Let's Paint: Astra Militarum, Cadian 501st

Hey everyone, welcome back!
This time I tackle a very requested video. How I paint my Cadian 501st / Universal Guard. This scheme will apply to both so enjoy!
In this video I heavily utilize The Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 and AK Interactive 3rd Generation Acrylics
As always find me on social media! linktr.ee/col.festus
If you have any questions or what to see a tutorial feel free to comment down below!
Paint list
Speedpaint 2.0 Ashen Stone
Speedpaint 2.0 Bony Matter
Speedpaint 2.0 Noble skin
Speedpaint 2.0 Aged Hide
Speedpaint 2.0 Grim Black
Speedpaint 2.0 Gravelord Grey
Speedpaint 2.0 Medium
Speedpaint 2.0 Shamrock Green
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics Dark Grey
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics Warm Grey
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics Brown Rose
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics Pastel Pink
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics Off White
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics English Grey
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics Grey Brown
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics Black
AK 3rd Gen Acrylics Gunmetal
AK Wargamer Wash Dark Wash (pending releasing can use agarax earth shade)

[@Northman-11]

I am just getting into 40k and decided to go with the Astra Militarum. I found this video in my search for color schemes. Wonderful work and earned a sub from me.

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@neferhoteplegrand6300]

Always as effective !! And then it's cool to have examples of painting that does not require to have done fine arts at school! Lol

[@col.festus]

Cheers! I’m self taught from white dwarf haha. Didn’t have KZbin when I was learning the hobby. Felt like giving back!

[@neferhoteplegrand6300]

@@col.festus haha ! All the same, I'm an old nostalgic for Mike Mcvey 😋

[@makaero1504]

Very cool scheme, Im desperate to avoid green after Death Guard and Orks so this helps me a lot. Thanks!

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@maxmoanz6561]

Your combo of using speed paints and acrylic together is great. I love you method.

[@col.festus]

Thank you so much 😀

[@pb4977]

I love this color scheme

[@tervindar507]

dude! awesome work! You should do a video on your cities of sigmar / empire soldiers.

[@col.festus]

I will def be getting the new box when it drops :)

[@mgentile7]

What I like about this paint scheme is there are not a lot of colors ! Very well done !

[@col.festus]

I try and keep my schemes simple for army painting :)

[@slicktoast9629]

Dude, I just found you after searching for a unique guard paint scheme. This fits beautifully! I can’t believe you’ve only been posting for 4 months!! I would love to see a tank or vehicle in this scheme!! Can’t wait to see more, keep it up!

[@col.festus]

Cheers! I’ll be adding some more stuff soon.

[@keyvanarian4461]

yes please do a tank scheme! Im very curious as well

[@mikeretrovertigo2436]

Loved this uniform scheme seeing it on Twitter and Instagram and after finding this guide I know how I'll be doing my own Guard army!

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@robinfesta9057]

Awesome work Eric! You are so talented!

[@garyl4533]

fantastic tutorial! that guardsman is ready to be shredded by bolter fire but look glorious doing it

[@col.festus]

A glorious death!

[@quintu5]

It´s about damn time! Great Video!

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@rodagoose]

This guy looks great! Just what I was looking for, a little more sci fi flavor then the box art style. I'm going to try this paint scheme on my combat patrol set!

[@col.festus]

Very cool!

[@herzbruder33]

Thanks for the video! I was looking for grey armor and you really helped.

[@col.festus]

Glad I could help!

[@GhostMaker00]

Awesome stuff dude

[@ThePaintingCoach]

Great vid!

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@InnuendoOutTheOther]

More Col Festus more often!

[@col.festus]

Recording some stuff now :)

[@RealmDesigner]

Just found your channel. Really love your schemes and I'm just starting my own guard.

[@col.festus]

Welcome!

[@GeoffPG]

I'd love to see how this scheme looks on Kasrkin. Would the 501st Kasrkin have a camo pattern though?

[@collinwatson4483]

Was just looking into doing a more dull scheme for the guard i just got into and this is perfect! Im curious how you would do darker skin tones as well for some diversity within the army

[@JacksonThings]

So good!

[@CreeperSl4yer]

I'm mad that this guy looks better than my guys and yet seems to take less time to paint. Beautiful work, keep it up :)

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@Faiythe]

Thankyou, I saw your finished speedpainted model on twitter and loved it, really good to have a more detailed guide

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@Jomi91]

I did a scheme like this! (corvus black armour, and the fatigues were palid flesh + codex grey) very nice.

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@grantus27]

Great job! Has me reconsidering speed paints as well.

[@col.festus]

So far they’re quite nice!

[@kheiland]

Excellent. Have some Shock Troops to paint and this helps a ton.

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@UncleDickeysRandomLife]

Those and great!

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@zsoltlang2144]

I started painting my 1st cobat patroll box. I use citadel technical mud, so I dont have to tire myself furter with painting and makinga proper base, and can just bath my minis in nuln oil on the surface so I get a wet and dirty effect on my minis. tho my weapons give a plastic feeling after my paint, but I cant give a deamn, as it takes about 2h for a regular model or 2,5h for a guy with heat weapon.

[@JRwhite1991]

Great stuff, can’t wait to see some vehicles!

[@col.festus]

I’m finishing up the combat patrol so a sentinel is coming for sure. Then I’ll be adding some tanks

[@GrapeHate]

Greay results!

[@col.festus]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@j.taylor7361]

I’m doing an Ork army and I’m predominantly using Speedpaints. I was trying to decide between your priming technique, a zenithal, or just Slapchop ‘em. Your grey prime looks great though. I thought I’d want some some sort of shadow that Slapchop or zenithal would imply.

[@col.festus]

I may try a grey undercoat with zenithal white grey as an experiment

[@jacobrichards8359]

I've been waiting for this!!!

[@col.festus]

My man!

[@informer9111]

Same

[@jeffholt9437]

Thanks for this. I'm not a fan of GW Contrast paints as they leave a transparent look - however, the Army Painter Speed paints youve used leave a very opaque finish which is nicer than regular paints......

[@holyterrashall787]

what camera do you use when you record? also i love the color scheme!

[@AdamSmith-dp6ub]

I would love to know what paints you'd use to paint the end of flamers to give them that heated metal look

[@galenchaves9783]

Wow big decision i need to take between this scheme and the one from the 51st regiment

[@4535jacks]

Do you think a mix of basilicanum grey and Skelton horde would give a similar colour for the fatigues?

[@col.festus]

It might be a bit more blotchy, the ashen grey is a bit more opaque leading to a nice blend

[@Seriphin12]

Brilliant!

[@bobbynovak2693]

You mention using an "Army painter Speedpaint 2.0 Mix" of 1:1 Ashen Grey and Bony Matter - are you referring to the Speedpaint "Ashen Stone" or are you referring to a mixture of the Warpaints "Ashen Grey" with the Speedpaint Bony Matter?

[@col.festus]

Yes ashen stone

[@eenis1281]

Awesome scheme

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@dragonforgedesign]

Looks great, Ive just recently tried Contrast paints. Id love to give the Speed Paints a try to.

[@col.festus]

I like them better. Coverage seems smoother

[@drshattersphere2471]

Hey mate question for you? Which AK grey primer do you use? And what would be some alternatives you recommend?

[@col.festus]

I use the AK grey primer. I also like Stynylrez primer, but any light grey primer will work. When krylon duo

[@dwc4695]

I Ilke how you mixed up the speed paints. Great Job ! 👌

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@Clabahoy]

awesome scheme! Id like to see it applied to a vehicle if you get a chance.

[@timwilson7170]

If I ever did Guard this would be a scheme I'd like to do! How did you go about painting tanks?

[@col.festus]

Coming up :)

[@timwilson7170]

Awesome! Thank you! @@col.festus

[@gahngis8158]

curious Is there any other equivalents to Ashen Gray and Bony matter that isnt army painter speed paints, any of the other lines make any thing close to it?

[@col.festus]

Rakarth flesh by GW

[@darkzentai7417]

If you don’t have an airbrush, what could you substitute that first colour for?

[@col.festus]

Rakarth flesh

[@weirdhammer]

Love your work! Question: is your camera optically zoomed in while you film? If you film zoomed out about 50% from this, you can "zoom in" during the editing process and you won't lose too much fidelity, but this way you will always have the mini in frame if you happen to rotate it out for a few seconds. Just something I learned recently and wanted to pass it on. This mini turned out great.

[@col.festus]

Yeah I am. I’ve been trying to mess around with the camera a bit. I may try this cause I’m have trouble doing super final details with the camera in my face lol

[@weirdhammer]

@@col.festus I have my camera mounted on a rigid monitor arm fixed to a shelf on my wall so it's a good distance from my head and I still go out of frame :) Best of luck!

[@drshattersphere2471]

Love your work mate!! Any chance you will be doing this color scheme and a guide on any tanks ??

[@col.festus]

You bet!

[@drshattersphere2471]

@@col.festus Can't wait!

[@jappmayo1220]

I've been struggling with speed paint and maintaining even a semblance of a tip. The bristles keep fraying to the point I have like 4 "tips" what brush would you recommend?

[@col.festus]

Brush quality, invest in some good series 7s from W&N

[@jappmayo1220]

@@col.festus any sizes to start with you’d recommend? 🙂

[@col.festus]

@@jappmayo1220 usually a size zero and a size one. Just make sure they’re “pointed round” not “miniature round”.

[@nhahtrebor91]

Love the vid. how do you do your bases?

[@col.festus]

It’s a mix between pavers sand and printed rubble from make it epic basing.

[@blacklazer12]

Do u every use Vallejo or GW paints? Its hard to get army painter and AK where im at. Is there a way to do this scheme with those brands?

[@col.festus]

I’ve fully converted over to AK and speed paints due to how easy they are to work with. For GW, you’re looking at Mechanicus standard grey and rakarth flesh for the armor and fatigues respectively

[@frankg9956]

This looks like the uniforms from the Cadian Blood book.

[@col.festus]

One of my favorites!

[@gorillatommygun3751]

Would this work if I used citadels grey seer instead of ak grey primer? Thanks!

[@col.festus]

Yup! I suspect very similar

[@justsomeguy5851]

Matte varnish over silver chipping etcetera. Do you find that it effects the shine? If so, what is your work around for this?

[@col.festus]

It does dull it a bit but it still shines. Looks much more realistic to me

[@justsomeguy5851]

Thank you 🙏

[@moonsaves]

Looks crisp!

[@col.festus]

Thanks!

[@4535jacks]

How did you manage to use the the AK grey primer????? I bought some to try this scheme but it is transparent both through the air brush and brushed on.

[@col.festus]

Shake it up a ton. Never had that issue with mine.

[@Lfcsweden-n5m]

Is it Ashen Stone your refering to when you make the kaki?

[@col.festus]

Yes my apologies

[@Lfcsweden-n5m]

No worries, I assumed it :)

[@j.taylor7361]

Do you find that the Speedpaint 2.0 dries really fast? Is there a way to counter this to increase working time?

[@col.festus]

Add more than you need and wick it away from the edges. Also always use a synthetic brush when working with them.

[@TheToneycheech]

I'd love to see a sentinel in this paint scheme.

[@col.festus]

Working my way through the combat patrol :) so it’s on the list!

[@blacklazer12]

How would u do a vehicle with this scheme? Do u add a brighter color?

[@col.festus]

Keep your eyes peeled for a tutorial :)

[@DCAMM720]

ayyyye been a while since last video, nice!

[@col.festus]

Yeah, putting them out as inspiration strikes me. Not trying to make a business out of it so I can keep it free for everyone to enjoy :)

[@GaddisGaming]

Very nice

[@col.festus]

Cheers!

[@ryantodd8852]

Just wondering if anyone has a list of citadel contrast paints for this scheme at all ? Thanks for your time

[@snufflebunny539]

Holy shiiiiit

[@col.festus]

🫡

[@ShadowlessFist]

#BrigadierGeneralFestus! :D very cool

[@col.festus]

🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡

[@igloo.550]

Amazing look, gonna use this on my new imperial guard army. Also, what is that background music playing? Thanks!

[@col.festus]

Cheers

[@joecosier22]

Sounds really close to the Yellowstone theme to me.

[@RyanAvx]

What would the GW paints be for this scheme?

[@col.festus]

Fatigues rakarth flesh, armor mechanicus standard grey

[@JohnRoy-nx1fu]

Looking for somebody to give half of my unpainted models…..the catch….is to paint the existing half (about 1000 minis) of what I’m keeping

[@camostrike4395]

What song is in the background?

[@col.festus]

It’s a generic sound loop on adobe Premier Rush :)

[@cesargimenez1288]

Could you do a list of the paints you used? I feel like this is what I would like to paint my Krieg like, and obviously if I decide to do I’ll tag you on instagram! (I follow you there too)

[@col.festus]

Sure! I’ll start putting up paint lists. I’ll add it in the next day or two

[@cesargimenez1288]

@@col.festus I’ll keep an eye, I’ll definitely buy them all and paint my Krieg force (finally) thank you for this scheme

[@col.festus]

Added!

[@tallness2001]

What brush(es) are you using ?

[@col.festus]

W&N series 7s

[@MultySkooma]

Why the gloss then the matt? I don't think I've seen that before

[@mitchelldorcas9687]

Protection. Gloss varnish cures harder so it's more resilient to chipping. Then the matte varnish is used to kill the shine of the gloss varnish.

[@MultySkooma]

@@mitchelldorcas9687 thanks!

[@mitchelldorcas9687]

@@MultySkooma No problemo!

[@kettusnuhveli]

I was afraid you wouldn’t show us the original recipe you used for your UG when I saw you post that speed painted cadion on twitter… such a shame… 😢

[@col.festus]

The original method still used speed paint, was just a base of AK beige red and grim brown for the webbing with the 1:4 mix of speedpaint gravelord grey over the top. This cuts out both steps.

[@col.festus]

Reddish grey now beige red, sorry lots of colors in my brain!

[@jacobrichards8359]

Such a shame? How is that such a shame? He's using the tools to his advantage to get good results on a whole slew of guys he'll need to get through.

[@kettusnuhveli]

@@jacobrichards8359 Not all of us are army painters Jacob! 😉

[@jacobrichards8359]

@@kettusnuhveli you're preaching to the choir. I primarily don't paint armies myself, but I can appreciate the methods people use when they are painting armies. You can take what Eric did here as a good starting point for doing display work. I've done the same in my work when I prepare projects for competitions.

[@wijn1008]

I would like to see this with camo green and an actual brown for leather. This gray and dark scheme make the character dull and boring in my opinion. I do like your highlighting skills though.

[@hammysholdingpattern8692]

I like your content, but you need to watch the "uhs" and "ums". Gets distracting

[@col.festus]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@hammysholdingpattern8692]

@col.festus Of course. I like watching channels thrive. You're has the stuff to be epic. Try a script

[@col.festus]

@@hammysholdingpattern8692 cheers! Currently just doing voice overs after. Maybe I’ll try a script :) thanks

[@MirelurkCakes]

Nice tutorial but why would you choose that background noise, jesus christ its awful, had to watch the video on mute.

[@col.festus]

The classic strings? Good to know.

[@andrzejgogoek9402]

Superb work. How did you paint tanks other armored forces?

[@col.festus]

Stay tuned :)

[@andrzejgogoek9402]

@@col.festus och hoo i will. I plan on small guard display army and now i think i find great paint sheme 😁

[@heatherarmstead]

Looks great, nice easy scheme for painting a million guard ^^

[@col.festus]

That’s the plan! I may do a master class series for officers showing how to take the scheme to the next level

[@grimgar3048]

would like to see that please! @@col.festus