5-Step Bone

Working on painting up some Chaos Terminators. On this model, I've done the 5-Step Black as well as a quick Leadbelcher plus Nuln Oil for the metal parts. Time to do the bone.

Step 1: Zandri Dust

Lay on the basecoat nice and thick.

Step 2: Ushabti Bone

Working with layer paints is interesting. Not thick like the base paints, you can get some good blends with little effort. This was painted in raised areas rather heavy-handed, just staying out of creases and the like.

Step 3: Screaming Skull

Screaming Skull was applied in similar fashion to the step above, but less of it, and not covering as much area. Raised areas, and large flat(ish) surfaces like the forehead of that giant skull, but staying even further away from creases in order to let some of the Ushabti Bone layer show through.

Step 4: Seraphim Sepia

Shades are my best friend. It's a shame there's only 4 glazes, otherwise I'd probably make a 6-step, but we're going to use the Sepia as both a shade and a glaze. It should smooth out the transitions between the two layer paints as well as give a nice dark shade.

Step 5: Praxeti White

This was very lightly dry-brushed over edges and the like to highlight. Don't get too heavy handed with this as there is no glaze step afterwards to smooth it out.

5-Step Black

Painting black armour (or white, for that matter) always poses a problem, because you're typically missing out on either a shade or a highlight. If your midtone is white, you've got nowhere to go for a highlight. If your midtone is black, you have nowhere to go for a shade. So, what's the answer to this? For me, it's to fake to an "almost black" (and likewise, an "almost white" in the other case). Given that the new Chaos Codex came out a little bit ago, I got bitten by the bug again to get back to my Black Legion. It also helps that I just recently switched jobs to a much more sane work schedule, allowing me time to actually enjoy a hobby again, praise the Emperor.

So I've been playing around with the new paints, and I kinda like them. The "dry" paints were weird at first, but I'm really starting to dig them. In my playing around, I've found the basic guide on GW's site to actually be quite helpful (Link). Their color suggestions for "sheer black" looked promising, but after trying it out, I preferred a different order...

Step 1: Abaddon Black

Or the old "chaos black" ... same thing, new name. I generally base the whole model with this, so I rarely even call it a "step"

Step 2: Eshin Grey

I painted this over all areas that I intend to make black, while keeping it out of crevices. This is our mid-tone black, which will be made darker after the last step.

Step 3: Dawnstone

This is our first highlight. I use it to line the edges of armour that is in dark areas, and lay it on a little thicker in areas that should be brighter due to light source.

Stpe 4: Longbeard Grey

This is our second highlight. Use it sparingly, and only in areas that really need it. For example, if it's an area that was heavily applied with Dawnstone due to light-sourcing, then edge with Longbeard. If it's a darker area where you only edged with Dawnstone, don't use Longbeard.

Step 5: Nuln Oil

This should bring everything back down to a darkness that is favorable for black armour. In addition, it helps the different greys blend in a little more. We're using it as a shade AND a glaze! Bonus! :D

It might be a little hard to really see the "black" because the rest of the model is still left in its Abaddon Black basecoat, and is thus darker, so...

Here's the finished model to give you an idea of how that black fits in with the rest. It's not really the final step for this particular model, to be honest, because I like my Khorne Berzerkers a bit bloodsplattered ... but skipping straight to that step would kinda defeat the purpose of showcasing the black armour.

And here's the blood-splattered version, in-case you were wondering. :)
Let me know what you think!