Bat33.1 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I've been working on some Astral Claws as I still don't have a playable marine army despite many stops and starts, what can I say I get distracted easy by all the pretty colours :D So here are my first WIP shots, the termies are pretty much finished and are to be used as a 5 man squad but I went ahead and built extra weapon options. The Vindicator is almost done, I need to finish the weathering - in fact truth be told it's now done but I ain't had time to take the extra pictures yet. When the pictures of the Vindi were taken I had yet to add oil and grease stains to the siege shield hydraulic rams, the exhaust stacks, and some weathering powders to the top surfaces. I also have a ten man tac squad base coated and and about 50% done on detail painting plus a magnetized Predator and two magnetized rhino-backs. I've tried several new techniques on these, oil pin washes, hairspray paint chipping, more use of the airbrush than other stuff I've done, and even some use of real lenses. Anyway here are the pics feedback appreciated... http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162841.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162827.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162830.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162832.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162835.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162834.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162829.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162836.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162839.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162840sml.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162845.jpg http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA162846.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxmarine Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 i like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidKits Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 this are some of the best astral claws i've seen no doubt about it. I love them they stand out and the blue is clean and everything fits together i love it please like to see more. though i would like to ask how did you get that bronze goldish look kinda curious? please if ya don't mind sharing your secrets. *bows respectfully* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Melice Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Love how you approached them. I totally hear you on not having a playable army when you just start, especially if you take your time with them, like you are doing here, but just keep at it, and in time you will have a marvelous Astral Claws force... Great job mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yale Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Awfully good looking models. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJB Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 The weathering on the vindicator is superb, I'm very impressed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaintMyBits Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Very tasty! Agree with what's already been said, one of the top astral claws I've seen. Would like a bit more definition on the chest Aquilas but as you said these are wip so sorry in advance if you already will address this. One question, where did you get the lenses? Ironically I've seen this before on a red scorpion army and he had to order them from Argentina!! Are they what military modellers use for missile lenses and aircraft sensor arrays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMan Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 These guys look great, the Vindi especially. The only things that look a bit off are the chest pieces. It doesn't blend so well with the rest of the model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bat33.1 Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 Thanks all for the kind comments I hope to get some more pics done by the weekend and will post them soon. I don't have a light box so need a day with good natural light to get clean pics but this time of year I rarely arrive home before the light is gone. this are some of the best astral claws i've seen no doubt about it. I love them they stand out and the blue is clean and everything fits together i love it please like to see more. though i would like to ask how did you get that bronze goldish look kinda curious? please if ya don't mind sharing your secrets. *bows respectfully* The bronze/gold finish was one I worked on for some Sang Guard and it's a base coat of Tamiya X-31 titanium gold which is a nice pale gold colour and then 2 thin washes of gryphonne sepia which gives it a nice depth of colour. Very tasty! Agree with what's already been said, one of the top astral claws I've seen. Would like a bit more definition on the chest Aquilas but as you said these are wip so sorry in advance if you already will address this. One question, where did you get the lenses? Ironically I've seen this before on a red scorpion army and he had to order them from Argentina!! Are they what military modellers use for missile lenses and aircraft sensor arrays? I hear what you are saying with the aquilas, I painted them with SW grey base and then white over the top but looking at the pics they don't have enough contrast. I wonder if bone may work better like the crux terminatus? Yes I believe they are used for sensor arrays, etc. The Little-Lenses I have used are available in the UK from Little-Cars they have seven colours and nine sizes plus some other useful hobby bits but they are focused on model cars. These guys look great, the Vindi especially. The only things that look a bit off are the chest pieces. It doesn't blend so well with the rest of the model. Agreed now looking at pics see reply above. Any thoughts, bone or even silver with a similar finish to the armour? Looking again in IA9at the Astral Claws artwork there is grounds for using white, bone or a metallic silver/boltgun finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaintMyBits Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Agree mate just looked at my copy and your right. i think bone would be the way to go. The white looks too washed out and the metallic ones would look to similar to the armour colour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batu Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 fantastic stuff ! Can you tell me how you painted your silver ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bat33.1 Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 Agree mate just looked at my copy and your right. i think bone would be the way to go. The white looks too washed out and the metallic ones would look to similar to the armour colour. I am currently working on the Tac squad and have switched these to bone from the previous white mix. I'll see how these work once I get some more paint laid down and post pics on here for comparison. So far so good is the verdict on the WIP as it ties in with the gold trim and contrasts nicely with the armour. fantastic stuff ! Can you tell me how you painted your silver ? :P batu Sure can, the silver starts with Vallejo white primer applied by airbrush(AB) but any white primer will do I use Vallejo because it's available cheaply in 200ml bottles and airbrushing is much quicker but no reason they can't be painted with a brush. The basecoat is Vallejo Model Air(VMA) gunmetal - 71072, applied to the whole mini, I then add a general highlight to the front only from roughly a 45 degree angle down with the AB using VMA Steel -71065, followed by a directly overhead top down very light coat of VMA Chrome - 71064. This last step can be left out as the difference between the VMA silver metals is small. The gunmetal is quite dark and has slight blue tint, steel also has a nice faint blue tint and I feel they compliment each other well. The chrome is more of a pure silver, but I have a test peice of white plastic card with gun, steel, silver, chrome, aluminium painted onto them and the last three are so close in shade it's virtually impossible to say which is which. You can use the Model Color range too for the same effect for brush painting but the VMA colours also brush well and are nicely thinned already. I painted the flexible armour joins with dark grey, any will do really adeptus battlegrey, etc I used vallejo german grey. The next part was the experimental bit I gloss varnished the whole figure and left them to cure. I used Future acrylic floor polish for this but any acrylic gloss varnish will do but it must be acrylic for the next stage to work. I then edged all the armour joins with MIG dark wash which is an oil based enamel wash and it hugs details very well but only works over acrylic. The new AK range of washes will work too or you can mix your own with oil paints and thinner, something like 50/50 lamp black and burnt umber. The other advantage to an oil based wash over gloss is it remains 'soft' for some time so a brush moistened in turps or white spirit will remove the wash from unwanted areas and can be used to add streaks, and weathered looks as required. In fact you can remove it from high points by wiping with a soft cloth or even your finger too at this stage. After leaving it to cure for 24hrs I then matt varnished the mini and finished the details, added chipping, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bat33.1 Posted October 21, 2011 Author Share Posted October 21, 2011 Completed Vindi, think I might have gone too heavy with the top weathering but hey ho it will do... http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA212848.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA212850.jpg Predator with full magnets, sponsons, main gun, plus I've got magnets built in to add on searchlights, hunter killer, and storm bolter too if required. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA212851.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA212854.jpg Razorback and Rhino both again magnatized for weapon options and extras as Predator above plus both can be switched between Rhino and Razorback. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA212853.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/paulj1965/GW%2040K/PA212852.jpg The Vindi is complete the others are still very much WIP as can be seen. Comments and criticism please... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorenzen Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 okay seeing as your silver recipe is so similar to mine for your mens... how are you doing your tanks they look far better than mine :) ps i hate you. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaintMyBits Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Cant criticize much mate as i genuinely like them as they are. I can see you use a lot of similar techniques to me. Again only a passing comment as i know these new WIP pics, but the gold on the astral claws symbol, maybe small amount of verdigris seeing as you have beautifully weathered the rest of the metallics? But then thats just me as im a weathering fetishist! :wub: Otherwise very nice, and cant wait to see what you come up with next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bat33.1 Posted October 21, 2011 Author Share Posted October 21, 2011 okay seeing as your silver recipe is so similar to mine for your mens... how are you doing your tanks they look far better than mine :o ps i hate you. B) LoL thanks for the hate :P It's the same recipe as I used for the terminators, gunmetal base coat, but more steel as I airbrush (AB) all the top surface with steel, I then fade it down the sides/front to around half way. I AB the chrome lightly to top of hatches, etc keeping away from the edge to add false highlight. Then again gloss varnish or Future/Klear to seal everything followed by MIG oil based dark wash to all the edges of panels to add the shading. Don't wash everything just let it flow around all the raised details such as rivets, panels, hatches, etc - if you touch a loaded brush to the details the gloss finish will pull the wash around and keep it hugging the details much better than acrylic wash over acrylic paint. Leave it for 10-15 minutes then come back and hit it with a soft flat brush moistened with thinner and streak, clean up, generally move the wash around but try to keep the streaking from top to bottom like rain marks. Don't be afraid of removing too much of the wash at this stage as you can go back and add to it later. I have picked out the tops of periscopes and high small details in steel after the wash stage is finished to clean things up Tracks are painted dark flesh and then heavy washed with badab black but it depends how old you want them to look you could use a dark grey instead of dark flesh for a fresher look. Then after pigments are added I try to pick out the tread pattern with a light drybrush of gunmetal a graphite pencil can work for this too. Cant criticize much mate as i genuinely like them as they are. I can see you use a lot of similar techniques to me. Again only a passing comment as i know these new WIP pics, but the gold on the astral claws symbol, maybe small amount of verdigris seeing as you have beautifully weathered the rest of the metallics? But then thats just me as im a weathering fetishist! :ph34r: Otherwise very nice, and cant wait to see what you come up with next. ooh now thats an interesting idea adding some verdigris, I'll have to try that. This is what I love about B+C the amount of ideas that get bounced around that help you to improve and point out things that are often missed due to getting too close to your own painting. Got to agree on weathering especially armoured vehicles, they don't move over terrain they move through it :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorenzen Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 cheers dude, ive been umming and ahhing over how to get my rhinos to look right for a little while now.. fortunatley the contemptor im doing is just a big terminator essentially so hes not been much hassle! keep up the good work and ill keep up the hate (we're on opposite sides of the war afterall ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batu Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 I love your tanks ! I guess the Rhino and the Predator will get the weathering treatment with pigments and rust as well ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bat33.1 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 I love your tanks ! I guess the Rhino and the Predator will get the weathering treatment with pigments and rust as well ? Yes I will be working on weathering these too. I will likely do them a bit lighter as I kind of see the vindicator as an in your face and going through anything that's in front of it kind of weapon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly_bear Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Really like your colours and the battle damage is not too much nor too little, one thing I will say is that with your termies, mainly their eagles on their chests, White is too a strong a light colour against a light Colour like silver if you get my meaning. Keep this up Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styrofoam04 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Incredible stuff! I have just started to dabble in the weathing powders, I was wondering what references, tutorials or links do you have so I can weather like you? Or even if you can make a tutorial youself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasman Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I :angry: your vindicator, the weathering effects are fantastic. Congrats The only things that look a bit off are the chest pieces. It doesn't blend so well with the rest of the model. I agreed they need a light wash of Badab Black I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raizon Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Mmm those folks are looking mighty fine, I definately like the tanks and where you've chosen to put the secondary blue, just makes it little more interesting. You're good at making me jealous :). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunThirster Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 These are awesome, top stuff man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother-Chaplain Kage Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 The only things that look a bit off are the chest pieces. It doesn't blend so well with the rest of the model. I agreed they need a light wash of Badab Black I think. I would suggest a blue shade, not black, like Asurmen Blue if the GW washes are your thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.