Thursday, February 9, 2017

Squaduary 2017 Weeks 1 and 2



Main logo for Squaduary
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...

Squaduary 2017 Challenge

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!

4 comments:

  1. This unit will be devastating on the battlefield..... Great looking steel. I might look into that mixture. Thanks for the post.

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  2. You are welcome; and thanks very much for the comment! Hacking out one more session before I head out...

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  3. Nice work. I too made my first attempts at edge highlighting with my new Deathwatch army. Well worth taking the time, as they look great with it. Looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

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  4. Thanks! Back fro my business trip, I have been able to get back to work on the squad. Weapons are coming along, and I survived the edge highlighting learning curve, though I have much more practice to do before being anything like competent at it! :)

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