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Hi guys.

Just wanted to share a few pics of my very first miniature. I'm getting into painting and tabletop gaming a little late in life, but I'm already loving it. As I said this Ultramarine is the very first miniature I have ever painted and it would be great to hear from you guys. Any comments, suggestions, ideas would be greatly appreciated

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and the back

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I left the Bolter and the backpack separate from the model and went back the next day to paint them. After gaining some "experience" from painting the main model, I think the edge highlights came out way better.


"We march for Macragge!"
"And we shall know no fear!"

A bit of highlighting on the gun casing, and that's one mighty fine son of Guilliman.

Thanks. I'm missing grey paint and I didn't want to do it with silver . I'm gonna go back and do the gun casing highlights and try (the key word being "try") to put the white dots in the corner of the eye lens...

I also need to buy a new detail brush. The Army Painter one I have frayed just as I put it into water :( After close examination, i noticed that the metal part is bent anyways. Must have been damaged in production.

That's a hell of a lot better than my first mini was! Actually, it's probably about as good as I can manage today.

Personally I don't put a white dot on lenses or gems, I prefer to give them a coat of gloss varnish, that way you get actual specular highlights rather than fake ones.

I think for a first attempt, it's absolutely fantastic!

I agree the eyes need something though - they look a little flat compared to the rest of the model. Great stuff. Keep it up!

Thanks for the kind words. That's three things I need to tidy up now. The base, gun casing and the eyes. I remembered as I was doing them that I need to finish, but for some reason forgot later. The gloss idea is cool. Need to give that a try. Thanks

Awesome first mini! maybe tidy up the eyes a bit though.

Great job! Little thick on the lining-in, but at a tabletop distance it would look awesome!

What are your plans for the base? Even doing a simple sand base and painting it can add tons of character and kick to the mini.

 Jimsolo wrote:
Great job! Little thick on the lining-in, but at a tabletop distance it would look awesome!

The lining came out a lite thick, but for a first attempt I think it looks pretty darn awesome. From a tabletop distance it's fine, I just need to work on making the last highlight super thin. Practice makes perfect I guess


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 Abaddon87 wrote:
What are your plans for the base? Even doing a simple sand base and painting it can add tons of character and kick to the mini.

I put the white dots in the eyes and looks much better.

For the base I was thinking sand, painted with a beige or light brown, washed with AP Strong Tone (Earthshade) and maybe I'll try drybrushing... bone-ish kolor. I wanna use Steeldrab Legion for the base and maybe a little grass in like 2 spots?

That sounds like a start Dante. I like the simple sand and paint base myself. I then add bits and skulls as needed. Just a tip, it helps to do the sand on the base before you do your base coat of primer. The primer helps seal the sand to the base

 Abaddon87 wrote:
That sounds like a start Dante. I like the simple sand and paint base myself. I then add bits and skulls as needed. Just a tip, it helps to do the sand on the base before you do your base coat of primer. The primer helps seal the sand to the base

Thanks. I read somewhere about putting sand before the primer. I need to get sand. Since I just started I already spent a fortune on brushes, paints, glue, primer, knife, spruce cutters...sand was always low on the list, but you're right the dude needs a nice base


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Started the second Marine. this time around I'm taking even more time while painting. Remembering to keep my paints thin, wash my brushes every few strokes and in general try and build up layers.

Even gave the whole free-hand thing a try. I'm actually quite happy with the results. Just a few details to go, but I think this one's an improvement. What do you guys think?



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I agree a little highlighting on the gun and maybe a little bit of Ard Coat on the eyes and your golden pony boy.

Really good for a first model. It's leagues beyond the paint jobs I did when I started. As everyone else is saying, it just needs highlights on the bolter and some basing and then it'll be excellent.

...and then there were two. Just finished up my second Ultramarine. I think this one came out a little better. Neater, thinner paint.



Any C&C's? this time i did the eyes and the gun casing. still need to get sand and do the bases. promise, that's next on the list




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As opposed to my first Space Marine, for this one I used Macragge Blue as the base color, washed with Drakenhof and cleaned the mini with Altdorf. I used 2-3 thin layers of Altdorf and a little Calgar blue with a glaze medium to try and play with the different highlight (probably if a had a better camera, you could see). I really like my first free-hand attempt...

They are looking fantastic for your first painted minis.

 GiraffeX wrote:
They are looking fantastic for your first painted minis.

Thanks. I need to work on my edge highlighting. I'm getting better when I have an actual flat edge (i.e. as seen on the Bolter). It gets worse when I try it on a surface like the shoulder pads. Kinda why I left it alone for the second one...

Got a nice little tactical squad in the works.
Finished up the third member and my third Ultramarine. I think they're improving, but any C&C's would be greatly appreciated...

First miniature? You gotta be kidding me its really nice!

 Theofilos wrote:
First miniature? You gotta be kidding me its really nice!

Thanks a lot. Yup, that was the first mini I ever did and very proud of the little guy. The next 2 are getting better and I hope to start work on the "normal" box of 10 tac squad once I finish the rest of the snap and fits that I have. I actually bought 2 boxes with the hope of practicing on them and I thought that I would be throwing them out

 Theofilos wrote:
First miniature? You gotta be kidding me its really nice!

My thoughts exactly. I'd guess my "first" mini had to be repainted 10 times to get to about 75% of this quality. lol.

I honestly thought I was gonna throw the snap and fits out. I guess the key was doing a lot of research before actually picking up a paintbrush. Watering down my paints, layering - these were things are read up on and looked at hundreds of examples before starting.

Plus I love the Utramarines. People seem to laugh at them and call them smurfs and what not, but I think their cool

With the highlights on the lens, make sure they come from the same area - don't do one on either side, if the light's coming from the right, do both on the right

Interesting. Doesn't that make it look like the guys looking right?!?

No, more that the sun is coming from the right.


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Or light source, not necessarily the sun

And number 4 - this I did differently. Base coated in Macragge Blue and then did the armor in Altdorf Blue. Then I used the Drakenhof shade to just fill in the recesses... Looks better it think better



C&C's very much appreciated

Have you considered your bases yet?

Ultramarines would look cool crusading on a Lava base..

I did 2 bases thus far. Both are rather standard but still look cool. I use a light brown layer paint (oak brown from Army Painter) and dry brush with Eldar Flesh from GW. Then Steel Legion Drab for the rim of the base.

Post a pic!!

Ultramarine 2 and 3 based