Crimson Fists 1987 - paint help!

Hi Guys!!

I've got my hands on two original Space Marine box sets from '87 and I want to do an army to resemble the box art - the Crimson Fists. I've been messing around with some of the recent Citadel paints and the suggested schemes for the current CF chapter... and it's not quite doing it for me. I'm hoping to get the models looking just like the photo on the back of the original box...

Does anyone know GW's original color scheme for these guys? I've been through many of the original White Dwarf magazines, but to no avail. I'm assuming the originals were done with a base coat of Moody Blue, but I'm not sure.

I have access to quite a few of the original paints, so if you guys can be authentic as possible for this scheme (original paint names and all) I would really appreciate it!! Being that I'm colorblind doesn't help, so a recipe from a pro is just what is called for!!

Cheers!!

*Also, if anyone knows of an original WD where this scheme is covered in a 'Eavy Metal, please point me in the right direction!

astro49marines-01.jpg
 

JonAtron

Member
Can't be of any help to you at all, sorry. But I'm liking the sound of this project, hope you put it up on WIP.
 
Thanks! I will definitely post some pics. I just finished the Space Ork Raiders original box set getting it pretty close (planning on doing Battle for the Farm), so I will put some of those up too!

JonAtron... I noticed you did a fist army on here with some modern paints, if I'm correct? Any chance you could share your recipe to get that blue? Looks really cool!
 

JonAtron

Member
Sure, no problem.

As pictured from left to right,

Base coat/shadow - main colour - highlights. Painted over Halfords grey primer (its a medium tone grey.)
Insignia/Signal Blue - Ultramarine Blue (game air is different shade to game colour) - Electric Blue /Light Sea Blue

 
I think the base paint was the old 'Marine Dark Blue', which was a lovely dark colour not too dissimilar to Deadly Nightshade. There's a bit of batch variation though, with some pots having a more purplish hue, and others being more indigo.
 
Thanks for replying! I have a pot of that paint... any idea what the highlights/washes were, based on what you can tell from the box photo? A gradual mix of white into that, or something else? I think a brown ink wash topped everything off.
 

Scalene

Member
When the box was released the only Citadel blues that were available were Moody Blue and Enchanted Blue, although the studio also used plenty of other paint brands. It’s hard to tell how accurate the colour reproduction is but to me their colour doesn’t look particularly like either of them. Sorry this isn’t particularly helpful but I think it makes it impossible to get an authentic recipe and so your best bet is to do it by eye with whatever you have to hand.
 
I realize it's been awhile (had a few other RT projects on the go)... I can finally post something. Lots of work left but pretty happy with things so far!
 

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