Storm Wolves Command Squad

I don't usually do commission work, but recently my brother got a Storm Wolves force together - a Space Wolves offshoot chapter based heavily on Vikings.  He had a five-man command squad are a 500pt army in their own right (last seen in the Battle of the Palace Steps) so I was challenged to paint them up.  These were an interesting challenge.  I've never painted SMs before, and rarely do metallic.  In case you can't tell. 

Pleased with:
  • Shield designs
  • Glowy sword
Not pleased with:
  • Patchiness of the white helmet
  • Grey armour looks somewhat uneven
If anyone has any tips on painting white ... I have been tempted to leave the undercoated white showing through unpainted, has anyone tried this?


Haakon Haakonsen and Command Squad








Just a quick, pic-heavy update.  Two big batreps are coming up on PG so look out next week for the first of those.  Keep blogging people, really enjoying the game-heavy vibe that seems to be running through our circle at the moment.

Thanks for reading,

Ed

Comments

  1. White's a bugger to paint at the best of times. My whites typically end up looking more bone coloured due to my preference for watered brown washes.

    These certainly look like viking marines. Bet they have some pretty impressive facial fur hidden inside those lids.

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    1. It is very tricky, yes - but luckily it's just a helmet so you can't tell. That's something I've got from these comments, that other people do loads of different shade colours.

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  2. These look amazing - especially the shields, as I love that 11th Century look!

    As for grey? - You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din: I've never ever managed to paint grey and have it look anything other than utterly, utterly flat.

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    1. I really should have taken some more photos that show off the shield designs a bit more. Grey is a difficult colour to give shade to without it looking dirty. Thanks for the comment Drax!

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  3. The grey looks fine. Don't sweat it. And the white helmets are always going to get knocked about during drinking games and so on. They're Sturmwulfen, after all.

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    1. Cheers mate. Yes, Vikings weren't known as scrupulously clean I suppose!

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  4. The wife shades white with blue rather than black. I'm still learning about painting it...

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    1. Now I'm going to have to try that ... watch this space!

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  5. My whites come up from either a blue grey base or a grey grey. I used to use the old white with black wash but I could never get an even finish.

    These chaps look good. I like the shield designs. They come off appropriate to the theme.

    With the helmets is hard to tell if you have picked out the lenses in another colour. That could be the last thing to do to make then pop as they say.

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    1. Thanks Liam. I haven't - yet - I would struggle to do it without getting round the eyes as well, so I was thinking of leaving it grey for shadow ten maybe some red ink to hint at glowing eyes?

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  6. Bloody love these, just the right balance of Vike and Space Wolves. Like the inset of the gold on Haakon's (?) helm, that was the plan for some of my Mawdryn ones to mirror Roman cav/Sutton Hoo helms. And of I can paint Marine eyes you certainly can, they're really not that difficult when you do it

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    1. Thanks awfully - Ollie built these chaps of course but he did a great job picking out the right parts for each, the best for the commander etc. I might have a go at the eyes when I'm back properly.

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    2. With the eyes I always find if I go outside the socket it's easy enough to clean up as the helmet has raised ridges around the lens. I'd go with red eyes and then clean up with grey first as it will go over the red easier, then go to the white.

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  7. Epic paint job mate - I wouldn't worry about the unevenness of the armour, it looks quite battle hardened

    Cant wait to have them run amok through my cultists again

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    1. Cheers mate - yes, I never really thought of that, maybe with a bit of weathering powder I could disguise that blotchiness. Can't wait! It'll be a good one.

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  8. One thing that helps with thinner colours I find is to minimise the amount the brush strokes cross over, or thin it even more to make sure you get an even spread and build up the layers. But as CS said it adds to the battle worn look, but to be honest they look fine to me and not at all patchy

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