membership, or take the plunge and become a full subscriber for full access.
If you’d prefer to support me on Patreon, please visit: https://www.patreon.com/RichardGray