Jump to content

Progress Log: Alpha Legion Warband: "The Last Surprise"


hd3
Go to solution Solved by Firedrake Cordova,

Recommended Posts

So I finally was able to make a start on my Alpha Legion warband; The Last Surprise. I picked up the old start collecting chaos space marine box, since the Master of Possession is a much better HQ stat wise for the Alpha Legion than the combat patrol's dark apostle. I decided to go with a metallic paint scheme that I'm using based on this video:

 

 

 

I picked up some sector imperialis bases for the legionary rank and file but i ran out of money so i used regular bases for the possesed and obliterators and a recycled sigmar base for the master. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I've finally made a start on my AL warband now the terrain is all finished. Here, I used a thin coat of Vallejo gloss varnish to reduce the surface tension, then a coat of nuln oil gloss to brighten up the recess details. I think I let it pool a little much though. 

 

The first half of the base coat is aethermatic blue which I just took straight out of the pot since the pigmentation is so low. I had difficulty getting it to stick on the back half of the torso though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The pale blue really turned out well, so worth the effort. Looks very smooth so if it didn't stick well i definitely can't tell from the photos. Also, I don't think there's such thing as "too much nuln oil"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a nice colouration :smile: I don't think many people will notice the slight difference in colour on the back of the torso due to the backpack (I suppose you could try painting over it with Lahmian Medium [as it's a matte medium, so should be a bit "grippier"] and then another coat of Aethermatic Blue if it was really bothering you?)

 

I think the Nuln Oil wash worked out quite well - you've got some nice black-lining on the panels. There's a couple of bits of pooling on the silver trim, but obviously that's quite easy to remedy. :smile: 

Edited by Firedrake Cordova
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, hd3 said:

I had difficulty getting it to stick on the back half of the torso though.

 

This is an issue with the leadbelcher spray and maybe the tamiya - If you spray leadbelcher, then overbrush the whole model with leadbelcher pot paint, this should clear up. For some reason the contrasts and washes don't like the GW metallic sprays. Something something surface tension. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Xenith said:

 

This is an issue with the leadbelcher spray and maybe the tamiya - If you spray leadbelcher, then overbrush the whole model with leadbelcher pot paint, this should clear up. For some reason the contrasts and washes don't like the GW metallic sprays. Something something surface tension. 

 

I'll try that on the next one. Do you know if the tamiya spray does the same thing? Don't want to overbrush the leadbelcher and then get the same problem anyway after i zenithal it with the silver

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm actually looking for suggestions on how to paint this gravel dirt bit here. I normally use biugmans glow and some washes for a clay desert effect but I wanted a starker contrast against the multi coloured rusts I'm going to put over the metal. 

1680166534991.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It might be a bit hard to see in the below photos, but I've used the same bases, I'm not a 100% fan of the texture on the gravel, so I stuck stirland battlemire over the top of the sculpted dirt and was pretty happy - I then did my standard mud scheme, which is wash with agrax, then successively ligher drybrushed of mournfang, XV88, then zandri dust. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I've added akhelian green as a second base coat with a little contrast medium to thin it down. One thing I've noticed is that it is coming out a lot more green than the finished blue in the video guide I was looking at. I had to tidy up a bit with runefang steel which I now will have to tidy over again. I also left a spot you may notice on the back of the powerpack where its just the aethermatic blue which ironically is also coming out more green. I was going to go over this with the akhelian green to bring it in line with the rest of the power armour but I'm now liking the look of the contrasting hues. Like the light is changing across the armour as it reacts. What do you guys think?

IMG_20230405_132247.jpg

IMG_20230405_131425.jpg

IMG_20230405_131431.jpg

 

I'm also looking for good guides on how to paint the cloth tabard and the leather straps and holsters if anyone has a good paint guide!

Edited by hd3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally mixed a little non metallic colours. Here I've done gore grunta fur for the leather over a corax white base, then washed with agrax and runefang for the studs. Then I did rhinox hide for the belt and holsters. For the cloth tabard, I used mephiston red with a black templar and contrast medium wash to make it look grimey. 

 

The fire grunta over the steel came out nice in the leather one but pooled up on the cloth and I'm debating if I want to keep the rust effect it gives or redo it to look more like the brass I intended.

IMG_20230406_133220.jpg

IMG_20230406_052735.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/30/2023 at 7:33 PM, hd3 said:

I'm actually looking for suggestions on how to paint this gravel dirt bit here. I normally use biugmans glow and some washes for a clay desert effect but I wanted a starker contrast against the multi coloured rusts I'm going to put over the metal. 

 

I've been doing mine in a toxic / corrosive sludge,

Spoiler

PSX 20180201 120828

PSX 20171225 104634

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Damn, I wish I had seen this earlier, I just bought the paints for xenith's solution.  Looks amazing though. 

 

 

Here I've added in the next batch of colouring, Balthazar gold for the belt buckles and retributor for the high lights. I screwed up doing the eye lenses though, next Legionnaries I will follow the paint guide. 

 

I'm using gor grunta fur thinned down by 50 percent for the edges and some of the raised details. I used black legion contrast on the chest pipes and Abaddon black on the sword and gun panels. 

 

I've no idea how to paint the tassles on the knives though. I used contrasting bright colours with agrax but I feel like there has to be a nicer way to do it. so if anyone has any suggestions, please chime in. I also might buy some Tamiya olive drab for the grenade. Ice also added runelord brass with agrax on the metal cables. Im not sure if I should do any further edge highlighting on the body though after I finish with the weapons beyond the bone horns.

 

I also realized how much the runefang steel I used to tidy up the edges sticks out. Any tips on how to make that look a bit more consistent?

 

 

I also mostly like the colour scheme but it's not quite as blue as I want. Should I try mixing some macragge blue into the akhelian green?

 

as always, suggestions for improving welcome 

 

 

 

IMG_20230410_121721.jpg

IMG_20230410_121740.jpg

Edited by hd3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I've finally finished the first two Legionnaries. Just in time to realize I don't care for that shade of akhelian green. Thanks to grotsmasha, I found an alternative blend of talassar blue and aethermatic blue that I am going to use for the rest of the warband.

 

I also think for the horns In future, I'm going to start with a darker base tone and cap the horns with a lighter colour. 

 

For the bases, I used streaking grime along the angles and brown and dark red ochre pigments from Vallejo with pigment binder for the rust effects. I tried to do s transitional effect but it sort of blended together in a big mess. For the next ones, I'm going to use a fewer pigments and let a bit more of the metal show.

 

I also think I need a bit more paint or a bit more elbow grease for dry brushing the dirt areas because the Strickland battle mire Is the only bit that came through clearly.

 

I'm also debating if it's worth doing some edge highlighting with iron breaker along the armour joints.

IMG_20230414_035935.jpg

IMG_20230414_035942.jpg

IMG_20230414_035956.jpg

IMG_20230414_040007.jpg

Edited by hd3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest, I like both of the colours as presented here :blush: 

 

I think the suggestion of a light silver highlight on the armour is a good one - it'll help bring out things like the hard edges of the boots. You could apply it roughly (e.g. with a sponge) to look like chipping, perhaps? (those edges seem like they'd catch a fair few dings).

 

I think adding some scratch highlights onto the rusty areas of the base might help a little, too? As you sound a little unhappy with how the rust worked out, Vallejo has a good video on the subject using pigments and wash (and has an inspection grate as an example, which is kinda similar to your bases), as does Andy's Hobby HQ - I don't know if they're any help?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Firedrake Cordova said:

To be honest, I like both of the colours as presented here :blush: 

 

I think the suggestion of a light silver highlight on the armour is a good one - it'll help bring out things like the hard edges of the boots. You could apply it roughly (e.g. with a sponge) to look like chipping, perhaps? (those edges seem like they'd catch a fair few dings).

 

I think adding some scratch highlights onto the rusty areas of the base might help a little, too? As you sound a little unhappy with how the rust worked out, Vallejo has a good video on the subject using pigments and wash (and has an inspection grate as an example, which is kinda similar to your bases), as does Andy's Hobby HQ - I don't know if they're any help?

 

I do too actually! It's just in real life, the first paint job doesn't look like the photo. Grotsmasha showed me if you do akhelian green to aethermatic blue 2 to 1,  you can get closer to the photo but it's not quite the same. 

 

I was debating doing the darker blue for the body and maybe the akh ath blue mix for the head . Add a bit of contrast.

 

Thanks for the video! I'll investigate next time I'm doing a base. 

 

Should I do a regular edge highlight in the armour seals and a scratch highlight on the body?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, hd3 said:

I do too actually! It's just in real life, the first paint job doesn't look like the photo.

Ah, so what you're saying is that pointing your camera at the Chaos marine has led to it being corrupted? Or has an abominable intelligence snuck into it when you weren't looking and needs exorcising? :laugh: :wink: 

 

38 minutes ago, hd3 said:

Should I do a regular edge highlight in the armour seals and a scratch highlight on the body?

Yeah, I think that's what I'd look at doing if it were me :smile: 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I've been trying out variations on the base paints, I've also switched from runefang steel to the less bright iron breaker for the trim. The first one is just thalassan blue and aethermatic blue. The second is akhelian green and aethermatic blue with takassan blue and aether blue mixed into the centre.

 

Again, in the photos the latter is the colour I want but in real life is much closer to green. I think I still might use a little akhl. green thinned with contrast med under the blue for the top of the power pack and the helmet.

 

I also think I didnt thin the black templar enough for the loincloth and might need more contract medium in future. Hopefully the matt varnish topcoat will fix it.

IMG_20230418_204414.jpg

IMG_20230418_204422.jpg

IMG_20230418_204354.jpg

IMG_20230418_204403.jpg

Edited by hd3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really like that armour colour. :smile: If the camera is being tricksy and not recording it correctly though, then only you can make a decision as to which one is "best", unfortunately.

 

In terms of painting the trim in Iron Breaker instead of Runefang Steel, that's an interesting one - I really like how the helmet horns, backpack, and shoulder pad trims look in the first image, but at the same time the trim on the legs looks a bit dark and indistinct? I'm guessing it's due to the metallic nature of the paint and differing viewing angles between the parts, as it's only the case in the first image?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.