Land Speeder Storm: WIP

After a lot of work on my scout bikers, I decided to toss in a LS Storm, thinking it would be fun to paint up and get on the table. Maybe I am facing painting fatigue from the bikes or something, but the LS storm is turning into quite the painting challenge. Much like the scout bikes, the storm has so many neat little bits that really need to go on the model that it is almost a painting chore. In order to make it a bit easier I've decided to paint the storm's riders next, and then when they are done follow up with an all stowage painting-a-thon for both the bikes and the speeder.

I am not sure what I did different this time around with the modulation of the blue, but the storm is a much lighter less rich shade than my first squad and dreadnought. Maybe not enough regal blue? Either way, I like the color. It sets my scouts apart.

Anyone notice a theme for the army? Nope, not a scout army, but an army of all the stuff I have wanted to but never painted. You can see bits of the ironclade dreadnought on my table already. I don't know if I will do it before i hit the thunderfire or not.

Space Marine Scout Bikers WIP

In my quest to paint all the stuff that that I've never painted, I have two new units under the brush.

First I have a squad of scout bikers with magnetized weapons reporting for duty. These guys have been a blast to paint, though I am struggling a bit with the cloth on their pants. I was told to never field these guys, which moved them to the top of my painting queue! I can't wait to get decals on these guys and then do weathering. I think they will fit really well into the base. I am tempted to not use weathering powders but to instead airbrush graveyard earth along the tires and lower portions of the bikes. This way they would match my tanks. I had forgotten what a grind painting the actual SM bikes was.

The second unit in process is the Land Speeder Storm you can see in the background. The color is off a bit from my dread, but I am pretty happy with all of the shading none-the-less. The idea of having to paint up an identical non mounted squad to match the riders is a little daunting, but should be fun.

Casting Custom Bases With Outer Lip

 

Rather than paint up some more Ultras, I decided to experiment with casting a new style base for them. I've thought for some time that a band around the base, that was clearly not part of the scene would look nice. Rather than way for some bases from Secret Weapon Miniatures, I decided to create some base blanks that I could use as the basis for my custom bases. This involved using a dremel to grind off of the tops of each base, and then adding a sheet of plastic on the bottom to serve as the recessed area. Once this was done I decided to play around with three different styles.

1. Use the existing brick roadway base design, but surround it with an outer lip, making it a little wider than current bases on the top. (those pesky devastator legs still hang over the lip, though less so now)

2. Use the brick material to build a ruined cityscape base style.

3. Fill the center of each base with hydrocal (a lightweight plaster) and then crack it to produce a cracked earth style.

Unfortunately the silicone mold I made did not set well so the details are a little gloopy, but you can still get an idea how these could look. If I commit to make each of these sets I will use my pressure pot. Since these were just samples I did not want to spend the extra time setting the equipment up.

What do you think? Do lips around bases look better than the usual design? Casting these will definitely require more work, but it might be worth it.

First Full Ultramarines Squad

After a spell of uncertainty with regards to my painting, I am really happy with how my Ultramarines are turning out. As some know, I've been planning on this Ultramarines force for several years now, which has probably added a great deal of unnecessary pressure. All it took was a wash of weathering powders on the original bases, and I am excited again. I am especially excited to paint up some scout bikers to go on those biker bases in the last photo. (I know I need to actually finish painting the dread! first!)

This will be my first full SM force since my Blood Angels, and ti think it will play really differently with all of the weird SM codes goodies I've purchased. My rule for purchasing for this this army was to buy everything I have never painted and work it into the force. That means I have a thunderfire cannon, ls storm, scout bikers, and whatever the chunky dreadnought is on deck.

Forgeworld Weathering Powders On Resin Base

I was going to wait until I got back from LA, but since I had a few photos of my bases coated with fw weathering powders I thought I should share. I think I am all set with these for my ultramarines. I am still deciding between two colors, but these will do nicely with my tallarn guardsmen and black Templars.




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Ultramarines Dreadnought

My first Ultramarines dreadnought is finally taking shape! I've had this mini for years, but as AoBR came and went, this dread lived in a built and primed but not painted condition. Back when I built this thing, my skills were far worse than they are now, so I carefully broke the model apart before I started painting.

In the background you can see my tac squad, with transfers all affixed. They'll stay unbased along with the drew until I figure out what to do.

I am heading off to LA for thanksgiving tomorrow, so this guy will have to sit partially completed until next week.

Happy thanksgiving!

Ultramarines First Squad WIP

I received a lot of good advice on my test model which really helped me tweak my painting into something I liked. It was amazing how big a difference changing the pouches to brown, adding deeper reds, and very targeted purple washes helped. I am really grateful for the advice provided by the community.

I'd love to keep the base dusty, but I think a mars like base would add a lot of interest to the models. I painted up an Ultramarine years ago that I put on a mars-esque base, and while the mini was over-weathered, the red-blue contrast was great.  For now the models will remain un-based. I just don't know what to do with the LR Promethes, 2 predators, 5 rhinos, 1 razorback, and 1 vindicator I've already painted. (the aircraft are dust free)

Just to make things exciting, rather than use the recipe from my test mini, I changed it up incorporating some of the new GW paints. I also decided to paint up an entire squad. I usually batch paint, so any method needs to be easy from  that perspective. So with a squad made up of previously painted rag-tag models, I changed my blue formula to:

• Black primer
• Kantor Blue (not maccrage blue as one might think!)
• Ultramarines Blue (old range--just love the color)
• Calgar Blue 

I chose Kantor blue as the base because it was darker and would make more interesting shadows. Basically it added a little bit of purple tint the model.

So a squad with a meltagun and a multi-melts. I had a lot of meltaguns so I added one to the unit. The multi-melta was added because I had a partially painted one from my BA force. I've never used one as part of a tac squad, but I think it could be kind of fun.  I purchased two plasma cannons and three heavy bolters from one of those bits sites, so I'll eventually have a few options.

Ultramarine Test Model

I've now painted my third Ultramarine! I used a Grex airbrush that I picked up at NOVA for most of this guy. As a test model this guy got to experience just about every technique there is. Total painting time including basing is under an hour, so I expect a full squad would not be that bad to paint. The problem is that the model is not really speaking to me. It could be that using AoBR models as test models is so overdone now that it colors my view, but I think there is something wrong with the color scheme.

1. Should I darken the model?  I could mix black into my regal blue base and use a darker base color before shading with ultramarines blue.
2. Should I skip the edge highlight? My inclination is to let the airbrush shade the edge, and then use washes to make areas pop. 
3. Should I paint the shoulder pads a color instead of a metallic. That would differentiate the gold chest eagle from the trim. I had hoped all the gold would make the model more regal, but it feels a bit monotone.
4. Do I keep the dusty stone bases? The model looks like he is straddling the base. Maybe I need to make wider ones.

I've got a whole squad stripped of paint ready as a test squad. I may go ahead with it, or I may do a few more test models. Any advice is appreciated!