Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

As of late, i've been making a habit of selling off several of my old armys that i no longer play, or have any interest in. I had the thought that perhaps it would be within my abilities to not only sell what i had already, but to work on some new models, get them prepped and ready and turn a profit, any sort of profit for my work. I've been told before that this isn't a lucrative investment of time or capital, and quite frankly, i dont care. I enjoy painting, its a relaxing pass of time for me, and seeing as i have a steady job as it is, this is nothing more then an extra. So against all the odds that ive been told, that ive been quoted, to hell with it all, i'll proceed forward in the way i see fit and i'll enjoy it.. Some call me foolish, other's call be stubborn. Perhaps, thats the trait that leads me to where this all begins in earnest, with the sons of Dorn, With the Imperial Fists.

This will be a work in progress log of my building, and painting of the Imperial Fists chapter, Ongoing from the time that my models arrive, to the process of getting them built, painted, and then ready for sale. At the time of this first, initial blog posting, i've have in my posession my initial order, two tactical squads, two razorbacks, an assault terminator squad, a land raider crusader, and a storm talon. Over the next few weeks I'll work on getting them built up, and from there ill start working on painting after that. What i would like to ask for my first post, my first pole of sorts for my hopefully soon be to project followers here on dakka, What sort of basing style should i go for? Any ideas?

And because i know Dakka so well, and no one will comment with out them, here is the required photo of my project starting point.

Well.. no comments yet, lets keep this march going anyway, We'll see this through to the end, or die on the way there!

I've started work on two of my units thus far the Terminator Assault squad, and the Land Raider. I'll quickly go over the two of these WIP units, and the process, and progress being made on either one of them. To start off with the Terminators, I've decided to go with a full Hammer/Shield load out. My plans at the current time are when it comes to painting, im going to be doing the main body, shield, and Hammer arm as separate pieces, then glueing them together once that has been finished. I, however, am not sure what to do with the helmets yet. Do i want to paint them as separate piece so i can get the nice veterans white, or do i want to just glue them in, and with yellow like the rest of the body with perhaps a white stripe down the center line, (Or even a black line?) As for the squad leader.. Im leaning more toward the bare head then helmeted just for the fact of having that little extra bit to stand out.



Moving on to the Land Raider now. This is the first one i've touched since the Metal combo kit was still the Crusader package, Im impressed with how easily this put together so far. I'm going to be keeping it in subassemblies for the most part, The Sponsons i've gone ahead and built in a Crusader pattern, i had been intending to magnatize to flip between it, and Redeemer patterns, but i got into a flurry of modeling and it managed to get itself away from me before i had realized it. I've left the right hand track section loose from the rest of the lower/front/back hull as i am intending to paint up the interior before i make my final assembly and paint the exterior of the tank. I have noticed however with how i've put it together that the assault ramp was for the most part stuck in place, it could open, but it felt as though it were being forced and close to snapping, i've since decided to apply plastic glue to the ramp keeping sealed. This has given me another, interesting problem. It seems as though the bottom of the assault ramp has bowed out of place, but the pegs are still firmly in either side of the hull.. while the track section is lined up. Anyone have some ideas about this?

Certainly looks like fun so far

And we continue on with the terminators and the land raider. I've gotten to priming this evening Not much past that, you'll be able to see what i've done do work on the individual parts. This does mark the last of my white primer for now.. and also realized that i have a severe lack of yellow paint besides the current base coat.. so painting may be waited a week or two on top of that, we will have to see. But have some pictures on me.

Looking good so far

Cant say there is much to comment on, but you have a good start. Does look promising, but as a mode of encouragement, i will stop by regularly.

Alright, so time continues to move on, as do the fists. I've done alittle bit of work since last time, Broke out the airbrush to base coat all but three of the terminators.. it sucks running out of thinner mid way through a project.. I've base coated them in Averland Sunset, which was then followed up with a wash of Fugen Orange shade. So far, all but one of the terminators have only been done to this point. The terminator itself has then had its yellow cleaned up with Yariel Yellow, then its chest, and helmet have been highlighted with flash gits yellow, and the edge highlight of flash gitz/white. It's going to be going slow thus far.. and i dont see it going too much faster from here out.. My wife tends to like distracting me when i decide to work.. or she decides its time to go out when im about to sit down to work... But anyway, here are what i know you really came to see, the Pictures. And yes.. i know.. i need to get a better camera then my phone, some time soon.

The start looks really good. Interesting choice as a back drop to the model. I would have expected a darker color like brown over that orangey stuff.

Nice start to this project, I like how that yellow looks. If you're still wondering about the terminator helmets, then IF veterans, including terminators, have a red helmet stripe, with the Sergeant having a red stripe and red skull device. PA Sergeants have the red skull.

Alright, ive gotten more work done! the second highlight on the yellow has been finished off, just leaving me to do the edge highlights for the yellow, before i proceed on to other colors. For as long as its actually taking me to do the layers.. i need to slow down just alittle bit more, thin the paints out just a little smoother for some spots that i noticed after are alittle rough.. well, this is only the first of the five at this point, i think i can work it out from here. Next step i think will be to work in the black soft armor, and start on the bone/stone work. After that, lenses and lights, i think at this point im leaning for a blue for those, ideas?

Cor: Thanks for the posts, i'd have thought a brown base color might have been a better starting point if i was doing it all by brush work, But where im laying down a white primer, and airbrushing on a base coat of averland sunset, the wash with orange seems to pull a very nice base coat onto them to work up from. And so far, i think the little experement has been rewarding in that effect.

Samuel: Thanks! Now that i know what the fluff for the helmets go i think i'll be adding those at the end once everything else is finished off on them.

Now, updated pictures for you guys.

Nice work so far. The yellow is looking really nice. I think red or blue would look good for the lenses and lights.

Alright so quick update here for you guys. The first terminator is finished save for the lights above the head. I might do alittle extra work on the shield, the orange strip may go black instead, and im not too sure about the head of the hammer, what do you guys think?

I always give mad props to people that do any army in yellow, because its a hard color to pull off well. Youre doing a bang up job so far, even if youre cheating and using an airbrush

Mustard armies are great with hotdogs.

Alright, update time. I've done more work on the terminators, except for the body of three that I've not been able to basecoat.. Still need to get up and get thinner, damn my laziness, I have finished off the yellow of the armor. And I've decided that I will be going with green as the color for any lenses on the figures. You'll see what I've done up to now below.

Cor: Hotdogs you say... Your gonna make me hungry.
King: It's not cheating, my other brushes have agreed to an open relationship, its cool, it's cool.

Good gravy I love me some yellow armies. Im building up a Necromunda force (shhh dont tell anyone) and Im seriously thinking of painting something on them yellow.

Looking awesome man, I love the guy in the left, he just looks like he's about to deliver some super cheesy line before smacking someone's brains out.

That is a very nice yellow mate! I'm looking forward to more.

great work. That yellow is vibrant.

UPDATE

Alright, so no pictures for you all this time, not just yet, I should have some by the weekend however. I finally nabbed myself some new bottles of airbrush thinner so I've been able to start on the next three terminators, base coated and then washed down with fuegan orange, I'm still amazed at how much better and smooth my experience with the shades has been compared to the older washes, it doesn't blotch as much, I'm not sure if that's just the formula, or my techniques and skills improving over time, but it makes me quite happy to take notice either way. My pictures from here on should be getting alittle better in quality, up until now I've been using my galaxyS phone to snap wip photos, but I went ahead a week ago and got myself an early birthday gift (It was yesterday, 26 years now) I picked up an IPad mini to play around with. (I'm posting with it, from work, right now.) It might not be the best of cameras, but its sharper then my phone is.

I want to pose a question now, one i asked before, but have gotten no answers from yet. Now that I actually have people following my progress I figure I will have better luck. Basing. What should I do with my bases? I want to play towards the fists specialty in siege warfare and show that somehow on the bases, but I'm not sure how. City streets, palace floors, urban rubble.. That's the sort of thing in mind, I'm just not sure where to go with it. I have spare bases.. Alot of them to play around with, so I might see what I can come up with, but I want to hear some suggestions from you guys.

Untill next update.

Update

Alright, Im happy to announce that, barring any future ideas, my first unit, the Assault Terminators are done, painted, based and well and all finished! It took me alittle longer to accomplish then i had been planning for, between running out of primer, then airbrush thinner, then trips to the hospital with the wife.. but i've done it at last. I settled on an idea for basing, which you'll see. Now this leaves me the Landraider to paint, two tactical squads, two razorbacks, and a storm talon to build up. While im not working on the few eldar things i've picked up as a personal distraction.. which may still, be yellow.. Anyway, what i know your all really here to see.. the pictures!

Ahh man I love Imperial Fists. I wish I could afford to buy a huge lump of miniatures at once like your initial order, however I'd have to resist building everything at once and everything would end up in random stages.

Nice paintjob, looking forward to more.

Update

Here we have the start of the first tactical squad, divided into two Demi Squads, Alpha and Beta. I'm not decided yet if I am going to prime them with, or without the bolters in place, I want to be lazy and just glue the bolters in place and paint around them.. But I'm not sure. Either way i do have time, with a tropical storm roaring through here, the humidity is far too high to even prime right now.. So I wait and you see my two Demi-squads pictured below.

Excited to see those painted.

Update

So I've done the work on Demi squad alpha's armor coloring. I chose to try a different method then I used with the terminator squad. I built up the yellow only using my airbrush. Now I'm not finished obviously, but I'm not too sure I'm liking how it's turned out so far. I need to hit it with some shading.. Again.. And hopefully that sorts it back out, if not, it may be a trip penetrant cells.. Err.. Simple green. Also, I might want to make sure i hit Demi squad beta with white primer before I airbrush the basecoat on.. I didnt want to wait.. Should have in hindsight.. Oh well. Please let me know what you guys think.

Update

Alright, so no pictures to go along with this update. Demi Squad Alpha has failed me, So, they are currently sitting in a tub of simple green to bring them back down to plastic so that i can attempt my painting them up again. Now.. what i had done last time, Basecoat in Averland Sunset, Wash Feugan orange, like i did with the terminators.. But from there, i went in and did an airbrush layer of yariel yellow, and then another airbrush highlight of Flashgits.. Very unhappy with how that turned out.. So much for picking up the pace with the painting. It looks like ill be going back to handpainting after the initial basecoat for the infantry figures

Update

So I've managed some more work, Demi squad alpha had its bath, pulled, and reworked. So far ive gotten to the first highlight stage on two of the bolter brothers, as well as hitting the helmets on the other three members of the squad. Additionally I've base coated Demi bravo, as well as the land raider,which has gotten a shading was as well. Pictures below.

Update

Okay! I was able to get some additional work done yesterday on Demi squad alpha, after having to leave work early to get my wife to the er.. Thankfully everything's alright there.. The count down to no more free time is now just below the two week mark.. By the emperor how will I ever finish my boys in yellow with a new bundle of warp spawned.. Err.. Mean emperor blessed bundle of joy..

Anyways. I was able to move on to the company markings, as you can see I'm going with a fifth company set up with black trim, as well as getting the metallics done and washed. I also got a start on the eye lenses, laying down the base of kabalite green. Ill finish up the eyes, hit the yellow with a highlight of flash gits yellow, the decide if it needs the highlight of 50:50 flash gits : skull white like the terminators got. The plasma is going to end up green, just to do something different from the blue i had used with my guard. After all that, just need to flesh out the Sargent and I should be about finished and be able to move on to my reward for finishing them, a unit of the new wraith guard.

Update

Not that it seems anyone else is watching this still.. But I've completed work on Demi squad alpha. Everything except for the plasma gun glow has been finished, I just haven't felt like doing the osl at this point in time. Their based and now sitting with the terminators awaiting the rest of the army to join with them. I'm not sure what I feel like working on next, finishing up the land raider, or moving on to Demi squad bravo. Either way, here us what I've got to show you guys.

I'm still watching, don't worry. Looking good as always. I'd vote for the LR next.