Tutorial: How to Paint the Chaos Helbrute from Dark Vengeance

The Helbrute is the centrepiece model in the Dark Vengeance boxed game. It’s a dynamically posed possessed Dreadnought that is terrifying to behold. We were all stunned to discover no painting guide included in the boxed game or White Dwarf. I decided to take matters into my own hands and with a couple of days hard graft, I’m pleased to present to you a comprehensive painting guide for the Helbrute but can also be used for the Chaos Chosen and Chaos Lord. Click more after the jump and once you’ve read it, please share it with your friends and the hobby community. We deserve free painting guides!

The tutorial will be broken up into steps of four. It will show a picture split into four and numbered. Underneath that picture will be four written steps with corresponding numbers. Each picture segment will show you the paint you need for the step and the corresponding text will explain the step. Simple.

1. Undercoat the model black. I use Vallejo Surface Primer, for more information on this product check out this review.

2. Base coat the entire model with Screamer Pink. I used my airbrush to apply this coat. it’s a base paint so you can paint it on with just a couple of coats.

3. Mix Pink Horror and Screamer Pink together (50:50) and paint it onto all the fleshy parts of the model.

4. Paint over the fleshy parts with Pink Horror. Try to leave some of the previous layer showing through as shading.

5. Wash Carroburg Crimson into the recesses of the fleshy parts.  Don’t cover the fleshy parts, just the recesses to add more depth to the shading. 

6. Mix Ceramite White into Pink Horror and paint onto all the raised fleshy parts. Mix some more Ceramite white into the mix to bring the highlighting up a bit. Everytime you paint a successive layer onto top of the previous layer leave some of the previous layer showing through. 

7. Shade the Armour panels with a watery mix of Rhinox Hide and Screamer Pink. Run it around the brasswork detailing.

8. Highlight the armour panels with a 50:50 mix of Wazdakka Red and Screamer Pink.

9. Paint the armour panels with pure Wazdakka Red. Make sure you leave plenty of the previous layers showing through because it creates a deep rich crimson colour. 

10. Paint all the metal areas with Warplock Bronze. This includes, vents on fleshy tubes, gun muzzles, smoke stacks and all the edging on the armour.

11. Paint all the armour’s edging with Brass Scorpian.

12. To age the brass work, we want a verdigris effect. I’ve mixed together Teclis Blue and Warpstone Glow with a lot of water and run the mix around the brass work.

13. Highlight the brass work with Runelord Brass. Feel free to do a fine edge highlight of Runefang Steel to make the brass standout more.

14. Paint the remaining metal areas with Ironbreaker. You’ll notice i’ve left Warplock Bronze on the ends of the smoke stacks and gun barrels. 

15. The next step is to black in all the detail with Abaddon Black. While you’re using black drybrush the ends of the smoke stacks and gun barrels.  For the horns, try to paint Eshin Grey lines running down the length of the horns and spikes. 

16. Using Dawnstone paint shorter lines on top of the Eshin Grey lines. Paint to the end of the tip. 

17. Final highlight of Adminstratum Grey. Use a smaller brush for this final line on the horns. If you need to tidy up with Abaddon black by painting lines between the grey lines.

18. Cover the horns and areas painted with Ironbreaker with Nuln Oil. This will help tie together the blending on the horns and shade the silver metallics. 

19. The model has several eyes. You could just paint these as part of the brass work or like me you could paint them as small daemonic eyes. I painted a base colour of Teclis Blue, then painted Temple Guard Blue in the centre of the eye. I washed it with a blue wash and then painted a black vertical pupil .

20. The tentacles are base coat Thunderhawk Blue, Highlight Russ Grey then Fenrisian Grey, cover in Asurman Blue Wash and final highlight of Ulthuan Grey.

20. This just leaves the face to paint. I base coated the flesh with Ungor Flesh, washed it with Carroburg Crimson then highlighted with Screaming Skull. I didn’t want the head of the pilot (prisoner?) to be the same colour skin of the daemon engine so I painted it a more human tone but the red wash helps tie it to the rest of the scheme and shows he’s not quite human (or maybe alive).

I haven’t detailed how to paint the base, because you will all want to paint your bases to match your own armies or gaming tables. 

That’s it. My version of the Crimson Slaughter’s Helbrute. I like to think I’ve achieved a more Crimson coloured model then the bright red one that Eavy Metal painted. I also like the aged brass instead of the bright gold they did too. The garish daemonic skin colour wouldn’t look out of place on a Keeper of Secret’s dressing gown, but I prefer the skin to be skin rather then the same colour as the armour. 

Here is a little bonus picture for you guys and girls… it’s the Assault on Black Reach Dreadnought Vs the Dark Vengeance Helbrute!

Do you like our tutorials and reviews? Here is what you can do to
support us: Check out the websites of our sponsors, place your next
orders at Wayland Games by clicking here. Thank you very much, we appreciate any help to keep us going!