The Forge Awakens

I can't believe it's been a whole year since Shazam or I have posted on this blog. That's shameful! Equally awful is the fact that in that time I don't think either of us have painted a single model either. So when some friends of mine suggested a 'Tale of Four Gamers' style challenge I jumped at the chance. The rules were simple, 250 points of 40k each month. I decided quite quickly that I would try an army that I've always wanted to do, the Ultramarines. I've always been a sucker for the heroic and chivalrous good guy and in the 40k universe, for me, the Ultramarines are it. However, because the models are designed as generic Space Marines, I feel they lack the gaudy and glorious pomp that the Ultramarine artwork depicts. So there stood my challenge, an Ultramarine army with more bling than Mr. T.

Having been out of the hobby for a little while I thought it best to start with a single model that I could really sink my teeth into and be really inspired by, hoping that would keep me interested as I am notoriously bad at finishing projects. So what better than an incredibly ornate Land Raider, fit to carry the finest of the Emperor's finest into battle?

Drawing inspiration from the Land Raider GW created for Marneus Calgar I knew I wanted mine to also look like a shrine and monument. GW chose a Gothic feel, however, I decided on Roman imagery, in particular an idea I had a while ago of creating a great stone battle scene, like in ancient Roman architecture, but using Epic models.

The first stages involved using plasticard to cover over the side doors and create a new panel on which to work. I then used strips of thin plasticard to edge large sections of the tank that I would later paint as gold trim to make it all stand out. Once the whole tank was done I then started the fun bit of adding detail, starting with a few pillars based on Roman styles using more plastics and some sculpting.

After a few days scouring ebay I managed to get hold of some Epic models to make the battle scenes. I wanted two battle scenes on the roof and since the models I'd bought included Eldar and Orks I decided I would be commemorating the battles of Armageddon and Commrath. Along the sides above the pillars I then lined up a few spare marines ready for battle. To add the models to the tank each one needed to be sliced in half and filed down so that it didn't stick out too much...a very fiddly job!

After that I added some Forgeworld brass etchings and Ultramarine icons and the beast was ready to paint!

Come back for part two to see it turn blue!

Jericho

Fausto Coppi's 1953 Bianchi

The other great love of my life is... My wife, clearly.
But the other other love of my life is cycling, so when I was asked to build this as a favour to a friend I jumped at the chance.
The kit is by Italian manufacturer Protar, who as far as I can tell did a nice line in car and retro motorbike kits. And apparently, the odd bicycle.

WIP: Space Hulk

 Say hello to the first finished member of the slavering horde. He's a nasty looking piece of work isn't he?
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WIP: Project-RTB01 Part 1

It all started in 1987 when our local game store got a stock of the RTB01 box set (original beaky, womblesque skinny-legged space marines. In case you were wondering.)
Because the 10 year-olds could ill afford the entire box set without parental assistance. The store owner made the brilliant move of opening (and painting) a box.
So the very first miniature, of any kind, that I bought was single a crimson fist RTB01 space marine.

Fast forward 25 years where I found 5 of the plucky lads sitting in the back of a box, languishing in 25 year old paint. A quick dose of paint remover (Fairy power spray to you and Mrs S) some undercoat and here we have Project-RTB01. A-nother way for me to relive my youth.

I gave one a quick N dirty going over as a blood angel. As I just wanted one in the cabinet.

Then I thought about that Crimson Fist... I've never had any interest in them since that time. Why would I? But one of them had to go to the blue and the red..

He still needs a base, a chapter symbol and some more work on the red. But he's coming along nicely.

I'll do another Blood Angel, then I have 2 left. I'm tempted to do at least one as a pre-heresy something...

WIP: Space Hulk (genestealers)

Lets talk about White Dwarf. Specifically issue 113.
The first edition Space Hulk release issue. It was packed with so much depth and background for the hulks, the genestealers and most importantly, the Blood Angels, that I fell completely in love.
I played it for a while and didnt care that the Terminators looked rubbish. In my mind they were heroes.
Then when 2nd edition came out I was working for GW and got to paint 2 squads of bright orange Blood Angels... Moving on.
3rd edition came out, but I was too busy with life, the universe and 42 to care.
And then a friend showed me pictures of the models and I realised that somehow they (GW) had gone into my 11 year old brain, taken everything all of the images that were there and sculpted them in plastic. They are beautiful (even the 3 armed genestealer. You know who you are...).

I've decided to go old school with the colour scheme. None of this fashionable Tyranid nonsense for me. the test model is mid-way through. So you can see the general idea for the colour scheme.

The Blue is finished except for a flat coat to kill the shine. I used the new GW blue shade then a single stage highlight on the model with all of the emphasis on the edge highlights.
The purple needs another stage to bring out the features on the face, then a glaze to tie them together, but i'm happy with where it's going. The only thing that is yet to be decided is tongue colour.
I'll be keeping all of the bases metallic, but dark to keep the emphasis on the models.
I've enjoyed painting him so far. Let's see how enthusiastic I am after finishing the rest of them.

S