Painting Those Damn Crusties

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Like many of you I'd been scratching my head on how to paint GZGs 'Crusties'. Oh I know what colour schemes I want to paint them - think Lobster Thermidor! - but it's how to get that effect without spending hours of effort detailing each figure.

Playing with my 'feral' Hammerhead Space Demons last night, it came to me..... take a look at my post of 25th April (here). Perfect!

Step 1: Citadel Bleached Bone basecoat

Step 2: Citadel OOP Flesh Wash over all of the model.

Step 3: Very very light Citadel Devlan Mudd wash in joints only

Step 4: Much watered down Asurmen Blue, again in joints. Better to repeat than to swamp your Crustie in blue. Add the blue to other areas to taste.

Step5: Highlight edges of exoskeleton with Bleached Bone. A very very light drybrush works best as you want that 'mottled' look.

Step6: OPTIONAL - A quick zip along the tips of all major edges with the edge of the smallest brush you've got.

Step7: OPTIONAL - Again using your smallest brush add 'camo' spots of Devlan Mud and or Flesh Wash (to taste) to the major limbs. Alternatively, for a lighter effect, watered down Bleach Bone spots.

UPDATE:

Ther figure isn't quite finished yet but following a bit of trial and error I've settled on this simpler and far quicker scheme:

1) Vallejo Elfric Flesh Base
2) Citadel Baal Red Wash
3) Citadel Devlan Mud Wash
4) Citadel Asurmen Blue Wash

You only want a thin coat of each wash. The Baal Red will turn very pink, don't worry, the Devlan Mud will give it more depth. Put the Devlan Mud on before the Baal Red dries fully, that way it will 'lift' some of the red leaving the Efric Flesh with just a pinkish tinge.

The Asurmen Blue provides the Crustie with a more mottled and translucent appearance - just like prawns! Don't let the lue wash pool too heavily in folds and creases - use a dry brush to remove any excess.

More Photos Later...... coughing fits and tight chest returned, so can't finish the fine detail tonight. Actual colour of the model is better than you see here, IMO. The camera flash has bleached the 'pink' and lost much of the colour gradation.

Cheers
Mark
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