Back to the Deathwing

Getting out Space Hulk last week got me in the groove to add some jazz up my Deathwing models. I painted them over a decade ago now in a deliberately grimy style. Having recently discovered the "Grimdark" style of painting, I decided to experiment with enamel washes and chipping effects.

Here is how they were...

and a comparison mid project

Overall I'm very happy and have some characters in progress, but I had forgotten what a pain enamels can be and how long they take to fully dry and cure.

Deathwing Librarian

Ron's put together a great DW Psyker in his 'grimy' style  using subtle highlighting - its a great effect I think.

http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2010/03/deathwing-librarian-lame-bear.html

Speed painting Deathwing termies

A tutorial at Cool Mini or Not.  Pretty good I think, though I prefer a grungier version myself.

http://www.coolminiornot.com/go.php/go/articlephp/aid/909?

Deathwing Update

Here are the Lads, resplendant in their new Chapter Symbols. I had a few issues with putting them on (probably because they say 'Copyright Games Workshop 1989" on the bottom - are decals meant to last 20 years?!!!) but they look good with a wash of Devlan Mud over them to dirty them up a bit. Some matt sealant with dull them down a bit too.
As my Son's Salamander Army Project builds momentum, I'm rethinking the second DA Squad too. I may redurect 5 of the figs to form a Salamander Terminator Squad.
In other news, I've started on a Deathwing Captain fig I snagged recently - a nice figure I'm doing in the same style as the squad, though with more emphasis on the excellent detail on this casting.

Last but not least: Big hoots and Many Thanks to Oberst Owen for his very kind donation of a 10 man Tac Marine Squad to the Lad. The "Cool dude with the Chainsword" is already primed and ready for some colour this weekend! A big thumbs-up and a bottle of Man Cave Lager for you my friend :-)

Deathwing in Action

Conclusion: these Lads are nearly where I want them to be. Time to move on with Second Squad, which has now ben stripped of their horrific amount of paint (I counted 5 diffrent colours!) and get them ready to reinforce 1st Squad in the Hulk!

Almost there...

The first squad is now sitting pretty on their resin bases and really looking the business!

Now I need to stop being a coward and try the Chapter Symbol on the shoulderpad.

Notes to self:

- drill out the stormbolter barrels, they look silly!

- re-black the base edges

Base Progress - Pics

Finally got some pics downloaded of the Deathwing bases. This project has once again proved that if you are a rather average painter (like me), you should spend more time on your basing for a better overall effect! Click for larger images

I also tried some blood splatter with Scab Red and Blood Red as per the GW tutorial here:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat410002&categoryId=1100020§ion=&pIndex=0&aId=1400009&start=1 My blindingly obvious tip for preparing these bases: They are resin. They chip when you drop them...

Comments and suggestions welcome!

Base Progress

I've been playing around with the great Dragon Forge bases I got last week for my Deathwing Squads.

First impressions:
Grey resin, crisply cast with no flash at all. Very nice detail, just as per the website.

Utility:
Because I'm using the old 2nd edition version of plastic terminators, some of the split level bases won't work too well with them. Thats fine: I got 2 sets (of 10) so there are plenty of suitable ones and those which arent will be used in due course for my 1st edition genestealers.

Painting:
Black spray undercoat
Heavy drybruch of Bolt Gun metal
Some details picked out in Dwarven Bronze.
Heavy Devlan Mud wash
Stipple with a buildup of Negro Flesh (Coat d'Arms), Terracotta and Hobgoblin orange highlights for rust effects
Very light Bolt Gun Metal drybrush


all good so far, just a final Black Ink wash for the recesses and I'll be finished....right?
Ooops - wrong! The black ink stole all my colours - grrrr....
Started again, stopping at the last drybrush!


Took some pics but cant d/l them from the camera for some reason - will post as soon as I can.

These look great up close, but perhaps are a bit dull from a distance. Maybe the next batch need a grey basecoat at the start to lighten them up a bit. Once I have the Terminators fixed on I'm planning some blood splatter effects too.

Still trying to formulate a plan to paint up damage and dents on them. Suggestions welcome!

Postal Goodies

Bits for my Deathwing guys arrived in today's post! Firstly, the Dragon Forge bases I ordered, which have now been cleaned up and basecoated black ready for some attention.

And secondly, some extra bits for my second DA Squad off ebay- an Assault Cannon, and a nice DA Power Sword and bolter combo (for the 2nd Squad's Sgt). These shoulder pads seem a bit small though - are there meant to be extra pads over the top? If so....bugger! In the meantime I'm half-way through stripping the rest of the second Squad figs ready for some love once all the bits come together.

Deathwing Update 2

Did a bit more tonight: finished off the highlightng, redid the bolter casings green with highlights (matched the chest eagles better), inked and highlighted the eys, drybrushed the Crux terminatus and gave the Sgt's powersword a good crack. Also played about with re-mudding the shoulder pads and much happier with the end result now.

Still waiting on those bases....curse those manufacturers for locating their factories on the other side of the world...

Deathwing Update

In between enjoying my new SH set with the Lad (Battle Reports to follow), I've been playing about with the Deathwing painting scheme. Here is an update on hows its going. I ended up using a light white primer followed by a basecoat of a very light grey (Ral Partha, similar to Space Wolf Grey). Another Humbrol dark grey was used on weapons etc. Here they are (minus a chest eagle which I filled in afterwards) - note the Chapter Symbol wings on the Sgt's greave I am particularly proud of this hand-drawn achievement! This was the first time I had used the GW Washes, and WoW! I had fun with them. Very different to the old inks and while prone to some 'coffee staining' type effects, I had a ball with the Devlan Mud, though I need to have another play on the larger areas like the shoulder pads. I tried some deliberate mottling which didn't work so well and need to have a play with it a bit more to look right. I've added some detailing - chest eagles in Salamander Green with a light Green Goblin highlight, and some Dwarven Bronze highlights on skulls, picked out the purity seals etc. Also trying a light blue (GW Lightning Blue) for the eyes - I thought it might help to lighten the model a bit rather than red. Looks good, but needs some inking around the eyes yet to outline and define them. Crux terminatus need a few drybrushes and grey & white highlights to finish them off too. Still working on a plan for the Sgt's Power Sword - I might give the new crackling blue effect a try if I feel brave. Its also the first time I have really used edge highlighting as a technique - not one I usually employ and while extra blending would help, the whole point is for this to be a relatively quick process to get 5 guys ready for action. I've used a 50/50 mix of Komando Khaki and Bleached Bone for the Bone Armour highlights. It looks a bit more subtle in real life than this closeup of course.

So hopefully I can finish off the first Squad this week. Still waiting on the resin hulk bases from Dragon Forge. Overall Ive had a lot of fun trying out new techniques and just getting something done for a change - thanks for the encouragement guys!

Deathwing Painting Tutorial

Ron of 'From the Warp" fame has added a detail step-by step painting tutorial for his Grimy Deathwing. Yes I was one of those who pestered him for it! http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-i-paint-deathwing-quick-and-dirty.html

In the meantime I've finished stripping the first 5 Termies (as much as was going to come off!)and have just finished gluing them together. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to try out Ron's technique this week while I wait for the Dragon forge bases to arrive. I'll also scavenge around for an Assault Cannon for the other squad.

Deathwing Colours and Paint Stripping

I've always been a big fan of Deathwing, partly because of the great Deathwing expansion for 1st edition Space hulk, but also because my first GW army (in Epic), was a Dark Angels army. But I always found the ivory/bone/cream/white brightness a bit....fake really. Then this week I found this different take on painting Deathwing - a grimy and battered appearance which looks to have spent the last week exteminating xeno scum in an ancient hulk!

This great work was by Ron here:

http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2009/09/deathwing-for-space-hulk-that-is.html then another similar approach using washes; http://santacruzwarhammer.blogspot.com/2008/06/washing-deathwing.html

So I did a quick invetory of my unpainted terminators and spent a few hours stripping paint off 10: enough to make two squads, each with a Sgt with Power Sword, and a Heavy Flamer. I got them off ebay rather cheap awhile ago and I found out why....these guys must have about 6 layers of paint on them!

They are now in their third (and hopefully final) dip in Simple Green preparing for their transformation into Deathwing. I'll be using my Dragon Forge theme bases for these guys too.

My objective is to have them finshed before I have to pack up the Man Cave to move house.