Memento Mortis Chapter

[optimat]

Hey guys.

Thanks to those who helped me in my Painting & Conversions thread for the GW competition. My entries are up on the Facebook page of my local store and so far appear to be winning so I might just end up with my chapter becoming the store Space Marine army colour scheme as promised! They are currently displayed in the store glass case alongside the other entries and I'm really chuffed just to get that far!

Those Space Marines are below!




The thread from before has some slight WIP and close up shots that I won't repost

And the facebook timeline for all the entries!

Thanks again.

So I'm taking the project further up to a likely 1,500pt army to accompany my guardsman. This is mostly because... I'm a sucker for the competition true aim which was to sell some models by suckering them in to a chapter... and because my Crimson Fists weren't coming along fast enough, mostly because I wasn't bothered about painting them. I find this to not be a problem for my own Chapter and I recommend that anyone particularly arty on the fence with the new SM models gives it a try. It's a lot more satisfying.

I've been getting on with these quite quickly, and have recycled a few old models intended for my Crimson Fists. The first is my Razorback, intended for transporting a command squad of some kind around. Here are the first few pictures!







I would appreciate some comments if you have any so I can improve for the Whirlwind that is the other Rhino-chassis vehicle to make it into the list (once you play Guard indirect fire it's hard to go back!). I clearly have yet to add the tracks and also the detail on the lenses of the secondary periscope port*, taken from a land raider. When I get that far I might do some more natural angle shots so you get the full picture.

*edited original pics with new pics as above

They are a Iron Hands successor and thus are built around a 'clan company'. This is the third clan company which will fulfill the role of a traditional Battle Company. They use Grey as their clan colour but no clan symbol like the Iron Hands have. The half circle is the campaign badge which on the marines will be on their left knee pad. The number inside is the Razorback number. There are a few little ideas I have about clan symbol etc. that I think you'll like in the future

Next will either be the Venerable Dreadnought I have made up, or the squad which I intend to place in the Razorback which is built from the Sternguard Box + a Master of the Forge.

Thanks for looking more to come soon.

(I have an old CF thread on this board that can be closed/deleted now if moderators see fit, if someone wants to please point me in the right direction of who to see about that I would be grateful)

[optimat]

Okay so the troops to use the HQ Razorback are coming along nicely, if slowly. Saying that, this guy is 75% of the way there in a day, so maybe that's not so slow. God bless weekends!

They are to be fielded as a normal Tactical Squad (scoring, yay!) that the MoTF (or Chapter Master) will sit with, so I used the Sternguard box to give them the appropriate level of fancy bits. I'm enforcing a few modelling rules on myself at this stage to that the army looks 'together'. All Sarges will have banners, and only marines of a stature will be helmetless.

This 'Command' squad will all have their own clan titles, to represent their role within the clan company.

This guy is the Clan Skulltaker. He would fulfill the role of Company Champion, if the rules as I am playing the squad would allow it. So he's the unarmed combat champion of the clan. He is 3rd in the Company Command structure, underneath the Captain and the Clan Overseer.

He's almost there, just the blade, highlights, transfers, base, and backpack to go. Sounds like a lot but should have it done in two evenings. The amulet and marksman medal are my first attempts at small scale NMM gold and while not amazing (and the photo shows I need to cleanup!) I don't think it looks horrible either. Got to try it or you'll never know!





Anyone got some tips for what's coming up or some shots to share of their NMM Gold would be appreciated!

[danesk]

The razorback looks great! The only thing that I feel are somewhat "wrong" are the smokelaunchers, Why are they mounted in the back?

The painting is topnotch, both on the rb and marine!

[optimat]

We'll I figured because the most protected access door is the rear, the smoke would pile out over that. I'd be lying if I said that I was 100% happy with it myself after seeing it completed though! it won't be the same for the whirlwind that is for sure.

Thanks for commenting

[optimat]

Hey guys. Laptop has broken which is a bummer. I need your help with what I can do to make this attempt at Reflective gold really hit the mark. When I look at it, it feels almost there but missing something I can't quite put my finger on. Image below

Apologies if the picture ends up huge it's directly uploaded from the iPad

[danesk]

I think that the upper half looks good! Personally I hate to paint gold, but you make it look good!

[optimat]

I also don't like gold metallic paints too much. I find the consistency very difficult to work with. Maybe some other manufacturer stuff is good but I haven't yet tried it, hence trying to do some Non metallic metal gold using browns and yellows. It is supposed to be reflecting a horizon but the bottom half gets lost. Maybe the bottom half needs a more yellow band to bring it in line. This has appeared to work well on the gem surrounds I've done (not shown).

I guess I will just get better with practice!

[optimat]

The squad has been slowly growing and I wished to share my progress. Two more guys on their way to completion and I'm pretty proud of them to boot. I am glad of my decision not to glue on weapons and backpacks at this stage as it meant I could do a lot more detail.

Had a go at some more Gold effect and on the plasma at some OSL. I know where it could have been better but I'm still proud of the result.







Thanks for looking!

[danesk]

Looking good mate! One question: that turret on the razorback, where's that from?

[optimat]

That is a forge world turret

[Cosmic]

I'm annoyed with myself for not commenting on here sooner! Your painting is improving with every model, Optimat

The OSL on the plasma gun is quite subtle but I think it works, it's not 'in your face' and it's a great start. As you said yourself, the NMM isn't really working. It's such a hard thing to do though so you've done well to attempt it. I think it just needs a lot more blending, and instead of treating it as a flat, horizontal surface you need to look at it as each 'feather' needs a point of light as well. What I have noticed is that the dark areas need to have a light edge to make them show through properly.

Looking forward to seeing more!

[optimat]

Much appreciated. Thankfully this is the only squad to heavily feature my gold attempts because of their status. It is something I will have to try and work on away from my core models in the future I think. It is true that my blending needs more work in general. Will show some power weapon blending I tried shortly, but I'm trying to cut down on spamming with WIP shots haha.

I do definitely feel like I'm improving though which for now is satisfying enough

[3ff3ct]

Oct 24, 2013 4:19:05 GMT -5 Cosmic said:

....instead of treating it as a flat, horizontal surface you need to look at it as each 'feather' needs a point of light as well. What I have noticed is that the dark areas need to have a light edge to make them show through properly...

True story! I think that you've been a bit shy in an attempt to not mess it up. A bit more practice and you'll have the confidence to pull it off. Same with the plasma glow; I think you didn't go bright enough simply due to lack of confidence, the technique is certainly there although it isn't as bold as it could be.

Remember, if you cock it all up, you can always repaint! Go for it!

You're coming along in leaps and bounds, I see great things coming from you in the immenent future!