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Hello. I've been thinking of starting a blog for a while now, and... well, now I did!
I've almost collected and glued all my figs (I have some tanks and HQs that needs to be bought, though), so what's left is the painting.
You can find my army list(s) here.

On a side-note I'm not a very talented photo take or painter, but perhaps I will increase my skill in both dring this blog. This is one of the reasons I'm starting this. Because feedback is good when you're doing stuff, and learning. Well, off we go.

First I'm going to show you my work that is done: a Chimera for my CCS, a Guardsman and HWT for a squad, and just a random "Elite Veteran" for display. I just love how my friends react to my "awesome painting", but my skill is nothing compared to other painters.

EDIT! NEW PICTURES
Chimera. First-ever try at weathering. I'm quite pleased with it.


Guardsman and AC.



"Elite Veteran" - just for display, not play.


ORIGINAL PICTURES

Chimera. First-ever try at weathering. I'm quite pleased with it.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/59084-Chimera%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Warhammer%2040%2C000.html
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/59082-Blog%2C%20Finished%2C%20Guard%2C%20Imperial%2C%20Stuff%2C%20Warhammer%2040%2C000%2C%20Work%20In%20Progress.html
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/59083-Chmera%2C%20Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Warhammer%2040%2C000.html
Guardsman and AC.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/59085-Blog%2C%20Finished%2C%20Guard%2C%20Imperial%2C%20Stuff%2C%20Warhammer%2040%2C000%2C%20Work%20In%20Progress.html
"Elite Veteran" - just for display, not play.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/59086-Imperial%20Guard%2C%20Veteran%2C%20Warhammer%2040%2C000%2C%20Work%20In%20Progress.html

In the meantime /Leaf

Really liking your work, especially the veteran. I'm sure making squad for play, not display, wouldn't be too bad?

dont be so hard on your self thous are very good looking models.

the paint job is solid and you have a good choice of colours, congrats.

the 45th

Wow. Replies already? Thanks for the positive thoughts.
@AG09: Yes I know, but I had already modeled my Vet squad when I started making this one. Though I might use it in my army some time, or just replace another guy with him.
@Cadian 45th: Many thanks!

Another thing I'm bad at (completely suck at!) is stories and such.
I have no actual fluff for this army, or its paint scheme. All I can think of is a Cadian regiment (200th?) sent to Armageddon, and then it combined with a Steel Legion regiment (17th?). It's not very reasonable, I know. But, I don't really think fluff is the most important in an army. As long as its a Cadian regiment...
And the reason for why I chose Cadian is that they use Cadian armour and... I suck at stories, as I stated earlier.

Enough talking, I've got work to do! I might post a list of what I need to paint later.

/Leaf

OK cool, can't wait to see your veterans then.

I like the color cheme and the paint job looks pretty good. The Cadians certainly have enough of their own solid armor regimanets so you do not even need to worry about the Steel Legion aspect.

I really liked the Heavy Weapons unit the most. You could even use the Vet in a game if you wanted, as the larger base size would only work against you, and you are over the minimum base size requirement.

Keep up the good work.

Nice work. A tip on the picture taking is not to use the camera flash. If you get a task lamp or 2 that should provide enough illumination for use without the flash, especially in concert with shutter speed controls. Also investigate the Mcro settings on your camera. It is usually tagged as a flower icon on the controls. It lets you focus on objects that are really close allowing good close ups of models.

Also check out the tutorial section of this board. There are other hints and tips there.

More replies! And positive ones too, yay.

Flinty wrote:Also investigate the Mcro settings on your camera. It is usually tagged as a flower icon on the controls. It lets you focus on objects that are really close allowing good close ups of models.

Yes, I already knew that.
About the lighting: that's something I'm going to try. And I'm not forgetting about the tut section. Thanks!

/Leaf

whoepie! awesome models

Nice army, keep up the good work

Hmm, guess I did be too harsh on myself. Thank you, my friends! Now I feel a lot "safer" here.
Anyways.

UPDATE
Before I went to bed yesterday I managed to build up a little photo station with 2 A3 papers, som tape and my desk lamp. It's pretty good, actually. Though the papers have to be replaced after a while. I also took some new pictures of my finished work:









I also painted my Veteran's fatigues (9 still, I need to buy/convert Gunnery Sergeant Harker).



I have removed the pictures on my first post, and now only the links are displayed. /Leaf

I like. Not sure about that vet with the melta though - it looks a bit weird with him putting the barrel in the floor like that. You would never do that in real life, particularly as his legs are advancing rather than standing still.

Really liking your conversions and variety of figures for the Veterans, although I agree with get to the chopper on that meltagun: maybe raise it up a bit and add a strap?

SEMI-UPDATE

I've been too tired lately to do any painting. But I have at least done one thing. I've given the melta gun a handle and repositioned the Veteran's melta arm, as it did look kind of strange...



Soon back for more /Leaf

I really like the subtle rust effects on the Chimera, it's top work.

That melta looks much more realistic now, good work.

The melta looks so much better - well done, I really like that model now.

UPDATE

Haven't done much, but at least I have done something.


5 of 9 vets are almost completed. I have painted their armour, weapons and what I call "leathers" (ammo bags, shoes, gloves etc. Stuff painted in Scorched Brown).
What's left is their skin, grenades and wires and such. Minor details.
Later today I am going to celebrate my cousin's 20th birthday, so I'm pretty sure I'm not going to finish them today, during day. Perhaps at night though. We'll see!

/Leaf

That Chimera looks great in the new photos, the weathering is excellent. Nice to see vehicle and squadron markings. The infantry look promising too, the lasguns look smart with the muzzle cut off... very nice. Keep it up.

Thank you very much!

I just got back home from my cousin. Here in Sweden it's 21:00 (9 PM), so I have lots of time to finish my vets.
Though I will not finish them now. First I'm going to play on my newly created rank 6 Chosen in Warhammer Online.
Off-topic: I'm currently playing the 10-day free trial, but I'm going to buy the game. Eventually.

/Leaf

Those 5 latest veterans are looking promising, although I'm guessing we have to wait until your 10-day trial is up before we get another update haha.

AG09 wrote:Those 5 latest veterans are looking promising, although I'm guessing we have to wait until your 10-day trial is up before we get another update haha.

That is correct, hahah. My trial ended yesterday, and I've finished those 5 Veterans you spoke of. Though, they (and my earlier finished models) need basing, but that is what I'm going to do after I've finished about half the army or when about 5 squads are finished. One step at a time: modelling, painting, basing.
Pictures up later today!

/Leaf

OK great, looking forward to seeing them.

The 217th Cadian -|[An Imperial Guard blog]|-
UPDATE
Ok, so I did not upload any pictures yesterday (sorry!), but now I have! 5 of the Veterans are now finished, and the remaining 4 will have to wait for another time. My next project will be to paint the 2 Platoon Command squads, and then 1 Guardsman squad. But one thing at a time!
Yesterday night I took pictures of the finished Veterans, and started to paint the fatigues on the first PCS. While painting them Col. Straken popped up in my mind. I did not have any of the GW models of him and I though I'd start modelling my own Straken look-a-like-commander. And I'm very sure I would not get him for Christmas, as my parents NEVER buy stuff on zeh Interwebs. As I enjoy modelling more than painting, I put away the brush and models (the wash had to dry anyways) and started to work on the soon-to-be-commander of my army. He turned out OK, but I bet he'll look even better when he's painted. I have done better conversions before. I guess I was just too tired that time (3.30 in the night...). Here goes.


Straken


Veterans, front and back


Platoon Command squad

C&C are most welcome! /Leaf

The Straken model looks a little bit weird - the left arm is oversized and he's holding the gun strangely, and the gun on his right arm looks too big to be carried with one arm.

I like the veterans though, good work.

get to the chopper! wrote:The Straken model looks a little bit weird - the left arm is oversized and he's holding the gun strangely, and the gun on his right arm looks too big to be carried with one arm.

Yes, I know. That arm is from the Space Marine Commander set, and we all know that Space Marine's arms are slightly longer than Guardsmen's. And now I realise that both of the guns just look awkward. I must fix this soon... I was maybe a *bit* too tired to understand what I was doing...
I'm glad you like the vets at least!

The 217th Cadian -|[An Imperial Guard blog]|-
UPDATE after "get to the chopper!"s post
Been working on the new Straken-look-a-like commander's weapons. This time the shotgun does look like a shotgun, and not a big bulky grenade launcher or ripper gun or so. I removed the arms from Straken and gave him a flag and a laspistol instead - he's my new Regimental Standard bearer! So what's left on the new Straken is pretty much everything, except for the weapons...

Straken's new weapons. What to you think? The lasgun is just for scale comparison.


And the Company Command squad standard bearer á la Straken!


C&C are welcome as always! /Leaf

I like what I have seen so far with your models. Your vets look good, and the tank is awesome.

as far as Straken goes I have also had a lot of trouble modeling a shotgun. I tried to make some for my veterans squad, but decided to go a different way. Yours looks good if you clean up the join a little. If you like I can post a picture here of the shotgun I came up with if you want to compare. It took parts of a imperial guard flamer and a space marine bolter. With his off hand I don't really see that as Straken's iron arm, it just doesn't seem bad **s enough for him. If it is a "plays as" model, I would probably go with a powerfist, because I think those are the rules for it if I am not mistaken. Unfortunately I have nothing else to suggest for a mechanical arm, but I will think about it.

Keep up the good work.

npeircemitch wrote:I like what I have seen so far with your models. Your vets look good, and the tank is awesome.

as far as Straken goes I have also had a lot of trouble modeling a shotgun. I tried to make some for my veterans squad, but decided to go a different way. Yours looks good if you clean up the join a little. If you like I can post a picture here of the shotgun I came up with if you want to compare. It took parts of a imperial guard flamer and a space marine bolter. With his off hand I don't really see that as Straken's iron arm, it just doesn't seem bad **s enough for him. If it is a "plays as" model, I would probably go with a powerfist, because I think those are the rules for it if I am not mistaken. Unfortunately I have nothing else to suggest for a mechanical arm, but I will think about it.

Keep up the good work.

Lots of good advice! Me likey! Please, post that picture of the shotgun of yours. I will post another picture of my improved version of the shotgun, where it's got a more shotgun than assaul rifle look.
Yes, I know the arm isn't very Straken-ish, but I was lazy and did not model my own (I suck at working with GS, as I said at the beginning of the blog). Also, I do not have any PF at the moment, except for the Commissar that is holding a book, and saying a prayer or something. The problem is that I don't know how to cut it off. It's pretty much part of the model. I will figure something out, but not now.

I've got to go to school... /Leaf

Here is my attempt at a shotgun. I was more going for the automatic shotgun look. It is the back half of the flamer the comes with every imperial guard regiment, and the front of a bolter with the barrel filed down. I don't know if I like it better than yours, but I just wanted to give you some options.

Keep working with the GS, the more you try the better it gets, and it really is helpful. I was not very good with it when I started, but I have really improved and it comes a lot easier now. I also bought some tools for it, and they really do make a difference.

loving that shottie!!!

DC