Clan Kaargul Iron Hands log.

[lævus]

I spent about 6 months acquiring a wealth of bionics, Space Marine sprues and Forge World parts before actually assembling or painting anything. I'm now at the point where I have about everything I need to create a whole clan company, along with a gaggle of Adeptus Mechanicus allies (using the Inquisition codex) and a knight. I'll also probably be picking up some of the new Tempestus Scions to add to the big pile under the desk after reading about the regiments of the Lambdan Lions who are semi-permanently seconded to the Adeptus Mechanicus.

You can probably see a theme emerging...

When I was younger I was very involved in the hobby but I lost track around the end of 3rd edition (instead spending my time and money on whiskey and tattoos) and have only really involved myself again over the last couple of years. Painting a few things here and there and mostly just reading fiction. I'm determined this time to paint a tableworthy army and play some games after a previous attempt to do so was thwarted by the rather uncomfortable act of breaking all the metacarpals in my right hand into little pieces.

Anyway, I paint very slow both due to lack of time and regular pain in my hand but here's the last month or so's worth of progress.
Any feedback would be great as I'm yet to really meet anyone else within the hobby locally so the only person other than me who has seen anything I've painted is my girlfriend, she does her best to feign interest but... I'm sure a lot of you know how it is.

Apologies for the not-fantastic photos, I'll try to take some more in better light.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/Laevus85/Iron%20Hands/074538ed-02e8-40d4-b76c-3dc03d61b93c_zps7d44558a.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Laevus85/media/Iron%20Hands/074538ed-02e8-40d4-b76c-3dc03d61b93c_zps7d44558a.jpg.html)
First half of Tactical Clave 4

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/Laevus85/Iron%20Hands/4cd6a1911344c8b73fb51e328ae23ea8_zps9018a25e.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Laevus85/media/Iron%20Hands/4cd6a1911344c8b73fb51e328ae23ea8_zps9018a25e.jpg.h tml)
and the other half.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/Laevus85/Iron%20Hands/5c6c39f428f82bbff2a3d705798cc9b2_zps5840e078.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Laevus85/media/Iron%20Hands/5c6c39f428f82bbff2a3d705798cc9b2_zps5840e078.jpg.h tml)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/Laevus85/Iron%20Hands/572164e9b62b0b2e1d0e28d57cfd8a38_zps8eb27d6c.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Laevus85/media/Iron%20Hands/572164e9b62b0b2e1d0e28d57cfd8a38_zps8eb27d6c.jpg.h tml)
As yet unnamed Librarian and an objective marker.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/Laevus85/Iron%20Hands/2a8314d8-fb10-4b6b-846b-30a96e36af57_zpsfdecf319.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Laevus85/media/Iron%20Hands/2a8314d8-fb10-4b6b-846b-30a96e36af57_zpsfdecf319.jpg.html)
Half of Tactical Clave 2

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/Laevus85/Iron%20Hands/dae25dcf-b5ac-47a0-b4d3-a14963a10afd_zps93da9251.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Laevus85/media/Iron%20Hands/dae25dcf-b5ac-47a0-b4d3-a14963a10afd_zps93da9251.jpg.html)
and another shot of the Automated Flakk Sentinel with the first member of the other half of the Clave.

Any input is welcome, thanks for taking a look.

[ElectricPaladin]

I love it! Especially the flak sentinel. What a clever idea! Your black is also nice and complex - not flat and boring. Good job.

[lævus]

I love it! Especially the flak sentinel. What a clever idea! Your black is also nice and complex - not flat and boring. Good job.

Thank you very much.
I can't claim full credit for the flakk sentinel idea, somewhere on the internet is a heavy bolter squad made from epic Leman Russ hulls that I borrowed the idea from a while ago.
I almost went with Sons of Medusa, I was so daunted by the idea of highlighting black. So I just didn't bother highlighting and weathered it instead, I'm glad someone else likes it. Thanks.

[Darren Richardson]

great work, especially for someone who has previously broken his hand (hand injuries never fully heal properly and almost always leads to arthirathis in later life) so very well done.


Love the epic mini with the missile launcher conversion, looks great...

[lævus]

great work, especially for someone who has previously broken his hand (hand injuries never fully heal properly and almost always leads to arthirathis in later life) so very well done.


Love the epic mini with the missile launcher conversion, looks great...

Thanks very much.
I'm definitely not looking forward to the arthritis that I am sure will happen, although I guess I should be happy with the (sometimes time restricted) use I can get and how lucky I have actually been. When I was sat in hospital with two pieces of bone sticking out of the top of my hand I was certain I'd be writing like a 5 year old with my left hand for the rest of my life.

Just posting a close up of one of the Marines posted before showing one of the other reasons my progress is so slow, making bionic parts from plastic rod and guitar wire is very time consuming. By no means the most detailed bionics ever, but effective enough for me at least.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/Laevus85/Iron%20Hands/f87e964c-2a1b-4080-bb82-2bad6fad9eee_zpsa71a47ec.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Laevus85/media/Iron%20Hands/f87e964c-2a1b-4080-bb82-2bad6fad9eee_zpsa71a47ec.jpg.html)

I'm also making Progress with my Las-Plas Razorback, although I see from the Forgeworld open day pictures that I may have wasted my time with the turret, and could have bought just the one (when it gets released) rather than using the TL Lascannon and Multi-Melta turrets to make this one. Such is the benefit of hindsight.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/Laevus85/Iron%20Hands/5022059a-b5d7-40b7-b899-8b5aa07f6b7a_zps40750d33.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Laevus85/media/Iron%20Hands/5022059a-b5d7-40b7-b899-8b5aa07f6b7a_zps40750d33.jpg.html)
Still need to fill some gaps in the cog trim and straighten out/clean up the turret.

[scottshoemaker]

Nice looking infantry. I like your idea of using weathering to break up the black. I did a few and got too heavy handed with the highlighting and the dust. Your look just right.
I normally don't like epic landraiders used, but this one fits, the HK missle looks good!

I'm looking forward to seeing more!

[lævus]

Nice looking infantry. I like your idea of using weathering to break up the black. I did a few and got too heavy handed with the highlighting and the dust. Your look just right.
I normally don't like epic landraiders used, but this one fits, the HK missle looks good!

I'm looking forward to seeing more!

Thank you for the positive feedback. I've actually not tried using any weathering powders yet, mostly because I don't know how to fix it down and haven't yet come up with a varnishing method. All of the weathering is done with regular citadel paints, washing and stippling in a few stages straight over the black basecoat. I edge highlighted one of the first test miniatures I painted and hated how it looked, too clean and almost cartoony.

Could anyone suggest a good product to matt varnish with please? I understand I need to gloss/satin first to avoid it going milky? I'm also doing everything by brush including undecoating so would prefer to use a brush on varnish as well.