The 13th starts with just one man...

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**Dante72**

Thanks guys.
I might give that glaze a try on a simpler model. I think I still have a box of 3 dry fit SM's around here somewhere...

**Citizen Luka**

Well done, I always enjoy seeing well-painted ultramarines. Keep it up!

**Dante72**

lipsdapips wrote:
This is some brilliant work, especially for your first few miniatures! Far superior to what my first were like. I'd recommend trying to introduce some thin, layered highlights to really make the models stand out. I think you have the skill level already to attempt this, but for me it had to come with practice D:

I tried using Calgar Blue as a thin edge highlight on the first one, but it came out pretty thick.
Now, after about 10 marines, I tried it again on the last 2 Assault Marines I'm working on.
The pics might not be too good, but you can see the highlights on the knees and on the top of the helmet...

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The knees might still be a little "thick" but I think the helmet and the feet came out rather good... IMHO

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Here are the last 2 Assault Marines. Still missing the jump packs and I need to base a lot of my work. Waiting on the Warhammer basing kit add some skulls and rocks and what not. Should be getting that in the mail this week.

**statas**

Good looking stuff.

The only suggestion I can make is to make sure the eye highlights are coming from the same source.

**Dante72**

...and last but, not least, the beginnings of the Champion from the Command Squad.
Really curious how the cloth will come out. Read up on using glazes (or GW's medium) to make the layer paint even more transparent and to remember to cover less and less area with each brighter color.

Keep your fingers crossed

**Largeblastmarker**

Calgar blue needs to be thinned about 2:1 water and paint for good edge highlights. Also are you going to do a dude with 2 chainswords? Cuz that's just heretical.

anyway you are progressing at a ridiculous rate. If you don't stop now you might win a golden daemon in a year. great stuff.

**Dante72**

LOL, thanks for the vote of confidence.
I thinned Calgar down a little more and did the jump pack. I think it's getting better...

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Went back and did the Sergeant as well...

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..and made a little progress with the Company Champion ( I really gotta get a better camera cause the iPhone just doesn't cut it).

**ixlar**

Wow, big improvement. Looking great. Keep it up!!!

**Dante72**

ixlar wrote:
Wow, big improvement. Looking great. Keep it up!!!

Thanks.

I keep fighting with myself to take my time and not ruch.
Keep the paint watered down, watch the brushstrokes. I still occasionally use a brush which is too small - in my case, the layers come out uneven.
But, I've been watching that and using a Vallejo Thinner Medium so I'm getting much smoother surfaces now

**Largeblastmarker**

Excellent work! Hehe, i finally got to tell someone to thin their paints.

**Dante72**

Largeblastmarker wrote:
Excellent work! Hehe, i finally got to tell someone to thin their paints.

Excellent advice, he he
To be honest I try and thin with water or a thinning medium almost always. The layer paints are pretty thin and the brightest layer paints seem even more watered down than the others (i.e. Calgar vs Aldorf).
Even so, watering tchem down a little more worked wonders. Thanks !

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Just a quick update on the Company Champion. I managed to find a little time and work on the cloth / cape. Since I used Zandri Dust as a base, applied a coat of Soft Tone Ink from AP (very nice Sepia)...

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went back and applied just a thin layer to the deepest recesses and then worked my way up with Ushabti Bone and Screaming Skull (mixed with a little glaze medium) remembering to leave the previous layer showing on the edges

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last but not least, a little white on the very edges and the highest points

**ixlar**

Looking good!

**Largeblastmarker**

Proper job.

**CappyBen**

Two things which people may have already said: drill the gun barrels and paint the small neck flange thingy on the helmets black or silver with a black wash.

**StyleXHobby**

These are amazing first miniatures.

**Dante72**

Thanks a lot guys. Glad everyone likes 'em. Getting a drill is next on the shopping list so...

Thanks CappyBen. The advice about the necks was great. I always paid attention to the area between the armor panels, painting it a dark grey, but never thought that the next would be made out of the same material...

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*Weekend update*

Started adding a little detail to some of my Marines. The Command Squad heavy weapon Marine was first up:

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simple things like adding the purity seals to the Assault Marine and basing him was next:

and the CS sergeant:

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finally, finished up the Company Champion:

next up: Apothecary and the Standard Bearer

**Willnaut**

Your painting is looking really nice! Just a few things though... First of all, are you doing a specific company of Ultra-marines or are you just making some general guys? Also, be careful with the amount of gold you are putting your stuff. You don't want them to end up having so much bling that they look like Blood Angels

I don't mean to toot my own horn but we are known to be quite the artisan chapter. But in all seriousness, make sure that whatever you do you have more blue than gold on your minis, lest they be mistaken for a unit of Sanguinary Guard. The final thing I would suggest is to come up with some names for your marines. If not all of them, at least the special characters. Ultras usually have Latin sounding names, and a lot of characters have already been created if you aren't feeling the most creative. Now they are your models so at the end of the day all of that is your call, but a little bit of fluff accuracy goes a long way and adds a lot of depth to your army... And (at least in my case) you tend to care much more what happens to your guys on the field.

**Largeblastmarker**

Willnaut wrote:
Your painting is looking really nice! Just a few things though... First of all, are you doing a specific company of Ultra-marines or are you just making some general guys? Also, be careful with the amount of gold you are putting your stuff. You don't want them to end up having so much bling that they look like Blood Angels I don't mean to toot my own horn but we are known to be quite the artisan chapter. But in all seriousness, make sure that whatever you do you have more blue than gold on your minis, lest they be mistaken for a unit of Sanguinary Guard. The final thing I would suggest is to come up with some names for your marines. If not all of them, at least the special characters. Ultras usually have Latin sounding names, and a lot of characters have already been created if you aren't feeling the most creative. Now they are your models so at the end of the day all of that is your call, but a little bit of fluff accuracy goes a long way and adds a lot of depth to your army... And (at least in my case) you tend to care much more what happens to your guys on the field.

The dude covered in gold is the 2nd company champion. It is his job to be pimp.

**ixlar**

Wow, that's a significant improvement. The figures are really looking good.

**Dante72**

Well, it's been a while since I've had a chance to work on my Ultramarine Army. With work and life in general it's been about 4 months since I've painted anything but, since last weekend, I've been making up for lost time and wanted to share with you guys...

Decided to use some of the bits I had lying around to make a kneeling veteran sergeant. just thought he'd look cool leading my squad of dry fit rookies.

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and from the side...

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Next up was a sarge for my next Assault Squad (I know, the first one isn't 100% finished). this time around I got it in my head to do a whole squad of "Beakies" without the jump packs. These guys would probably come in on a drop pod...

Just need to base this guy and he should be all set

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and finally, the Apothecary. In my opinion, the hardest member of the Command Squad set mainly due to all the bottles, wires and what not. Should have them all done and based by this weekend

Any suggestions and comments, as always, are greatly appreciated.
Thanks for stopping by...

**reds8n**

Seeing as this is an ongoing project I think it'd be better suited the P & M blog section, so I'll move it there in a moment.

Please do feel put some shots up of the finished models in showcase though

Great work though, keep it up !

**Dante72**

Finally I have the Apothecary finished. I don't know why but, this model was a pain. All in all I think it's a pretty good effort for my 19th Ultramarine.
Let me know what you guys think. Comments and suggestions are always welcome

**BrotherOfBone**

Your apothecary looks good but shouldn't he be white? xD Also I'd like to see some text on his purity seal, even some black squiggles make it look a lot better

**deadmeat85**

@BrotherofBone: Not all Apothecaries are all white. As long as he has some white, especially the shoulder pad he's good.

**Dante72**

Dude was a B** to paint for some reason

Regarding the color. i used to think that all Apothecaries were white as well, but when you look on the box for the Command Squad - he's blue (if you're making Ultramarines, of course),

Same thing goes for the new Codex. The Ultramarine Apothecary is blue with a white helmet, right shoulder pad and the right knee pad.

To be honest, I'm glad he's mostly blue. I haven't really mastered shading white. My white isn't white actually. I liked the look of 2-3 layers of lighter and lighter grey. Pure white just looks too...."fake looking"