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Hi! This is my first time posting here as I just joined in the world of WH 40K gaming

Although I have painted many airplane model kits before, this is my first time painting a 40k army...so to start off I did my first attempt on my own personalized Thunderwolf mount taken from the official GW Thunderwolf Cavalry for my own Wolf Lord character. Its roughly 90% complete save for the detailing of the saddle and base, and with some great advice from some of the more experienced painters in my local shop I came up with this color scheme + heavy washing on both its cybernetic parts and top half.









I also made the jaws and teeth look bloody and I intend to toss an ork limb on the "ground" of a snowy base. What do you guys think? Is this a good start? I could use some feedback

Thanks guys!

I like it! Only thing I would critique is that the saddle looks kind of dull with just black. I love the blood in the mouth.

I'd wash the bionic leg with badad black. Maybe add a very light brown wash to the fur to add depth.

Apart from that, it looks terrific. I concurr, blood looks perfect.

Thanks a lot for the feedback guys I will continue to post some updates to the pics today as I continue to refine the figurine haha!

I would darken the blood up a bit or change the color of the bionic eye.

As it stands, it looks like he got blood on his eye!

In regards to the bionic leg, you've got a few good options to go for:

If you want a darker, more sinister shade of metal...you can use Badab Black to really give it some "oomph".
To give it a dirtied, worn look...you can use Devlan Mud.
The last option is to make it look almost like a gold or bronze, using layers of Gryphonne Sepia.

Looks good! I really like the fur and the metal.

I agree with Kanluwen. The blood could stand to be a little darker, and right now the eye looks too similar.

I think it looks great! Yes, the blood could do to be a little darker (particularly in the higher sections), and after googling a bit, it may even look good if it extended back a bit more into the cheeks of the wolf. Just a thought.

I like your style of painting. It really reminds me of the model airplane nose art. Great job, and remember with 40k that there is always more blood than ever possible in real life

Kanluwen wrote:I would darken the blood up a bit or change the color of the bionic eye.

As it stands, it looks like he got blood on his eye!

In regards to the bionic leg, you've got a few good options to go for:

If you want a darker, more sinister shade of metal...you can use Badab Black to really give it some "oomph".
To give it a dirtied, worn look...you can use Devlan Mud.
The last option is to make it look almost like a gold or bronze, using layers of Gryphonne Sepia.

Thanks for your suggestions Kanlu I decided to go for the worn look and use devlan mud wash..ill post more updates on the pictures later in the night

killykavekommando wrote:I like your style of painting. It really reminds me of the model airplane nose art. Great job, and remember with 40k that there is always more blood than ever possible in real life

Haha thanks Killy! Looks like a small part of airplane modeling rubbed off on this furball

Mannahnin wrote:Looks good! I really like the fur and the metal.

I agree with Kanluwen. The blood could stand to be a little darker, and right now the eye looks too similar.

William wrote:I think it looks great! Yes, the blood could do to be a little darker (particularly in the higher sections), and after googling a bit, it may even look good if it extended back a bit more into the cheeks of the wolf. Just a thought.

Eye and blood wise..im not sure what else to change though..i fear that if i attempt to repaint over the blood drip patterns i might ruin it >< but i will definitely do some touch ups on the entire body Including cleaning up the "rims" of the bionic eye to make it look not-so-splattered. Also i might remove the black pupils in his yellow eyes..make him look more sinister with yellow-orangey eyes with a little bit of wash I feel the pupils looked abit too comical IMO.

Why not forgo being sinister for his eye....

And do it a bright, icy blue?

Icy blue hmm wouldn't the contrast be a little too bright and comical? haha

It could be, but not if you layer it a bit!

Maybe start off with Fenris Gray as the basecoat and then gradually add in some white or light grays?

hmm perhaps ill try that with my other wolves see if it works out

If not, you could always try a dark sea-green.

Something that striking can only add more character to the model in my opinion!

Kanluwen wrote:If not, you could always try a dark sea-green.

Something that striking can only add more character to the model in my opinion!

Haha yeah it might look good on the model too I still have more wolves to go so i might try those colors on them

D_MaULeR wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:If not, you could always try a dark sea-green.

Something that striking can only add more character to the model in my opinion!

Haha yeah it might look good on the model too I still have more wolves to go so i might try those colors on them

Yes do that and then paint OVER 9000 on the base

Hi everybody! I appreciate the continued feedbacks of my current WIP and as promised..here are some pictures of the more refined version of my light brown wolf

It is completely finished save for flocking and seating of the space marine. (Yup i chose to have this furball to stick with black leather) The main things I have worked on is to touch up on some parts of the wolf which includes adding a little more detail, washing the cybernetic parts with devlan mud and generally making the bionic eye look neater. I apologise in advance if the photo quality is a little blurry, i didnt bring my camera with me and had to rely on my iphone



The comical black pupils of the eye have been refined with a little red wash to give it a little orangey look to the corners, doesn't look so friendly now does it?



The cybernetic eye detailing and the surrounding fur has been touched up and refined to make it look a little neater.



The cybernetic legs has been further washed with devlan mud to give a little worn out look..and painted some extra details as well. If you notice carefully on the straps of the seat, i have given them a little extra silver buckle detail to make it look like a strap and not having the plasticky feel to it



The rear fur and its tail has been further refined to give it a deeper color and highlights on the brownish streak on its back.


I think that about all the needed touch-ups this guy needs. Oh and just to show you guys what I have been working on next:











This guy is currently 70% complete save for the saddle to be colored snakebite leather, washing, lightning blue eyes, paws and light grey highlights on the top of its fur..a similar color scheme that you would commonly see on real life grey wolves. For now, hes an albino wolf haha!

Hope you guys enjoy the pics and as always, feedbacks and compliments are always welcome!

The first one looks good, but the only complaint is still that the blood on the fur blends too much with the bionic eye (and for that matter: the red on the gem for the bionic leg). It's not that it looks bad or anything, it's just that they don't contrast each other enough.

Maybe have the gem and bionic eye be a much darker, ruby red since you're set on having the bright red of recently oxygenated blood?

Hmm ill try to add more highlights to the bionic eye and gem to make it stand out a little more..and probably add a little gloss to them

First thing i could think of was "Wow thats white" Try starting with a grey or a black and building up to white and use the white only as the last high light. It will tone down the white alot so it looks a little more on the real side of things. Other than that its nice to see those models up close. They are looking good, The models and the paint. Keep it up and lets see where this takes us.

D_MaULeR wrote:Hmm ill try to add more highlights to the bionic eye and gem to make it stand out a little more..and probably add a little gloss to them

I hope you accept the critiquing I've been giving you as just that: my opinion of the rather stellar job you're doing, and not just nitpicking to try to break you down.

You really have done a fantastic job on that Thunder Wolf. The eye and gem just kind of mesh a little too well with the bright red of the blood!

For the bionic leg, try a light drybrush of Space Wolves Grey. It'll look like the metal has a layer of frost over it. As for the saddle, if you want to go metallic try drybrushing some Boltgun Metal or Chainmail. For a leathery look, paint with Snakebite Leather and wash with Devlan Mud.

I would say not to do a drybrush of it; but rather you can make a wash of it.

Space Wolves Grey, watered down, with a small amount of dish soap can give you a nice little wash. I've done something similar using Hawk Turquoise and Blazing Orange to do the rust/verdigris effects on the Cairn Wraith and Wight King in my Vampire Counts galleries.

Kanluwen wrote:

D_MaULeR wrote:Hmm ill try to add more highlights to the bionic eye and gem to make it stand out a little more..and probably add a little gloss to them

I hope you accept the critiquing I've been giving you as just that: my opinion of the rather stellar job you're doing, and not just nitpicking to try to break you down.

You really have done a fantastic job on that Thunder Wolf. The eye and gem just kind of mesh a little too well with the bright red of the blood!

Haha not a problem at all Kanlu..I truly appreciate all the honest feedback and advice you are giving me and yes, I'll definitely try to darken the gem and bionic eye when I have the time Probably put in a little dab of chaos black into the blood red mix..or create a whole new shade of red altogether.

PapaPiggy wrote:First thing i could think of was "Wow thats white" Try starting with a grey or a black and building up to white and use the white only as the last high light. It will tone down the white alot so it looks a little more on the real side of things. Other than that its nice to see those models up close. They are looking good, The models and the paint. Keep it up and lets see where this takes us.

Thanks for your suggestions papa At this point in time its still largely a WIP and the entire model has not been washed yet. This is the current base color of extreme light grey that I have been working on..a mixture of chaos black and skull white with 1:8 partition. I intend to wash the fur with devlan mud or badab black to give it a more dirtied look and add some shading to the fur. Another mix of darker shade of grey will be covered around the top of the white wolf (similar to the first one in pattern) and deneb stone to the upper paws of the wolf

StoneRaizer wrote:For the bionic leg, try a light drybrush of Space Wolves Grey. It'll look like the metal has a layer of frost over it. As for the saddle, if you want to go metallic try drybrushing some Boltgun Metal or Chainmail. For a leathery look, paint with Snakebite Leather and wash with Devlan Mud.

I dd just that for the bionic leg..with a drybrush of boltgun metal and washed with devlan mud. I intend to keep the first wolf with black leather first..and do some light washing to make it look more realistic.

Snakebite leather is definitely my first choice for the white-grey wolf's saddle

Hey guys all 3 thunderwolves are finally done with basing. This is the end product Enjoy the pics!

BEFORE



AFTER








BEFORE




AFTER







(Sorry Kanlu..i did my best in trying to make the bionic eye outstanding ..i hope this works! ><


And one more guy that I didn't showcase yet








The thunderwolf family..





More pictures will be updated after I'm done painting the riders.

You did a fine job!

The thing with the blood versus the bionic eye/gemstone is just it doesn't really "pop" on the model proper, if you catch my drift. It looks a bit off on the snow as well, but you did a much better job than most people doing blood effects! Blood really is one of those things where "less is more" on a model. It's too easy to go overboard and not even realize you're doing it!

Seb wrote:I'd wash the bionic leg with badad black. Maybe add a very light brown wash to the fur to add depth.

Apart from that, it looks terrific. I concurr, blood looks perfect.

Exactly what i was going to suggest too. Looks great tho, the blood is nicely done.


*edit* i really need to read the whole thread before commenting, see youve already done this lol. Good work

Kanluwen wrote:You did a fine job!

The thing with the blood versus the bionic eye/gemstone is just it doesn't really "pop" on the model proper, if you catch my drift. It looks a bit off on the snow as well, but you did a much better job than most people doing blood effects! Blood really is one of those things where "less is more" on a model. It's too easy to go overboard and not even realize you're doing it!

Skippy wrote:

Seb wrote:I'd wash the bionic leg with badad black. Maybe add a very light brown wash to the fur to add depth.

Apart from that, it looks terrific. I concurr, blood looks perfect.

Exactly what i was going to suggest too. Looks great tho, the blood is nicely done.


*edit* i really need to read the whole thread before commenting, see youve already done this lol. Good work

Thanks alot Kanlu for your very honest feedback and guidance..its something that I really appreciate in this forum and ill definitely put it to good use the next time I did the blood the same way that I would imagine if a wolf ripped an ork's head off (tearing sideways etc) and dot the paint on the snow the same way how quickly a severed head's blood would lose blood over time Took a few refinements to make it look good though

Very very nice paint job!

Perfect looking paint on a damn good looking model!

Hope to see those riders soon.