Ulfgrim's Dark Angels WIP thread

[Stoic Raptor]

Thanks! I used to have a lot of problems with reds, until I started using Mehphiston/Evil Sunz/Wild Rider.  Those colors work so well together and they make the highlights look natural.

I've been using Vallejo for years and until recently a lot of P3 paints, but the new Citadel colors really are the best for painting Citadel miniatures in the standard color schemes (imagine that!) :)

[Stoic Raptor]

I have formally entered my first vow in the E Tenebrae Lux challenge.  I will be painting an 8-man Deathwing Knights squad, and a Deathwing Command Squad.

 

 

This vow is 713 points total.  I expect it should be completed in 2-3 weeks barring any unfortunate events.  My long range plan is to enter a second vow of a full Ravenwing Attack Squadron and an Interrogator-Chaplain biker, and a third vow of a Librarian biker and Sammael on Sableclaw, if time permits.  That would give me about 1500 points, which is a respectable amount of work for three months, though if all goes well I may have time fro another vow or two after that!

 

I am also tracking my progress and thoughts on the challenge on my painting blog.  I hope to contribute to the success of the Dark Angels sub-forum and to do my part to help us recapture the title of Primus Inter Pares once more!

 

[Stoic Raptor]

So I was looking through the Codex, running the numbers... and that "little Dark Angels force" I mentioned a mere 10 weeks ago... has somehow grown to over 4500 points!

Here's what I've got so far - most of it is not assembled or painted yet:

Belial (custom) with all 3 loadouts

Sammael on Sableclaw

Company Master Balthasar

Interrogator-Chaplain Seraphicus (needs a new head)

Interrogator-Chaplain on bike

Interrogator-Chaplain in Terminator Armor

Librarian Turmiel

Librarian on bike

Librarian in Terminator Armor

Greenwing Command Squad with DA banner

Deathwing Command Squad (in progress)

Ravenwing Command Squad (5 bikes)

2 Tactical Squads

Scout Sniper Squad

Scout Combat Squad

Company Veterans Squad (10) with Drop Pod

Deathwing Terminator Squad (5)

Deathwing Knights (8)

2 full Ravenwing Attack Squadrons with Attack Bikes and Speeders

Devastator Squad (well, Sternguard bodies with Long Fang weapons)

And though I won't be assembling it any time soon, today I bought a Land Raider Crusader for my Deathwing Knights. I may also consider a Venerable Dreadnought to use with my Deathwing, but that would mean another Drop Pod. That won't happen until everything else is doen.

[DarkAngeal]

Just wanted to point out, your collection is a bit top heavy. I think you should aim for some more diverse troop choices and support in future to give you better list building opportunities. It looks like more than half your stuff is hq and elite

[Interrogator Stobz]

You have some work to do with that mighty collection Ulfgrim; can't wait to see more painted.

[Stoic Raptor]

Just wanted to point out, your collection is a bit top heavy. I think you should aim for some more diverse troop choices and support in future to give you better list building opportunities. It looks like more than half your stuff is hq and elite

 

I'm just pointing out what I have - it's obvious that it's not all going into the same massive army.  

I have plenty of troops choices - the DW Terminator Squads, the two RW Squadrons, the Scouts, the Tactical Squads... I simply have enough HQ options to send just the right ones into battle with whatever force I choose.  I have 530 points of "actual" troops, and over 800 more points of units that can be used as Troops depending on the HQ (not counting transports).  The only things that are alweays Elites are the Vets squad and the DW Knights.

 

Remember that Belial and Sammael grant Troops to regular DW and RW squads, respectively. And if I wanted, Balthasar can count as Azrael easily enough so I could use both.

 

What you're looking at is more like two or perhaps three separate small armies' worth of models, but I do appreciate the commentary and insight.  Seriously though, the last thing I need is to be buying more troops on top of all this :)

[DarkAngeal]

I totally understand, I agree you have plenty. I enjoy putting more tacticals in just for the meat in a list, but you have more than enough to play and have fun with

[Stoic Raptor]

ETL Progress Report:

 

OK, I had a little difficulty earlier in the week.  It had been a few weeks since I last painted any Deathwing terminators and I had been experimenting with different colors for undercoat, different washes, layers etc.  I was pleased with the way my DV assault cannon guy turned out and was hoping to duplicate that color.  I seemed to remember using Rakarth Flesh as a layer... but when I painted my Knight Master and one of the Command Squad members with it, things just looked wrong.

 

Normally I just soldier on and try to fix an unsatisfactory paint job by painting over it - but even thin layers add up and they looked awful.  So I went out and got an ultrasonic cleaner.  A few cycles in a bath of Simple Green, with a scrub between each, and in 15 minutes they were ready to be re-primed and re-painted.

 

So I went with a more "classic" Deathwing color scheme using the recommended Citadel colors for base, wash, layers, and highlights.  Tried out the scheme on one guy to make sure I liked it.  Things turned out to my satisfaction.  One down, twelve to go!

 

Here he is, next to the "mascot" of the Deathwing Knights.  

 

 

[Epher]

Looks great to me!  I like how the robes turned out on the mascot.  The detailing on the shield looks sharp!

[Harrycane]

nice stuff! i also really like the shield and the watcher in the dark robes.

[Stoic Raptor]

Thanks!

 

My new Kolinsky brushes arrived today from Dick Blick Art Materials.  I got a Windsor & Newton Series 7 Miniature in #1 (already have a #0 and #00) and Raphael 8404s in #1 and #2.  I've been wanting good brushes for basecoating, layering and blending and I'm happy to say that these are right on the mark!

 

The #2 has a big old belly to hold lots of paint and keeps it moist for a long time - I can go a minute or two without needing to load more paint.  The point is still very sharp and precise and is honestly better than Citadel's "detail" brushes.  The flow is super smooth with no brush strokes. 

 

I've had a palette pad that I had yet to use but with good brushes, I knew my best results would come from better control over the consistency of paint.  I thin it down quite a bit in the pot already, but  loading some on the palette and putting down just a drop of my thinner mix, I can control the consistency with greater precision, as well as how much I load my brush and can draw off excess fluid while putting a point on it.  

 

I put down several super-thin layers of Ushabti Bone on my Deathwing Apothecary, working from top to bottom.  As I finished each section, previous sections were dry enough to lay down the next coat and the result is a super-smooth finish with lots of pigment and almost no thickness at all!  The armor looks like armor and no detail is lost.

 

The best thing is, these brushes didn't cost much more than game store "finest sable" brushes.  Reaper Master Series brushes are junk and each one of these was at least $5 less than Citadel's "Artificer" brush.

[Stoic Raptor]

Now that I have my Foldio portable light box (which I reviewed on my Sage Brush Painting Blog), I can begin to take some better shots of my work.

 

Here's the first shot I took with it - it's a bit off-center and some of the models are not in focus, but it shows just how much better my work looks in the proper light!

 

[TheHyperion]

Is that a th/ss belial i see? Very nice models no matter what!

[Stoic Raptor]

Thank you!  It is indeed!  I've magnetized him for all loadouts - as I play with my new light box some more I will take pictures of his with the Lightning Claws and with the Storm Shield/Sword of Silence.

 

I will say, however, that I'm not entirely satisfied with the "lightning on obsidian" effect I did on the claws and especially the sword.

[Stoic Raptor]

Here is a better shot of The Boss:

 

 

I may build him a more impressive right arm for a Thunder Hammer - either using a Grey Knights bit  or a spare shaft from the Knight Master's Flail.

[LokisSword]

Loving the picture of Belial with his boys, looking mighty fine.

Can I ask what you are using for your gold? It looks nice and rich.

 

Lighting in the last picture looks a little off compared to the one before, is that the camera's white balance or physically different lighting?

[Stoic Raptor]

Loving the picture of Belial with his boys, looking mighty fine.

Can I ask what you are using for your gold? It looks nice and rich.

 

Lighting in the last picture looks a little off compared to the one before, is that the camera's white balance or physically different lighting?

 

The picture may look a bit washed out because I used a white cyclorama and I am still experimenting with white balance settings and post-processing in Paint.NET.  

I just purchased a new camera this evening (Nikon Coolpix S7000) and I'll see if a "real" camera gives better results.

 

For gold, I use P3 Rhulic Gold.  It is indeed a warm, rich gold, but I have recently discovered that a lot of that depends on what's underneath it.  Since I began undercoating gold areas with Citadel Mournfang Brown, the gold really pops!

[Epher]

Great conversion for Belial!  I have been looking for ideas on how to do one for my GotC and your model provides some great inspiration.

[Stoic Raptor]

So it has been a VERY long time since I painted any Dark Angels - had some financial hardship a while back and had to sell my unpainted Dark Angels and Space Wolves models.  Waiting until 8th before I decide what to do overall - I have a demi-company plus some of Marines that I will likely do as Crimson Fists, but in the meantime, I'm working on Shadow War kill teams.

 

I'm thinking of building a team of Dark Angels Scouts - based on their skill tables I thought I might do some close-combat oriented guys with swords and bolt pistols.  Here is the Veteran Sergeant that will lead the team:

 

And for the times when I want to hire a Special Operative, here is a Dark Angels Apothecary:

 

More to come when I get around to building the rest of the squad.

[FinylCut]

Ulfgrim Alvsbane:

 

I like where your kill team is going. The vet sergeant is really cool.

 

Thanks for sharing.

FC