WIP Angels of Vigilance and Dark Angels - 7-5 Dread/Razor

[Deathwing70]

sadface

I guess I'll have to make my next terminators look like giant black dresses walking around with guns to give em that Dark Angel vibe ;)

But seriously, anything to make them more Dark Angel'y' on future ones besides putting a robe on them or painting them white/bone?

I'm not sure about using full robes in the army anyway, I guess I should paint up one of the DA veteran models as an AoVig to see...

things to do to finish these (more a list for me to remind myself):

- highlight the black some more

- add more contrast to the chapter symbol, if that doesn't work paint the damn thing red.

- have another go at the weathering on some of the parts (once my hands shake about half as much as they do now.. damn medicine)

- scribble some of the scrolls and highlight the bone some more

- fix that awefull black washy spot on that leg...

[elmo]

Very, very nice

Excellent work on the yellows and your black models are looking great too.

I really must play around with my camera at some point too - your pictures really help to show off your work - min are just .

[Deathwing70]

lol getting a compliment for the quality of the pictures is probably the last thing I expected ;)

Thanks though, I'll try to keep improving them. I've noticed choosing the right color background / setting up a background really helps your.. well my.. camera choose white balances and other settings to keep colors are close to real as possible.

[Rizara]

The terminators look good.  I would definitely avoid all red, that will make them look more Imperial fist like.   Its hard to say what to add, they look good.  They aren't dark angels, they are angels of Vigiliance.  I like the black helms.  If you want to make them feel more dark angel like, than adding tabards, cloth, robes, would greatly help.   Another idea is to maybe have them carrying censors, this would improve the look and feel without going back in and sculpting robes on them.   However I do think that if you want to tie them into dark angels more, then adding cloth would be the only real trick.   Its hard to do a successor that is yellow and it not feel like imperial fists, unless you give them a striking color other than red or black.   Since angels of vigliance have black, it makes since to keep their colors limited.    So this leaves your options for a third color (not including white), as green, blue, or purple.   

 

Personally I like the look, they aren't dark angels, they aren't imperial fists, but finding that balance in the middle is what will set them apart.   You could try adding some more wings to their armor, that might help as well.    I only got one request, next time your doing some photography of your models, can you get a snap shot of their shoulder pads.  It looks like you gave them ornate AoVigliance shoulder icons, but its hard to tell in the image.  

[Deathwing70]

Hmm yea, don't want them to look like one of Dorn... I'll just try deepening the contrast a little more first and stick with that for a while, they're actually growing on me now, less bothered by them as before. Maybe it was just a psychological effect that they have been standing there for over a year looking at me waiting for the last details to be painted.

I'm definitely adding more tabards at least on future marines, not really sure why I 'forgot' to do them on the last few combat squads. I want to practice more with the cloth anyway, I've also started on a cloak for the company master/champion/standard bearer model

I'll be adding pictures from more sides when I touch them up, hopefully tomorrow

Here's a preview though, quick shot of one of the shoulder pads:

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/terminator/20130420_162018_zpse1871498.jpg

(as mentioned, pretty 'simple', used the Forgeworld Blood Angel pads because of the angel wings on them and replaces the blood drop with the crucible)

I have a concept of how I wanted to paint different types of marines within the army, but it's pretty outdated by now. 1st company had black helmets with a white stripe. All Veterans have the black inner shoulder etc. I'll update the picture some day since I've become better with photoshop programs, add some more details and update it to include changes I've made.

I've just finished another stage on something I started yesterday, finally started to build the custom swords and halberd I was planning. Used alot of (plastic) glue though most of it is on my fingers (in between the cuts etc.). I'll just need to green stuff some extra details and fix them up a little and I can ruin them by trying to make a mold:

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/wip%20general/20130420_162027_zpsaad819d8.jpg

Anyone actually have a clue/tips how to make molds for these small/slim things? I've been 'testing' it on a few other swords I own but a 2 part mold ended up casting almost 2 swords stuck to each other (though I was messing around too much making the mold) and an attempt at a 1 part mold traps too much air, basically roll a dice and 4+ you might get a blade that is almost complete!

I cut them out a little larger than I want them, also didn't sharpen them too much yet, figured I needed the strength for casting and can always grind them down a little afterwards. The halberd is still very large, maybe too large but as you said Midnight Angel, to count-as power axe at least it'll "look" unwieldy and worthy of AP2

Should have put a known model in there for comparison, the smallest sword is slightly thinner than/just as tall as a chainsword.

Still need to build a fancy power lance/spear and a mace to complete the set, but first fix the termi's...

[Rizara]

not really sure on the mold stuff.  have you tried making a 1 part mold with a few thin paper clips on the the side of the blades, basically they could be air holes to release some of the air, which would also take some extra resin, but easy to trim off when they are hardened.  Something similar to all the flash seen on the finecast, i am sure they are using alot of air holes on those with all those thin strips of resin off each casting. 

 

Yeah it is big, but like you said, at least you wont be able to argue that its unwieldy lol.

[Interrogator Stobz]

Oops, sorry dude I was only teasing :P

It's not important what colour your dudes are; just like Brother Arkley's 'BA' red DA successor chapter yours looks great.

 

An opponent may at first glance wonder what flavour of marines you play, but like Arkley's it's the back story and the rules that are important not the paint.

I agree with the others above; that to DA your models robes and censors (or add sword motifs) would probably be the way to go, your colour palette is perfect and does not need expanding unnecessarily .

Either that or change nothing; they will still look bitchin' as is. After all, your name is DEATHWING not Fists of Fury ;)

 

:D

stobz

[Deathwing70]

not really sure on the mold stuff. have you tried making a 1 part mold with a few thin paper clips on the the side of the blades, basically they could be air holes to release some of the air, which would also take some extra resin, but easy to trim off when they are hardened. Something similar to all the flash seen on the finecast, i am sure they are using alot of air holes on those with all those thin strips of resin off each casting.

Yea I'll have to try and get some more vents in there. I'm going to take my time with these ones though as I want them to be perfect, I'll probably try to build an entire sprue around them and fill em from a seperate hole on the side so they fill from bottom --> top, that way the air has more room to escape. I should also try my current molds and poke them with a toothpick while pooring the resin, see if that makes a big difference.

Oops, sorry dude I was only teasing

It's not important what colour your dudes are; just like Brother Arkley's 'BA' red DA successor chapter yours looks great.

Np m8, I know you were teasing I understand that any yellow marine seen will always have that first doubt of "Imperial Fists!" Especially since more and more players are using more black for 'coolness'.

Anyway English isn't my primary language, you and Midnight Angel seem to know the meaning of the word 'censors', while I first though it might have been a typo... the only definition I can find brings up alot of propaganda pages against Chinese censorship, unless you both actually mean I add something like black bars across the miniatures? "nope you can't see that part!"

I might do more with swords, but I'm trying to stay away from the winged swords mostly. I want them to feel like 'Dark Angels' but not be 'yellow Dark Angels'. The Reaper/Angel of Death icon is free game though since technically all Space Marines are Angels of Death.

As for my name, can I actually change it on the forums? It was cool 12 years ago, now it's starting to sound childish + WoW stole my thunder a little. If I use it in another game now everyone thinks I'm a WoW fanboy...

Anyway after a night of fixing stuff I'm alot happier about the Terminators now:

- added some more weathering and touched up some of the old stuff with a more steady hand

- fixed some highlights / added more contrast / blacklining

- fixed some screwups, where I touched the yellow with black for example.

- finished a few details I forgot

- made the grass on the base look a little more 'dead'/dry

Just leaves me with the usual stuff to finish: Banner and Power weapon.

More pics than you asked for:

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110311_zps0e2f6e8b.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110547_zps1c1087d5.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110601_zpsdea87d04.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110500_zps45d5f794.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110633_zps2380e2ee.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110722_zps37297218.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110430_zps6a716725.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110423_zpsc691b0dd.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110408_zpse5731ab6.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Terminators/20130421_110704_zps9eda05f1.jpg

DW70

[Rizara]

Well you got us their.  Both me and Stobz are wrong then.  When I was saying censors, its slang for inscence burners, like these

 http://cdn0.monasterygreetings.com/images/uploads/item2267_250_x_250.jpg

 

 

 

Us americans are prone to slang, and I forgot these international boards often have people who don't understand the slang term.   Anyways, alot of the dark angel sprues have those round insence burners.  It is wierd because you would think that the sisters would use it alot too, but the dark angels do, I guess its a monk thing.  

[Deathwing70]

ah those things

Hmm I'll keep those in mind. Guess they could come in handy when cleansing another planet inside the eye of terror...

I should start writing this stuff down, make sure I don't forget it when building new models.

I also want to add more servo skulls on future ones, think some of those could carry some of these 'censors'?

Tricky thing is how to make them appear to fly properly of course.

Modelling:

- Tabards

- Robes (? --> test model first, not too many anyway, yellow dominant color)

- (ceremonial) Knifes/swords

- Wings

- Reaper

- Censors/Burners

- Servo skulls

- Banners!

Possible:

- Candles?

Paint:

- Honor markings

- Army badge

- Checker pattern (only on power armored 4th company and then also limited to avoid NY Taxi / Lamenters look)

I noticed I always forget about the crucible, I just don't have a clue what to do with it or what it should mean... I suppose I could do something with the flame as well.

[Brother Immolator]

Imperial Fists put to shame: Confirmed!

Very nice work bro!

[Bryan Blaire]

They are called censers, not censors. That's probably where the confusion is coming from. Also, while it is a censer, the ones on the chains/ropes that the DA have are more likely to be appropriately called thuribles. :)

 

I think they look great, Deathwing70, you've done an awesome job pulling off the yellow and the little details pull them apart from the Imperial Fists. I will agree that a few more DA bits wouldn't look terribly out of place to pull them back to the "successor" realm, but you definitely shouldn't go overboard with them, because they are definitely not DA. The feathers, bits of cloth in various places, broken swords and wings shouldn't be too strange though I wouldn't think.

 

Now, what's up with the Terminators' soles? They have heavy metal butt-stompin' boot plates attached it looks like. They are very cool and give them a more aggressive "We're coming to kick your :cuss:" appearance, but did you make those or find them, sculpt them, or find them as bits? Inquiring minds want to know! :D

[Deathwing70]

They are called censers, not censors. That's probably where the confusion is coming from. Also, while it is a censer, the ones on the chains/ropes that the DA have are more likely to be appropriately called thuribles.

I think they look great, Deathwing70, you've done an awesome job pulling off the yellow and the little details pull them apart from the Imperial Fists. I will agree that a few more DA bits wouldn't look terribly out of place to pull them back to the "successor" realm, but you definitely shouldn't go overboard with them, because they are definitely not DA. The feathers, bits of cloth in various places, broken swords and wings shouldn't be too strange though I wouldn't think.

Now, what's up with the Terminators' soles? They have heavy metal butt-stompin' boot plates attached it looks like. They are very cool and give them a more aggressive "We're coming to kick your :" appearance, but did you make those or find them, sculpt them, or find them as bits? Inquiring minds want to know!

hehe thanks for the info, censers or censors makes alot of difference when googling for it ;)

Nice find on the soles, almost forgot about those... I build these models probably between 2-4 years ago when I was still very much into scaling my marines properly, art-scale, true-scale, whatever it's called these days, I started doing it 10 years ago when Elusive I think it was, posted some awesome screenshots of a true-scale marine. Though I couldn't be bothered cutting my marines up into 50 pieces and adding 20 different slices of plasicard to get them right, I needed a whole army of them after all!

So I figured an easier way, just cut the bottom legs in half, add slice of plasticard, glue together and cut to shape, green stuff some gaps if needed (lots of my older marines have "battle damage" around this area where my gap filling obviously failed). I think I also added a little bit beween the waist and to hide that I filled up the belts with accessories. Overal it gave them almost a head above the ussual marine without looking too out of proportion. Can't really be bothered with that anymore, I'll still reposition legs though for cooler poses.

Seeing as I was kinda terrible / unhappy about my skills at hiding the damage I created while doing this I didn't have the guts to try it on the Terminators (especially with the rear part of the legs with all the extra tubing and stuff. So I put them all on a piece of plasticard on the base and added another piece under the soles to give them the same bonus height as the Marines, then the big feet look out of place so I added some greenstuff to distract from it. I'm actually not too happy with it anymore, as in I think I could do a better job now ;)

But I do think Terminators need some bigger feet/boots seeing as their armor probably weights a ton.

(speaking of the boots on Marines in general, have you noticed even GW doesn't really know what to do with them, there doesn't seem to be a logical 'system' in how they operate. They seem to be plates of armor overlapping but in other moving poses they just extend or bend these plates to their will... it doesn't make any sence... Shouldn't there be some sort of ribbed tubing in between there somewhere like on all other connecting parts?)

Actually looking at them, 4 are sculpted, 1 is a thin strip of plasticard wrapped around the foot with microbeads as studs. I think it looks the best now but at the time I was probably going crazy trying to get it to stick so gave up on it at the time.

[Deathwing70]

here's a little preview/teaser of what I finished today:

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Dreadnought/20130423_222942_zpsd8855d99.jpg

well I might have to do a few touchups I see but that's the perfectionist talking. I'm really happy with how this came out and I have to say ProCreate seems to work alot better/smoother than green stuff did in my memory (but it's been years since I touched green-stuff so I guess I can't honestly say one is better than the other). Either way, it's working for me now

I'll let it harden tonight and see if I can sand off some of the rough spots tomorrow, then figure out how to get that banner I posted earlier, onto it.

[Bryan Blaire]

That is an awesome piece of work! Smashing job there, Deathwing, it's going to look great.

[Isiah]

AoVig looking awesome sauce. Not so sure on the torn banner (sacrilege surely?) but concede it could get a bit rough around the edges in a good battle – I'm sure it will look brilliant anyhow. 

[Rizara]

yeah awesome banner.  The worn look works, because lets face it, if it is a banner that it also a favored relic, like the special standards, it wont look all clean and crisp and brand new, it will be worn, especially since they are taking these relics to battle.  It will have seen service, and age, so unless kept in a perfect stasis chamber for 1000's of years, it wont look brand new.   That being said, I use procreate and it is easier for me to work with than the green stuff, however, I can get smoother surfaces via burnishing with greenstuff it seems than when I try it with procreate.  I just like the procreate cause its cheaper and easier to work with.   My sculpting skills however are still sub par to yours.  

[stepper]

This is awesome!!! i love the red plasma glow.

Keep up the good work.

 

Ciao,

 

Stepper

[Deathwing70]

thx guys

stepper, no offence but the face on your captain kind of reminds me of Frankenstein Awesome muted green though.

Like Midnight Angel, I don't really see how the banners could be tear free except maybe a few of the oldest ones but those probably don't ever leave their stasis fields. At least the banners that are attached to backpacks and placed on vehicles that make sure they get where the fighting is thickest. In a command squad on the other hand, perhaps the standard bearer is a little more carefull + he's always surrounded by alot of his brothers that will do anything to protect the banner and make sure it never hits the ground.

When I get around to making the standard bearer I'll make sure the banner is less damaged

I'm currently just adding a few more bits and pieces to finish the banner off while also trying to make a better halberd, not happy with the old one. the shape is too ... standard (and big). Since I want to use them as count-as power axe's, or at least that's what most people will see them as, I'll try to incorporate a double bladed axe in there which gives me room to get (part of) the chapter symbol in there aswell. Perfect!

[Deathwing70]

A little while later I've got a new update:

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Dreadnought/20130507_172624_zps8f1f2ed3.png

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Dreadnought/20130507_172610_zpscc5c99e8.png

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Dreadnought/20130507_172554_zpsbba0b613.png

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Dreadnought/20130507_172539_zps0f158487.png

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Dreadnought/20130507_172632_zpsec0a290a.png

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Dreadnought/20130507_172642_zpsd5a1c8ed.png

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/Dreadnought/20130507_172653_zps33bfaf04.png

The camera really picked up all the chipping, it doesn't look as heavy in real life. I'm pretty happy with the freehand on the banner, a few imperfections in there but because I just had to go and add all those curves I didn't make it easier for myself... I'm considering adding some burn marks at the damaged edges and not sure what to do with the backside. Also I see I have to redo the gems.

It's a shame you can't really see the reflection of light on the plasma cannon on the pictures, it kinda 'shines' purple (total fluke when I was giving it a really thin purple wash). Anyway I'll say 1 more thing, there is 1 major flaw on this dreadnought... see if you can spot it

Here's another thing that's been keeping me busy (aka sucking the life out of me and probably the reason it took so long for an update - this thing really depressed me at some stage, I just couldn't get the right tone of yellow I wanted).

At the end it was really bright, then I figured I wanted to add some 'smoke'/dirt effect from the exausts and kinda overdid it... Too late to fix that now... I guess the dark/dirt effect does kind of represent the fact it's a transport vehicle and will be used to drive through burning cities and other smoking piles of ruins in between battles.

I'm not sure if I should still add chipping to it though, might overdo it but then again there are some ugly spots on the model that can be hidden perfectly with it

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/AOV%20Razorback%20custom/20130507_173047_zps7c49247d.png

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/AOV%20Razorback%20custom/20130507_173127_zps0c728801.png

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w221/deathwing70/Angels%20of%20Vigilance/AOV%20Razorback%20custom/20130507_173156_zps2f6004b7.png

[[TA]Typher]

wow! great painting!

 

I think I'm going to smash my models now

 

Oo

[Rizara]

wow, some great additions.  That banner turned out really great man.  Wish I could say I have been pushing my AoV forward, but alas I havne't.  I been distracted with real life, mostly work and school work, and starting a small sisters army. 

 

I must say, i love that razorback, mostly cause of the extra storage stuff on it.  My only complaint is the extra lascannon ammo, isn't strapped down, they must be using some magnetic attachments.  Also the idea of the back hatch behind the turret is a nice touch, really makes it distinctive. 

[Isiah]

wow! great painting!

 

I think I'm going to smash my models now

 

Oo

 

Yep, *sigh* I know that feeling too.

 

Awesome sauce AoV dready, and I like how you've incorporated more black into the Razor.

 

Cheers

I

[Captain Semper]

I'm an idiot for not missing this thread for so long...

 

Truly awesome job Deathwing70, I really envy your skill with yellow/orange and your weathering!

 

This is inspirational work - do keep it up! :)

[Deathwing70]

thx guys

As for smashing models... if it makes you feel any better I've been working on/off on these guys for 7 years (out of... maybe 20 years I've been painting total) and still cannot field a legal army .. unless I use one of the sergeants as a company master. I wish I could post some pictures of my first (2nd edition) push-together space marines but unfortunately I seem to have thrown them into the warp storm that sucked up Caliban right about that many years ago... They'll show up sometime.. someplace..

I think I still have a long way to go with the weathering, I do still have my AoVig test model that I used to test different types of weathering on aswell, I'll post some pictures of him soonish, make you laugh Other than that I have to say there is alot of practice, study and simply looking at other people's work involved to learn things and pick up tricks. I try my very best to keep the light and highlights looking natural (always keep an eye on the position your model is in / is in on it's base and where your light source is coming from) but you also have to 'help' the model at some parts, edge highlighting some of the parts that technically should be in the shade. Highlighting black is also still an issue for me, I just don't want to go all the way up to light grey/white.

As for painting the yellow, I don't think it's actually as hard as everyone thinks, I guess it used to be quite difficult but over the last years some of the mostly used paints (by us) have improved alot and make coverage alot easier. Also an airbrush helps alot with the coverage nowadays. Ofcourse I've pretty much forgotten how to paint any other color now so I might be a little biased. I just think it still has that 'image'.

With yellow and I guess white aswell, some of the basic rules would be 'patience', 'multiple thin coats' and one that I don't remember reading anywhere but learned from personal experience... keep your hands clean / wash your hands quite often

I notice my hands get greasy after a while / I pick up dirt from stuff / other colors / wiping off washes etc. (I wipe the model alot with my fingers), you then touch/hold your perfectly white/yellow perfectly highlighted model a couple times and before you know it all the edges are grey/black... Yellow gets dirty really quick...

Shame about your AoV Midnight Angel, I've checked the nuns with guns though and they look good! Must be a difference to switch to white/green from black? I'm not really up to date on what range the models are these days, have they been switched to finecast yet? If not, not afraid they might be phasing them out with the other metal models?

I must say, i love that razorback, mostly cause of the extra storage stuff on it. My only complaint is the extra lascannon ammo, isn't strapped down, they must be using some magnetic attachments.

Magicks!

Anyway, the last item I have left that is partially painted yellow is the predator with lascannon sponsons. But after the depression I felt with the Razorback I'm kind of keeping it out of sight for a while (should be fun when I start on the Land Raider). I've been looking at army lists again to figure out exactly where I want to go / set a goal with all the latest revisions I came up with. I'll post something up soon, still plenty of stuff to build and paint, alot of fun things aswell to test and improve skills. The plans I had for a Dark Angel detachment seem to keep getting pushed back, I'm sure I'll get to it eventually but it might turn into an Unforgiven detachment instead of just Dark Angels... any other lesser known/suspected Dark Angel gene-seed chapters out there that also (probably) have ties with the Unforgiven still? (Any purple ones?)

Also while looking through the list(s) and reading through the codex (and rulesbook ... which I hadn't really done yet - quite alot of subtle changes since 5th ...) I noticed the Deathwing command squad is now alot easier to access then it was in 4th/5th, you just need 'any' HQ character to be wearing Terminator armor. So I'm thinking about getting a Librarian, put him in TDA and it gives me a non-elite-slot Deathwing squad where I don't have to worry about the Sergeants gear (there is no sergeant) + I can upgrade the squad with an Apothecary aswell! Sounds like a good pretty cheap deal for a 'standard' DW squad with extra survivability in a green-wing list! Anyone else taken/taking command squads with these kind of minimal upgrades?

oh boy wall of text again... let's see if there are any replies ;)