News: No news is good news...

Login  |  Register

Author Topic: Tau colour schemes  (Read 27554 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Joell_x

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 13
  • Country: us
  • Life is good
  • Armies: Tau
Tau colour schemes
« on: March 25, 2013, 10:58:57 PM »
So guys, what's your favorite colour scheme for tau? It can't be the yellow/beige GW throw out way. I personally preffer a skull white main, shadow grey backing scheme.
My kinda party

Offline Wyddr

  • Author Eminence: Hereticus Liber Daemonica | Fio'shas Shi
  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5254
  • Country: us
    • My blog about SF/F stuff
  • Armies: Daemons, Imperial Fists, Tau, Ksons, Vostroyans
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2013, 08:52:02 AM »
I do a light gray with dark gray tiger stripes for the larger sections and then black for the smaller parts. Add in some white and silver highlights and it looks pretty damned good.

Offline Stormie 33

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 21
  • Country: nl
  • Darker then chaos itself.
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2013, 12:44:16 PM »
I use dark green body armour, brown cloth, black shin armour and weapon bodies and bright red for unit markings and light sources
Not really sure what I'm talking about...

Offline Joell_x

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 13
  • Country: us
  • Life is good
  • Armies: Tau
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2013, 11:49:22 PM »
Okay. Both sound pretty interesting. I do like using tones when dry brushing gives the natural effect. Of course that comes down to if you can paint well. Skull white I'd recommend to any tau newbie. It just requires a few coats.

As for defining units, or even unit markings I leave it all the same for the warriors. The only differentiation when I define units is by doing the helmet of the commanding unit a different colour. Usually something bright and bold.
My kinda party

Offline Plastikente

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 505
  • Country: gb
  • Back Online!
  • Armies: Craftworld Eldar, Dark Eldar, Tau
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2013, 03:45:14 AM »
This thread is crying out for some photos.  Here are my latest Tau models, finished this week:


My scheme is based on the image of the Bork'an Sept in the (soon to be outdated) codex.  I use the following paint scheme:
-White spray undercoat.
-Base coat of Fenrisian Grey, Dawnstone and Abaddon Black.
-Nuln oil to shade.
-White scar to highlight.
-Sotek Green for markings (many of which are painted-over transfers)
-Flash Gitz Yellow and Evil Sunz Scarlet for glowing lights
I use markings in my Sept colour to mark out squad leaders etc.  I started by using different markings on each squad of 12 Fire Warriors, but in practice I don't always field them in 12s, so it doesn't really matter on the table.

If anyone is interested in seeing some more, they are in this set on Flickr.

Personally, I don't find the drybrushing really works for many Tau models - too many flat or lightly curved armour panels.  I use edge-highlighting for these with a detail brush.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2013, 03:48:22 AM by Plastikente the Space Marine »

Offline Joell_x

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 13
  • Country: us
  • Life is good
  • Armies: Tau
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #5 on: April 1, 2013, 11:05:21 AM »
Thanks bud, I really do like your scheme. As I said I like a white main for ray. The highlights come out fantastically. Mixed with the dark used look I think you have a winner there. I may steal your no dry brushing tech. Thanks for the detailed reply , much appreciated.

If anyone has a bright vibrant colored army, or even a select few models, get them up an posted.

Cheers all
My kinda party

Offline Wyddr

  • Author Eminence: Hereticus Liber Daemonica | Fio'shas Shi
  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5254
  • Country: us
    • My blog about SF/F stuff
  • Armies: Daemons, Imperial Fists, Tau, Ksons, Vostroyans
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #6 on: April 1, 2013, 11:13:56 AM »
Here's a distance shot of one of my armies. Gives you an idea of the color scheme, anyway. I am nowhere near the painter Plastikente is, but they do look pretty good.



Closer shot of a Devilfish and some Firewarriors:

Offline Plastikente

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 505
  • Country: gb
  • Back Online!
  • Armies: Craftworld Eldar, Dark Eldar, Tau
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #7 on: April 1, 2013, 11:31:16 AM »
I may steal your no dry brushing tech.
It's not quite no-drybrushing, but I think I only do the cloth undersuits on Fire Warriors, because the creases and ridges lend themselves to it.

@Wyddr: I like the tiger-stripes, and the colour scheme overall.  I know it's not white, but it definitely puts me in mind of (Star Wars) Imperial Stormtroopers.

I don't tend to do bright colour schemes in my armies.  As a rule, I like dark tones, but my Tau were a deliberate attempt to try a light scheme for something new.  Fluff-wise, Tau supposedly use appropriate colours for their fighting environment, rather than bright heraldry like SMurfs (which doesn't mean you can't do it if you want to).  Even so, I think you can justify dusty red (mars-like) or blue (as in the last codex - supposedly an urban camo).  Or even lime green and fluorescent pink for the luminous carnivorous jungles of some death world  ;D It's a big galaxy...

Offline Boss Ard'Ragger

  • Ork Yoof
  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 187
  • Country: ca
  • Da Boyz Rock!!!
  • Armies: The Boyz, IG, Eldar,DE, Tau, GK, some SM
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #8 on: April 1, 2013, 11:40:35 AM »
I have a really hard time coming up with a color scheme for my Tau.  I inherited tons of them all unpainted and need to come up with something.  I love what other people have done just cant seem to find the "light bulb" I need to paint them. 

By Tons Here is a list from Memory

6 DF
18 Battle Suits
9 XV-88
40 - tau Warriors
3- Hammer Heads
1 Sky Ray
1 - squad of Kroot w/ beast
5 - stealth Units (metal)
1- Commander XV 8
1 - Pirhana
Drones - loads

I need inspiration  ;)
You Boyz wanna live forever?!  Waaaaagh!

Offline Wyddr

  • Author Eminence: Hereticus Liber Daemonica | Fio'shas Shi
  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5254
  • Country: us
    • My blog about SF/F stuff
  • Armies: Daemons, Imperial Fists, Tau, Ksons, Vostroyans
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #9 on: April 1, 2013, 12:16:34 PM »
@Wyddr: I like the tiger-stripes, and the colour scheme overall.  I know it's not white, but it definitely puts me in mind of (Star Wars) Imperial Stormtroopers.

Thanks! I was going for something stormtrooper-y, but not obviously so. Also the dark gray-on-light gray is to some extend inspired by sharks/dolphins, which I thought fitting for the Tau given their aquatic themed vehicles.

Yeah, Tau are great for camoflage/interesting patterns. All those wide spaces and smooth plates on their models really lend themselves to interesting paint schemes. 

Offline samzor

  • Junior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 174
  • Country: fr
  • Refuse Bot Malfunction! Quick cheese it!
  • Armies: Eldar
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #10 on: April 1, 2013, 04:50:28 PM »
I like the default colours. However i think all the flat panels need to be shaded and not just edge highlighted as per GW style.
Panels facing the sun/light source have to be ligher and panels underneath/ in shadow have to br sccordingly darker.

This takes a lot of time and i guess they are just trying to keep everything a conistent theme with the older default colour scheme.

Offline Joell_x

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 13
  • Country: us
  • Life is good
  • Armies: Tau
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #11 on: April 2, 2013, 12:08:20 AM »
Where to start. Where to start. Thanks for all replies its very interesting.

Honestly when I first painted a tau army I used a Shadow grey main cover coat. The bi found that using a chaos black backing in some of the armour came out awesome. I wish I had pictures.

I fiud that the fire warriors looked much better than any vehicles I had done. The detail on the hammerheads etc. I find very lacking where's as all the intricacies with the troops really stand out. Even more so when you have a dark base colour.

Cheers all
My kinda party

Offline Rip of Zahr-Tann

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 38
  • Country: gb
  • Autarch of the Brown & Black Attack
  • Armies: Zahr-Tann, Poisoned Tongue, Sa'cea Sept
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2013, 01:17:57 PM »
Sa'cea - grey with orange markings.

This is pretty much the sole reason why I decided to start a Tau army.
"You call our technology witchcraft because you do not understand anything beyond the ancient designs your ancestors used. You kill anything that does not conform to your hideous and narrow view of the galaxy. You blunder into every trap set along your path because you refuse to look into the future and consider every consequence. How your species inherited the stars is a mystery beyond our understanding." - Autarch Narios Starblade of Zahr-Tann

Offline Wiggus

  • Happiness is Mandatory
  • Ancient
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2557
  • Country: gb
  • For the greater good!!!!!
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2013, 04:42:48 PM »
Ill post the pics of some of my painted stuff thus week although i dont have a single unifying colour scheme several smaller groups in different patterns but ill show and see what people think
My name is Steven Wilson
My friends call me Wiggy
My enemies call me Mr Wilson
You may call me Sir!
'Who Dares Wins'
'Better to be tried by 12 than carried by 6'
'I love being a writer; I just dont like the paper work'
'Don't make me angry, you wont like it when im angry'

Offline Siege_TF

  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2781
  • Country: 00
  • *Slurp* I mean... *Sip*
Re: Tau colour schemes
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2013, 01:18:42 AM »
Mine are white, red, blue, yellow, and grey.
White is the helmet, bracers, antenna, back of the glove, belly armour, belt, bottom of the codpeice, thigh armour and greaves,
Red are the helmet lens housing, flat portion of the shield, lower half of the breastplate, top half of the codpeice, and the hoof sections of the feet.
Blue is the upper breastplate.
Yellow is the helmet lens, Fire Caste insignia on the shield, and gyro on the pulse weapon.
Grey is the backpack, majority of the rifle, and cloth.

Also known as Gundam Prototype Colours, or Gundam Parade Colours. Combat colours are typically blue and white or bone, as per the Nu, Alex, GP, etc, etc... It's just that most series start with the protagonist hijacking a prototype.
Onager 
/ˈänəjər
/Noun
An animal of a race of the Asian wild ass (Equus hemionus onager) native to northern Iran.

In other words GW are calling Tau players wild asses for wanting a melee suit option.

 


Powered by EzPortal