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Ok, this is the very first attempt at a Salamanders Terminator by a self-confessed beginner to 40k painting . Really, all i'm looking for is a bit of feedback - what I can do better etc., so all advice/criticism/comments are completely welcome, particularly around the use of highlights (Where I feel I need to improve).

Enjoy!

First Salamander Terminator? Get lost, that looks brilliant!

Nah seriously! To date, the only Warhammer 40K models I've ever painted are 5 Tac marines and an Ironclad Dreadnought. That's literally the first Termie I've ever done. Thanks a lot for the praise!

There are 2 things that amaze me about this model:

1. Considering that's the first terminator you've ever painted, it looks AWESOME!

2. A salamanders terminator without a thunder hammer and storm shield?! This must be a first!

Seriously though, well done man!

Phenomenal!


Though, out of sheer curiosity, I have to ask. Why did you put an aquilla on his butt?

black-rabbit wrote:1. Considering that's the first terminator you've ever painted, it looks AWESOME!

Why thank you!

black-rabbit wrote:2. A salamanders terminator without a thunder hammer and storm shield?! This must be a first!

Yeah, I often feel that though the Salamanders are gonna have a preponderance for the TH and SS combo, I always feel people forget that they are master-craftsmen - you can't tell me they are going to completely forget the massive destructive power that Lightning claws have! No fear though, there are another 3 TH and SS combos in my Terminator squad that I have to paint up.

G.Whitenbeard wrote:Phenomenal!

Cheers mate!

G.Whitenbeard wrote:Though, out of sheer curiosity, I have to ask. Why did you put an aquilla on his butt?

Hehe, I really don't know! It was the right size for it and I recall that on the Finecast Sternguard models, one of the marines has a carved Aquila the 'butt-plate'. Now I think though, it seems kinda heretical - almost like planting your arse on the Emperors face.

This looks great. My one suggestion would be to up how extreme your edge highlight is. While to the close up eye it won't look as good, it will look phenomenal on the table and as a mass of models.

@L'Etat C'Est Moi - So should I increase how extreme my highlights are? Or decrease how extreme they are?

Real nice job, and I love the Lightning Claws as well. My favorite Terminator weapon.

Very cool. I like how crisp and clean it is, I would prefer glowing claws as opposed to the metal ones, but looks great. Also, more stuff on the base.

I like how crisp everything looks. I think L'Etat C'Est Moi means you should paint slightly brighter highlights. Also do a bit on the black part of the claws. The right arm gets a bit lost in the side view.
I must also agree with Marine_With_Heart...first terminator PFFFT!!!!! :-)

The only thing that slightly niggles at me is that the salamander chapter logo on the shoulderpad doesn't have an eye.

well you certainly have a bright future in miniature painting if this is your first attempt as an amateur painter! Excellent looking work. Well if you are looking for criticism, I really dont have any to offer. With regard to highlighting, there are many ways to go about it. If your looking to do a sharp edge highlight, I would suggest using the side of your brush. Also you can experiment with blending up to your highlight and its really a matter of practice to make this procedure look good.

 Warpig1815 wrote:
@L'Etat C'Est Moi - So should I increase how extreme my highlights are? Or decrease how extreme they are?

As stated above, A brighter and more stark edge highlight really makes things pop. If you can find pictures of Brad 'Hulksmash' Townsend's army from Indy Open this year, he won best painted with huge edge highlights that turn a cool looking army into something special. I know he doesn't have them on his blog but there should be pictures out there somewhere. Whenever I go to edge highlight now I think of that army.

Looks great. The back looks a bit "flater" with the more subtle highlighting but I assume that is because of the camera angle. I agree with the others that is is just preference if you want to have the claws glow.

Love the scripture on the legs. Base could use some love.

Thanks for all the kind comments people!

@ All who mentioned Highlighting - thanks for the advice, i'll attempt to improve my next Terminator with your advice in mind for brighter highlights.

@6^ and evolvingeye - Hopefully, I'll invest in some sculpted Lava bases or one of GW's crystal basing kits after this squad to help make the bases stand out. Unfortunately, all I really have to hand for bases is some of GW's basing compound, which I actually find is quite good for a basic level basing. (Cringe at the word choice! - Base overload! ).

@Proffessional Amateur - I did try to put a badab black (otherwise known as Nuln Oil) wash over the white to highlight crevices, and then drybrush over with white, but it didn't work so I resorted to just painting over it with pure white - I'll need to work out a new way of doing that to sort out the heads.

@All who commented on lightning claws - Guess OSL is going to be something I'll have to learn to do in future.

Thanks to everyone. Next up should be more Terminators and possibly, just possibly... a certain Pellas Mir'San.

That looks sick keep up the good work!

Cheers mate!

You say you're new to 40k painting; have you painted other models or miniatures before? This looks like something I would have painted after years of painting!

The lenses are great, the colors are smooth, the shading and highlighting are pretty clean, and I'm a big fan of the freehand on the model. As for some painting advice to make this awesome model look even better:
- The gold on the chest eagle looks a little flat. I don't know if it's the photography or lack of shading. Give it a wash with Agrax Earthshade then paint it in that gold again, leaving the recesses alone. Edge highlight after that if you'd like, but it will already look pretty good.
- The white on the Salamander head looks a little flat, but I feel like it might be the photography.
- Your highlights are generally crisp and good looking. Look into extreme edge highlights in an even lighter shade of green/grey to use on the very edges and corners of things. This will make the model pop even more.
- Look into a lightbox. I see you're already photographing on white paper, which is a good first step! Get a large piece of white paper and prop it against something, then photograph things on that. This will give you a nice, even background without seams. It's easier than a lightbox if you don't have the time or storage space for one.
- Do something interesting with the basing. The base looks good as is, but some tufts of static grass, rocks, or something else to give it some 3-dimensionality will really make it look good.
- Freehand more. Your freehand rules and I want to see more of it! The Aquila on his buttplate is especially cool.

Hope that helps!

You've got some phenomenal freehanding there. Way to go!

Brother SRM wrote: The gold on the chest eagle looks a little flat. I don't know if it's the photography or lack of shading. Give it a wash with Agrax Earthshade then paint it in that gold again, leaving the recesses alone. Edge highlight after that if you'd like, but it will already look pretty good.

Yeah, I'm aware that the gold isn't really too good. My current method is Balthasar Gold as a base, Shining Gold (Gehennas Gold) as a main coat, Gryphonne Sepia (Seraphim Sepia) as a wash and then a final highlight of Burnished Gold (Auric Armour Gold). I'm at a bit of a loss as how to improve it so thanks for the advice!

Brother SRM wrote: - The white on the Salamander head looks a little flat, but I feel like it might be the photography.

No your quite right. I painted on white, then a wash of Nuln oil, but my attempts to drybrush withe over this (To get an element of depth) failed - so I just painted it flat white.

Brother SRM wrote:- Your highlights are generally crisp and good looking. Look into extreme edge highlights in an even lighter shade of green/grey to use on the very edges and corners of things. This will make the model pop even more.

Thanks for the advice - I know they look a bit dull in places.

Brother SRM wrote:- Look into a lightbox. I see you're already photographing on white paper, which is a good first step! Get a large piece of white paper and prop it against something, then photograph things on that. This will give you a nice, even background without seams. It's easier than a lightbox if you don't have the time or storage space for one.

Hmm, good idea with the paper - I don't think I can afford a good light-box so this may do.

Borther SRM wrote:- Do something interesting with the basing. The base looks good as is, but some tufts of static grass, rocks, or something else to give it some 3-dimensionality will really make it look good.

Yeah I intend to do some better basing on my other Terminators and Command squad when I get round to painting them.

Brother SRM wrote:- Freehand more. Your freehand rules and I want to see more of it! The Aquila on his buttplate is especially cool.

(And this is directed at Jimsolo as well Why thank you! I find free-handing especially satisfying so I try to get in as much as I can - I just didn't realise people think it's so good, so thanks a lot!

@Brother SRM - aside from the stated 40K models, the only other models I have painted are a couple of airfix kits and some metal hoplites when I was roughly 9 or 10 - to a shockingly bad standard. I'll see if I can dig one out to show you!

Thanks again people!

EDIT: Brother SRM - This is one of the Hoplites I was talking about:

Excuse me, but did you say beginner? Pfft! Get off! What you mean is golden-demon winner, not this just starting out nonsense!

Heh, I wish! I didn't even know why you would prime a model before 40K! In all honesty, like I said before, - this is just my 7th WH40K model. Thanks though

 Warpig1815 wrote:


EDIT: Brother SRM - This is one of the Hoplites I was talking about:

Spoiler:

Glad I could help! Also, you don't even want to see the models I was painting at 9/10 years old. They were generally a single color and glued to pennies! That Hoplite is incredibly good for a kid, and honestly not bad at all for an adult! Keep on painting and sharing your work with the Dakka community!

Great job!

Christ if i wanted to give you points i would need to nit pick at this one haha, looks really damn good. I like the fact that you painted the flames right, almost no one paints flames right. They always go from red to yellow -_-

FIRE GOES FROM BRIGHT TO DARK! umm lets see what else.

other then thats, this is a super solid job. maybe try some OSL on the lighting claws?

I agree with the stark disbelief most feel at the concept that this is your seventh model. Deary me, I wish I was this talented.
Your termy looks picture-perfect. There are always a few things one can improve upon, but I dare not comment, considering our enormous skill-gap (you being better I mean). Ace job!

Got some skills there, if this is one of your first paint jobs. Excellent, keep going.

Thanks people - The Hoplite was painted roughly 10 years ago, if that's an indication of how much my painting has changed.

Backspacehacker wrote: FIRE GOES FROM BRIGHT TO DARK!

Hahaha, I know exactly where you're coming from! It's a pet hate of mine to see fire painted with a white-hot outside and mild inside. I'll try to get some OSL worked out for my future models!

Many thanks for the praise people - I honestly didn't think it would go down as well so it's very much appreciated that people like this model!

EDIT: @HirogenHunter - Not sure the skill gap is quite as much as you say - Loving those Necrons you've got there