Task Force Umbra - a Raven Guard 5th company WIP

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

The painting has begun! Made a start on my 5 man Tactical Squad last night - they’re the models

I’m least invested in so they’re serving as the test bed for colour scheme and my beyond-rusty skills. But progress is progress, so I thought I’d show everyone what I’ve done so far.

This is where we stand at present.

Basecoat - Army Painter Matt Black

Drybrush - Dawnstone

Wash - Nuln Oil

Eyes - Khorne Red

Bolters - Eshin Grey

Haven’t done all the bolters yet, and in retrospect I probably need to do the metal parts with Leadbelcher first. The eyes were a pain, mainly because I’m a cruddy painter, and I had to tidy them up with more Matt Black. I also blocked in the shoulder pads with Matt Black to give a consistent colour for putting decals on.

I’m not unhappy with the drybrush-wash plan for highlighting. It’s easier than edge highlighting, but it’s gone on a little heavier than I wanted in places, necessitating another go with the Nuln Oil.

I’m hoping to have all the base colours done by the end of the week, then hopefully I’ll get to highlighting after Easter.

[NiceGuyAdi]

Nice start. If you’re finding the drybrush goes on too heavy, you probably have more paint remaining in the brush than you want.

 

If you brush it against your thumb holding the model before applying to the model itself, you can get a good gauge of how strong it’s going to be.

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

Nice start. If you’re finding the drybrush goes on too heavy, you probably have more paint remaining in the brush than you want.

If you brush it against your thumb holding the model before applying to the model itself, you can get a good gauge of how strong it’s going to be.

Thanks dude. I'll give that a go. I think I was wary of not getting enough on, then overcompensated.

[Race Bannon]

Don't rub your eye with that thumb!

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

Sounds like you're speaking from experience Race!

 

Managed a bit more work last night, got most of the base metallics done on the weapons and power packs. Out roleplaying tonight so no painting for today, but hopefully will get some time over the four-day weekend to progress.

 

Any tips on painting breastplate aquilas? I was thinking Celestra Grey base, Nuln Oil recess shade, Ulthuan Grey highlights (on the bits I reach anyway, having already stuck on arms and weapons). Any advice or other colour suggestions?

[Race Bannon]

Man, you know it :cry:

 

The combos above seem to work in the mind's eye.  I recommend making a test model and giving it a go.

[Reviler]

Instead on dawnstone, which is quite severe a highlight, try skavenblight dinge as it’s a softer, deeper grey. dawnstone for a very fine highlight on extreme edges.

[Cordova]

For my chestplates I use Ushabti bone, with a nuln oil/agrax earthshade wash, then another bone drybrush over the top...

 

Obviously, that is to get a bone finish but I have used the same thing before with greys - heavy up the washes and then use the base colour itself to re-highlight.

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

Quick update post Easter. Didn’t quite get as much painting done as I wanted - we had guests over for some of the weekend and I was too fatigued from entertaining my nearly three year old to get much done in the evenings.

I did get the metal areas basecoated and washed and the rest of the weapon casings based in Eshin Grey. The grey looks much darker in the pictures than IRL, but I’m hoping that a bit of highlighting will brighten it up a little.

Also, apologies for the poor photo quality. I took a few quick snaps before leaving for work this morning, and I need to get a better set up worked out by the time ETL comes around.

[Race Bannon]

Storm bolter dude = :tu:

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

I think I’m done with the painting of my Tactical Squad. Still got decals and bases to do so they’re not totally finished, but I’m happy with the painting as it stands. It’s not the neatest paint job ever, and it won’t be winning any awards, but it was much less arduous than I expected and I’m pleased with the quality of it.

There were a couple of firsts for me while I was painting this squad. I’d never edge highlighted anything before, and it’s messy enough in places that you can probably tell. I’d never painted a purity seal, so I’m moderately proud of my efforts on the Sergeant and the heavy bolter dude.

Next steps will be to get some gloss varnish to start getting the decals down and obtaining some plasticard to start work on the bases.

[Race Bannon]

5th Company?

 

Corax and Solaq approves!

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

That's the badger. Maximum blackness!

[Dracos]

I like the weapons and the purity seat looks great.

[NiceGuyAdi]

Good work that man! And good on you for trying new things. Your edge highlighting will improve as you learn new tricks for it (running the side of the brush along the edges helped me a lot), and you've done a nice job on the purity seal.

 

For my money, doing some work on the basing will also make an improvement. These are some straighforward ideas for doing it with GW's paints.

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

Good work that man! And good on you for trying new things. Your edge highlighting will improve as you learn new tricks for it (running the side of the brush along the edges helped me a lot), and you've done a nice job on the purity seal.

 

For my money, doing some work on the basing will also make an improvement. These are some straighforward ideas for doing it with GW's paints.

Thanks dude. I tried the edge of the brush thing, it worked OK, just need more practice.

 

I’m planning to (mostly) follow this tutorial for bases. I’m planning to theme my army as conducting a stealthy assault on a relatively intact city, so I’m going for a non-ruined urban aesthetic with the bases (and the scout camo cloaks).

[Cordova]

I think I’m done with the painting of my Tactical Squad. Still got decals and bases to do so they’re not totally finished, but I’m happy with the painting as it stands. It’s not the neatest paint job ever, and it won’t be winning any awards, but it was much less arduous than I expected and I’m pleased with the quality of it.

 

There were a couple of firsts for me while

I was painting this squad. I’d never edge highlighted anything before, and it’s messy enough in places that you can probably tell. I’d never painted a purity seal, so I’m moderately proud of my efforts on the Sergeant and the heavy bolter dude.

 

Next steps will be to get some gloss varnish to start getting the decals down and obtaining some plasticard to start work on the bases.

 

 

Well done. As someone who finds painting to be one of the more arduous parts of this hobby, getting one squad done is a massive well done.

 

I would suggest getting some microsol/set for the decals - I used them on a recommendation and they made applying transfers - which I hated - so much easier.

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

 

 

I think I’m done with the painting of my Tactical Squad. Still got decals and bases to do so they’re not totally finished, but I’m happy with the painting as it stands. It’s not the neatest paint job ever, and it won’t be winning any awards, but it was much less arduous than I expected and I’m pleased with the quality of it.

 

There were a couple of firsts for me while

I was painting this squad. I’d never edge highlighted anything before, and it’s messy enough in places that you can probably tell. I’d never painted a purity seal, so I’m moderately proud of my efforts on the Sergeant and the heavy bolter dude.

 

Next steps will be to get some gloss varnish to start getting the decals down and obtaining some plasticard to start work on the bases.

 

Well done. As someone who finds painting to be one of the more arduous parts of this hobby, getting one squad done is a massive well done.

 

I would suggest getting some microsol/set for the decals - I used them on a recommendation and they made applying transfers - which I hated - so much easier.

Thanks dude. I never really liked painting back in the day, probably because I was rubbish at it, but actually getting started again with something small and manageable has kindled an enthusiasm I didn’t know I had.

 

I watched loads of videos to try and pick up tips (this is the first time I’ve ever thinned my paints, for example) and I’m actually quite pleased with my results. Enough that I’m looking forward to painting my next squad to see if I can improve my abilities.

 

I’ve got some Microsol/Set on my shelf waiting. I’m hoping to get some transfers done this weekend, and I’ve got some transfer printer paper coming so that I can do some chapter badges on my printer at home.

[Race Bannon]

GDF, you just touched on something that may be lacking for various reasons but helps make for better results: research :tu:

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

GDF, you just touched on something that may be lacking for various reasons but helps make for better results: research :tu:

Yeah, I think all the research I’ve done has really helped, not least with my confidence. Even just watching the Warhammer TV tips videos has shown me loads about basic technique and given me ideas for how to use colours.

[Jacques Corbin]

What are you going to add to your force? Looks great so far.

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

What are you going to add to your force? Looks great so far.

So far I’ve got a 5-man Devastator Squad, 10 Sternguard, 5 sniper Scouts, two 5-man Assault Squads (5 with jump packs, 5 without), a Lieutenant and a Librarian built and awaiting painting (and I’ll probably save most of that for ETL).

 

I’ve got two boxes of Reivers and a box of Aggressors unbuilt. I’ve also got a few vehicles in various states of disrepair from a few years ago which I might get round to at some point.

[WAR]

 

What are you going to add to your force? Looks great so far.

So far I’ve got a 5-man Devastator Squad, 10 Sternguard, 5 sniper Scouts, two 5-man Assault Squads (5 with jump packs, 5 without), a Lieutenant and a Librarian built and awaiting painting (and I’ll probably save most of that for ETL).

 

I’ve got two boxes of Reivers and a box of Aggressors unbuilt. I’ve also got a few vehicles in various states of disrepair from a few years ago which I might get round to at some point.

 

 

Good Call on waiting for the ETL..... The Adetus Astartes could always use the help

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

So no pictures as yet, mainly because I forgot, but I started on my transfers last night, applying the battleline arrow to the right shoulder pads of my tactical squad. Holy cow, Microsol and Microset are magical! So little effort to get the transfers in place, and the Microsol has made easy work of getting the transfers to mould to the shoulder pads. I think they probably need a third pass to get all the creases out, but it was nowhere near as difficult as I expected. I've got some inkjet printer decal paper coming this week for my chapter badge decals, so hopefully I'll have the role symbols and squad numbers done by the time that arrives.

 

If anyone is sitting on the fence about decals, just pick up some Microsol and Microset and never look back. It's so easy, you'll wonder what you ever worried about.

[Claws and Effect]

I prefer pads with the icons molded to them.

 

And my basing is super simple. Vallejo green brown with a sand/gravel mix glued over top of it. It will go well with the desert themed gaming surface I'll be building soon.