Squaduary 2017 Weeks 1 and 2

Image Credit goes to Stepping Between Games

Welcome to Squaduary 2017 weeks 1 and 2.  The first week was the squad build week. However, as I explained in my introductory post, I accelerated my progress by starting with a squad of Deathwatch veterans that was already assembled and primed.  That let me get right into the work since I will be unable to work on the project during week 3.  This should have mitigated the week-long absence...but then there was edge highlighting black armor...and a family stomach flu.  So progress was slow to say the least.

Edge highlighting is NOT a skill I have easy access to.  I've been a dry brusher first and foremost when it comes to highlighting. An older skill I'm doing my best to leave behind so I can learn new technique and advance my skills with miniature painting. Clearly for black power armor, the go to technique is edge highlighting these days.  So I set to with a gusto...with only a couple hours to paint per session, and only a couple sessions per week, I was managing two marines a session...ack.  The family stomach flu prevented any acceleration of this. Cautions and a bit messy here and there, I when fairly timid with the high lights using a single layer of Vallejo Grey Blue. With time, I'll go back with a second pass of something lighter on the high spots.  But this was all I could take for now.

In my final session of the first two weeks, I cranked out the steel left arms and armor joints. And here we are...

Probably spent a bit much time with my new Foldio360 turn table in the light box when I should have been soldiering on with the painting, but it was a good break. I'm very pleased with the steel. The subtle bluing doesn't show much in the washed out gif, but I think it works well with the blue-grey edge highlighting. I used Vallejo steel as a base followed by GW Nuln Oil as a shade.  I then highlighted the arms with steel and glazed just the flat surfaces with a mix of GW Lahmian Medium and Vallejo Dark Blue in a 4:1ish ratio - very thin glaze of blue. I finished off with a final highlight of Vallejo silver.

I'm aiming for one last session before I head out on a business trip for a week; likely to base coat the weapons. Following that, I REALLY have to tuck in and see what I can get done in week 4.  It's going to be a foot race, and a fun challenge! It's great to finally get some paint on some Deathwatch veterans.

Best wishes to the rest out their tackling their Squaduary challenges.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!