How to Paint Thousand Sons! Super simple and suitable for beginners!

[@owenashbacher4507]

Out of the 12 armies I’ve painted, TS is THE MOST PAINFUL.

[@MediocreHobbies]

There’s no way of making it easier, it’s a hard slog alright!

[@LibertyBusiness415]

It is taking me an infinite amount of time to paint 10 rubric marines. Tzeentch grant me the willpower.

[@SenseiLlama]

Admech has entered the chat.

[@malal6512]

@@MediocreHobbies gotta ask what do you use for the blue stripes for highlighting them, the averland sunset is great but I can't find a good blue for them to differentiate them from the rest of the thousand sons blue armor.

[@tullyDT]

This is a blast from the past. I remember when I started 40K you gave me lots of advice on painting at the GW store in Dublin and here I am picking it up again and you're still giving me advice.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Hahaha I'm always around

[@Angumar_]

This is perfect timing, I plan on picking up the Christmas box of Thousand Sons - can't wait to use these techniques

[@MediocreHobbies]

Awesome dude. Great box set.

[@S.A.S.H.]

I was getting ready to say the same thing.

[@AuldhannRua]

Nicely done. I like how you emphasised the "easy" not quick. It's an army I wouldn't have been comfortable starting myself as I perceive it to be quite a laborious process, but this video is a great guide for anyone who wants to paint up some 1k Sons, they did nothing wrong after all. Looking forward to the next one.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Cheers pal. Yep just have to decide what next. A lot of pressure for dark angels.

[@AuldhannRua]

So another heretic army then 🤔 🤣🤣

[@davidubois86]

Wow! Thanks for that video! Triming TS is probably the worst thing in the hobby, glad you made it faster to paint them!

[@症不眠]

It's not probably the worst. It is the literal worst :)

[@MediocreHobbies]

Yep for sure the worst.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Yep 100%. Cheers pal.

[@blakethomas9029]

He didn’t make it “faster” whatsoever

[@raphaelkoch1573]

@@blakethomas9029 he showed how to highlight it in a quicker way than adding a 2nd layer.

[@johnbennett4600]

Love this video. Thousand Sons are one of my 2 armies I wanted to collect, but painting them was seemingly beyond me. This video helps a lot!!! My biggest fear in painting.... white armor... especially the Sisters of Battle Order with the white armor. One day...

[@MediocreHobbies]

One day indeed. I trick is not to use white lol.

[@user-qy4nj3rk9j]

To make it faster, I opted to go with Retributor Armor base and then I tried Talasaar Blue just to see how it came out. It gave a really cool emerald green, so I won't have the classic look, but I'm skipping the trim.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Sounds very cool.

[@christophereaton8222]

Am going to use your method to paint my sons. It makes them so much easier because of all that trim.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Cheers pal. Glad you liked it

[@NightfallTH]

hence your Horus Heresy Videos my favorite go-to method for SM is the contrast-wash-layering approach. It is just so effective. Thank you for sharing that and again, awesome video for this TS scheme.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Appreciate that pal. Glad you liked the heresy scheme.

[@ovan2190]

Thank you! This was sooo good :) your right it's not fast but it's so much easier. I can definitely see this also helping with brush control with all that trim but this definitely is going to help me get through my Thousand Sons Great video as always Andy :)

[@MediocreHobbies]

Appreciate the comments as always pal.

[@christopherhood2250]

I really enjoyed this video. This is one of my favorite armies. I love the shades of blue against the gold

[@MediocreHobbies]

Cheers pal. And yes I’m a big fan of how it turned out and can’t wait to get more done.

[@kylemartinelli1379]

Another amazing video. Love watching your painting video especially since you emphasize in your videos how many elements (such as your layering over contrast) is something you like. Something I feel needs to be encouraged more, that you're painting your minis to what you like and to personal preference so much. Love how vibrant that blue came out with your layering by the way. Beautiful on that TS!

[@MediocreHobbies]

That’s so kind thank you for that. And I’m glad your enjoying the videos.

[@fredrikuppsall1043]

Got a box of these for my birthday! now i know which colours to get. I really like your result btw !

[@MediocreHobbies]

Glad to hear pal.

[@Tent-Peg]

Just come across this video. I painted mine in talassar blue too but over a leadbelcher base coat. Gave a really nice finish. Got the theme from a silver sons warband. Good work on these 👌

[@MediocreHobbies]

Cheers pal.

[@krevin543]

Love painting my 1k Sons! Great video with unique color choices that look fantastic.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Thanks so much, they're not a quick army to paint but they look great!

[@Skinofgod]

A lovely look to them, bravo.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Cheers pal.

[@veon1169]

Thanks for doing this video! Looks awesome!

[@MediocreHobbies]

Anytime pal.

[@wienerbob9999]

thanks, painting my first mini using this tutorial and it’s going pretty good so far 👍

[@MediocreHobbies]

Great to hear that and welcome to the hobby!

[@Cyd99]

I combined this with Duncan’s more classic method and I’ve developed a really good easily replicated painting scheme! Thanks

[@MediocreHobbies]

Oh nice! Glad to hear that!

[@Matthew-cp2kg]

Very helpful! Just got gifted a box of rubric marines and was hoping to find a process that wasn't too hard. Thanks!

[@MediocreHobbies]

Anytime pal.

[@seththompson2973]

Great, now I want to repaint mine using your method. At least I don't have many to strip and repaint. It really makes me both look forward to and fear the outcome whenever you get around to doing dark angels.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Awww no I’m sorry pal. I shall get the darkangel done for you soon.

[@sovietbear1917]

Druchii Violet is so versatile! Probably my 2nd favorite shade behind Agrax Earthshade.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Solid choice.

[@dcasper9884]

Yes! I’ve used druchii violet on my tzaangors for blending on their legs and head tentacles and it looks so cool

[@sylntghost007]

That turned out awesome.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Cheers pal.

[@jakubgiergielewicz4186]

Would using Akhelian Green instead of Talassar Blue give the same good look? I would like them to be more ghastly blue instead of just blue. My main fear is this fascinating combination of violet shade. What do you think about Akhelian Green with this shade? What colors to buy?

[@MediocreHobbies]

It will look good but very different.

[@ericmats4662]

I mean, after the druchi voilet its looking super! on the table they will look awsome at that step. So the rest steps are kinda optional imo :) awsome job man!

[@MediocreHobbies]

You are 100% correct. I loved how they looked after the wash.

[@stretchmcgee]

Looks really good, definitely going to use this for my TSons army. Should save me a LOT of times considering how much infantry I'm rolling with.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Great it hear it helped, Thousand Sons are a marathon to paint but worth it in the end!

[@joedan1410]

Love it! Looking to get into 40k with either thousand sons or world eaters so this is super helpful! Would love to see how you do Ahriman!

[@MediocreHobbies]

I do need to do that video. I already have a playlist for world eaters if u need help with them.

[@joedan1410]

@@MediocreHobbies I've actually watched them all already haha I love them! I just can't decide which to start with! I think I'm leaning towards thousand sons first!

[@kmccallig]

Cool Video Andy. Thanks.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Anytime pal.

[@gravastar241]

Currently trying to figure what army painter colors I need to replicate a thousand sons blue, can’t buy them from the GW cause it’ll feel like the Death Star blowing up my wallet

[@MediocreHobbies]

Maybe check for gw paints from and independent store?

[@virusofnurgle6896]

Great vid as always

[@MediocreHobbies]

Cheers.

[@alexlechef2]

Thanks for the tutorial, i was quite lost as to were to star with this project

[@MediocreHobbies]

Glad I could help pal.

[@Alex-vf3io]

Love the purple wash effects! Still a pretty fast paint job I'd say.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Thanks. Ye for sure faster then most. But still not that fast lol

[@Alex-vf3io]

@@MediocreHobbies it's refreshing to have a creator interact so much with their audience. I still use your Death Guard scheme only with a lot more AK grime and rust. You've helped me push past the unenjoayable base coats so I can spend more time in the fun paint phases. I'm eternally grateful!

[@MediocreHobbies]

@@Alex-vf3io I do want I can. As of yet there isn’t a single comment i haven’t replied to. I like chatting to the people who take the time to watch. And I’m glad there helping

[@Alex-vf3io]

@@MediocreHobbies I know I'm certainly here to stay! I'm definitely going to wash some more models with druchii to see what happens..

[@MediocreHobbies]

@@Alex-vf3io love it. You will enjoy playing around with it.

[@jamesmcallister5562]

Really good video! Ive been looking to statt thousand sons for a while but been slightly put off by how to tackle such intricate models in a fairly reasonable amount of time. Feel like this is a really clear and effective scheme to follow! 😁

[@MediocreHobbies]

Glad you like it pal and I hope it gets you a force painted up.

[@aaronjacobs462]

Thanks for doing this looks epic as ever, I think a lot of thousand sons armies are more "table top" standard

[@MediocreHobbies]

Yep for sure it is a slow scheme.

[@bernardwright3417]

I noticed that you didn't paint the gems on them, what color would you suggest? Really love our videos.

[@MediocreHobbies]

I honestly left them black because I couldn’t decide. Maybe red.

[@1Darkmanfin]

Which shade of blue should be used to correct or touch up areas that are blue, after gold trims have been applied?

[@MediocreHobbies]

Talasar blue is what i used.

[@the_guitarcade]

I know you go with official colors whenever possible to help as many people as possible, but now that the video is done, going with scarlet-ish eye lenses like Ahriman and the Infernal Master's cloaks is my preference for making the eye lenses pop.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Ohhh I like that a lot. And yes I wasn’t that happy with the eyes.

[@evader110]

I like making the eyes and gems warpfire green. Esp. since the normal troops are just animated suits and the sergeant is the controller

[@TheHeimer93]

Can you do a video where you take the TS model a step further with highlights and all that? I'd love to use this scheme for my TS army, but I always enjoy taking them a step further with like the HQ and character

[@MediocreHobbies]

I mite just do it.

[@AustinSavage-e3b]

Do you have any tips on keeping the yellows straight and clean?

[@0wolfex0]

what colors would you use for crimson sons?

[@MediocreHobbies]

The red scheme? I did it for my heresy playlist.

[@BoofHoover]

thanks for the video man, you did a beautiful job.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment 😊

[@neurotikk777]

Is there an alternative colour scheme? Love the sculpt but not the blue 😔

[@MediocreHobbies]

They can be red like the heresy version but anything you chose. There your models.

[@mickholohan4266]

Love this, would be using this video. Would love a dire avenger tutorial andy.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Glad you liked it and yes the eldar playlist needs one.

[@ninjalee8379]

I just brought some rubrics to start a warpcoven kill team! I dont have that shade you used but would I get a nice result as this if I used nuln oil before going over it like you have? :)

[@MediocreHobbies]

It would be darker but still really nice.

[@drkatz1192]

Any advice for painting the stripes on their headdress? I’m applying the white (instead of yellow) at the end unfortunately (too late to go back and change it since I did the blue). Just wondering how to make those tiny lines?

[@MediocreHobbies]

It’s honestly just patience and a steady hand. Somthing that has to be practiced. But you can always go back and correct mistakes.

[@derpaton4354]

How to you clean up any mistakes that you did with the gold trim ? I find that cleaning up after a color like gold after with a contrast paint is very difficult since you can't really paint directly over it

[@MediocreHobbies]

I find it’s easier to add some water with a clean brush and wipe away the mistake.

[@TheWabbaGhoul]

honestly should have just stopped here 5:20 and then just painted the eyes green I know tsons are typically lighter blue, but that gold and blue pops out so nicely

[@MediocreHobbies]

It did look well at that stage.

[@GeAsita]

Ty! I want to start playing wh40k and I def want thousand sons to start with!! Also I don't know if it's just me but the volume is super super low

[@MediocreHobbies]

It's not just you haha sorry

[@joshuadtedd]

Hey! Great video! Would this work for Scarab Occult Terminators too? Or are the flatter armor panels an issue for the contrast?

[@MediocreHobbies]

It will work for them perfectly.

[@masonfernholz928]

Would I be able to use the same steps or similar for other models, such as scarab occults terminators or hq’s?

[@MediocreHobbies]

100%. I mean I plan to add those units to the playlist at some stage but yes this video pretty much covers all bases.

[@masonfernholz928]

@@MediocreHobbies Awesome! Thank you so much! Love how mine are coming along with this scheme

[@ParzZzival565]

Do you think this would work well if you primed gold? I’m wondering if the blue contrast will still layer up nicely over the gold 🤔

[@MediocreHobbies]

Yeah I’ve done that for Tomb Kings and it worked well!

[@justinwise7220]

What do you think about using nuln oil on them

[@MediocreHobbies]

I feel it would be to dark. But maybe that’s just jay your doing for.

[@jackdigan6024]

Great video as always would love to see you paint up a space wolf grey hunter or blood claw

[@MediocreHobbies]

They are planned already. Glad you like it.

[@spidermyst]

Great result and great vid ! How long did it approximately take you ? Also do you think priming with retributor armor first would speed up the process significantly?

[@MediocreHobbies]

Not to long. Maybe 2 hours.

[@Ahriman_362]

Honestly i think even with just the contrast and drybrush it looks very good. Kinda like the oldschool thousand sons scheme back in the day. A dark blue with a brighter yellow. Sadly i've already painted 37 rubrics. What a pain 😄 I went for a battle ready scheme. It doesn't look as good as yours but it's still fine and relatively quick.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Getting 37 painted to any standard is an accomplishment. lol. And ye so loved the after wash look. I’d be more then happy to filed them like that.

[@SS_BAJA]

This seems super simple, want to get some Warpcoven going and I only need to get like 1 paint for this cuz I have all the others (or my preferred equivalent)

[@MediocreHobbies]

It’s very easy!

[@christophereaton8222]

When you have finished your mini are you clear coating it to protect it? If so what do you use? In the past I have clear coated my minis and all my metallic colors have dulled/muted in colors.

[@MediocreHobbies]

I don’t use any varnish, I don’t like how it looks afterwards! I’m just careful when handling them and I don’t have any issues with paint coming off etc

[@aloha_saladbar1854]

Are all those citadel brushes? I was skeptical of getting some. Could you list the ones you're using at some points?

[@MediocreHobbies]

Get yourself a small and medium layer brush and try them for a while. There amazing.

[@sweatilaa5325]

the Thousand Sons are a good example of a miniature I want one of to paint for fun, there are quite a few GW factions I just want one or two models of and not a whole box. Kinda wish they had some sort of kit strange people like me :p

[@MediocreHobbies]

I totally get that! Maybe have a look at character models or the battle box for Christmas? You could ask around for some swaps either from local hobby people!

[@kaden9229]

I'm in the middle of painting thousand sons and I keep running into issues with the shade paint dulling down the gold a lot. I've been trying to use either drackenhoff nightshade or tyran blue. I've also tried shading and then doing the gold, but then I end up painting over the shade by accident. What would you suggest I do for shading? The violet shade you used in the video seemed to go very well over both the gold and the blue. Maybe shade everything violet and then highlight the gold? IDK, i've just tried a ton of different way and am not 100% happy with any of them.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Ye that’s a good plan shade everything with the purple and go from There.

[@kaden9229]

@@MediocreHobbies I got the purple shade and tried it out and they look great! It's like a perfect in between where it goes over the gold nicely and the blue.

[@MediocreHobbies]

@@kaden9229 great to hear.

[@ViviMafia]

Love it! i want to follow along and paint most of my army in this scheme and was wondering how you think this would look like on a wardog? probably have to make some changes since theres a lot more metallic but would the blue look good?

[@MediocreHobbies]

That would be so cool! The scheme would still be the same, yeah there’d just be a different balance of blue vs metallic! Hope it turns out well!

[@ViviMafia]

@MediocreHobbies thanks for the reply!

[@Bodom1after1midnight]

Not painted in years, wondering why you use 2 primers? why not just go straight to the grey seer?

[@MediocreHobbies]

It’s a lighter coat of grey seer to help the contrast stick better rather than over a full cost of it. I also use chaos black as a base, then add light and shadow by using a lighter coat of the grey seer!

[@Bodom1after1midnight]

@@MediocreHobbies thanks!

[@Tinge1337]

How do you recommend painting the chest where the gun is covering?

[@MediocreHobbies]

My way of thinking is...if my paint brush can't reach it, it's probably in shadow anyway! :D

[@innocuousshark4634]

What brush do you use for the retributor armor to trim the model? I've tried to use a small layer brush, but it keeps making a mess all over the model.

[@username12321100]

This is awesome!! I'm curious how long this model took to paint?

[@MediocreHobbies]

About 2 hours.

[@shaunrussell1131]

I'm still waiting for that Dark Angels tutorial Andy 😁 A Deathwing tutorial would be good aswell 👍

[@MediocreHobbies]

HahahHa let me get on that.

[@broony77]

Don’t know if you will see this but what did you do for the base? Which texture paint is it and which colours did you use for base and dry brush please? Starting a TS army soon and really like how it goes with the mini.

[@MediocreHobbies]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5mpoYqmasumiNUsi=ajU-npxyc5dTjgqQ this was what I did for that model! Would recommend the lunar texture paste from AK Terrain instead of the Astrogranite as it’s way cheaper for a lot more product and it is a perfect dupe. Otherwise the steps are the same!

[@broony77]

Awesome. Thanks for the reply!

[@Vanklomp1]

The blue is so birght I've done my first 5 with Tsons over gold and it came out dark I might have to try this instead as the bright blue really pops

[@MediocreHobbies]

Ye pal give it a go. You mite love it.

[@jinxsD]

Lovely tutorial once again! My weird critisism has to be the end pan shot of the model, I dont think that background suits the spinny panorama of the models 🤔

[@MediocreHobbies]

Na your rite I’m not very good with lighting I need to get better at those final shots.

[@virusofnurgle6896]

Khorne berserker

[@MediocreHobbies]

When the new once are out.

[@Narakuda]

Next do word bearers! Lorgar demands it! But seriously dude, love your videos

[@MediocreHobbies]

I did them for my heresy series. Same scheme these days.

[@Narakuda]

@@MediocreHobbies much obliged

[@carlharrison6476]

I love this technique. Just started collecting Thousand sons and I’ll definitely be using this method. Thanks for the video.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Aw love to hear that, thanks so much! Enjoy!

[@iftija]

just wanted to say thank you for the awesome video!! my only question is, is there a specific reason why you chose Tsons blue over Ahriman blue?

[@MediocreHobbies]

It's just personal preference, you could easily swop in whichever you like best!

[@bbllaakkeeee]

I think the layering killed it. You had such a wonderful shade of blue with that violet shade. Maybe just use a smaller dry brush and target the more so prominent gold areas with the silver?

[@MediocreHobbies]

Always take the parts you like from tutorials and adapt the rest to suit your own taste!

[@philcrook5256]

Looks great. Did you consider using retributer armour as a base as I think you did with your HH TS? Would this technique have made the gold trim phase easier as well as give a vibrant metallic look? Can't wait to see how you go about a noise marine!

[@MediocreHobbies]

I did indeed. But decided on a more traditional scheme as I get it would appeal to more people.

[@garthmichel]

The black on the gun looks incomplete to me if I'm being honest. I think if you did a small dry brush/stipple with a dark grey would make it pop a lot more. Otherwise great paint job, I'm busy with my own and looking for inspiration

[@MediocreHobbies]

That's totally cool, always add/switch things in tutorials to make it suit yourself best!

[@primafacie5029]

Giving I'm dusting off my dusty bois... good stuff

[@MediocreHobbies]

Perfect timing then.

[@Zach-cn4lb]

What did you use for the primer? Did I miss that?

[@MediocreHobbies]

Chaos Black and Grey Seer! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHu6gqeuj7uWhcksi=53t7uWyH-Znm9du4

[@Zach-cn4lb]

@@MediocreHobbies you used a full coat of both? In that order?

[@MediocreHobbies]

@@Zach-cn4lb Watch the video i linked!

[@JohnMiller-yh2lj]

Great job 👍, I love these minis and have a thousand points. But that being said I will never do anymore they just take way to long to get done, to a good standard.🙏😇🇺🇸

[@MediocreHobbies]

Ye I think my fill army mite have quite a few tzangor just to flush it out lol

[@quahodron2756]

Can't wait for the thousand sons boarding patrol (pls no tzaangors :D).

[@MediocreHobbies]

Yeah..might have to make that happen! Thanks man!

[@puma0713]

It looks like you’re attaching the weapon before painting. Do you find that it makes that difficult to paint around it? Great video btw.

[@MediocreHobbies]

It can for sure I’ve always felt if you can get a brush to it then you can’t see it so don’t need to worry about it.

[@daviddalglish9430]

Man you make content faster than I can consume it, when do you actually sleep? I know the channel is mainly 40k and AoS videos probably don't do as well but the other day I tripped, fell and accidentally landed on the Gloomspite Gitz page on the GW website and I'd love to see how you'd handle some of them.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Gloomspite gitz are my biggest and favourite AOS army I own. I will for sure be doing some videos for the new book don’t worry. And who need sleep when you have energy drinks lol

[@mcscalemodeling4984]

after watching different painting strategies for 1KSons, I think painting them gold first will save your/my/our sanity.

[@solebydesign]

might be better to prime in retributor gold as the first step to avoid the annoying part of the trim

[@MediocreHobbies]

Yeah fair point!

[@geertbeekman8680]

spry paint them retrebution gold and word from that.

[@MediocreHobbies]

It is indeed Ken way of doing it.

[@guy-br6ot]

I like tyranids

[@MediocreHobbies]

Cool!

[@DeathSithe92]

I REALLY....REALLY Fing wish I had found this video years ago before I made my thousand sons rubrics, I went from a gold basecoats to thousand sons basing and they look so godamn terrible and flat and boring looking, the blue does not pop at all and im horrible sad as I now have 3 squads of rubrics who look like absolute trash compared to this.....

[@MediocreHobbies]

Sorry to head that pal. If your really really unhappy with them you can always strip the paint off and start again. I know it’s not something most people want to do but the option is they’re. I have a video on doing it if you need it.

[@DeathSithe92]

@@MediocreHobbies wait you can do that!? I thought once the paint was on its ON......like...forever...

[@mirage809]

Thousand Sons! The dustbins! Perhaps the most visually complex model range GW makes. They look breathing though. He ended up looking great. Most Chaos Marines aren't very speed paintable in my experience. All that trim takes time to do.

[@MediocreHobbies]

Agreed there for super a little slower then there loyal cousins.

[@StormcastMarine]

If you want to paint thousand sons you can paint them mate, no reason to lie on the internet ;)

[@MediocreHobbies]

Hahahah you got me

[@guy-br6ot]

tyranids!

[@MediocreHobbies]

What about them? I have tons of videos on them if you’re asking that?

[@guy-br6ot]

sorry

[@MediocreHobbies]

No worries!

[@guy-br6ot]

tirenid

[@MediocreHobbies]

What? 😄