Thursday 26 May 2016

Dark Angels - Ravenwing bike squad - nearly done!

It's all coming to a close now, the last update before they're complete hopefully. In preparing to do the Verdigris I HAD to avoid the task and decided to add some of the tribal stripes I'd included in my Deathwing. The three stripes really add something even when I've already included so much extra detail on these. In some respects they're incredibly simple but als very busy looking. The fact was the Sergeant ['Kanaan', if you're interested, his name scroll is pretty dire] needed something as he was just too similar to the first one. I'd wanted to do warpaint at some point but didn't think there was room on him. However, having decided to add no highlights to his skintone [compared to Sarge 1 - 'Creal'] for yet more diversity I realised that warpaint would break his bald pate up and I'm really pleased by the result, even if he is a bit Father Christmas/heavyweight boxer.


This guy has just the stripes on his backpack vent and the left side of his helm [out of shot]. I actually thought this would make a nice connection with the 'Bear Claw' tribe that inhabit Ferron Proxima as it looks like they've been mauled by a bear.


Of course I immediately realised that bears have four claws and there are three stripes but I was reliably informed by Professor Egon Suess that the Neon Bears of the Ferron Badlands do in fact only have three claws so this is anatomically correct afterall! Honest ;)


BUt I eventually got round to the Verdigris and out of the five remaining bikers I managed to do four of them in one evening. Ofcourse if I hadn't been faffing with the tribal markings that may have been the full five, but I digress [as I did last night!]. Of course I then realised I'd made a mistake in that the sole remaining biker was a Plasma gun guy and one of the remaining elements left is the plasma coils [I also need to pick out the purity seals on both Plasma Gun guys too!]. I couldn't do that while waiting for the verdigris to dry...


so I actually took this last guy into work and finished the Verdigris in my lunch! The first time I've painted like this in years. Now what's left?
  1. Pin highlights [still]
  2. Eye lenses [there's only 4, so not sure why I'm putting it off]
  3. 2nd Sergeants head/eyes!
  4. Purity seals - sepia wash
  5. Litany script
  6. Names and numbers on shoulder pad
  7. Verdigris
  8. Handlebar screens
  9. Plasma coils
  10. Red headlamp and OSL [v.nervous about this for obvious reasons! ]
  11. Base edge
  12. Varnish
  13. Orange weathering powder on tyres
See, stripes!

4 comments:

  1. Just incredible :) hope to see the entire squad !

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    1. Lets hope I don't screw them up with the headlamps!

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  2. Lovely stuff Dave, looking forward to seeing it these guys at Double Trouble. I can't remember if you've put it up before, but could I have your recipe for the bronzed metal? I'm considering putting it on my 30k Alpha Legion for some dark contrast.

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    1. Its not always the same recipe but for the most part it starts off with Warplock Bronze, then it's an Army painter Strong Tone wash [Agrax will do if you're a masochist]. Stipple on some more Warplock, then I think the next one is Balthasar Gold.

      Then it's a mix of Balthasar and Valejo Shining gold stippled/drybrushed on [its very yellow, so not too much but any alternative gold than Balthasar will do].

      Now either at this point or after the next you apply a sepia wash with tones everything down and will fill in all the texture created from the metallic particles and the stippling process. Next up is a mix of the Shining Gold and Gunmetal. This is the most extreme highlight and becuase it's got the silver element changes the tone a bit, hence why the wash can go on before or after. There's really not a lot applied, just sharp edges and if you sue a really scrubbly brush adds in nicks and scratches too.

      You can also apply a bit more Strong tone in any crevices, stippling on will ass a little more texture to the patination of the metal.

      finally the verdigris is just thinned doen Anita's turquoise but I'm sure that Nikhalai Oxide does a good job and you good look at a thinned Dark Angel green for a slightly different effect.

      Macelis's Iron Snakes a re pretty cool for the metals too, you should take a look at them as well.

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