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So here's a little a little background about myself and my modeling history. When I was in middle school I got into 40k and split a box of orks with my friend Bill with some lunch money. And ever since Ive had a plethora of different armies. I am an on and off modeler and to keep my interest in I am starting this blog. I got back into 40 with my friend Ben (dabenzsta08) in high school.

DaBenzsta08 's fatecrusher blog here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/425249.page

So the armies I've had were: Orks(4th Ed), World Eaters (4th Ed), Imperial Guard(5th Ed), Chaos (5th Ed), Blood Angels(5th Ed).

And looking back on them I did a horrible job modeling and painting (the orks and world eaters) so I'm starting this Alpha Legion army based soley on fluff and modeling and painting for the 6th Edition Rulebook and the new Chaos Legions Codex in March.

Here is what Alpha Legion Inspires me:













So based on those images i come up with my own modeling 'scheme'.

And that is that I:
would only use space marine backpacks.

would not use any helmets with horns or hair coming out.

I chose those because I don't believe that the Alpha legion are truly chaos and that they should all have a similar aspect to them so they look a like.

This is what I have so far:


Thats my first batch of 5 Alpha Legionnares. I had them really dark blue at first so I decided to highlight them. Didn't work out too well.
So I've decided to start over on them. The green highlights are too thick and not well blended. I really rushed through them when I shouldn't have. I am still testing out how i want to paint them.



This is my second batch, I started with 50/50 regal blue and enchanted blue, boltgun on the metal.



This is my second batched washed with badab black.

My next steps are :
to plate highlight with 50/50 regal and enchanted.

edge thicker highlight 50/50 dark angels and regal.

edge thinner snot

edge thinnest goblin green


So here are the things i need help with:
should i use a thraka green wash?

is the color scheme alright?

feed back on the modeling guidelines.

How do i take better pictures?

Thanks! After putting my pictures up I really disliked how i painted the armor on the first batch and will start over.

Liking the look of this thread and subbed for more updates, but you should contact a Mod and have them move it to the P&M Blogs section (before they do it for you anyway).

I love seeing new AL threads, and it looks like you're off to a good start.

One complaint though is that your pictures suck. Try photographing agaist a white background, and make sure if you're using a digital camera you have the macro setting on.

Try this article by our fearless leader Yakface:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Debunking_the_Myths_of_Miniature_Photography

Two new Alpha Legion threads in one day! on a pay-day no less

And it's always heartening to see that your own work have inspired someone else, I get a warm fuzzy feeling whenever that happens.
The Legion's post-heresy (maybe pre, it's a bit unclear) colours with their indigo-to-green fade is tricky to pull off and needs a little thought. How you ''should'' use this or that wash, or this or that colour, when and where is really down to what end you wish to produce. This might sound like a no-brainer but with certain colourcombinations it isn't; only slightly different hues at different stages will produce quite starkly different end results and I am loathe to give painting advice when I don't know what you aim for.
One thing I will say though, I strongly reccomend not highlighting the snot green with goblin green, goblin is a dull 'down' tone from snot and it makes for some odd results, rather use snot mixed 50:50 with white for a more 'cold' hue or plain scorpion green for a more hot/luminous one.

the modelling idea is a sound one to keep horns and chaos stars to a minimum, since Legion most written accounts of the alpha legion (in novels) portray them as interestingly devoid of such decorations and mutations in general (since they steer the hell away from the eye of terror and the maelstrom).
If you want some more visual references I can happliy reccomend Migsula's fantastic work in this dakka blog: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/233990.page or my own more table-topish brush and modelling works with the legion here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/385168.page .. I think I posted a painting tutorial on page 2 or 3 there.. hm.. ah, anywaaay.

Happy to give whatever advice I can and the best of luck with your Alpha Legion army, Make us proud; Hydra Dominatus!

From the feedback and my own disgust in my painting and pictures. I have decided to rethink my approach to painting the armor.

My new approach is based off of: http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2010/04/blood-angels-how-to-paint-red.html

I think the same effect can be done with blue. So I am not going to complete the armor first. and worry about the metallics and bone later.

My first step would be to paint a relatively darker blue (50/50 Regal/Enchanted, or a discovered Vallejo paint, or a suggestion?[anyone?])

Wash with the citadel blue wash.

Wash with badab black.

Wash with blue wash.

Then plate highlight with same relatively dark blue(the same dark blue).

I still need suggestions on how to do the green. STC_LogisEngine's method on his blog would probrably work best. I just dont know if i have enough skill to pull it off. : http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/385168.page

Well heres an update on what i've been working on.

First I repainted all of my Alpha Legionnares. They were horrible. I used more lighting the new photos I'm putting up now. If anyone has anymore advice on photography let me know.

So lets get down to business:

These 6 photos were just the basecoat 50/50 Mordian Blue and Enchanted Blue.





These 6 photos were just the basecoat 50/50 Mordian Blue and Enchanted Blue.

Next Step was to wash them. The first wash was a watered down Regal Blue.
Second wash was a watered down badab black.
The last wash was a watered down Regal Blue with a drop of dish soap (I read in a dakka dakka topic on washes[I was a little desparate because i couldnt get asurman blue]).





Next I did a plate highlight with 50/50 Mordian and Enchanted







Then I did a 50/50 mordian and snot green for the green edge highlighting













Then I did the edge highlighting of snot green.









Now i'm pretty happy with the outcome. Still need to work on the edging. I might wash It again with blue and redo the last snot green highlight. I'll do the metal and bone next. Wish me luck.

Sorry again on the poopy photos.

They are looking good but I gotta be this guy for a second. There are a number of moldlines that I would check out if I were you

Very good start! Fun that Alpha Legion is spawning so many great armies

R

They are coming along great!

Lots of great work going on here, but we're missing a lot of it. A few tips for your photos- first and foremost, have your main light source in front of the model, your pics will come out much lighter and clearer. Next is try a tripod (even if it is a stack of books) because your pics look a bit "shaky" adding fuzziness to the pic.

Looking great so far, really like the paint scheme!