Trade Marine - Day One

I've decided to start putting up more of my WiP pics. Whether I take one at the end of each day or certain phases is still up in the air... My next figure is going to be a Space Marine Master of the Chapter. It's a trade miniature between Roleplayer and I. He has my two year old Gamesday Marine (With the big ass hammer), and I'm doing this guy...

Anyway, day one

Cleaned the miniature of excess flak, removed the mold lines, cleaned it with a little bit of toothpaste and given it an acid bath. While he was soaking I cleaned the head off, and put the base together. I made the decision to remove the funny little ear things and make the helmet more flat. With the face panel it looks slightly older, or it does to me. All of RP's minis are helmeted. So I wanted one that had a little more character. The base is a simple cork and sand job. Roleplayer buys his bases, but I think this one should work so long as I use similar colors. I like to have a bit of height for character minis...

Chaos Daemon Bloodletter unit

Wow, first things first let me just say that Batch painting is truly a sucky thing, it takes all the fun out of watching a miniature come alive before your eyes and distorts it so that you feel you're getting nothing done, plus you slack off and don't take as much care as you should. That being said, I don't know if painting in ones and twos would be any easier... Just longer...
These came out OK, I've missed bits and pieces and they still need to be sealed. For these guys it's going to be gloss, (shocking I know). I think the slight sheen will give them a little more zing, especially the lava, which I think has turned out OK... Ink is fun, but it can be sticky and messy so if you choose to use it make sure you have some paper towels handy... and old clothes on...
Couldn't get all of them to fit against my backgrounds so I had to use a white drop sheet instead, sucks all the light out of the shot... Oh well... Can't win them all... I think I'm going to treat myself to painting a single figure next. Maybe a Hero Space Marine... I think that would be a good break from batch painting stuff...

Test Daemon: Bloodletter...

My second attempt at using inks rather than paints, and they're pretty good for speed painting, well, what I consider speed painting anyway... White undercoat > Yellow Ink > Orange paint / yellow ink 1:3 mix > Red ink, touch ups with yellow. Black coat the sword and horns, and then use my gem technique for them. The sword is far to dull so next time I'm going to have to do multiple coats... Not quite sure what to do with the base... To much lave might be wrong... Maybe more black...