Blood Ravens Tactical Marine COMPLETED

One of the things I've been trying to achieve with the new paints is staying relatively consistent with my existing Blood Raven forces. This has two problems - firstly the paints are different, so that's been tricky, and secondly most of my Blood Raven basic infantry were painted a while back and I've (hopefully) improved since then. So rather than production line my new Tacticals, I pulled out one and just did him, so I have a baseline model for comparison. I am rather pleased with him.

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Painting Table Update September 2012

Well i've finally started on the last of the kits from last big blowout, my second Tactical Squad. They're in a really mixed state of development at the moment, but the furthest along- the one i'm getting ready to use as a "standard" to get the others lined up against, looks like this:

He still needs highlighting, and a lot of touching up, but he's the right colour, which was a relief after the problems I had with the speeder being too bright. A didn't do the best job on cleaning up his mould lines though, dammit.

Anyway, after these guys are done I'm not entirely sure what to do next. Bearing in mind that I'm in this for the painting, and only really actually play 40k with my son, building a balanced army isn't high on my priority list. However, I'm close to a decent-looking 1500 point Blood Ravens force and one option would be to build up towards that. Which means a couple of Rhinos and another speeder, basically. Which would also be good tests for any airbrush starter set I care to buy.. 

I think I just don't get on with Da Orks...

Heres the thing: I love the Orks. I think the fluff is great, the figures look fantastic, I played them to death in pretty much every incarnation of Dawn of War. There is just something about their bloody-minded determination to enjoy themselves in the GrimDark milieu of 40k, whilst all the other races treat it all so seriously.

But I have a problem - and that its that I just can't paint the damn things.

This is a Trukk for Ewan's Orky horde for use in the on-going stuggle to control his bedroom floor. Ewan enjoys playing 40k a lot but painting leaves him cold, so I occasionally end up painting bits of his army here and there when i feel like I need a break from Blood Ravens. This got rattled off in a few hours spaced over the weekend, and it shows in places. The thing is, I just can't get into painting it. I like the model - I think they look cool painted up - but I struggle to get a handle it myseld and consequently...its just a bit substandard. I mean, it's fine for charging around the battlefield being blown up by Marines, but I'm left feeling it should have been better.

On the other hand; I'm learning a lot about metal effects, which I don't use much on the Marine stuff, so its not a total waste. 

Blood Ravens Landspeeder and some paint thoughts

Well first up I got my first vehicle under the Vallejo Paints done, and it looks like this:

No, I still haven't bought a decent camera.

This really almost turned into a complete disaster but I think I've mostly brought it back. I've noticed that the colour depth on the new paints is much stronger - and better - than the old GW ones i'd been used to, and planned accordingly, but even so the initial red coat was ridiculously vivid. I think it's still to bright compared to the existing vehicles but a couple of washes and the weathering pass have brought it back under control somewhat.

The weathering - especially the mud - is heavier than my normal effect at least in part because of this, but also because I figure that high-speed skimmers that get tactically deployed as hit-and-run strike forces probably get filthy.

As to the painting the problem I'm not really sure how to resolve it - thinner coats sure but then I'm going to run into problems with application. I'd love to try Landraider or similar show-piece vehicle and that's really not something I want to screw up, which makes me think a starters airbrush could be the answer. Time for more research, I think.... 

Blood Ravens Command Squad COMPLETED

Well, I setup the lightbox again, and got to work messing with some more snazzy shots. Unfortunately, what this has revealed is the limitations of my camera for this sort of work, so I guess I need to find the cash for a new one in my hobby budget. Guess that puts off the airbrush purchase for another couple of months!

Anyway, here they are, and apologies for the photo quality. Comments, as ever, gratefully received.

Apocathery

Company Champion

Company Commander with Relic Blade and
Combi-Melta

Plasma Veteran

And another Plasma Veteran

Standard Bearer

Captain and Command Squad

I need to setup the lightbox again over the weekend and take some proper pictures, but for now...the completed and based Company Captain and Command Squad...

Pretty please with that little lot. Next up, my first Landspeeder. 

Command Squad WiP

So, my Command Squad is comming along, and a couple more of the figures are now painted apart from basing and weathering. Pictures below - although my camera appears to made them a bit "redder" than they appear in real life. When I've got the squad done I'll crack out the lightbox and make some better shots.

Company Champion. Fiddly, Fiddly, Man. 

I agonised over the Shield colour, but went with Red in the end.

His "proper" sword is on my Company Captain, so he's got a "standard"
Power Sword. The backpack eagle is chopped off a banner. 

The first of the squad's two Plasma Veterans. 

I've got loads of these "kneeling" legs and this
 is the first time I've used them. 

Sadly these pics really do make him look more orangey than he is :(