Tutorial: How to Paint Space Wolves Blood Claws

I’m pleased to present to you, a full photo tutorial for Space Wolves. This Blood Claw was painted in 32 steps and every single step is detailed after the jump. 

I’ve designed this tutorial so established painters find it interesting but also so new comers to the hobby can learn some basic and advanced techniques. I will use terms such as glazing and washing, don’t worry if you don’t know what these mean because I will elaborate and explain during that step.

Paints you will need for this tutorial:

White Undercoat

Fenrisian Grey (layer)

Russ Grey (layer)

The Fang (base)

White Scar (layer)

Cadian Fleshtone (layer)

Bugman’s Glow (base)

Kislev Flesh (layer)

Doombull Brown (layer)

Screaming Skull (layer)

Abaddon Black (base)

Skragg Brown (layer)

Jokaero Orange (base)

Yriel Yellow (layer)

Flash Gitz Yellow (layer)

Khorne Red (base)

Wazdakka Red (layer)

Wild Rider Red (layer)

Warplock Bronze (base)

Leadbelcher (base)

Nuln Oil (shade)

Rhinox Hide (base)

Mournfang Brown (base)

Zandri Dust (base)

Dawnstone (layer)

Administratum Grey (layer)

In case you need to expand your paint collection, head over to Wayland Games or Slave to Painting, which both stock a huge selection of paints at competitive prices.

1. Undercoat the model white. I find aerosol sprays a bit “chalky”, so I use Vallejo Surface Primer which is very smooth. 

2. Basecoat the model with Fenrisian Grey. I used my airbrush to speed this up. 

3. Create a glaze mix of Russ Grey and Lahmian Medium (roughly 50:50) and paint a very thin layer on the lower half areas of all the armour pieces. Once dry, repeat this another couple of times to increase the instensity of the blending. It should produce seemless soft blends. 

4. Add some water to The Fang and using a detail brush with a good point line all the gaps in the armour to add definition. 

5. Using White Scar, edge highlight all the highest edges of the armour. The thinner you’re able to paint these lines the better. I find watering the paint down a small amount helps the paint flow from the bristles more easily enabling you to get thinner lines. Don’t be afraid to touch up any thick lines with a little Fenrisian Grey.

6. Paint the whole face with Cadian Fleshtone. Don’t forget the ears.

7. Create a glaze mix of Bugman’s Glow and Lahmian Medium (roughly 50:50) and using a fine detail brush careful run the mix into the crease of the face to shade it. Don’t use it like an all over wash.

8. Use Kislev Flesh to highlight the raised areas of the face. A little Lahmian medium and several coats will produce softer blends.

9. Use watered down Doombull to add some subtle shading to the face creases. Less is more, don’t over do it.

10. Highlight the raised areas of the face with Screaming Skull.

11. Paint the eyes, mouth, weapon handles and armour joint ribbing with Abaddon Black.

12. Add two dots of White Scar to each eye and paint the teeth. A touch of water mixed into the paint will help the flow and increase accuracy.

13. Paint the hair all over with Skrag Brown.

14. Create a glaze mix of Doombull Brown and Lahmian Medium (roughly 50:50) and paint it into the lines of the hair. Once dry, repeat to increase the intensity.

15. Carefully paint thin lines of Jakaero Orange on to the raised lines of the hair.

16. Paint the shoulder pads with Yriel Yellow. This might take three coats. Keep the layers thin so they don;t go lumpy.

17. Use Flash Gitz Yellow to highlight the upper two thirds of the shoulder pad.

18. Use Skrag Brown to line the edges of the pad.

19. Basecoat the weapon casings and scabbards with Khorne Red. Don’t forget to paint pack markings on the shoulder pad (like I did in the above photo).

20. Highlight the edges of the red with Wazdakka Red use a medium thick line.

21. Paint a thin edge highlight of Wild Rider Red on the previous layer.

22. Paint all the areas deemed to be metal and gold with Warplock Bronze.

23. Highlight just the metal areas with Leadbelcher, make sure you leave Warplock showing through as shading in the creases.

24. Wash over all the metal areas with Nuln Oil.

25. Paint thin edge highlights of Ironbreaker on all the metal areas.

26. Paint the gold areas with Hashut Copper.

27. Paint any tooth, skulls and wolf pelts/tails with Rhinox Hide.

28. Highlight the previous stage with Moungfang Brown. Make sure you leave the Rhinox Hide layer showing through  the gaps in the fur and the eye sockets of the skulls.

29. Further highlight the previous layer with Zandri Dust. Only highlight 50% of the wolf tail so you get that nice blend in the fur. 

30. Give the skull, wolfpelt/tail and wolf teeth a final highlight of Screaming Skull. 

31. Edge highlight the weapon handles and armour joint ribbing with Dawnstone.
32. One final highlight of Administratum Grey for the weapon handles and armour joint ribbing.

Finally, base the model in a way which fits in with your own army or gaming table. I’ve used Steel Legion Drab for the rim, Armageddon Dust for the base top and then drybrushed with Screaming Skull. Drybrushing is a way of picking out raised detail quickly usually with a lighter colour. To dry brush you need load up your brush with paint and then wipe it off the bristles on a tissue until virtually no paint remains on the brush. Then rapidly and repeatedly drag the side of the brush back and forth over the area to be painted.

You can view other Space Marine tutorials using these quick links. Imperial Fist, White Scars, Iron Hands, Salamanders, Sons of Horus and Minotaurs 

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