Monday 18 April 2016

Dark Angels - Tactical Squad TO DONE!

After pushing on through I finally finished my Dark Vengeance Tactical Squad. I didn't take too many pictures as I was pressed for time and although one of the first GW rules of taking miniature pictures is not to use natural light [a lighting setup is much more controlled] I do just that because so far it's delivered the best results, granted there have been some predicted disappointments.


But surprisingly these aren't as bad as I'd feared. I'm still not sure the amount of effort I put in them is evident, the green in particular is so subtle it could perhaps have been achieved with the base coat and a wash!


But the figures turned out OK and the Sergeant too was rescued, his eyes have been done and although I re-did the skintone and made some mistakes I actually think I've done a better job of it. I even resisted the urge to highlight his eyebrows so they would look like skin - who has shaved eyebrows? So I actually painted some on, they're practically un-noticeable but I think that's because it looks more natural.


I'll do another photo-shoot down the line with the AoBR boys so you can compare the originals and more recent models for consistency but so far it looks pretty good.


I probably need to do some more close ups of the litanies inscribed on the armour. It can be quite a challenge to think of new ways to do it and the Plasma Gun guy was supposed to have two crossed swords on his left leg that went so pear-shaped I covered it up with a box which I then filled with green 'text' so it was more like a painted plaque on his leg.


The Sarge has a similar sort of illuminated script on his left leg with some added detailed border work.


The Plasma Cannon also has a lot of inscription on his power pack, including reference to Vraks, from whence they've just come


As you may have seen, freshly painted they entered into battle and did shockingly bad but that can;t diminsh I now have 20 Tactical marines painted, it sounds insignificant but to me that's extreme. I never completed 20 ever! And to add the Devastators in too... well I'm looking forward to exhibiting a new army at Armies on Parade this year. Big green stamp of approval to me!

19 comments:

  1. Congratulations Dave, they look great! Once again, I love your plasma weapons. I am also somewhat paranoid about eyebrows now...

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    1. Particularly with the bald headed guys I don't think most of us would kive it a moments thought but it just seemed odd that I was painting him completely hairless!

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  2. Nice work my man, really like the little bits of scroll work.

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    1. Ta, they're rally only there because I couldn't master weathering but I like the idea of them inscribing their armour before battle. The Guardians of Covenant [one of their second founding chapters] do this so I like the idea the first founding chapter started the idea off.

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  3. Very nice dude, they look fab

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  4. I've really enjoyed seeing these come together, because its the push fit models it makes a very easy comparison to my own dark vengeance models. I really like how warm your have come out compared to mine, I regret going for the standard blue on the plasma. Your orange is the bees knees and really sets them apart I think. The sergeants face has some really nice subtle flesh tones too.

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    1. It's a fine line between orange glow and rust, luckily I think the glow comes across thanks to the bronze and its verdigris. Folk understand that, even if they don;t know why so there is some inherent knowledge it wouldn't be rust.

      I think the gloss varnish on the orange also helps. When you're gaming just that additional reflectiveness gives the impression that it;s illuminated. It doesn;t quite stand close scrutiny but in the heat of battle I htink it works.

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  5. Always nice to see a finished project, I like your high contrast between the shading and highlight makes for a striking finish.

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    1. It's not quite to the extent of highlights GW suggests but I think because I try to start from a darker green I'm happy with it. Although I really like these now and the army is remaining consistent [thankfully] there is still a part of me that hankers for genesis 1: http://www.40kaddict.uk/2010/11/dark-angels-genesis-vol-1.html

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  6. They look great Dave. Great saturation of color. They pop so nicely!

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    1. Cheers Greg, I've been worried all along about consistency, I think unduly so. I'm pretty sure that although there's a whole lot going on in all my Dark Angels, not just the representation of the various 'wings', that they'll be pretty cohesive in the end.

      I keep thinking they'll never have the 'impact' of the nids but I might just be a little presumptuous... we'll see.

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    2. I think you have a lot more freedom with the nids. You are trying to keep the dark angels within their own universal restrictions (With your own flare and techniques added), which reduces their pop vs the nids. That's not a reflection on your technique or talent, but more a reflection of the original color scheme they have!

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    3. I think you're right and when my own touches rebel against those restrictionsthats when the frustration sets in and I can't progress. Maybe I need to look more closely at this, find a way to 'template' what they are. I think it's getting easier now I've done a fair few, all I can keep doing is pushing forwards.

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    4. I have always felt that due to the "heretical" nature of the dark angels, you do have a bit of leeway in how you present them. Maybe it was a force that was separated during the schism, and hasn't yet returned to the flock, but is still fighting the remaining fallen.

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    5. Well that's just blasphemy and I don't even know who these 'fallen' are that you speak of ;)

      I think the leeway is more to do with their mixed up history. Starting out black then switching to green to boost sales of green paint. Throwing in the Deathwing native American influences. Adding the Ravenwing colours, then creating the robed knightly order as the main aesthetic. There's a lot going on, which is why I need to hold to my own vision, such that it is and how it's evolving as I paint.

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  7. Lush as ever Dave :) take them to double trouble!

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    1. I really should, they'll be rubbish but it's the 'right thing to do'.

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  8. Those look fantastic, man! I really dig the red tabard, I'm so used to seeing 'em in white or bone-colored but the red just looks better! Excellent choice.

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    1. He matches his Dark Vengeance Deathwing brother: http://www.40kaddict.uk/2015/05/dark-angels-dark-vengeance-deathwing-to.html

      It worked out really well, I may consider repainting the loin cloth on my AoBR sergeant to match.

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