This scheme is based largely around a colour plate I found online, but draws a little inspiration from 'The Last Samurai' too. It is quite involved, but it is intended for a small skirmish force, so I am willing to put in the effort.
Red Armour
- Basecoat with Khorne Red.
- Drybrush with Wazdakka Red.
- Thin some 2:1 Khorne Red and Incubi Darkness and shade all recesses.
- Mix Wazdakka Red and Ungor Flesh 1:1. Use this colour to add fine edge highlights to the plates.
- Increase the amount of Ungor Flesh in the previous mix, so it is roughly 1:4 Wazdakka Red and Ungor Flesh. Now selectively highlight any corners or exposed edges.
- Finish with :specular highlights of Kislev Flesh.
Black Stitching
- Basecoat with Black.
- Run the side of your brush over the stitching with some The Fang, just catching the edges. I would recommend doing this in and upward motion.
- Mix The Fang with an equal amount of Blue Horror and selectively highlight the pars of the stiches that would most catch the light.
- Finish with specular highlights of Blue Horror.
Blue-Grey Cloth
- Basecoat with 1:1 Eshin Grey and Stegadon Scale Green.
- Shade recesses with thin Abaddon Black.
- Mix your base colour 1:1 with Mechanicus Standard Grey and further enhance the volumes with some fat highlights. The difference at this stage is subtle, but it is a great way to tidy up after the shading.
- Apply chunky highlights of Mechanicus Standard Grey.
- Highlight again, with Dawnstone coverring a smaller area.
- Selectively highlight with Administratum Grey.
- Pop specular highlights of Grey Seer where needed.
Black Cloth
- Basecoat with Black.
- Glaze and pick out the general shapes with 1:1 Black & Dryad Bark.
- Take the previous colour and mix it 1:1 with Stormvermin Fur. Use this mix to apply some general highlights to raised details.
- Mix the previous colour 1:1 with Rakarth Flesh and more selectively highlight.
- With pure Rakarth Flesh, add small highlights within the previous stage.
For the laces on the sandals, I simply picked them out with :rakarth flesh, then selectively highligghted with Pallid Wych Flesh.
Cream Cloth
- Basecoat with Screaming Skull.
- Wash with Seraphim Sepia.
- If any parts need extra shading, I would recommend additional shading by hand with 1:1 Tau Light Ochre and Dryad Bark.
- Selectively highlight with 1:1 Screaming Skulland White.
- Pick out very small White highlights to finish the cloth.
Skin
- Basecoat with Kislev Flesh
- Wash the skin with Reikland Fleshshade.
- Highlight with Flayed One Flesh.
- Add specular highlights of Pallid Wych Flesh on the tip of the nose and select areas.
Black Hair
- Basecoat with Black.
- Pick out hair strands with a 1:1 mix of Abaddon Black and Kantor Blue.
- Mix some Kabalite Green into the previous mix and selectively highlight curved edges.
- Now mix in some Fenrisian Grey and pick out an even smaller area.
- Finally, use pure Fenrisian Grey to very selectively highlight curved edges where the light would hit.
Black Saya
- Basecoat with Black.
- Glaze a highlight of Dark Reaper on raised areas.
- Apply fine highlights of Thunderhawk Blue.
- Selectively higlight Fenrisian Grey.
- Mix some White into your Fenrisian Grey and apply specular highlights on upward facing corners.
Katana Blade
- Basecoat with Leadbelcher.
- Wash with Nuln Oil, pulling pigment away from the tip.
- Establish a highlight with Ironbreaker, and also edge highlight.
- Add a small highlight of Silver RLM01 Metallic and eghe highlight more selectively.
Gold Details
- Mix a little Silver RLM01 Metallic into Retributor Armour, until you see the colour desaturate to a point when you are happy. Now basecoat all gold details.
- Wash/recess shade with Reikland Fleshshade, where needed.
- Where you want to emphasize deep recesses or a define a change in material, use some Rhinox Hide and a very fine brush. We are aiming for a fine line here.
- Increase the amount of Silver RLM01 Metallic in your Retributor Armour and highlight.
- Finish with some specular highlights of Silver RLM01 Metallic.