*Cough*

Big ol gap in posting...Ive since changed jobs and consequently now do more traveling.  Been doing a bunch of freelance work in my extra spare time, so been ultra busy.  I have managed to jam in an hour here and there to paint, so I figured Id line up everything I have finished (except a couple bases) and post an obligatory group shot!

More Terminator painting

Getting closer to finishing off this group of Deathwing.  Its going a bit slower now that Im working on 3 of them at the same time.  The eye lenses and chest symbols are the only parts that are completely finished.  Otherwise these are just after the point of inking and cleanup.  Up next is lots of highlight buildup and edging.  I think Im going to pickup a box of Deathwing knights to use for the Sgt. torsos.  I don't really like the one from Dark Vengeance, so I've re-purposed the arms to change up a bit of their poses.  (the one on the right is the assault cannon guy with the Sgt arm)

"Warp" speed ahead.

Get it?  Cuz hes a psyker...and he harnesses the power of the warp...?  Its #FTPF (Free terrible pun friday)  Well, tomorrow the 7th ed book comes out...I've seen leaked pics that Dark Angel Librarians no longer have access to Divination power, but I still think it will be fun to sling around dice with the new (old) psychic phase.

Anyway, heres my first Librarian.  (I touched up 2 tiny things after I took the pictures, but its pretty close to done at this point)

B- Epistolary Librarius  “Sodiel”   (125)

                Power Field Generator, Force Weapon, Terminator Armor & Storm Bolter

Each Librarian will be attached to his own Deathwing squad...In Sodiel's case, he will be accompanying  Brother-Dekel and his men in to battle.

Some Deathwing progress!

Had to take a few days off from the painting desk.  I have a horrible setup right now...its just a tv tray in the living room and it makes my back sore as hell if I don't take breaks.  Anyway, I tackled the first Terminator over the last couple nights and really like how its turned out.  I want to give a shoutout to Vallejo Model Color 124 - Iraqi Sand.  It worked so well with the Skeleton Bone Army Painter spray.  

As a little homage, I'm painting all the feathers similar to like they did on the 90s Deathwing models.  The 3-band feather is very iconic to me.  I might swap the color positions for each squad.

Starting Deathwing

First time painting these guys...I actually cant remember the last time I was so excited to paint a squad of marines!  I've always loved Terminators...from the first time playing on the kitchen floor with my friends, Ive always had to have Tactical Dreadnought Armor everywhere.  (Of course it didnt hurt that back then it was a 3+ ...on 2d6!....strength modifiers lowered it etc, but it was awesome).
I've always loved how the Deathwing looked, but early on I saw white dwarf 98 and Ultramarines became the coolest thing ever to me!

So there was no way I could stray from the codex and paint my 1st company white.  Well, now that Im a 40K hipster and can't bring myself to play UM anymore (haha...I liked them before they were cool ;) and believe it or not, they didnt used to be the gw marine posterboys...Crimson Fists and Blood Angels were both the first chapters I remember on the rulebook covers) of course now I get to paint the cool bone-white Terminators.
Wow, that was a long-winded way of saying, heres the first WIP shot.  (I realized I forgot to drill one of the storm bolter barrels...whoops, Ill fix that)

Veteran Sergeant

Serious work-in-progress, but I figured I'd post him at this stage (hes sloppy).  I sawed off the Dark Vengeance sergeants arm and slapped it on this old metal DA Veteran.  Back in the 90s I was a teenager and I didnt really get the concept of different marine chapters...I bought a bunch of them because I thought the robes were really cool.  So anyway, I still have about 10 of them completely bare metal.  Now that I'm actually painting Dark Angels I can use them perfectly!

I couldnt decide on the left arm...I usually just model sergeants with powerfists (its usually easier to say 'no, hes just got a close combat weapon'...rather than 'that sword is actually a powerfist').  That said, I liked the sword in the air pose...it seemed more knightly.

Some work on the Grand Master

For some reason I really haven't been feeling this model.  I can't figure out the reason but its just been a chore getting to this point.  Its very much a work-in-progress, so maybe It'll grow on me.  Here it is with some areas washed & highlighted...some stuff just base-coated...like I said, my heart just wasnt in it yesterday.

More Grandmaster/Counts-as Azrael

Sat down last night and cleaned a bunch more Tactical marines, so the desk wasn't really setup for painting.  I decided to get some more done with my scratch built leader (that I posted a bit earlier about).  Here he is so far...I decided to use an old 2e power sword (mag locked) on his side.  I just got a bit tired of the usual captain pose/angled sword to the air. 

Instead I dug through my bits to find the pointing powerfist...I felt like it gives a bit more of an authoritarian pose...more expressive in my opinion.  Hes armed with a decorative combi-melta and more purity seals than any model Ive ever done!

Tomorrow, I've got packages from Hoard o bits, Secret Weapon Miniatures, and GW direct coming in...it will be glorious.  I'll be able to finish this model off with a Dark Angels chapter shoulderpad and maybe start painting him soon! 

Marines!

Heres progress from last night.  Once again, my crummy phone camera has washed a great deal of the detail, but I think they are more than tabletop-ready.  I need to finish up the backpacks and get the company badges on their knees.  I might hit the eyes with another wash or something...they are just 'ok' to me (I have done better at any rate ).  I think alot has t do with the batch of marines I got in my Dark Vengence box...they are very soft in lots of places.

WIP Grandmaster or Azrael 'counts as'

Got inspired to run through some sprues for a bit of a kitbash.  This will be my Azrael figure if I ever decide to use him.  It always bugged me that his miniature wasn't wearing the Lion Helm...I know its just the designers aesthetic, but anyway I wanted helm on!

Parts are pretty easy to identify:  Have assault marine legs and grenade packs, company champion front torso, captain back with cape & (not pictured) aquilla command shoulderpad, dark vengeance master head with vet sergeant backpack...DA symbol came from command banner sprue I believe. Then I have a combi plasma with lots of purity seals from the tactical box.  Finally I have a couple packs of Dark Angel shouldpads coming from GW.  Still can't decide what sword arm to outfit him with.  The normal captain pose is pretty boring.

Finished test model

Heres the finished model (its 3 bad cell phone pics, so excuse the quality).  For some reason I usually like the results better the next morning when I pick it up and take a look at it...same here.  I actually can't remember the last time I was excited to paint a regular space marine.  There are a few tweaks I'll make as I continue on, but overall I'm happy.  I think I may just finish up the remaining Black Consuls I have left and leave them to 'ally duty.'  Black armor was just killing me to paint.  I was never happy with the edge highlighting and missed being able to blend stuff.

Tonight I'm going to start painting rank and file marines in little groups of 2 or 3!

Small weekend update!

Anticipating the delivery of my new Deathwing purchases I went down to my FLGS and picked up some Army Painter "Skeleton Bone" Colour Primer.  Ive heard nothing but good things about their primer, but this is my first time buying some, so I'm excited to try it out  (I'm also looking at picking up their "Angel Green" in the near future if things go well).

I also picked up some Caliban Green and Biel Tan Wash from GW on my visit to the game store (people were raging about some minute star wars 'fact' and how bluray ruined the movies).  Anyway, since it was the first time I've tried any green power armor I decided to paint up a test marine.

The only primer I had lying around (besides the fancy Skeleton Bone that I'm saving for terminators) was black, but I usually like starting that color for marines regardless of color.  The Tac marines in the Dark Vengeance Box are a bit surprisingly soft on their squad marking/ chapter badge details, but overall I really like ALL the models from the box. 

Chapter Master -- Update

Here is the Chapter Master with the basecoats finished up.  I added some purity seals and scroll cases to jazz him up a bit. 

Chapter Master on Bike

Heres a very early picture of the Chapter Master on bike I'm working on.  Dark Vengence bike is the base.  Clipped off the rider while leaving the steering arm...and built up the body with the captain sprue.  Hes ready to rock with that powerfist!  I've got a shield to hang off the back of the bike in case I wish to load him up with the relic.  I've found that the 'ravenwing' wings look just fine when painted up gold ala imperial aquilla.

Devastator Marines

Picture of some marines I am painting in to a devastator squad.  Dusted off a couple old Rogue Trader missile launchers I found with some old fantasy minis I had.  You can just see then on the edges...Ill take some better pics ones they are finished up.  On a side-note, I am getting better at the Black Consuls Chapter Badge freehand...holy crap, its going to get REAL once I tackle the majority of the force.

Test Scout

I swear I don't only paint scouts.  Here is a pic of the metal test one I did to start them off.  I don't know HOW they can call them 'combat knives' when its like 80% of his body length!

Posted this a while back in a 40K forum

This is an amazing model to paint...had a couple questions on how I did mine.  These were honestly the steps I took...obviously step 4 can be as intense as you'd like, but the great sculpt really helps make it easy.

Scouts!

Heres a closeup of my scouts....just before basing.  I really enjoy painting these models and I've gone through a bit of a whirlwind of painting them...so much so that I picked up another box this last weekend and am hoping to breeze through them.

Small Bike Force

Trying to update a few of the pics I've been posting to Instagram...heres a small squad of bikes I have finished up!  Librarian is from the Dark Vengeance box...and is a freaking great model to paint.

Old Landraider!

Heres a pic of the Landraider I finally dusted off and painted.  Its been primed Ultramarie blue since Cobain was still alive!  Its a bit modded with some old predator sponsons...but finally ready to lay some firepower for the Black Consuls.