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I've been pressing ahead since my last update.



I have all the colours blocked in, and the wash is drying.

I'm actually looking forward to 11th Ed release. I've got my name down for a boxset at the LGS. They will make a nice supply drop to the current Raven Guard, and might even bring me close to a small enough force for a game!

Sounds like a fantastic Honeymoon in a fantastic part of the world. The LOTR Show sounds amazing, what a treat! The new Marines are looking good, are you priming them grey/white before painting them black? Or are some of them awaiting a spray of black?

Congrats on the wedding Zambro, may your marriage be long and happy.

Got a colour scheme in mind for the Tidecaster?

Marines are looking good. You going to keep painting RG in 11th? Or shift chapters again?

gobert wrote:Sounds like a fantastic Honeymoon in a fantastic part of the world. The LOTR Show sounds amazing, what a treat! The new Marines are looking good, are you priming them grey/white before painting them black? Or are some of them awaiting a spray of black?

I go for a zenithal prime on the marines, before I basecoat them with Petroleum Grey (a dark grey from Scalecolour). I guess I could go straight over the black with the grey, but I think that would risk them coming out too dark.

Adamski Alders wrote:Congrats on the wedding Zambro, may your marriage be long and happy.

Got a colour scheme in mind for the Tidecaster?

No, not at all! If you have any inspiration, send it my way - I've never painted this range of AoS.
I plan to prime the tidecaster and skaven, then let the wife have a go at painting (her choice which one). We'll see how that goes...

Nevelon wrote:Marines are looking good. You going to keep painting RG in 11th? Or shift chapters again?

I'm with the Raven Guard for the forseeable. I picked the RG for a few reasons; ease of painting and scarcity. Black (well, dark grey) is very forgiving to paint. And I rarely saw RG models, it was an uncommon chapter and I was happy to engage in it knowing they would be a unique sight on the table. Although I have since discovered that there are 2 Raven Guard players within 30 minutes of me - which is funny considering how "uncommon" they are, and where I live (fairly rural).


So I have another 5 Intercessors complete.








I think I discovered the flow with this batch of Marines. I've worked out what order to paint bits for a reasonably quick turn around on them. Which is what I am happy with on these models. I'm not happy that I cut some corners with the bolters, things that probably aren't noticable for you, but things that I see. I will stop myself and go back to take care of things I miss next time.

I want to improve the line highlighting, and spent a bit of time researching (watching youtube videos). I went down a rabbit hole of thinning mediums. Up until recently, I had always just used water to thin my airbrush paints. Until I saw a video that sparked me using airbrush thinner and flow improver. The difference was noticable - less clogging. Anyway, I was watching videos about line highlighting and a comment about flow improver sparked a thought - would flow improver thin the paint better than water for edge highlighting? It got to a bit of a rabbit hole about water's surface tension, and how easy it is for paint to flow off the brush. I think there might be merit to the thought, and for the sake of a ~£2 bottle of thinner it's worth a shot. Only, I got a relatively minor hobby supply drop last week, of which 25% of the total cost was postage. The thought of paying another £5 for postage, for the sake of a ~£2 bottle of thinner, is silly. I'll wait. (Or, more likely, I'll pick something else to buy too to make it more cost effective - 10 Jump Intercessors, anyone?).
I don't think thinner medium will all of a sudden make me a master line highlighter - there is more too it. But if it will help flow the paint off the brush, then I can work on my brush control and hopefully overall it will make a difference. Currently, I'm finding I have to put more than just the tip of the brush on the model to get the paint flowing which sometimes results in thicker than desired lines.


Here is a side by side. I would consider this 10% of a company, but apparently companies now have 20 squads (when and why did that change?!).
I had a more liberal use of the brighter highlight colours on the second squad. I think I prefer it that way - they just pop a bit more.
What do you think?

And up next:

Yep, rotating back to the Eldar. I like the marines, but I have a lot of power armour to get through, and lets face it, it's repetitive. Following the Basic Infantry, Character, Elite Inf, Monstrous Inf, monster/vehicle cycle, I decided to pass on my Marine characters for something different so I can rotate back to a squad of Reivers.
I got this guy in my big Eldar trade about this time last year. I put him together, and based him quite some time ago, then he disappeared into foam storage. He gets his lick of paint now, then retires back to storage I think I should probably do a consolidated painted Eldar photoshoot at some point. I've been chipping away at bits and pieces here and there, I think I might surprise myself with what I have available.

That's me for now - maybe a layer of paint on the Autarch before work...

Companies are still ~100 marines, but with the silly squad sizes of primaris, they are not stuck with the old 6/2/2 system. So we have more squad numbers to play with if needed. We’ll see if they shift it again in 11th. In the old days if you wanted a bike squad or speeder pilots, you broke up an assault squad, but they didn’t get a new number.

The new guys' highlights seem very stark. IMHO it makes the armor no longer read a black. I preferred the old squad. Not that I’m one to comment on highlight. Mine are all over the place...

Looking forward to the Eldar. I keep thinking I need to grab the winged one, but I’ve got the warp pack one, and they are mechanically the same. And my heart really wants him on a bike.

Love the red helmet on the squad leader, sets him apart nicely.
I started using thinner and flow improver to thin my brushed paints. The combo helps with drying times and release from the brush I find. It’s particularly helpful with chalky paints as well. So I’d recommend adding some to your next order.

@Nev. I guess I have 100 marines or so to paint before I need to worry about squad numbers. And you're right, by then it'll be a new codex and it will have all changed again.

@Gobert. Thanks! I am committed to getting some thinner, but just waiting on deciding what else I want to make the postage worth it...

A quick midweek update:



Coming along nicely, with the armour done and most other details blocked in. The highlights aren't quite as bright as I was expecting. I think I'll finish the model then revisit the armour highlights if I'm still not happy with it (a small part of me wants to blame the hastily taken picture without the lightbox... But I know that probably isn't right).

I'm hoping to finish this guy for the monthly comp, by the end of the weekend.

Adamski Alders wrote:Congrats on the wedding Zambro, may your marriage be long and happy.

Got a colour scheme in mind for the Tidecaster?

Zambro wrote:No, not at all! If you have any inspiration, send it my way - I've never painted this range of AoS.
I plan to prime the tidecaster and skaven, then let the wife have a go at painting (her choice which one). We'll see how that goes...

Oh I'm the wrong person to ask for inspiration I'm afraid, aside from my terrible painting I don't actually collect Idoneth or any AoS at all actually. I just like some of the models, in fact I have been suckered in by a few cool looking models recently like the Ikon of the Storm and Vongrimm's Harpoon Crew, I mean a Dwarf with a Trident? It's such a mad concept I couldn't not buy the box.

You're really nailing this married life stuff, smart man giving the wife first dibs on which model to paint

The winged Autarch is looking great, love the bright blue feathers.

Thanks Adamski!

So now that Dakka is back up and running...

I completed the Autarch in just enough time for the monthly comp. In all his glory:







I'm happy enough with him. Cranking out this Eldar keeps me honest with my Eldar backlog, one more mini down. I quite enjoyed the wings, I don't think I have ever painted wings for Swooping Hawks. I think the blue and white pop on the red. I dislike how glossy he looks. I might need to go back and just have another look at him again to try and work out where that came from. I could even just hit him with some fresh Matt Varnish when I've got that out next. I think that will be the plan...

Next up:

I've already put one or two base layers down. These sculpts are great. Really cool models!

And while I was priming, I did the two AOS models:

Maybe the wife and I will paint these one night... Who knows...

I made a few purchases this week, too. Some magnets and more grass tufts. And some thinner medium. Since arrival, I've used it once and I liked it. Going to use just experiement a bit comparing water and thinner medium, I'll use them side by side and compare. I wonder if I'm just thinking it's better because it's new instead of it actually being better. We'll see.
And I bought some storage foam for the Eldar. Not particularly exciting, but necessary. Got to put 200 odd infantry somewhere!

The wings look fantastic, specially against the red armor.

Zambro,

Very nice work on the Autarch...I have exalted it there.

Solid marine work as well.

Cheers,

CB

Lovely Autarch, the wings and cloak are very nice.

I’m like you I think, huge backlog of marines but need variety from power armour to remain sane!

Adamantium Dodecahedron wrote:The wings look fantastic, specially against the red armor.

Thank you! I was a little worried about the blue and red clashing. Glad it looks ok!

Captain Brown wrote:Zambro,

Very nice work on the Autarch...I have exalted it there.

Solid marine work as well.

Cheers,

CB

An exalt... I'm honoured!

JordySteve wrote:Lovely Autarch, the wings and cloak are very nice.

I’m like you I think, huge backlog of marines but need variety from power armour to remain sane!

Yeah, Power Armour is easy and straightforward. But 5 at a time, at most. I feel there are so many other painting techniques that aren't exercised properly on power armour - skin tones, dry brushing, even blending to a degree. Something different keeps you current with your other painting techniques.




So I blocked in all the colours. They have been washed, and ready for the final pass to bring them up to ready.

And I'm putting forward these for the monthly comp:


Not sure how many I'll do. I might try and find a classic eldar paint job on google to replicate.


I took myself to GW today. I got the mini of the month, and placed an order for the Primaris Raven Guard bits. I also went onto Archies Forge and placed an order for some RG looking bits too. It was always the plan to stock up on some extra bits ahead of Armageddon. Everyone will be running with the same push-fit marines... But not me (hopefully!). I'm planning on customising where I can.
I'm so ready for Armageddon. Our LGS owner got his delivery, and he was showing me pictures of 30+ boxes of Armageddon getting delivered to the shop. The hype train has left the station!

RG are looking good.

That is a pack full of classic Eldar lead. You going to paint them all from the same craftworld? or go all retro-specticle and hit the rainbow of all the classic hits?