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.

I'm going for a very grungy/dirty/muddy look for these ultra-marines. This is the first one I've painted. Any comments and criticisms would be welcome.

Is this the first model you've ever painted? Or the first marine you've painted for this army?

Either way, a nice job, and if it truly is your first painted model, fantastic!

Something I'd do is maybe use some small grass tufts on the base to break it up a little visually. Maybe not on all the models, but for some.
Also, start getting into drilling out your bolter barrels. Makes it look a lot better. Just a simple pin vise will do the trick.

Not the first model I've painted - just the first space marine I've ever done. And yes the base does certainly need some grass or something, I just don't have any around right now, and it all seems to be quite expensive.

I'll look into the pin-vise idea though. Thanks!

Felkums wrote:
Not the first model I've painted - just the first space marine I've ever done. And yes the base does certainly need some grass or something, I just don't have any around right now, and it all seems to be quite expensive.

I'll look into the pin-vise idea though. Thanks!

Yeah, the GW grass tufts are a little high in price.
I've just started using the tuft sets by Army Painter and they're pretty nice. Not only are they very diverse in selection, the price is pretty fair.

I like it it defies the space smurfs and definitely fits in a Grim Dark setting.

Felkums wrote:
Not the first model I've painted - just the first space marine I've ever done. And yes the base does certainly need some grass or something, I just don't have any around right now, and it all seems to be quite expensive.

I'll look into the pin-vise idea though. Thanks!

A few years back I bought a plastic tub of "dead grass" flock from GW, for something like $10. It'still 70% full, and has so far been used on about 5000 points of troops bases, every one! To use, give it a good hard shake (charges the static eletricity), put a dab of superglue on the base, dip the model in, turn it over, tap the base, and the grass should puff apart into a little clump. WAY cheaper than the little stick on clumps, just slightly more complicated to do.

Very good but the eyes need a little more. I can only see one colour in the eyes

Apart from that good job

I like it overall, but the gun is a bit weird for me. It looks like it has a diagonal edge between black and silver on it, and I'm not a fan of flat silver bolters anyway.

I like it. Totally love weathering on marines, it makes them feel more real. Great job. The only thing I would say is from the pic, it looks like the barrel needs to be drilled out on the bolter, but that's your preference. Nothing else for me to whine about.

It is a shame that folks only associate weathered blue marines to Crimson Fists, the Ultras see some stuff too and shouldn't be all shiny. Great work, would look great in massed numbers.

"The Emperor wants YOU!"

Sorry, I had to.

So I just finished painting the sergeant this morning. I like his overall look, but a few details didn't come out great. I did manage to track down some grass-type stuff, but unfortunately it doesn't have great contrast with the sand I painted. As for the bolters, I'll have to wait until I can borrow a pin-drill or something, but until then I think they look ok. I was going for a 'burnt-out' look on them, hence the black near the muzzle area. Any more tips would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. I unfortunately discovered that the box of tactical space marines I purchased only had 9 bases in it. I suppose I'll have to see if I can track down an extra one from my store.

I really like the way you dirtied the boots and lower parts of the legs. How did you do it?

Just a simple brown dry-brush over the power armor. This was on top of a silver dry-bush as well, which I found to work nicely with the brown and dark blues.

First one? Holy smokes! That looks awesome!

Dude, you're amazing!

Hah thanks! But I've done other models before, mostly WW2 vehicles.

Looks very good, nice clean work and colors

If you're going for a burnt out look on the bolters I would not use black much past the muzzle and front face of the bolter, it simply doesn't say "burnt from use" to me.

Right now it still looks very off to me, and detracts from how great the rest of the models are. Ultimately it's your choice, but given that you detailed the rest of your model, the bolters just look lazy in comparison. :/

With that, as I said it's your choice, and I'll leave you be, the rest of the models look very good.

I'd lighten the blue going forward. Looks a little more Crimson Fists to my eye.

Very cool stuff! As a fellow painter of dirty, gritty Ultramarines I really like that style and you've pulled it off excellently.

Where does this grainy effect come from? The paint jobs look great anyway.
My only big big complaint are the mold lines, especially visible on the corvus mini. That really spoils good part of the overall effect for me. Otherwise, very solid and clean work.

How did you make such a dull blue? It is wonderful. I almost wish I could do it for my reds.

It's difficult to tell with the images (you may consider a new camera with a higher ISO or exposure so that the image is less grainy) but I think the gold paint may be a tad thick.

GW gold is a pain anyway, and you probably already know, but using a very thin base of brown or tan should only need a single coat of shining gold over it to look complete - then you can use other colors as needed for shading.

Other than that your models look good. The lines are crisp and I don't see any problems with your details. As has also been mentioned, a little highlighting of orange or yellow in the eyes would make it look more realistic (as though the red would interact with natural lighting).

Looks good.... Except where is da shadin? Is it just my eyes or was it deliberate?