Scythes of the Emperor Painting Guide
Let’s paint a Scythes of the Emperor Chapter Icon. Some folks freak out painting yellow over black. You need to flip your thinking. Any mistake is covered up by.. Black. I mean, this is heaven. Squibble your line? A swipe of Black. Never happened. Painting a logo over black is awesome. When painting fine details like this, use a small but well bristled brush, small and slim/fine works against you as the slender bristle head flexes away too easily.
You need a fuller haired brush, OO is nice, even larger works well, for better control. Paint wise, in this case I’m using ‘Iyaden Dark Sun’ (Hi Seb, 2017 calling – its ‘Averland Sunset’ now.), slightly watered down for thin strokes. It is best to wait between applications for thinner coats to dry. So you could easily do 5 pauldrons at a time. That’s 5 Scythes done and kicking Tyranid chitin! For the Ghosts of Sotha!
First, start with dots as near to these places on the pauldron for reference ahead:
Second. Stroke lines between the dots, making sure to take your “Handle Line” above the central dot. This helps sell that nice curve to the handles. Create two blades following the curve of the armour, the upper rim actually helps alot in keeping your line.
Third, fill out the styled lines further. Work on adding that subtle curve in the icon.
Fourth, fill out the shape to mimic the art well enough, hint at curves and cuts, address poor coverage. Don’t worry about bulking too much, because.. you guessed it! we go over with Black.
Fifth, careful effort time – stroke thinned black paint, carving out the sharper lines (First cover gets you close, second pass to finalise it). You’ll find the natural curve of the pauldron really helps. When adding the notches at the point of haft and blade, I nudge the point of the brush into this spot. (Remember that advice on a thicker brush head? Yup!)
Eh! voila, a Scythes of The Emperor Chapter badge, shown at scale below (depending on your viewing device).
Hope this helps my fellow Sothan Brothers!
-Sebastian.
That looks great! I will defenitely give this a shot.
Brilliant :D Thanks for swinging by the site! :) Also, send in photos if you do, it would be great to showcase your results!
Sure will, though it might take me a while to do so so due to lack of painting time.
By the way, think you could bring an article about modelling the Scythes? I mean especially the use of Tyranid bitz. As trophies and as makeshift armor repairs; where to apply them to a marine miniature? How much is too much? Which bitz are especially useful?
It would make an interesting read, because it is one of the main aspects that makes the Scythes so unique.
Top stuff, look forward to adding your Sothan’s to the showcase section :)
As for modelling articles, its funny you ask as this is something I will produce alongside the Tenax Campaign project. As my personal collection goes through hades during their survival run.
Thank you for encouraging me to hurry the article though! :D
Well, maybe this can be helpful:
https://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/771293-Dark%20Angels%20Reliquiary%20Land%20Raider%20Prometheus.html
See, I`ve been dabbling with said subject before, and I`m pleased with the result. But I guess Scythes would take a very different approach to presenting trophies than Dark Angels – more feral and improvised, maybe more like Space Wolves?
Thanks Alex! Shall add that to my forthcoming modelling artilce. The Scythes Post-Sotha. And I feel you’re right – it will be more Space Wolf. Thank you though. May I use this in the article?
Sure!
Top stuff :D
Awesome tutorial, definitely doing this rather than 3d printed. I only just started painting Scythes today.
Thanks man; its really satisfying nailing down this emblem and man; I have not missed decals to be honest :)