Project: Scout Squad

(click to enlarge)

...so here's the Scout Squad, almost finished (still need to finish the basing & seal them). As I mentioned before, these models were forgotten about until I found them, partially finished, in a dark compartment in my modeling toolbox. The primer job was a bit "fuzzy" and the blue had been hastily basecoated with paint straight out of the pot, so they probably weren't the best models to start trying to up my painting game, but it is what it is - it actually worked pretty well, as I hadn't painted anything in months, and wasn't going to be too upset if it didn't go well. Some thoughts/observations about painting these:

-Wet blending: Unfortunately, Space Marines just aren't the best models for working on this technique. I did it a bit with the pants and thought it worked well (hard to pick out in the picture), but the armor, guns, etc. don't lend themselves to that method. I'm planning on picking up some more fantasy-oriented models to work on it.

-Highlights: One problem I've always had with my hard-line highlights is wanting that "'eavy Metal" style highlighting, but being too afraid of high contrast. I went much higher contrast with these models than I usually would, and am happier with it - the gray-on-black contrast looks great, but I think the light blue on the armor could even have gone a bit lighter. I also still struggle a bit with the brush control needed for these highlights, so I mixed a bit extra of my base color and used it to clean up the highlights that got away from me a bit.

-Faces: I tried basing in dark colors and "building up" from there, but it didn't work out as I'd hoped. I think I might just be too attached to washes & drybrushing for faces - the amount of extra work to do it the "proper" way doesn't justify the results, I think.

-Metals: I did, however, build up the metals from a dark, flat color, and thought it worked much better than my usual "slap on Shining Gold, slather on Gryphonne Sepia wash" method. I'll definitely use this on larger areas (chest emblems, etc.) in the future. It's too difficult to bother with on tiny pieces (glove/gun emblems, for example) in my opinion.

-Eyes: Bleeaaargh, they still give me fits. I've tried all the popular painting methods, technical pens, loupe magnifers, and more - they still come out cross-eyed half the time. I just need to keep practicing, I guess. The model on the far left was coming out great using the "base the eye socket in black / paint two white dots on either side of the socket" method, but I managed to screw it up somewhere along the way.

Here's the paint colors for anyone who's interested:

Entire Model:
-Primed w/ Krylon white primer

Pants:
-Based w/ Formula P3 Hammerfall Khaki
-Built up w/ Citadel Bleached Bone
-Highlighted w/ Citadel Skull White

Armor:
-Based w/ Citadel Foundation Series Mordian Blue
-Highlighted w/ Rackham Color Wizard Blue

Pouches/Holsters/Straps:
-Based w/ Citadel Snakebite Leather
-Washed w/ Citadel Devlan Mud wash

Silver Metals:
-Based w/ Citadel Scorched Brown
-Built up w/ Citadel Boltgun Metal
-Washed w/ Citadel Badad Black wash
-Drybrushed w/ Citadel Mithril Silver

Gold Metals:
-Based w/ Citadel Scorched Brown
-Built up w/ Citadel Shining Gold
-Washed w/ Citadel Gryphonne Sepia wash
-Drybrushed w/ Citadel Mithril Silver

Shell Casings:
-Based w/ Vallejo Model Color Brass
-Washed w/ Citadel Gryphonne Sepia wash

Boots/Gloves:
-Based w/ Citadel Chaos Black
-Highlighted w/ a 50/50 mix of Citadel Foundation Adeptus Battlegray & Skull White

Flesh:
-Based w/ Citadel Scorched Brown
-Built up w/ Citadel Dark Flesh
-Built up w/ Citadel Elf Flesh
-Washed w/ Citadel Baal Red wash
-Drybrushed w/ Citadel Elf Flesh

Hair:
Based w/ Citadel Chaos Black / drybrushed w/ Citadel Foundation Adeptus Battlegray
-or-
Based w/ Citadel Bestial Brown
-or-
Based w/ a 50/50 mix of Citadel Bestial Brown & Sunburst Yellow

Eye lens:
-Based w/ Citadel Blood Red

Pistol Scope:
-Based w/ Citadel Scorpion Green
-Hightlight blended w/ 50/50 mix of Citadel Scorpion Green & Skull White
-Flare highlight w/ Citadel Skull white

Entire model will be sealed w/Krylon #1311 Matte Finish.