Reawakening and old favorite

[GhostLegion]

So I was browsing through my box of unused models and found a dreadnought I used to really like.  Unfortunately, it was in an older scheme I used, and since I've been reworking much of my collection (either due to old paint, or bad painting), I thought to add it into my current work cycles.  This required stripping, and resulted in necessary replacement of multiple detail parts, as well as reworking some gap fill with different epoxy (some of the original stuff I used crumbled while stripping the old paints and varnishes down).

 

so here is stage 1 of this rather large dreadnought,  I'm hoping to get primer down and maybe initial color blocking in place either today or tomorrow...

 

Since I'm pretty sure someone will ask, this is going to Angels of Redemption colors for the most part.  There are some nice bits on here that will be emphasizing a Deathwatch role, and others may be interpreted to reflect on the story of the battle brother himself...  beyond that level of concept, I'm not quire sure where the paint will take me.  There is a nice tabard there to work with, and some parchment areas too, neither of which am I certain what I will do with just yet...I guess I can say I'm open for suggestions on many of the detail areas here.  I'm also debating trying to incorporate the helmet and chest plates (left and right are wing sculpt) into the chapter badge coloring...not sure how that would end up looking, but could be interesting...default is metallic of course, but at this point anything is game!

[MordentHex]

looks bad ass!! paint it and give us a look at it!

[GhostLegion]

Initial color blocking done.

 

 

This gives a better impression of what it will end up like once done, and helps to see what changes will need to be made.  As it stands, I'm still not sure what I'm doing with the tabard area there.  Fortunately, this build would look entirely too strange without it, so it's something that has to be dealt with.  Next step for this is a heavy shade across the whole thing, then onto primary painting stages (probably the green first).

 

I had thought to add in a little light effects from the lamps off the power plant, but the more I look at it now, the less thrilled I am with that idea.  Ill probably just avoid that nightmare with this guy and spend the detail time elsewhere...all those nifty pipes and cables behind the head most likely.

 

As this is primarily the old metal venerable dreadnought, there are a bunch of windows/arches on the shoulders and chest to work with.  The edging on those is going to gold (thus the brown base), but I haven't decided anything on the central areas yet.  Similarly, I haven't decided what color to paint the helmet.  Right now I'm leaning toward white, which would work well if I take the wings on the left and right chest plate to black(ish).  This would channel the Angels of Redemption chapter badge, but I'm not sold on that idea.  The alternatives are red helmet, or red helmet with white stripe.  Yes, more traditional Codex Astartes colorings for sergeant and veteran sergeant, but they go incredibly well with the split scheme of this chapter...

Added another piece I'm working on beside the dread for a better sense of scale.  That one is a long way from paint stages yet, but coming along nicely too.  That one came from the question: "If Dark Angels have Company Champions available, what would a Chapter Champion look like?"  So, another project got started there too...but that is another story.

 

[GhostLegion]

Stage 3

Im not including anything on this stage as it was just a heavy nuln oil wash over the whole piece.  helps to deepen the colors I think, as well as give an idea of where any weathering effects (if wanted later) could go.  I typically do one heavy coat, then one thin coat of the wash...the thin coat has a tendency to dry with some white areas where it pooled...makes for good markers of things that can be done later...

 

Stage 4

Now the real coloring is starting to take shape.  initial layering is in place, some edging as well, and a wash of green and sepia applied (respectively).  The base has been reworked with the astrogranite texture (first time using the gw texture paints, still not sure what to think there), then washed black and overbrushed gray.  I also started reworking in some of the red areas.

 

Im trying to fade the tabard color down some so it doesn't look so close to the armor color.  for this I started out with a very thin wash of white on the tan side and a similarly thin wash of white+green on the opposite.  Im not sure the coloring is where I want it to be yet, so unless anyone has an idea how to get a faded cloth looking effect (thinking age or sun bleached here), I will continue experimenting.