Monday, September 30, 2019

WIP: Blades of Vengeance Primaris Characters - Part 3


More progress to share on the Blades of Vengeance today.  It does not look like I'm going to complete these models before DreadTober kicks off.  But no matter.  I like where they are going and I'm want to take my time with them. Its a hobby force and I don't need to make any deadlines other than my own at this point. I've already side lined the Master for now, although I do occasionally bring him into the batch depending on what I'm painting (like the pistols).


I was planning to use black weapon cases for this chapter. However, looking back through the Dark Angels codex, I noticed the one example picture illustrates this chapter with red cases.  So I decided to go with the canon, hoping that a new update doesn't retcon that on me. :)  And I'm glad I did!  The red pops nicely, even with the existing red chest eagles and lieutenant stripes. I may be biased based on prior Dark Angels projects however.


I base coated the bases and added shading.  No highlights on the bases yet.


This model is rising to the top of my "favorite Lieutenant" list. The sword hilts have been touched up from the blade painting. Much of the work on these guys has gone into painting the pistols and cleaning up various bits from previous sessions.  This guy got some initial green highlights on the armor. Subtle, but that's how I roll.


This next model also got some highlights. He's my second favorite pose currently. Some GW Mephiston Red has been painted in the eye lenses of all the helmets.  Shading and final highlights are still needed. I think this should look better on the models without the red helmet stripe. But I shan't judge until I complete the work.


I finally have the bone on the shoulder pads clean and ready for transfers.  I realize I need some black sword icons for the veterans, such as the Ancient and these lieutenants. Dark angels use red ones, which I have a-plenty.  I found a couple on the Forge World Siege of Vraks sheet (Red scorpions among other bits on that sheet) that may fit, but not enough for the army, likely.  So I think I'll go back to trying to print my own.  It's a simple thing, so I should be able to get it right. :)


Man, nothing like posting close ups to point out the remaining mistakes, eh? I'm just now seeing that I have a spot of gold to touch up on the blade after repainting power leads.


Some preliminary work on the non-helmeted heads.  Since the Lion is blonde I thought I'd try some dirty-blonde hair on his scions. I'm liking it so far.  This is just base colors and shading.  No highlights yet. I'm also still trying to figure out this guy's left eye.  I believe he has battle scars and an augmetic, but it's much more subtle than usual. I'll work on the puckering scar with more shades and highlights.


White prayer beads on this guy are coming along.  Again, just bases and shading so far.  No highlights. I also decided on some grey rock or debris among the sandy shades on the bases to bring a bit of life to the base.  I am also continuing to lay down spot shades of green to give the ground a mossy, lived in look. Heh.


Some may note that I finally drilled out the pistol barrels.  I normally would do this during assembly.  I forget why it was I skipped that step with these guys. This fella is looking a bit more solid with his initially painted head.  Like the previous model, I haven't gone back in with any highlights or creative shading....well that's not entirely true.   This guy got a preliminary shading of GW Carroburg Crimson. I focused around all the metal bits that I felt would leave the skin a bit angry and raw.


He is still looking good sporting his preliminary chapter badge transfer. I'm looking forward to the final set reprinted with clear swords, instead of white.


The Ancient gets a little love here and there as I work on the Lieutenants.  His bolt gun has been painted red now and the banner got a black pole and some green leaves. And of course the base was batch painted with the rest.  Otherwise, this fella has just received some cleanup.


A more obvious shot of the black pole above. And that is the end of my little show and tell today.  I had visions of these guys being fully completed today, but they are still looking good and progress has been made.  They are getting the full character treatment, and for me that just takes time. I've also been jumping in and out of painting these guys in two or three hour blocks.  at times this has left me struggling a bit to recall where I was at and what needed to happen next.  I would have been better served had I put an organised painting plan together and stuck to it.  I have the color recipes, but otherwise, I've been all over the place with the painting. I recognize the disorganization has cost me some efficiency which equals a measure of lost time.

I'll address this as I take on squads so the batch painting will be more productive. As it stands, it is good to be a hobby painter with no real deadlines. I am enjoying the results and I believe I'm learning a lot with these guys that will help me with the rest of the force going forward.

Next up will likely be my first DreadTober 2019 post unless I manage to squeeze in one more painting session prior to the 1st. Until then...

Cheers and Happy Gaming!




Thursday, September 26, 2019

WIP: Blades of Vengeance Primaris Lieutenants - Power Swords!

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenants WIP - power swords

More progress on the Blades of Vengeance characters. I painted Vallejo Dark Rubber on all the flexible joints in the armor and shaded this with GW Nuln Oil.  Then I decided to work on the power swords. I chose the same recipe and method Duncan from GW demonstrates for Adeptus Custodes starting around 10:05 in the video.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword


40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword

I have to say, the close ups look pretty rough.  However, on the table it's a neat effect.  It's clear these boys have something interesting for weapons, and it's pretty easy to spot the power weapons as a result. The highlights are intentionally patchy and a bit random to sell an effect of crackling energy up on the blade. Might have sold it too cheaply, but it's a hobby not a contest. :)

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - Power Sword40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword

 40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword

GW White Scar highlights are focused at the sword tips and certain key raised points in some cases where I wanted to add more contrast. The recipe is in the video, of course, but can also be found on my recipe tabs above.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword


40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword

At this point in the pictures, I haven't gone back and done anything with the hilt or power leads on the blades.  The GW Drakenhof Nightshade has covered and darkened the leads.  These will be touched up and highlighted to clean things up and some minor object source lighting will be added to show the power source for the blades. I ran out of time during the last session to complete that part for all four models and decided to hold off until next session.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - Power Sword

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP - power sword

So there is four Lieutenants with sexy new power blades. Only five more days until DreadTober!  I have to kick it in high gear as the Blades project goes on hold for the month of October. I'd really like to have the characters completed - though decals will likely wait since I don't have the new reprints in yet.

Can't wait for DreadTober! Why haven't you signed up yet?

Cheers and Happy Gaming!


Tuesday, September 24, 2019

DreadTober 2019 Approaches!


It is that time again. Sign up for DreadTober 2019 has begun.  I am pledging the new Horus Heresy Dark Angels Legion Contemptor Dreadnought from Forge World.  Not sure which arms yet - I have a few options - so you'll have to check back on October 1 to find out! The body will be magnetized so I'll probably take the opportunity to paint up a couple options as part of the challenge.

I'll be taking raw parts straight from the packages and working to achieve a complete painted model (with options) this year.  I can't wait!

"Anyone seen that old guy with the paint brush...?"
In the meantime, I'm continuing to work on the Blades of Vengeance characters...so I better get back to it.

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

Friday, September 20, 2019

WIP: Blades of Vengeance Custom Decals

40K Blades of Vengeance Primaris Ancient WIP

Several unrelated work and life events have kept me largely out of the hobby cave recently, but there's always time for something to get done.  In this case, I got my first sheet of custom decals from Fallout Hobbies and tried them out.   The image I shared with Fallout Hobbies is readily available on the web - so all I needed was to provide some directions on the size and what not.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

Savvy readers will note that the chapter badge has a white sword, which is not correct.  This error was my fault and something I totally missed when reviewing the proofs. To save myself a lot of sword painting, I ordered a re-print with clear swords to correct this. Not a major issue at all. The folks at Fallout Hobbies have been responsive and great to work with. 

40k Blades of Vengeance Librarian

I advocate custom decals a lot and typically make my own for small projects.  In this case I recognized the my graphic arts skills were not up to task.  I tried one sheet on my own and just got frustrated trying to correct the size and manage the printing and sealing of the art for effective decals.  Given that I need these for a whole army, in various sizes, it was an easy decision to turn to the professionals.  I would recommend using Fallout Hobbies for your own custom decal needs.

40K Blades of Vengeance Characters WIP


While waiting for the new decal print run, I am looking for time to complete the characters I have on the painting table. This project goes on hold once DreadTober 2019 hits...

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

Friday, September 13, 2019

WIP: Blades of Vengeance Primaris Characters - Part 2

40K Blades of Vengeance Characters WIP

I put some painting time into the Blades of Vengeance between assembling Blackstone Fortress hostiles and a couple Imperial planes from the new Aeronautica Imperialis starter set.  Yes, THAT happened. :) Well I warned that there might be unexpected new releases along the way that would influence the hobby season.  No worries, though.

Back to the Blades of Vengeance.  With the Librarian almost complete (pending decals and final touch-up), I went back to the lieutenants, Ancient and Captain/Master.  The Master has the least work of the set so far, but he is still coming along.  I'm batch painting the common details to help things along.

40K Blades of Vengeance Master WIP

I got enough done to attach the backpack.  But really, my focus this week has been on the Lieutenants.

40K Blades of Vengeance Master WIP

I did take some time out to start roughing in the banner, but rough is the key work there.

40K Blades of Vengeance Chapter Ancient WIP

I think veterans will have a bone stripe on their helmets, while Sergeants will get a red stripe.

40K Blades of Vengeance Chapter Ancient WIP

Lieutenants then get both.  I really like the different poses.  And while I have five lieutenants available, I'm focusing on two or three of the best poses as my key models for game play (you know, for all of those games I'm playing...).

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

I'm being WAY too fidgety with the bone on everything.  I keep messing up one thing or another so there's been lots of touch up. Part of this is due to how I've been in and out of the project so I'm not completing areas and being done with it as I would normally with more focus.  Still, I like how they are turning out as the paintwork develops.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

I find it oddly enjoyable to paint the leather work.  I like how it comes out and it has become something I feel very confident with. Painting these guys is the first time I really paid attention to the belts...these guys have belts!  I think the Primaris line sculpted the belts more distinctly or something.  I've always ignored painting belts on Marines in the past.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

This Lieutenant is perhaps my favorite of the set.  I consider him the veteran of the group, with the extra laurels and all.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

With those two being the primary Lieutenants I'd play in a game, this fellow is my third favorite.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

Then these last two probably should have been squad Sergeants. But I appear to have enough of those already.  So it's a deep bench of Lieutenants for this force. Heh.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

What would the field of battle be without guys pointing at stuff?? ;-) I can just imagine the troops nodding and saying things like "yeah, yeah, I got it!" - under their breath of course...no insubordination here!

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

I like the new helmets on the belts. Seems better form than these guys going out without a helm, or simply tossing them aside somewhere.  I mean, not every character has his helm torn off by the enemy, right??

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

The tilting shields will get some sort of chapter iconography, probably just a black sword in a reverse motif of the chapter symbol (black shield w/bone sword). But possible something personal, like a skull or what not as heraldry for the character rather than chapter heraldry.

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenant WIP

Here's a Lieutenant group shot. progress, progress, progress.  

40K Blades of Vengeance Lieutenants WIP

I'm still aiming to wrap these guys up before DreadTober 2019 starts. Though perhaps not the Captain and Ancient.  Time will tell! I need to resist the urges to build fun stuff in the limited hobby time I have available.

How are your hobby project coming along?

Cheers and Happy Gaming!

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

On the Workbench [September] - Blackstone Fortress Hostiles

Blackstone Fortress Hostiles WIP

That's a load of models!  In hopes of playing some Blackstone Fortress soon, and perhaps even completing some of the models, I decided to finally assemble the hostiles.  I built the Explorers many months ago, but never got around to the rest of the models.  Since then, two expansions have come out providing more hostiles (Dreaded Ambull, Traitor Command). So, on the workbench this month were the full set of existing hostiles...just in time for the Escalation expansion to be released.

Blackstone Fortress Explorers WIP
Blackstone Fortress Explorers
First, I assembled the Dreaded Ambull and his little helpers.  This is a fun model, and as an old timer in the 40K Universe I look forward to painting it.  This model is simple nostalgia, if nothing else.

Blackstone Fortress Dreaded Ambull WIP

Next I turned to the Traitor command and built the Commissar and Ogryn. The Ogryn is really something else.  Very fun. The commissar is less exciting...seen one seen them all, and this traitor should be ashamed of himself!

Blackstone Fortress Traitor Command WIP

Next I built Obsidius Mallex, the chaos marines, and the rogue psykers. All suitably chaos-y!

Blackstone Fortress Hostiles WIP

Then it was on to the traitor guardsmen...oh, so many guardsmen...fun sculpts, though!

Blackstone Fortress Traitor Guardsmen WIP

Negavolt Cultists came next...funky little buggers!

Blackstone Fortress Negavolt Cultists WIP

Then the Ur-Ghul.  Another blast from the past that was great to see in plastic.

Blackstone Fortress Ur-Ghul WIP

And what would the Blackstone Fortress be without Spindle Drones?!

Blackstone Fortress Spindle Drones WIP

Then, last but not least, came the Chaos Beastmen. Not sure why we haven't seen more of these guys in the chaos model range before now.

Blackstone Fortress Chaos Beastmen WIP

That is quite a set of models for a board game with several more arriving very soon in the Escalation box. I'll likely get a few Explorers painted and tackle the hostiles a few at a time by groups - mixed in with the various other projects planned for the season.  I'd feel very psyched to get these painted by the end of the season while maintaining progress on other projects.

Assembling these was a welcome respite from painting.  I recommend side projects like these when things get monotonous and inspiration for painting ebbs.

Now it's back to the Primaris to see what I can complete before DreadTober 2019 begins. How are your projects going?

Cheers and Happy Gaming!