Stoneburners - Chapter Champion (Dueling Master) WiP Model

[Captain Semper]

So that's how the white stripe is supposed to work... Yeah! looks awesome - a good thing you stuck to it! :P

 

The heavy bolter guy thought he might get away with it but no. He got the insignia like everybody else - and in more prominent places may I add!!! Your detail is amazing... how many colors can you fit in a mm²?

 

I also like the poses - the Sergeant in particular, he looks as if he's giving commands rather than fighting - adds an intellectual touch to the DAs! But the first guy on the left of Combat Squad 2 has the best pose overall - and with a combat knife that looks too handy for comfort! :D or is it ceremonial if you know what I mean. ;)

 

What can I say Bryan, this is a really beutiful project you're running there.

 

I love the HB and Flamer choice, they are off to kill meatsacks or filthy xenos by the look.

 

Indeed. I usually go for balanced approach, one anti-infantry, one anti-tank, but you sure have a specialliased squad there! What's for dinner? Wild game? Maybe Termagaunts flambe?

 

What's the next squad gonna be? Do the one from the 8th! :lol:

[Bryan Blaire]

You know what would be cool? Take the force organization chart and try to fill it! Use 4th Comp. as the core and then make the third Assault Squad from 8th, the third Dev Squad from 9th and then add a Tact Squad from 6th and 7th so you'll get 4 Tacts, 2 Assaults and 2 Devs from 4th, and one squad from each of the reserve Comps! That'll be grand! A cocktail of markings that you do so well! And a million points force to boot!

That will keep you busy for the rest of you life hobby-wise! Hahaha!

Funny you should say that... while I was out, I put together the comprehensive list for the task force:

4th Company Master, 4 Company Command Squad, 4th Company Veteran Squad, three 4th Company Tactical Squads, a 5th Company Tactical Squad, a 7th Company Tactical Squad, two 4th Company Assault Squads, an 8th Company Assault Squad, 4th Company Devastator Squad, 5th Company Devastator Squad, 9th Company Devastator Squad, Aimanael - Bearer of Death's Mantle, the Hooded Guide (Relic Contemptor Dreadnought), a Deathwalker Venerable Dreadnought, two 4th Company Dreadnoughts, a 9th Company Mortis Dreadnought, six 5-man Deathwalker squads, two Boneseeker Combat Squadrons, a Boneseeker Support Squadron, three Scout squads, two Predator Annihilators, three Predator Destructors, three Vindicators, two Whirlwinds, two Land Raiders, one Land Raider Crusader, one Deathwalker Land Raider, one Deathwalker Land Raider Crusader (or Redeemer), the 4th Company Chaplain, an Interrogator-Chaplain, a squad of Redemptor Adepts (Chaplain Command Squad), an Epistolary, a Codicer, and an Epistolary in Terminator armor.

Shoulder pad markings inthe pipeline? They look a little bare

Here you go!

Nice squad looks really great, all the heraldry and designs make each marine look unique, really like the arrow with the lightning strike down it.

Thanks! Hope you like the completed squad!

So that's how the white stripe is supposed to work... Yeah! looks awesome - a good thing you stuck to it!

I think it looks good, so glad you are diggin' it.

The heavy bolter guy thought he might get away with it but no. He got the insignia like everybody else - and in more prominent places may I add!!! Your detail is amazing... how many colors can you fit in a mm

[Bryan Blaire]

Continuation of Tactical Squad Guias

Fire Team/Combat Squad 2:

Group Photo

Battle Brother Molaciah:


Battle Brother Adeon:


Battle Brother Phaeon:

Phaeon's greave armor devotional text:


Battle Brother Thesiel:


Thesiel's pauldron devotional text, Chapter icon, and Company marking:


Battle Brother Evael, Fire Team/Combat Squad Two Leader:

Evael's chequed greave border and pauldron detail:


So that's that! Hope you guys/gals enjoy! Not going to make too many changes to these unless I get a wild hair to do more extreme highlighting or some battle damage (but I'm not envisioning these guys as being involved in combat ops at this point in the story), but any comments and criticism will be looked at for use in further squads.

[Interrogator Stobz]

Wow, I'm really liking the level of detail in each model, well done on all the freehand and the little burning swords everywhere.

My fav bit is actually the company marking on the backpack, it's a really original idea.

Your scrollwork is crisp and the names are cool.

CnC, the chevrons on Sgt Guias' hand need an extra coat of paint to smooth them out. Awesome shin markings btw.

 

s

[The Shadow Guard]

I have no idea how in heaven's name you are able to paint to that degree of detail. They are just superb! Not much more I can say! ;)

 

SG

[Captain Semper]

Where to start...

 

Chapter Symbol?

 

Excellent idea, not only because it is well excuted and contrasts with the shoulderpad in a very nice way but also, it does not require eaxct reproduction as the flame could be different on each marine! So the Chapter symbol also becomes personalised (I wouldn't go as far as calling it personal heraldy - but it can be viewed as a step towards individualism).

 

Armor text and names on the shoulder pads?

 

Boy you got talent with the brush! I can't write my own name in Gothic using a pen and paper let alone on a mini, let alone alone on a small part of the shoulder pad! And it's on, like, 5 of them! Not to mention the other text and the company markings on weird places (backpack? really?) :P

 

The Sergeant?

 

You got more detail on this guy than I would on a Chapter Master! Love the chevrons - great nod to RT era! Laureled sword? Are you kidding me? I really need to get some free-hand expirience under my belt... Or get depressed. Or both! :D

 

Love your project mate - look fwd for whatever you have to throw our way! ;)

[EPK]

Now that is some amazing freehand.

 

Do you use a magnifying glass to really get in there?

[Frejdruk]

Really impressive looking unit, I love the chapter symbol! Flaming sword, very good looking! The double swords indicating tactical squad status really ties into the chapter symbol beautifully. Awesome with the individual names too, really cool!

 

I have to ask though, why the Stoneburners? With such a unique name there'd better be a story behind it :D?

[Brother Immolator]

He got a perfect aquila and text in the shoulder pad!!!! ---->Bangs head to wall:

[Bryan Blaire]

Wow, I'm really liking the level of detail in each model, well done on all the freehand and the little burning swords everywhere.

My fav bit is actually the company marking on the backpack, it's a really original idea.

Your scrollwork is crisp and the names are cool.

CnC, the chevrons on Sgt Guias' hand need an extra coat of paint to smooth them out. Awesome shin markings btw.

 

s

Thanks for the criticism Stobz! You are right, those chevrons definitely need some extra coverage before any varnishing can be accomplished.

 

Could have sworn I snagged the backpack markings idea from this forum specifically, but it may have just been somewhere on the B&C. It was definitely inspired by something though, I won't call it mine. :confused:

 

I have no idea how in heaven's name you are able to paint to that degree of detail. They are just superb! Not much more I can say! :)

 

SG

TBH, I don't know how I do it either, but it causes some hand-cramping! I use a Army Painter's Wargamer: Character sized brush (mostly because I haven't quite fixed my Insane Detail sized brush - it has some weird extra bristles that didn't get cut properly, so it doesn't hold enough paint to paint with at the tip) for the details. I just paint with short strokes as thin as I can make them and then paint back over stuff outside the lines of what I want. The only other thing I can think of is that I remember reading in White Dwarf about doing freehand by making a bunch of little dots to connect and to use as many straight lines and simple geometric shapes as possible, so that's what I try to do.

 

Where to start...

 

Chapter Symbol?

 

Excellent idea, not only because it is well excuted and contrasts with the shoulderpad in a very nice way but also, it does not require eaxct reproduction as the flame could be different on each marine! So the Chapter symbol also becomes personalised (I wouldn't go as far as calling it personal heraldy - but it can be viewed as a step towards individualism).

 

Armor text and names on the shoulder pads?

 

Boy you got talent with the brush! I can't write my own name in Gothic using a pen and paper let alone on a mini, let alone alone on a small part of the shoulder pad! And it's on, like, 5 of them! Not to mention the other text and the company markings on weird places (backpack? really?) B)

 

The Sergeant?

 

You got more detail on this guy than I would on a Chapter Master! Love the chevrons - great nod to RT era! Laureled sword? Are you kidding me? I really need to get some free-hand expirience under my belt... Or get depressed. Or both! :D

 

Love your project mate - look fwd for whatever you have to throw our way! ;)

:lol Semper, you are so funny to read. I'm glad you like them. I actually really want to touch up that laureled sword, make the sword itself a little thinner, but TBH, I'm kinda scared to touch it, because as lopsided as the laurel really is (there are two extra damn leaves in the right side of the laurel that disappeared from the left side at some point!) I'm not sure I will be able to do one again (next time I'm definitely using some kind of guide line down the middle of the two sides so that the damn curves are at least somewhat similar), but I do plan to keep trying!

 

Now that is some amazing freehand.

 

Do you use a magnifying glass to really get in there?

Thanks a bunch EPK! No, actually, I don't use a magnifying glass because they end up messing with my depth perception and I don't paint as well, IMO.

 

Really impressive looking unit, I love the chapter symbol! Flaming sword, very good looking! The double swords indicating tactical squad status really ties into the chapter symbol beautifully. Awesome with the individual names too, really cool!

 

I have to ask though, why the Stoneburners? With such a unique name there'd better be a story behind it ;)?

Glad you enjoyed, but it's entirely possible that's the last time I end up trying to do names like that! I think names will probably be put somewhere else (if anywhere). I dunno, anything more than 6 letters would likely be impossible on that size area, so I'll probably do some kind of sayings or something rather than names instead.

 

As far as the Stoneburners, well, game world explanation:

The Stoneburners title is actually the general use form of their internal Legion name (yes, I'm completely making this idea up) which is how I envision all the DA Legion chapters being referred to by. The Legion name is actually "The Order of the Burning Stones" in reference to their adopted homeworld of Akhundras II (they are a fleet based Chapter), a death world that has a large component of its land mass covered by scorched arid wasteland, ergs and sandy basins interspersed with wadis as well as surface and subterranean oases. The Stoneburners traditionally recruit from the tribes that inhabit these wastes and their first three companies and the first Chapter Master came from this place and they have incorporated some of the social conventions and belief systems of these tribes (as well as manipulating some of these beliefs to provide a supply of recruits) - namely their death-type cults/beliefs.

 

In the real world, it actually came from a three pronged place:

There's a line in Metallica's song The Unforgiven 2 that goes "Turn the pages, turn the stone" which gave me a starting point to think up some names, and given the title of the song, I thought it highly appropriate for a Dark Angels successor. Now, Stone Turners didn't sound all that martial (although potentially a very cool name, IMO, for a scout squad or tracker idea), but it got followed up by two of my favorite book series: the Dune saga and the Malazan Book of the Fallen. In the Malazan series, it starts out following the events surrounding the Bridgeburners company, who are Malazan elite Marines and the company sigil features a background of licking flames. Their motto is "First in, last out" and they utilize a high amount of sappers in their formation, as well as explosives. The Bridgeburners were also transformed in the Holy Desert Raraku into something more than simple soldiers, becoming minor "Ascendants" as a whole unit together (something like demigods, which seemed very similar to Space Marines to me as "transhumans"). In steps the Dune saga with its massive desert planet of Arrakis and futuristic concept of atomic military deterent through the enforcement of the Great Convention, which states Use of atomics against humans shall be cause for planetary obliteration. One of these atomics is the "stone burner" which has the ability to be precisely adjusted with regards to explosive power and radiation emissions to get exactly the effects you want. The stone burners are also known to burn the eyes out of anyone surviving the initial blast, which I likened to the DA's want to silence anyone outside of the Inner Circle/Deathwing that gets wind of the truth of the DA Legion's split (See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil :D). Combine Stone Turners with Bridgeburners and with the backing of the Dune stone burners, I came up with the ideas that formed the core of the Stoneburners.

 

Hope you guys enjoyed reading that wandering explanation!

 

He got a perfect aquila and text in the shoulder pad!!!! ---->Bangs head to wall:

:o Oh come on, don't do that! It was actually pretty easy. Paint a diamond that is slightly shortened along the top side of the diamond. Then paint two short lines extending from both the top and bottom points of the diamond. Paint short lines horizontally from the bottom two lines for the feet. On the top lines, paint two small L's pointed down for the heads. Make two curves that extend out past the beaks (L shaped lines) and paint horizontal lines out from those curves. Finish it off with sets of lines extending down from the curves following the shapes to make wing feathers.

 

I tried drawing it out with a pencil a few times and then doing the same with some paint (an Army Painter's Wargamer: Character or Insane Detail brush or a similar sized tip will definitely help) on some paper before I tried it on that pauldron. Glad you like it, Brother Immolator, but I have no doubt that anyone on here could do the same.

[Brother Immolator]

Blast and damnation,you are responsible for me wasting wasting my pads.I ll try this today :blush:

[Bryan Blaire]

Brother Immolator, how did it work for you?

So, been working on my prototype TH-SS Deathwalker Terminator over the weekend (as well as dealing with family over the same time frame) and I made some progress. The arms still need to have some battle damage added, line highlights, highlights on the shield grip, the grip of the hammer, and all the insignia painted on the Terminator, but I did get most of the shield effects done. All the effects were done using Cattafish's "How to paint lightning" method, and I think they add some interesting detail to the model.

Sorry for the poor lighting, I've still only got the one and it was late when I took them:

Full body:

Crux detail:

Shield details:

One of the great things I did find in the new GW paint system: The bone line actually replicates two of the mixes that I usually made to paint bone layers! My scheme usually goes:

1:1 mix Scorched Brown:Bestial Brown -> Bestial Brown -> 2:1 Bestial Brown:Bleached Bone -> 1:1 Bestial Brown:Bleached Brown -> Bleached Bone -> 1:1 Bleached Bone:Skull White

In the new paint system, Zandri Dust is somewhere between the 2:1 Bestial:Bleached and 1:1 Bestial:Bleached, and waters down pretty well to a "Layer" consistency. Ushabti Bone is almost identical (or is identical) to Bleached Bone. Screaming Skull is almost a perfect match for 1:1 Bleached Bone:Skull White. So, all in all, very nice, it allows me to basically remove the mixing for three layers of the way I paint bone (I'll probably continue to mix the 1:1 Scorched:Bestial until I find a good stand in from the new line) and reduces it to me only having to paint 5 layers, all in all, I think this will actually save me quite a bit of time (as well as paint) - I find this very cool.

Also on the paint front, I want to see some more examples of the 'Eavy Metal team painting new DA with the new colors, because from what I've seen in the new How to Paint (which I did buy, the videos on the DVD are actually pretty good, but all the tips, etc, are fairly basic), I do not like the way they have gone to a super-extreme highlight on the green. It doesn't look good, but I have yet to actually see any DA done with the green glaze to tone the extreme highlights down, so that may mitigate it somewhat.

Anyway, what do you guys think? Comments, criticism, tips, ideas?

[shabbadoo]

Thumbs up on the fiery sword Chapter badge. B)

[Brother Immolator]

Brother Immolator, how did it work for you.

 

You are responsible for five shoulder pads been stripped.

 

No,not really.I havent tried that yet.

[Brother Kovash]

Bryan, we need to bottle up your talent and start selling it, we could make millions!

 

In all seriousness, your models look stunning. I would love to see a dreadnought soon with your new scheme.

[Interrogator Stobz]

Sorry I didn't comment earlier,

 

Prototype Termie is looking really sweet Bryan,

I'm liking the lightning at the front and back of the shield super work there, it might look even more dynamic if you made the white bits meet up around the shield. Keeping the red yellow etc where they are for the most part but maybe a little spillage onto the edge corners ala hammers. The effect I'm trying to describe is the Lightning arcing(sp?) out of it's area and showing potential for a flare up etc.

If you don't you will lose nothing because they look sweet.

As usual your bone shading is top notch but I must ask, are you going to highlight the black with anythng? I've tried several methods and am still struggling with keeping the model from becomming grey without tonnes of work.

 

Difficult as always,

 

:)

stobz

[Captain Semper]

You know I really like your lightning effect, and it's good news you tried it on the shield too!

 

It also refreshing to see someone treating the new paints with a positive bias, most people were kind of skeptical (dare I say annoyed) that they have to adopt to the new line...

 

Carry on with your bone-helmeted Termies mate, the more you make, the better they look! :confused:

[Polythemus]

Dude your stuff is pretty impressive. I have to say you arre extremely dedicated painter and it shows in your work. I think your take on the storm shield is very interesting and unique and the freehand text on the armor looks especially good. I dont think ill achieve the effect to quite your level but youve given me some things to think about!

[Bryan Blaire]

Thumbs up on the fiery sword Chapter badge. B)

Thanks a bunch Shabbadoo, glad you like it!

You are responsible for five shoulder pads been stripped.

No,not really.I havent tried that yet.

:) I was thinking about either doing a paint or sketch step by step if you think that would be helpful or you'd like to see it. Let me know!

Bryan, we need to bottle up your talent and start selling it, we could make millions!

Hahahahaha! I think there are a lot better folks to attempt something like that with. :P Thanks though!

In all seriousness, your models look stunning. I would love to see a dreadnought soon with your new scheme.

Glad you are liking them! I definitely think that a Venerable Dread (and probably a Relic Contemptor) in the Deathwalker scheme will be coming somewhat soon.

Sorry I didn't comment earlier,

Prototype Termie is looking really sweet Bryan,

I'm liking the lightning at the front and back of the shield super work there, it might look even more dynamic if you made the white bits meet up around the shield. Keeping the red yellow etc where they are for the most part but maybe a little spillage onto the edge corners ala hammers. The effect I'm trying to describe is the Lightning arcing(sp?) out of it's area and showing potential for a flare up etc.

If you don't you will lose nothing because they look sweet.

As usual your bone shading is top notch but I must ask, are you going to highlight the black with anythng? I've tried several methods and am still struggling with keeping the model from becomming grey without tonnes of work.

Difficult as always,

:D

stobz

Well, Mr. Picky ;), take a look below! :D

Right now I just have the arms highlighted with Vallejo Model Color (not the Game Color line) Dark Grey right now, but I will probably highlight them up like the main body, using small lines of Codex and Fortress Grey. I'm also considering looking into the dark greys in the new GW paint line. I'm also considering some slight battle damage with some Leadbelcher (I just like the slightly darker than Boltgun Metal metallic grey).

You know I really like your lightning effect, and it's good news you tried it on the shield too!

It also refreshing to see someone treating the new paints with a positive bias, most people were kind of skeptical (dare I say annoyed) that they have to adopt to the new line...

Carry on with your bone-helmeted Termies mate, the more you make, the better they look! :D

Take a look below, CPT! Hope you enjoy!

As far as the paints, I actually like them quite a bit, they don't take much watering down in the Layer paints and the Base paints are still smooth as well. I don't think they are quite as thick as the old Foundation paints, actually, but I haven't tried the entire line of Base paints either. TBH, the amount of colors is awesome, IMO, I think that only the Vallejo Model Color line has more paints (although I haven't actually checked that, so don't quote me) in more gradients. I need to get some smaller eye droppers to keep from wasting too much paint when mixing, if I need to. I am still somewhat concerned about the pretty solid matte finish these paints dry to, because I like a little bit of shine to my models, but that may be able to be fixed with a satin varnish finish.

(These are still the same five close combat Termis from last year! :D)

Dude your stuff is pretty impressive. I have to say you arre extremely dedicated painter and it shows in your work. I think your take on the storm shield is very interesting and unique and the freehand text on the armor looks especially good. I dont think ill achieve the effect to quite your level but youve given me some things to think about!

Glad you like, Polythemus! TBH, I don't think I'm that good either, and I'm definitely no "level" to be compared to (there are plenty of painters here just in this forum that are a lot better than I am) . I'd be more than happy to explain anything you want to know on what I do paint, or point you to where I saw the videos I originally took the ideas from.

Okay, so per Stobz's suggestion (which was something I had considered and really want to expand on with the Sergeant's shield - I'd like to try and paint an effect as if the shield is actually recovering from blocking a line of bolter shots - TBH, I'm not sure how I'll pull that off, there's just a picture I have in my head right now), new shield edges and front:

And a full shot (took the Thunder Hammer off)!

Thoughts? Criticism?

[Cactus]

Brilliant! B)

[Interrogator Stobz]

^This^ great execution BB!!

 

Mr Picky is.....picky.

 

But now he is satisfied B)

 

stobz

[Brother Immolator]

Great execution on the shield,i believe you must do it regularly,they would look awesome and menacing.

 

I was thinking about either doing a paint or sketch step by step if you think that would be helpful or you'd like to see it. Let me know!

 

If and when you have the time please do it.I dont want to distract you from this painting awesomeness.

[Andrew J]

Awesome, just awesome. Love the lightning effect. Love all the detail work too. Keep it up!

[Candleshoes]

Love the extra crackles of power. :P

[Bryan Blaire]

Brilliant! :tu:

Awesome, just awesome. Love the lightning effect. Love all the detail work too. Keep it up!

Love the extra crackles of power. :tu:

Thanks guys! Gotta keep on truckin' to get some of this done. It'd be nice to actually play when we take over 6th Edition. Sadly I will be away from my paints again for another week+ period of time. Bah!

^This^ great execution BB!!

Mr Picky is.....picky.

But now he is satisfied :D

stobz

Oh, okay, well I'm glad. :P

:lol:

Great execution on the shield,i believe you must do it regularly,they would look awesome and menacing.

If and when you have the time please do it.I dont want to distract you from this painting awesomeness.

Thanks, Brother Immolator! Hope you enjoyed the mini-tutorial!

Anyone, one more time! So this guy is almost completed in his Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield configuration, just a few more highlights to do (extreme ones on the shield arm, all the highlights on the hammer arm), and then I just have to decide what I'm going to do with the base and any further detailing, text, etc, I'm going to add to his body. I haven't actually decided whether the Terminators should get the Task Force marking yet or not (I'm leaning toward "they should, but look awesome in their stark black and bone with red/lightning details). I also used bevulf's background suggestion from Corvus' blog , I think it turned out well, and I tried using a second lamp to minimize the shadows. Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Wolverine! (Claw config isn't done yet, but I wanted a better shot of the heraldric shield):