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Offline ChrisCummins

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Space Marine chapter journal
« on: June 2, 2008, 06:35:24 PM »
I thought I'd start a thread to document the progress and growth of a custom space marine chapter (yet to be named), and documenting my experiences in modeling GW minis.

Theme
An initial strike force, deployed rapidly into hostile zones to sweep the area before being taken off to the next place. Hence an emphasis on maneuverability and ruggedness, having to survive various different zones, climate conditions etc. The force size is quite small for easy of transport. All repairs are done on-site and many of the troops have customized their gear to their own preferences. So lots of modeling opportunities....

The army
I plan on ultimately collecting something along the lines of:

- 2 HQ squads, 1 force commander + command squad. The other, 1 termy librarian with terminator squad.
- 3 tactical squads, 1 with rhino
- 1 assault squad
- 2 scout squads, 1 w/ shotguns, 1 w/ sniper rifles
- 3 vehicle land speeder squad
- 1 predator
- 1 dreadnought

Troops
Since this is my first GW army, I'm starting quite slowly, painting a tactical squad or two to finalise the colour scheme. Currently it is:



Ignore the blue helmet on the mini. Linky:

http://www.40konline.com/index.php?topic=163205.new;topicseen#new

Rhino
I went a little crazy with the plasticard, tissue paper and PVA one night. Must have had too much to drink or something... anyways, the result is a pretty heavily kitted out rhino.









Added armour is getting the red treatment, the main hull will be grey, in keeping with the troops colours.



Criticisms and comments welcome. :)
Chris
« Last Edit: June 3, 2008, 01:09:09 PM by ChrisCummins »

Offline ChrisCummins

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #1 on: June 2, 2008, 07:06:30 PM »
After messing around with a dodgy latin translator for a while, I now have a chapter name. woop

Chapter Name: Nocens Nidores.

It roughly translates to 'The bad smell'.


I try not to take things too seriously...  ;)


Second marine has been brown washed, just waiting for a black wash then details.

Rhino:
Painted the front stowage area.



The metallic surface was painted Chainmail then given very heavy treatment with some brown oil paint. I may add a slight bit of blueish-green to get that oxidized look. Depends how it turns out. This is the treatment I'll give to all areas of added armour where you can see the back. This is to imply a hasty coat of red paint by some random techy just to cover up the bare metal, but only painting the outside facing areas.





I'm going a little crazy with the weathering this time - I'm going to try and layer up a wet mud effect, starting off with a couple of different washes: green, yellow, brown - then getting a little bit heavier with the dry brushing, before hopefully building up a shade not dissimilar to graveyard earth. We'll see how it pans out. First layer is a wonderful sickly green.



Force commander
A couple of new additions to the army:


I'll start work on the land speeder probably after the scouts. Hopefully I'll build up a 3 strong squadron over time.

The commander is a terminator armored librarian, which for now will be on his own, although I may later kit him out with a command squad. I decided to be a little adventurous with the base and use a technique I dreamt up of while board in a maths exam: blue-tac and plaster sculpting. Is this madness, is this insanity? It certainly isn't sparta, but here goes anyway:


Scrounge yourself a 40mm base of the nice guys at the GW shop, flip it over, fill it with blu-tac then plaster that with PVA and let dry.


Step two is to wait for this to dry, then mix yourself up some more of that plaster I used for the rhino mud, this time just plaster and water. Stir all around and then use an old brush to stick it on the base, getting a nice textured effect.

Steps 3 and 4 will include painting it then decorating it with flock, sand, static grass, persians, the whole 9-yards.

Comments welcome as ever. :)
Chris
« Last Edit: June 3, 2008, 08:57:15 AM by ChrisCummins »

Offline Jehan-Reznor

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #2 on: June 3, 2008, 07:40:55 AM »
The bad smell? on their way to become nurgle followers?
like the color scheme nice work, why does the rhino have a beam on it's roof?
oh and one picture isn't showing
"this can't be happening, Man!"
my projects;
http://www.40konline.com/community/index.php?topic=169427.0 budhhist space marines
http://www.40konline.com/community/index.php?topic=163611.0 Doombringer my space marine chapter
http://www.40konline.com/community/index.php?topic=150109.0 Hello Kitty Space Marine Army

Offline ChrisCummins

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #3 on: June 3, 2008, 09:02:21 AM »
lol I just needed something bad-ass and latin sounding for if I ever wanted to stick a name on a banner or something. I'm open to suggestions. :) Having said that, for all the time on the front line that space marines supposedly spend - have you have seen a laundry service? Probably need a good shower while they're at it as well...  :P

The beam is something I borrowed while looking at source photos from early Great War tanks. Lots of them have these beams stuck to the top. I think it may be to do with transporting materials to the front line for trench repair or similar. Examples:





Thanks, picture link repaired. More work on commander's base:

Diluted chaos black base coat followed by dry brushed codex grey. Pose is tested with blu-tac:


Static grass applied:


'Dark green bushes' applied, fortress grey drybrushed to highlight rock areas, graveyard earth drybrushed to highlight river bed. Thin PVA layer applied to river bed and sand/pebbles sprinkled. Once dry, thicker layer applied over top.


Chris
« Last Edit: June 3, 2008, 09:04:32 AM by ChrisCummins »

Offline Alexander's Son

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #4 on: June 3, 2008, 06:36:00 PM »
Ahh... a green base... Ecologists! Eco Marines?

But seriously I have to mark out two points:

a) Your painting scheme and the first Marine I saw are awesome! And you haven't changed that Ice Blue helmet still... and
b) Waiting to see more...
Thanks to all the people showing faith in me

I sometimes feel that everyone will leave me and they will be on their own...

A suspicious mind is a healthy mind

Offline Nihilanth

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #5 on: June 3, 2008, 07:02:08 PM »
Oh wow. I REALLY like the way that base came out. I'm not too sure about the white water, though... I also like that paint scheme and the chapter name. Good work. :P

Offline ChrisCummins

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #6 on: June 5, 2008, 09:04:42 PM »
Green bases - Catachan's all around are going at the knees just hearing about them...

The new marine I'm painting up has a white helmet. tbh I'm totally undecided as to which I prefer - the blue helmet has really grown on me, lol. I might use that on terminators. Of which I now have 7, woop de shoop.

Nihilanth - Sorry if that photo was a little misleading, I took it directly after applying the PVA. It in fact dries transparent/slightly creamy translucency. Heres how it looks now:


Scout. A surprise favorite, I really like how the colour scheme came out - very 'Black ops'.




Brown oil wash on rhino mud. I'm happy to leave that now until the rest of the rhino is finished and then see how it will blend with the rest of the colours.




Chris
« Last Edit: June 5, 2008, 09:39:52 PM by ChrisCummins »

Offline MoonMan

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #7 on: June 6, 2008, 10:02:38 AM »
Love the wood grain on the scout's shotgun. I can never seem to get that right.
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

My Blood Pact army blog: http://techpriest.blogspot.com (now updated regularly!)

Offline Alexander's Son

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #8 on: June 6, 2008, 10:08:53 AM »
Love the wood grain on the scout's shotgun. I can never seem to get that right.

 Yeah me too... I like the mud on the bottom of the Rhino! I would leave it as it is as noone, I think, will look the bottom of your Rhino!  ;)
Thanks to all the people showing faith in me

I sometimes feel that everyone will leave me and they will be on their own...

A suspicious mind is a healthy mind

Offline ChrisCummins

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #9 on: June 6, 2008, 11:34:10 AM »
Thanks. :)

The wood grain was achieved by scoring the gun in the grain pattern with a hobby knife. Paint was Beastial brown followed by a black oil wash. The edges of the gun were then gone over again with Beastial brown. Final details added:


Spare shotgun shell (I assume that's what it is, but it seems odd to only carry 1 round of ammo lol).

New marine, white helmet.




Not so keen on how the eyes turned out - they seem a little... artificial.




Terminator. Librarian command squad.

Chris

Offline Alexander's Son

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #10 on: June 6, 2008, 12:09:58 PM »
Actually after seeing the white-helmeted and the blue one Marines standing next to each other... I will go with the Ice Blue one too!
Thanks to all the people showing faith in me

I sometimes feel that everyone will leave me and they will be on their own...

A suspicious mind is a healthy mind

Offline Arkion

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #11 on: June 6, 2008, 12:23:34 PM »
Definitely go with the blue helmet!  It's very unique and striking.  As far as your methods go, I'm impressed.  I especially like that oil wash, and think I may borrow your idea.  Thanks for posting!

Offline Jehan-Reznor

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #12 on: June 6, 2008, 08:22:57 PM »
like you work sofar. keep the blue helmet don't listen to the conservative ones.

Scout with a rope? i did not know they were into bondage ;D
"this can't be happening, Man!"
my projects;
http://www.40konline.com/community/index.php?topic=169427.0 budhhist space marines
http://www.40konline.com/community/index.php?topic=163611.0 Doombringer my space marine chapter
http://www.40konline.com/community/index.php?topic=150109.0 Hello Kitty Space Marine Army

Offline ChrisCummins

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #13 on: June 7, 2008, 07:14:54 AM »
Scout with a rope? i did not know they were into bondage ;D

Sick mind! :o They obviously just do a lot of skipping. Gotta keep in shape for squeezing into that carapace...  :P

haha thanks for the comments everyone - much appreciated. I'm actually surprisingly undecided about the helmet colour, although I'm using white for the terminators. I'm just postponing painting any more marines for the minute.

WIP pics of termie:



Anyone got any ideas what to do with the base? It seems a little sparse...






Quite a lot more work to do on it, but the basics are there.

Bases for scouts:


Scout eyes:


Chris
« Last Edit: June 7, 2008, 07:18:32 AM by ChrisCummins »

Offline Arkion

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #14 on: June 8, 2008, 09:58:42 PM »
Those eyes are incredible.

I like your painting set up also.  What is that thing?  Where can I get one?

The blue, bone, and black color scheme is really very well thought out and striking.  I'd say don't go overboard on that termie base - you *could* put a ton more detail on there, but in this case I'd say less is more.  There's enough to look at already with the bloodspatter and the Termie's face.  Any more detail would be visual clutter and detract from the overall look of the model.


Offline ChrisCummins

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #15 on: June 9, 2008, 02:07:07 AM »
Thanks Arkion. :) I use that painting rig very infrequently although it's a handy piece of kit, it's designed for soldering, you should be able to get one from a place like Maplins - here's the cheapest I've found if you're England based:

http://www.rapidonline.com/Tools-Fasteners-Production-Equipment/Hand-Tools/Clamps-Holders/Assembly-aid/30478

Chris

Offline Arkion

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #16 on: June 9, 2008, 04:30:48 AM »
Fun stuff.  Thanks for the link.

Do you use spot lighting?  The thing that's helped me most on my minis is a nearby adjustable-neck lamp. 

I'm also painting up my SM army, and I'm amazed at how well that blue helmet turned out.  Can't get over it.  The black as well is very striking, and making me debate my present color scheme. 

What sort of paints do you use?  When do you apply the brown, and then the black wash?  I'm curious about your process.

Offline Alexander's Son

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #17 on: June 9, 2008, 06:49:19 AM »
 Excellent eyes you have made... the base is blu tac or what?
Thanks to all the people showing faith in me

I sometimes feel that everyone will leave me and they will be on their own...

A suspicious mind is a healthy mind

Offline ChrisCummins

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #18 on: June 9, 2008, 07:01:04 AM »
I've decided I'm going to do a step by step photo shoot of my next mini to answer both of your questions and to get feedback on individual stages/things I'm doing wrong.

The light I use is an adjustable-neck lamp with a 30W daylight replicating compact flourescent bulb, a top quality light source, although a little bit bright perhaps (you kind of end of squinting sometimes...). I'd agree, a decent light source really changes the way you paint minis. For photos I just stick the bulb about 5cm above the model to get a decent shutter speed.

You have a new title: Arkion the defender of the blue helmet. :) Seriously, I'm glad people like it - it was a bit of mistake in action, lol.

I'll have to check your blog when I get home (images won't load for some reason...) - it'll be interesting to see how the ultramarines came out, i must confess to not being much a fan of the blue/yellow combination, as iconic as it is, although I like the new dark blue/gold combo that GW have been working in recently - it adds a new grittier look which I've always been a fan of, particulally with badasses like the space marines.
Chris

Offline ChrisCummins

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Re: Space Marine chapter journal
« Reply #19 on: June 15, 2008, 11:10:38 AM »
Some arbitrary updates:

Land speeder constructed. I'm not sure how effective these are in actual games, but I think they're the nicest looking unit that the space marines has.


Assault squad veteran sergeant:


Force commander:


Company champion:


Chris

 


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