T’au Force
Color and paint schemes

At Art-W Studio we have had the privilege of bringing a classic Warhammer 40,000 army to life, but with our own personal and unique touch. Our recent project has been nothing less than a shock force from the iconic T’au Empire, a faction that has always stood out for its characteristic aesthetics. We have created an impressive army, made up of a variety of miniatures, each with their own charisma and role within the whole.

The retinue is led by the ethereal Aun’Va and his faithful escorts, figures full of presence and character. There is also the Darkstrider, the valiant group of 20 Fire Warriors, the precise Pathfinders, the imposing Broadside, and a host of drones, each with their own unique charm. But what really makes this strike force stand out is its setting: a reddish, arid and nuanced rocky desert, with 3D rocks adding depth and realism to the whole.

We’ve kept the classic ochre and black colours that have always defined the T’au Empire, but added our own touches. The armour has volume effects that give it an extra, realistic dimension. In addition, we have added orange spotlights and white details, which make the figures even more striking. We have also decided to paint the firing effects with a vibrant deep blue, a detail that definitely makes the whole thing stand out on the battlefield.

This project has been a challenge and an opportunity for us, and we are proud of the result. We love bringing these miniatures to life and creating something that can be appreciated both in the game and on the shelf.

Project

✻ Warhammer 40k

✼ T’au

✻ Assembly

✼ Painting

✻ Basing

✻ 3D Printing service

Customer briefing

I want to start a T’au force

At Art-W, we are always delighted to collaborate with clients who share our passion for Warhammer 40,000. This was the case with our latest client, a T’au Empire enthusiast, who came to us looking for a unique and customised interpretation of his shock force.

The client had very clear ideas for this project. He wanted to keep the traditional colour scheme of the T’au Empire, but with a personal touch. He asked us to depict an arid rocky desert environment, in contrast to the sophisticated T’au technologies. And, of course, the stellar figure of the ethereal Aun’Va should stand out from the rest.

We are excited by this challenge. Every project is an opportunity for us to learn, grow and do something unique. With this vision in mind, we plunged into the T’au universe, ready to bring our creativity and skill to this exciting project.

T’au Force - General picture of the project

General picture of the project at Game & Ornate level

The beginnings of the T’au army

We began our journey into the T’au Empire with the painting of a sample miniature. Based on the client’s guidelines, we were able to represent his vision in small scale. While waiting for approval, we assembled the two main heroes and made 3D prints of Aun’Va’s escorts.

Once the sample T’au Force was approved, we started painting. The ochre base was applied to the whole set with an airbrush. Then, we divided the miniatures between two of our painters and got down to work. We put emphasis on the details, such as the volumetry of the armour and the stalagmites on the bases.

One of the most exciting moments was the painting of the energy shields of the defence drones. We achieved an incredible effect, with a transparent blue in the centre of the explosion, which transformed into an opaque blue at the tips.
For Aun’Va’s guard, we used a neat trick in our 3D printing software. With the mirror function, we achieved perfect symmetry between the two figures, enhancing the presence of the ethereal.

T’au Force assembling and painting process

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