G8Keeper's Project Log

[G8Keeper]

Semi major update here and I need feedback/ ideas on a few points. I've mainly been working on my Thunderhawk at a slow yet steady pace over the last few weeks. I'll go through each picture in hopefully some kind of logical order.





This is obviously the monster from the left hand side. As you will see with all of these pictures the paint job is very work in progress and I have to fill in alot of gaps/ chips all over thanks to having to pin a hell of alot of parts. I've noticed that with the flash on the metallic areas look rather bright, do you all agree? If so how can I make them look more weathered etc without going mad with badab black wash?





I intended this a a close up of the Dark Angel doors but its not overly exciting i admit. I think it highlights the overall good coverage of green on the entire vehicle as a whole though.





From the other side. I need to pin both engine intakes on as this one fell off at 3am causing a half an hour search for what the devil had woke me up! The cockpit cover has yet to be glued down as I need to do some painting work on the pilots as well as a few bits and bobs around the edges.





This wing has bugged me since day one. It has never ever sat straight or in any semblance of a secure position so I bit the bullet and went green stuff mad. Thankfully it's turned out ok, I still have some filling work to do and levelling off/ smoothing but it is definately held in place for good (i hope).





Rear view. I think the engines look alot better in real life, here they look way to heavy on the brown side but have in fact been layered from black. The tail has also been green stuffed into position as well as a single pin at the very top.

I have a few questions:

1) How would you go about highlighting this monster? I'm toying with a 50:50 Dark Angels Green:Goblin Green combo but am quite unsure how it will look on such a large model.

2) How do you think it looks without the plastic window stuff on the cockpit lid/roof? It is just a complete pain to cut to size let alone attach ithout glueing ones fingers to the model permanently.

3) I want it to be quite weathered as I see it as having seen much use over the centuries. How good are the various powders and such alike out there and can anyone recommend a specific type?

That's it for now, I hope to grab a few shots of other projects soon including my first attempts at pre-heresy dark angels!

[G8Keeper]

I've been working on many projects over the past months but two that have been extremely challenging and rewarding are the Thunderhawk (pictured previously) and a Relic Contemptor Dreadnought.

Firstly the Thunderhawk. This monster has been extremely challenging and has really frustrated me, especially during the build process, having substantial problems with bits falling off and the like. Thankfully it is now nearing completion with a few odds and sods to attach here and there after final painting, which I have duely started. You will notice from the pictures below that I have gone for a simple goblin green highlight as I think it works very well. Some bits need tidying up but as a start I like it alot. Next to come on this project is finishing the highlights, attaching the little fiddly bits such as the under-wing heavy bolters and finally adding decals.

One question springs to mind, how good is the GW matt varnish?






The second project I have been working on as mentioned above is a Relic Contemptor Dreadnought. I think I must have gone temporarily insane when I first got this as I assembled it all without so much as a lick of paint. needless to say I had to prize it apart again the next day . This led to some iffy results initially especially painting the arm and leg joins and servos. The result shown below is almost finished, with some detailing to complete. The more astute amongst you will not the lack of arms, they are still unattached for painting reasons and I just forgot to include them when I took the images.





Hopefully more will follow soon, I did just buy a warhound afterall....

[ss_cherubael]

Nice!

As for matt varnish... Buy testors dull coat, shake like hell and spray a good 30cm away

[G8Keeper]

Okay a slightly more substantial update to my log for once.

I'm currently working on a Deathwing command squad to go with my conversion of the Lysander model to represent Belial. As you can see below the squad is just over half done and missing one element, Belial himself. This is basically down to me now really wanting to show the conversion yet as it's in pieces awaiting it's first layer of bleached bone (yes i'm still using the "old" paints). I've always felt that apothecaries should be all white and have gone with that here, using the guide to painting white scars in a recent white dwarf as a huge inspiration. The rest, well they have metallic eagles and crux terminati (sp?) to denote their command squad status amongst their Deathwing bretheren.




The two squads below are more or less completed bar some decal work, basing and varnishing. Not much to say about these, they've been completed for a while.


Squad 1:





Squad 2:




To make this a legal force in its own right I also have an Interrogator Chaplain in termie armour. This was completed some time ago, mainly as an experimental piece for dremel work and small sculpting, which incidentally, is on his right shoulder oad and not visible in this picture . below him is a pic of my completed infantry all together.








Last and by no means least we have my vehicles. A Mortis Comtemptor dread, Land Raider Crusader and normal dread.







So that's my Deathwing so far. As far as what's next for these guys I have another 3 squads, possibly 4 to assemble and get painted before I run out of spares as well as a normal Land Raider and Librarian in termie armour (may well be very useful in the new edition). I'm also trying to get some decent shots of my Thunderhawk which basically only needs minor finishing off now such as decals. Hopefully it'll be worth doing properly.

See ya soon!

[Fle]

The thunderhawk looks very impressive and so does the sam on the jetbike.

I think you made the right choice making the apothecary white so that he doesn't get lost in the rest of the squad...it looks like you managed to pull the white off successfully as well !

Can't wait to see Belial

[G8Keeper]

Some work's been done this past week or so to get the deathwing command squad more or less finished off. I just need to add decals and do the banner, any ideas how to print onto fabric?



I thought i'd also pop up a couple of pics of Sammael as I also did some final highlighting on him. Note the bare metal around his sword arm wrist, it keeps falling off and I think i'm going to have to bite the bullet and pin it once and for all.





Comments are welcome

[G8Keeper]

Hi all, long time no post I know. Today I'd like to introduce you to my latest project, Dark Angels boarding/ seige assault tactical squad. I had never really considered this forgeworld kit before until I attended this years UK gamesday and saw an extremely well painted and posed squad of Imperial Fists wielding the shields in one of the cabinets. I thought (and said aloud) "I must have them". Two weeks later i'd finally bit the bullet and the parts arrived, sadly since then it's been a bit of a pain to get them done for one reason or another so posting on this should help me in that regard.

Enough of my rambling, here's some WIP images (as they currently are):





Next we have a closer up of the two bolter marines I've assembled.




Lastly a close up of the sergeant and the last bolter marine. I've only done four to begin with eventhough you get six shields in the set. I'm currently debating whether to make use of the graviton gun etc.




As you can see from the images above I have bastly increased the level of detail on my bases. I cant remember where but I saw a guide where it was explained that different sizes of sand/ debris on a base looks more natural than a single size. I used normal sand and some woodland scenics ballast i acquired a while ago, along with some kind of thin bendy metal that I was given by a girlfirend a while back that makes pretty good metal flooring. I plan on painting the bases seperately (after undercoating the models) as they are currently only held on by a single pin through one foot, as well as removing at least the shield arm on each model for ease of painting and to pose them more dynamically.

That's it for now, any comments are welcome.

[Cloud Runner]

Looking good there buddy, and glad to see some progress. Anything to show of those heresy era lads you mentioned?

We'll have to get together for a game sometime soon as well.



EDIT: Woo, 100th post - quite fittingly!

[G8Keeper]

Slow but steady on the pre heresy stuff, possibly working on them next although I was toying with benching them until I see some dark angels fw goodness.

[G8Keeper]

I thought I'd post a WIP update as it's been a few days now (without much result may I add). The work i have got done has been curtailed due to having to repair a drop pod that didn't do what it says on the tin, oh the irony. Anyways here's the first bolter marine WIP.




As you can see the shield is more or less complete, possibly more wear and tear to be added. The marine himself is awaiting highlighting but I'm unsure as to whether to go with my usual quite stark goblin green effort or something a bit more in keeping with the worn look of the shield. Any ideas?

More will follow in a few more days after a bit more repair work on the do not drop pod.

[G8Keeper]

Ok so hopefully some of you are still following this. With the release of the new Dark Angels codex i've decided to redirect somewhat.

Allow me to explain. About a month ago myself and two friends decided to embark upon a "tale of 3 gamers" project where we each started a "new" army at 500pts, gamed with it a few times then added the next 250-500pts in an agreed amount of time. Originally I had chosen Dark Eldar (whom I still intend on getting up to around 1000pts) but I just couldn't motivate myself. Then, along came codex DA and more specifically Ravenwing, forcing me to make the easy decision to change armies. Therefore, I have begun a 500 point Ravenwing force led obviously by Sammael.

I will put an update on here probably tomorrow with a few pictures but sufficed to say I am very excited!

[G8Keeper]

As promised here's the army:






At 500 points there's really not alot you can do once you've took Sammael. I've included two squads of four, one with a power fist and meltagun, the other with a power sword and plasma gun. Off the top of my head I think I have 20 points left to spend, any reccomendations? I do have an extra meltagun biker ready to go as well as a second plasma gunner.

As you can see from the picture there is still a fair bit of work to do on all models, including changing those heads on the back banners to black. I hope i'll be back later this week or into next with another smallish update.

[G8Keeper]

It's been a while so i'll pop a few pics up. All are WIP but as you can see most are almost finished. I've expanded the army to 750pts having mostly completed the two bike squads and Sammael. Added to the army are a Typhoon and a Darkshroud whhich add some punch and survivability to the list, I've also tweaked the bike squads so they each have two special weapons.

To do:

Finish details on darkshroud (as of today highlighting is completed)
Paint Typhoon fully
Tidy up bike squadrons (bases, odd bits of white that need going over).

As you can see I've also included a pic of my 3rd company plus supporting elements. It was planned as an entire dark angels army shot but the table proved too small.

C&C welcome.