Imperial Navy Marauder Destroyers - Part II

 

If brute force doesn't work, you're not using enough.

A little more work on the Marauders, adding some trim base coats and recess shading. Lots and lots of recess shading. And it's still not yet done.

The camera has a different lens on it right now, so the photo isn't quite as I would like, and travel soon will mean I'm writing this up earlier than it deserves, but it's still nice to see a photo of progress.

Drakenhof Nightshade has been used to border pretty much every panel, shade every rivet, and outline various details. It's precise work, so I've been using a good brush to make it easier but then have to be sure to clean it regularly as I go around the models. And it's still not done: the trim needs shading yet with Coelia Greenshade, and then there's Nuln Oil to apply. I'm also considering a mix of Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade to create oil streaks.

In other words, there's an awful lot to do yet, but the most tedious parts are nearly out of the way. Edge highlights are far less demanding, and then detail work will really start to bring the model to life. Recess shading gives outline and definition, edge highlights give some extra contrast, and details create interest.

I'll admit that I'm liking this model a lot more than when I first started. It certainly has some character about it, and I'm looking forward to putting the two I'm painting on display next to the Thunderbolts.

-- silly painter.

Imperial Navy Marauder Destroyers - Part I

 

Marauder "Lancaster" Destroyer

Hot on the heels of the finished Allarus Custodians, it's time for a bit of a change of pace by going back to Aeronautica Imperialis and finishing off the models I have for that - a couple of Marauder Destroyers. I wanted the motivational win of having done all models for a particular specialised games, and something not Space Marines (Project 20 is still ongoing in the background).

I'm also wanting to clear space for whenever the plastic Thunderhawks are released.

Fortunately the Thunderbolts provide an excellent reference for the colours to use, so there shouldn't be any particular difficulty in that department. Actually the most difficult part is going to be what should be metallic and what shouldn't.

So far not too much has been done:

• The Fang base coat (a spray can was available for this purpose and saved a good deal of time).
• Russ Grey to highlight panels with an airbrush.
• Fenrisian Grey to highlight the underneath of the aircraft.
• Death Shroud to make a few oil stains. I may have to increase this a little more later on down the line as it's not quite as visible as I'd like.

I've started to block in some metallic areas and already placed some decals as well, although they won't be sealed fully until a much later step. The silver colouring will likely take the longest of everything with these models, but I have to remember that the varnishing will dull them down somewhat.

These models also come with a peculiar problem: lack of components. There's enough space for eight missiles (four under each wing), yet none are included in the box. This seems to have been an oversight during design and production, but luckily I kept the spares from the Thunderbolts and there are just about enough to make up for it. Some missiles will be "against the rules", but look close enough that it shouldn't be an issue once glued in place with the rest. It's kind of annoying that not everything was included, but then I'm not too disappointed because fewer spare parts are now going to waste, so it balances out in the end.

-- silly painter.

Allarus Custodians - Part IV (Showcase)

Shoulder pads that are nigh Exterminatus-proof.

 Well I managed to get them finished a little bit quicker than I originally anticipated, if later then I wanted. They were both easier and more difficult to paint than I was thinking when I started, with the difficulty ultimately coming down to subtle decisions about precisely which colours to use where, and what scheme to go with. Ultimately I'm satisfied with the gold - it's different from how I paint Blood Angels, yet still golden armour and something that would hopefully transfer onto the rest of my Custodes (one day).

I'll begin with the base. Unusually for a photo, I decided to show how I was holding the models in place one I had glued them to the base - and yes, Blu-Tac, or whatever derivative/alternate name. During previous steps I had notice that the bases bent ever so slightly when clipped into the holder and was concerned that this might crack the superglue keeping everything in place. So I had to improvise. Not the best, but didn't have much further to go and so it was...alright.

I tried the now infamous "wet-wipe" approach to a marbling effect on the bases, first trying it out on some thick cardboard. Black undercoat, cover with a pulled wet-wipe, followed by Russ Grey and Wraithbone. At this point I'd decided it wouldn't work for me with the bases directly, but enough places on the cardboard seemed good enough that I could use it directly. I also didn't want single pieces, so cut it up into squares, superglued these onto the bases to form marble tiles, and then trimmed the edges to fit. I also thinned down some blacks on the wet palette to add some more distinct lines in places. Ultimately it's good enough, but in future I may well go back to just doing everything by hand. The wet-wipe approach does serve as a good reference to work from however, which is worth considering too.

Ropes are a muted white, and I decided this was good enough. I didn't want them too bright lest they start to look reflective:

• Base of Celestra Grey over all the ropes.
• Basilicanum Grey Contrast over that.
• Using a thin brush, highlight the ropes again with Celestra Grey.
• Ulthuan Grey applied with a fine tipped brush to complete the highlights.

Pteruges had an edge highlight of Doombull Brown mixed with Evil Sunz Scarlet and stippled / striped in key places. I never wrote down what was done before that unfortunately - some browns, highlighted with rust tones, before the final look. Not terribly impressed with how they all turned out so no great loss - I'll try again next time and come up with something else.

Leather straps are borrowed from a previous model:

Thondia Brown over the leather areas.

Gorthor Brown used for some highlighting.

Gorthor Brown / Celestra Grey (1:1) mixed and used for scratches and general wear and tear lines.

Thondia Brown / Abaddon Black (1:1) thinned heavily and added to recessed areas, just because I was too lazy to dig out the Agrax Earthshade for what would be the same effect.

The top knots were quite simple in the end:

• Mephiston Red over the entire top knot.
• Wild Rider Red to highlight some areas.
• Carroburg Crimson to shade the entire area.
• Wild Rider Red to highlight important areas more, if required.
• Flesh Tearers Red Contrast applied to generally darker areas, and then feathered out from there.

These are impressive models, no two ways about it. They each have a lot of character about them, and the armour is festooned with detail. Quite glad I'm finally able to add them to the "finished" collection, but there remain many more of their brethren to paint up yet.

-- silly painter.

Project 20 Marines - Part III

Watch your back...pack.

 This is going to be another very short post, and as fair warning it might be a little random. There will also very likely be no post next week, but after that I hope to have a few things picking up again.

Anyway, that out of the way: backpacks are fully airbrushed. These included a pre-edge highlight step to see how the final highlight of Evil Sunz Scarlett would turn out over the top. In the photo the edges are visible, barely, but do not clearly stand out. I'm pretty much ok with this, and will definitely try to reapply a thin edge highlight again in select places. Is this worth it in the long run? Well....maybe. It's going to take a lot longer, but I think it's actually worth it for me. I like some edges being subtly defined, and this will help. So I'll stick with it and see how it goes.

Next step will be to add some recess shading, then the metallics (at least as far as the pre-varnish stage).

On the subject of varnish, the local weather has not been particularly conducive to correct drying of Purity Seal lately and I looked around for an alternative. I wanted something where frosting would be less of a problem, and the only real option is the airbrush. I also use the varnish to help seal decals and make them look part of the model, so ideally a matt varnish as well. To that end: Vallejo Premium Colour Matt Varnish. I've given it a quick test on a couple of models and it's held up fairly well so far, but the real test will be the twenty marines in progress right now. I'll also need to be really sure to clean out the airbrush as soon as I'm done with the varnish.

Don't forget decal softener when working with decals. A bit of softener and a cotton bud helps to keep the decal moulded to the surface, which makes the varnish step work much nicer.

As a final random note for this post: I've finally found a use for old paint bottles. Remove the lids, cap with plastic bottle lids (ones with a flat top), and then use a cross pattern of tape to keep the lids secured, and there are little holders for models while airbrushing them. I normally use blu-tac (or equivalent) to hold a model in place for this, but having that holder just means my fingers aren't in the way while using the airbrush. These are no match for a Citadel painting handle (the original variant) but also don't need the model glued to a base, no pinning is required, and are really only intended for the airbrushing step. All built from materials that would otherwise go into the bin.

I have other models in the background being painted as well, but they're not far enough along to do another post on just yet, which is partially why I'll take a week break before showing something a bit more interesting.

-- silly painter.