Marshal Van Trapp's TABLETOP QUALITY Marine Blog

[Marshal van Trapp]

You heard right, i'm aiming to paint my whole space marine army to just tabletop quality! little minor defects and things like highlighting are of no concern to me! just quick, ok painted marines!

 

I decided to just paint them to a tabletop quality because i was tired of it, people would always comment on them before a game like "wow those are really poorly painted, you should do some highlights/washes/detail work" and to them i simply say, "Does a better paint job improve their armor save? Does it make them better in Close Combat? Or at hitting things with their bolter? NO? Then stop commenting and play the game!" so now, i'm just painting them to a good, gaming quality, as that's what i got into this game for in the first place! i didn't start marines for the modeling or painting aspects, i did it cause i like their fluff, and their play styles.

 

Ok enough of my blathering... I started writing some fluff up for my new DiY chapter, and i decided to paint up 3 (thats right 3) Test minis, i wanted to test how the scheme would look on some marine, needless to say i'm very pleased with the results, for your viewing pleasure i present my scheme:

 

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DIYChapterSpaceMarine-1.jpg

 

and now on to the Mini's:

 

Group Shots:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0713.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0714.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0715.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0716.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0717.jpg

 

and some single shots:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0721.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0722.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0722.jpg

 

i noticed that there are some flaws as i was editing the pictures... i might go back and fix them... but then again, they are so small, i might be able to live with them..

 

C&C as you please, i'll take all kinds (even the "those are RUBBISH" kind, i'm not picky)

 

oh and note: i did not paint their eyes and would like some feedback on what color i should make them

[Iron Phoenix]

is your spray primer being held at least 8" from the model? i feel like you're getting some wicked texture buildup. I also see that you're not really concerned with the little things, but keeping a clean, even line especially around the shoulderpad rims will tighten these guys up nicely. Fast doesn't have to mean sloppy, and those two technique suggestions won't add much if any time to the actual painting process. Of course, nobody can make you care, and plenty of people play "black basecoat templars" (or similar). Since you've been playing a while I guess your enthusiasm for the game itself has been making up for this, but people do prefer to play against an army that's well loved.

[CarbonBased]

Blue eyes would look good with that green, methinks.

 

And there's something to be said for fielding a fully painted army. There's a great link somewhere on the boards about "quantity has a quality all it's own"

I've tried to take this to heart, and I'm working on painting more, rather then worrying about painting to a standard I'm not able to complete. Like it says in that article, there's nothing keeping you from going back when you're done and stripping a squad at a time to repaint to a higher standard.

[Marshal van Trapp]

i know that they are a bit rough Iron Phoenix, but honestly, from a further distance they look great, i have them sitting next to me right now and you really can't notice the texture as for the crisp lines, that's the best i can do right now... i have problems keeping my had steady enough to do that! but i'm going to go back and touch-up where i can later on, as the forum suggests, these are still very WIP, but i hope to have these 3 particular models completed tomorrow, my quick freehand chapter badge and all.

[Marshal van Trapp]

ok so i got the first three models finished and all, tell me what you think:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0727.jpghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0729.jpghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0730.jpg

 

here are the other 7 tact members with the first 2 colors done:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0726.jpg

 

and a sneaky peak at my "True-Scale" commander (can you guess who he is supposed to be?):

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0731.jpghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0732.jpghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0733.jpghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0734.jpg

ignore the scout with the gun to his back, he's just holding the jump pack on haha

[sword brethren]

hmmm? it must be sicarus :P nah only joking, shrike! and a lovly job at it to!

 

i love the colour scheme, yellow and green works very well and the black trim makes the colour stand out.

[Marshal van Trapp]

thanks Sword Brethren, yeah it took me like forever to get the right balance of colors to just make them all pop!

 

 

Another Update:

 

First Tactical Squad is done! well until i base them:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0736.jpg

 

and here are some close ups of the sarge and his second in command:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0739.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f12/Comm_Nagrom/Dark%20Angels%20DIY%20army/DSCN0738.jpg