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Army is looking good and progressing nicely. The bases do look good. How are you cutting the tiles out? The reason I ask is that one thing I think can be improved is working to have the tile perfectly match the base - not over hanging or under hanging. This would probably make it easier for you to keep the base edge and tile colour more clearly defined too... When doing this sort of work, I find gluing on a piece of plasticard slightly larger than the base, and then, when completely dry, running a hobby knife around at the angle of the base sides results in a near perfect fit. Keep up the good work!

@Arakasi- Thanks man, coming from you any compliment is high praise! Your Dark Angelz are an institution. Im trying a bunch of new stuff on these guys. I hope to become a better painter and modeler.

I finished up the first Tactical squad. I did a few highlights and tried to paint chips in the armor. I think it worked out ok. I did the same thing on the Drop Pod but I don't think its quite as nice. Im going to use the foam technique on the next one. Ill probably do some more interior work too.

I really like the colors you used on the pod!

I think the gold on olive look awesome. I don't really dig the red though. Isn't light blue the complement colour of olive?

MrMerlin- Thanks, second one is in the works.

leohart- I dont really dig the red either, but I didn't want to stray too far from the original colors. Now that you mention it, Ill give it a shot. Your Angels are great, any more progress?

The Dread is all done. The front needs something. I have 3 sprues of Ravenwing stuff so Im sure I can find something.

you could try a freehand design?

Yeah, Im pretty awful at freehand. Im thinking about decking the thing out in DA stuff. Let my paining hide behind the bits. Your Novamarines look good.

Ok, I still wasn't happy with the colors. The more I looked at the highlights the more the word fail ran through my head. So I tried something new. Ill wip up a few and see if these cut it. I've been trying to get a beaten up, on campaign look. I used that technique with the foam and some weathering powders.

Go Noles!

Nice looking DA force!

A question though, on these last set of photos, did you change the paint color or is that just the lighting making them look totally different?

SickSix- Go Noles!! You are the third Seminole I have run into on here.

So the first group of olive DA's had a wash of Agrax Earthshade. I was using the chip armor technique I saw in White Dwarf. The deal where you put a black/brown smudge in the highlights. Well, I suck at highlights and it works great for SW's, not so much the dark armor. So I remembered the stuff I read on Dakka about weathering and grabbed the powder in my desk. I like this a lot better. The only difference in the weathered guys and the dark olive guys, no wash of Earthshade. So its off to buy more Simple Green. Ugh.

I'd suggest doing the recessed panels on each side of the sarcophagus in a bleached bone colour, just to break it up a bit...

Imperial Monkey- I agree, the dread is going to be redone, again. So is the drop pod and running squad. I'm about half way done with the rest of the tactical squad I'm working on. Hopefully this one is the ticket and I can get to work.

The first Rhino is all finished. I posted a pic next to the drop pod with the wash and extreme highlights. Think the Rhino is way better. Im still playing around with the weathering powder. Im going to redo the bases and probably make them urban and all junked up.

FIrst Tactical squad is redone and a shot with the Rhino. Im planning to do a lightning pattern on the sgt's power sword. Haven't worked it out yet. I don't know why I just didn't do this to begin with. Still need a lot of practice to get the weathering down.

Looking sweet. I like it, you should try a white background since your guys are in darker colour. On grey, they look a bit off.

i don't know why but the scheme just makes me think gothic straight away. They are really cool and i like the way they look so battle worn, pristine marines are way over rated. and thanks btw

leohart- Yeah, you are right about the white. Now I need to work on the lighting.

Bigfish- Thanks man, I appreciate it. And you are welcome.

First drop pod is finished. I used weathering powder on the bottom to simulate burns from entering the atmosphere. Changed my mind on the bases, for now anyway. The light gray urban may look good with the green Angels, but maybe not with bone Terminators and black Ravenguard. Also thrown in is a turret to make the Rhino a Razorback. I will have at least 2 Rhinos and both will have the Lascannon and Assault cannon options.

I like the hazard stripes on the Drop Pod. Both the drop pod and the turret looks good. You can also try line highlighting with a brighter green colour. It will look even more mightily fine.

leohart- Thanks, man. Dont think Ill do the highlights, I tend to screw them up and I think it takes away from the worn look.

Here is what Im working on right now, may get some of it done today.

First Predator is finished. I went to town with the weathering. Lighting is still a WIP, a lot of the weathering is getting washed out.

Looking lovely. You should try adding another tone/colour to your scheme. I like that your Drop Pod has some grey in it. Maybe you can do a strongly contrasting colour for the other vehicles too. (perhaps, blue back door?)

I preferred the scheme and style of painting first time round. :/

leohart- I may take you up on that. Im trying to paint each vehicle a little differently. I want to try and keep them looking as gritty as possible though.

NoBaconz4You- Augh! Right through the heart dude! Well, thats cool I appreciate you dropping by. I have done so many neat, clean marine armies I wanted to try something different. I was saving up this weathering stuff for my pre-heresy army, but figured what the hell. I found the olive color from one of the Forgeworld books, but I guess it is a kind of alternate color scheme. Risky move for the First.

Found some time to knock out some more marines. Tactical squad and Devastators. All they need is transfers and weathering.

Very nice!

Four plasma cannons is very nice.

Main thing is perseverence and you have that. I also am a fan of extreme highlight. My process is as follows:

Basecoat

Using tank brush:
Flat Knarloc foundation
Flat snot green
Black wash for contrast
Heavy drybrush snot green
Medium drybrush scorpion green
Light drybrush 50/50 scorpion and white

Because its tank brush its very fast, even if lots of steps. Batch paint 10 to here in an hour or two and its a great base to start from.

From there i move to standard brush, painting metal bits back to black, picking our reds, browns etc on all the bits, eye glasses and so on. I also do a final 75% white extreme highlight on sharpest edges for super contrast.

I get the feeling if you took the time at the start to get your large armour plates 90% done with a quick process, then moving to what you are doing now will pay much higher dividends for you.

Keep it up, i started in 2008 when my second daughter arrived so appreciate where you are at. Painting sometimes is like therapy..

That looks more like the raptors colors still nice though.

Eldartau1987- Thank you!

Loricatus Aurora- Thanks for the pointers. I'll give the highlights a shot. If I focus only on the most extreme edges I may be able to pull it off. And you are right, painting these little plastic men is the best therapy on the market.

Jensvejmand- True and thanks. I need to figure out how to post that Forgeworld picture so people can see it. I actually thought they were Raptors at first too.....