Ultramarines Paint Scheme

With the lore and general themes of the Advenarum Venatores taking shape, it’s time to think through a paint scheme and which colors i will need.

Please note that i am a sub-par painter, therefore the result most likely will not measure up to the effort put into this post.

However, i actually enjoy the process of planning colors and selecting paints.

Using a digital-friendly version of GW’s Primaris Space Marine Paint Planner by u/wtfineedacc, here is the paint scheme i intend to adopt for my army.

Colors in the planner are matched to their real-world equivalent using Encycolorpedia which thankfully supports a wide range of Hobby paints such as Vallejo, Citadel etc.

A detailed list of all colors used with searchable product codes or exact paint names can be found in Paint Table

Priming

Models will all be primed black with a light gray zenithal, both done using Vallejo Surface Primers through an airbrush.

I DO NOT love these primers and once my bottle is finished i will probably try Stynylrez as it comes recommended by many high profile painters.

My main problems with Vallejo Primers is they chip very easily. Here are some of the solutions i found online and tried, with moderate success:

• wash models with soap
• don’t touch them with bare hands before priming
• keep humidity below 45%
• seal the model after basic basecoat with varnish

Some of these are good advices in general, but this is a lot of upkeep for every single model, therefore i am looking forward to finishing this bottle and look for alternatives.

Basecoat

Vallejo Game Color Heavy Blue, sprayed in a “Zenithal” fashion from above, will form the basecoat.

I went for a darker, almost venal red for the shoulderpad trim.

The general palette will be less garish and definitely more grim-dark than Games Workshop’s official paint scheme for the 3rd.

There are many details to basecoat, go to Paint Table for a detailed list.

Intermediate Varnish

After base coats, i will apply a layer of Liquitex Professional - Acrylic Mediums - Gloss Varnish.

It’s supposed to make applying washes easier and should protect the base coats while handling the models for the later steps.

Wash

I stand by Army Painter “Tone” washes. I have had a bottle of Soft, Strong and Dark for years and they fit the bill on each of the few miniatures i already painted.

• Most of the miniature gets a coat of Dark Tone
• Shoulderpad recesses get a thin layer of Citadel’s “Carroburg Crimson”.
• Leather trim is handled with Soft Tone instead.

The latter may change in the future as i recently acquired a set of Vallejo Game Color Washes.

Drybrush

• All primary edges of the armor will receive a drybrush of Citadel’s “Calgar Blue”.
• Shoulderpad Trim will get drybrushed with Vallejo Game Color “Orange Fire”.
• All metal parts of the bolter will receive a soft drybrush of Vallejo Metal Color “Chrome”.
• Leather pouches and Bolter Grip will be dusted with Vallejo Model Color “Beige Brown”

Highlight

I have not had a whole lot of luck with applying highlights, but if i do add them, they will be:

• Soft Joints, Vambrace Icons and Key Metallic Parts will be highlighted with Vallejo Model Color Silver
• The Chest Crest with Vallejo Model Color Ivory for a more subdued look.
• Purity Seal Red Wax with Vallejo Model Color Vermillion
• Purity Seal Parchment with Vallejo Model Color Ivory

Final Varnish

Ultimately, to bring together all colors, i will apply 2 coats of Vallejo Poly Matt Varnish.

If you have never applied matt varnish to your models, in my opinion, you are missing out.

The effect can be subtle but it will completely remove that jarring effect of light hitting the model differently on different colors, making the wrong ones pop.

If you like really garish paintjobs it might not be what you are looking for, however, as it mutes certain colors.

Paint Table

Here is a detailed list of all colors used and where.

Credits

• Most of the Vector icons used are from BakaDesign, which unfortunately closed a while back
• Encycolorpedia for all the Hex Codes
• Redgrimm’s Paint Conversion page has another really good chart for switching between brands.
• u/wtfineedacc on reddit for the blank Primaris Space Marine planner