Death Guard painting techniques, part 1

I’ve done a fair few Death Guard posts and videos, as everything is new and shiny at the moment, and there’s a lot of interest in how people are painting them, as there are a multitude of different styles and methods out there. While I give overall step by step posts, there’s never specific breakdowns for each part, and this will be the first of a number of posts covering most of the effects and techniques I use for bringing them to life. All in all, they’re REALLY easy techniques, but combined together they get the miniatures looking great.

1, Eye Lenses

These are covered in a post here about painting lenses, but for the Death Guard, I’m painting them up using the following steps, show in pictures beneath the bullet points;

  • The basic lens undercoated and washed with the rest of the miniature
  • Painted Vallejo Light Green
  • White added to Light Green, crescent added to bottom half of lens
  • White added to previous mix and a smaller crescent over the bottom quarter of the lens
  • Citadel Biel Tan shade dot added at the opposite point of the lens from the lighter mix
  • Spots of white added to darker area, and thin line of white at the bottom of the lens
  • Citadel ‘Ardcoat gloss varnish added to lens.

2, Belly Mouths

A popular addition to Death Guard Marine’s stomachs, is a big mouth full of huge teeth. This is the method I use to paint them up so that they look pretty hideous using the following steps;

  • Undercoated white
  • Flesh around the mouth is painted using Vallejo Basic Skintone, the mouth is painted with Citadel Mephiston Red
  • Flesh is washed with Citdael Reikland Fleshshade shade, the mouth washed with Citadel Druchii Violet
  • Teeth are painted Citadel Rakarth Flesh
  • Teeth washed with Seraphim Sepia twice, one layer is mainly to darken the teeth all over, the second is to darken the base of each tooth and any ridges on them.
  • Teeth are highlighted with Rakarth Flesh
  • Highlights added to the tips of each tooth and some of the ridges
  • Citadel Carroburg Crimson added around the base of each teeth, the pock marks in the skin, and around the ‘gums’. More is added running from the mouth.
  • Inner mouth and Carroburg Crimson varnished with ‘Ardcoat gloss varnish, the teeth and rest of the skin with matt varnish.

3, Boney Protrusions and Spines

Another common Plague Marine trait is the boney protrusions, spines and growths which sprout through their skin and armour. For all of these I use the following steps;

  • Undercoat white
  • Base with Rakarth Flesh, then wash with Citadel Seraphim Sepia shade
  • Reapply Rakarth Flesh, leaving the Seraphim Sepia in the recesses
  • Highlight the ends of the protrusions and highlight with Citadel Ushabti Bone
  • Mix a little White with Ushabti Bone and add final highlights to the raised areas.

 

4, Rusted Blades

One of the many things synonymous with Plague Marines, is notched, rusty blades. I use quite a simple but effective method for painting these which doesn’t take much effort, and looks decent when finished.

  • Undercoat
  • Base coat of Vallejo Model Air Steel/Chrome
  • Wash with Citadel Nuln Oil shade
  • Add areas of Seraphim Sepia
  • Darken some of these areas with Citadel Agrax Earthshade
  • Add Typhus Corrosion to some of the areas on the blade
  • Lightly drybrush Citadel Ryza Rust onto the Typhus Corrosion until you’re happy with the result.

5, Chain Mail

Chain mail is on a lot of the Death Guard miniatures, and naturally, it’s always in a terrible condition. I paint up the chain mail in exactly the same way as above.

  • Undercoat
  • Base coat of Vallejo Model Air Steel/Chrome
  • Wash with Citadel Nuln Oil shade
  • Add areas of Seraphim Sepia
  • Darken some of these areas with Citadel Agrax Earthshade
  • Add Typhus Corrosion to some of the areas on the chain mail
  • Lightly drybrush Citadel Ryza Rust onto the Typhus Corrosion until you’re happy with the result.

6, Purple Ruptures

On a few of the Death Guard miniatures, there are splits in the armour where something is squeezing out. I like to do these purple as it contrasts well with the rest of the model, and brings a bit of colour to what is a dirty and grimy looking miniature.

  • Undercoat white
  • Basecoat of Citadel Xereus Purple
  • Wash with Citadel Druchii Violet shade
  • Pick out the raised areas with Citadel Genestealer Purple
  • Highlight with Citadel Emperor’s Children

Part two can be found here.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts please comment below. While you’re here, why not follow us on our other social media listed below:

Facebook / InstagramTwitter / Youtube