Codex Painting: Space Wolves.

Being a reference guide to the stages of painting, and the colourations thereof, of

Sven Bloodhowl's Great Howling.

STAGE I - PREPARATION:

i. Undercoat with Chaos Black Spray.

ii. Spray with 1:1 mix of Shadow Grey and Space Wolves Grey.
iii. Black out non-Power Armour areas using Chaos Black.

STAGE II - BASING:

i. Glue gravel to base using PVA.

ii. Paint gravel with Regal Blue.

iii.  Drybrush with Ice Blue.

iv.  Drybrush with Skull White.

STAGE IV -  POWER ARMOUR:

i.  Shade recesses with 1:1 mix of Scorched Brown and Fenris Grey.

ii. (optional) Tidy edges with mix from stage (I[i]).

iii. Highlight edges with pure Space Wolves Grey.

iv. Apply an extreme highlight with a 1:1 mix of Space Wolves Grey and Skull White.

STAGE V - BLACK AREAS:

i. (optional) Tidy black areas with Chaos Black.

ii. Highlight with Regal Blue.

iii. Extreme highlight with Codex Grey.

iv. Wash areas with Badab Black.

OR

'EAVY METAL METHOD:

i. (optional) Tidy black areas with Chaos Black.
ii. Highlight with Codex Grey.
iii. Highlight with Fortress Grey.

STAGE VI - GOLD / METALLICS:

i. Apply a 1:1 mix of Scorched Brown and Shining Gold.

ii. Wash with a 1:1 mix of Scorched Brown and Badab Black.

iii. Highlight with Shining Gold.

iv. Highlight with Burnished Gold.

v. Extreme highlight of Mithril Silver.

vi. Wash areas with Leviathan Purple.

STAGE VII - FUR (Method [i]):

i. Basecoat with Bestial Brown.

ii. Build up highlights by gradually adding Bleached Bone.

iii. Extreme highlight of Bleached Bone.

iv. Apply an Ogryn Flesh wash.

v. Apply Skull White as an extreme highlight.

vi. Wash with Gryphonne Sepia.

STAGE VII - FUR (Method [ii]):

i. Basecoat with Scorched Brown over several thin layers.

ii. Highlight with Bestial Brown, more heavily towards edges.

iii. Apply Vomit Brown, drybrushed towards the centre, but painted at the edges.

iv. Highlight with Bleached Bone, using the same method as above.

v. Apply an extreme highlight of Skull White.

vi.  Wash with Gryphonne Sepia.

vii.  Wash with Ogryn Flesh.

STAGE VIII - ANIMAL SKINS / TONGUES:

i.  Basecoat with Scab Red.

ii.  Gradually build up highlights using Bleached Bone.

iii. Extreme highlight of Bleached Bone.

iv. Wash with Leviathan Purple.

STAGE IX - BONE / STONE / PARCHMENT:

i. Basecoat with Bestial Brown.

ii. Highlight with Snakebite Leather.

iii. Highlight further with a 1:1 mix of Snakebite Leather and Bleached Bone.

iv. Add another highlight, this time of Bleached Bone.

v. Extreme highlight with Skull White.

STAGE X - HAIR:

i.  Basecoat Bestial Brown.

ii. Layer with Blazing Orange.

iii. Wash with Ogryn Flesh.

iv. Apply a second Ogryn Flesh wash.

v. Highlight with Dwarf Flesh.

vi. Add a final highlight of Bleached Bone.

vii. Glaze with Baal Red.

STAGE XI - FACE:

i. Basecoat with a 1:1 mix of Vermin Brown and Scorched Brown.

ii. Layer with a 2:1:1 mix of Dwarf Flesh, Vermin Brown, and Scorched Brown.

iii. Layer with pure Dwarf Flesh.

iv. Highlight with a 1:1 mix of Dwarf Flesh and Skull White.

v. Highlight further with a 3:1 mix of Skull White and Bleached Bone.

vi. Wash with a 1:1 mix of Gryphonne Sepia and Ogryn Flesh.

vii.  Wash Regal Blue into the recesses.

viii. Paint the whites of the eyes with Tausept Ochre.

ix. Highlight the whites of the eyes with a 1:1 mix of Golden Yellow and Skull White.

x. Paint the teeth with Bleached Bone, and highlight with Skull White.

STAGE XII (OPTIONAL) - TATTOOS:

i. Paint area Dark Angels Green.

ii. Build up the colour with a 3:1 mix of Hawk Turquoise and Dark Angels Green.

iii. Highlight with Hawk Turquoise.

iv. Extreme highlight using a 1:1 mix of Hawk Turquoise and Skull White.

STAGE XIII (OPTIONAL) - PLASMA / POWER WEAPONS:

i. Paint the area Dark Angels Green.

ii. Highlight with Snot Green.

iii. Highlight with Scorpion Green.

iv. Extreme highlight using a 3:1 mix of Skull White and Scorpion Green.

v. Final highlight of Skull White.

STAGE XIV(i) - SHOULDER PADS [RED]:

i. Basecoat with a 2:1 mix of Blood Red and Dark Flesh.

ii. Shade with a 1:1 mix of Dark Flesh and Chaos Black.

iii. Highlight with Blood Red.

iv. Highlight with Blazing Orange.

v. Extreme highlight of Vomit Brown.

STAGE XIV(ii) - SHOULDER PADS [YELLOW]:

i. Basecoat Tausept Ochre.

ii. Layer with a 1:1 mix of Tausept Ochre and Golden Yellow.

iii. Finally highlight with a 1:1:1 mix of the above, plus Skull White.

STAGE XV - PURITY SEALS:

i. Basecoat Red Gore.

ii. Add a 3:1 mix of Red Gore and Fortress Grey.

iii. Highlight with a 1:1 mix of Red Gore and Fortress Grey.

iv.  Highlight with a 1:3 mix of Red Gore and Fortress Grey.

v.  Wash with Leviathon Purple.

vi.  Highlight with Fortress Grey.

STAGE XVI - RED STRAPPING / GEMS:

i.  Basecoat with Mechrite Red.

ii. Layer with Blood Red.

iii. Highlight with Blazing Orange.

iv. Extreme highlight of Vomit Brown.

v. Wash with Baal Red.

vi. (optional) Extreme highlight of Skull White for gems.

STAGE XVII - FINISHING:

i. Paint edge of base Calthan Brown.

ii. Use Skull White to apply snow to top of base.

iii. Apply any final touch-ups and fixes.

iv. Apply Great Company transfer to appropriate shoulder pad.

v. Varnish with Purity Seal spray.

vi. Paint around edges of transfers where necessary.

GLORY BE TO THE ALLFATHER!

My Work Here Is Done...

Finished 'Test' Space Wolf:  PASS.

Ease / Speed Of Painting Full Army:  EPIC FAIL!

I absolutely love the look of the initial Space Wolf Blood Claw that I've painted, and think that when I eventually finish my Space Wolves army, it is going to look stunning on the battlefield.  However, I dread to think how long they're going to take.

After trying to strike a balance between quality and speed, I think that quality won.

But you never know, once I get into the swing of it, and get in some production-line painting, I may be able to get through a squad every couple of weeks.  If not, the next Codex may be out before a single shot is fired!

Rather depressingly, now I should be on a roll with my painting, I have to stop for about a week because I'm fitting a new bathroom.  No idea what I'm doing.  Never done it before.  Might take a little while.

Still, I've got plenty of Green Stuff, so if I get bored I could always convert the bath into a Land Raider.

Not sure how my wife would feel about that...

Anyway, if I do get a chance to blog at all, I may be able to publish a Colour Codex for my army, detailing (as much for my benefit as anyone else's) every colour mix and technique for the various parts of my army.

As well as that, I thought I may do a couple of one-off articles focussing on individuals from my currently-ill-fated Blood Bowl team...

As long as I don't flood the house, of course.

New Blood Needed After 2-0 Defeat, Coach Urges.

Embattled Green Glade Hackers Coach, 'Unlucky' Darren Lysenko has urged the team's financiers that money needs to be spent if the team are to be in with a chance of performing at the upcoming Bunker Bowl Tournament.

The Hackers suffered yet another embarrassing defeat last night, to the jeers of both home and rival fans.  One Wardancer - Stormwind the Golden Tornado - was even booed by raucous Hackers fans as he was carried almost-lifeless from the pitch.

The Zharr-Naggrund Thrones - the Chaos Dwarf team which heralded the beginning of the Hackers' current run of bad luck - pummelled the Wood Elf team into a 2-0 deafeat, re-igniting calls for the sacking of the team's Head Coach.

'Unlucky' Lysenko urged calm, and called for reflection upon the team's recent defeats.

'We're getting crushed from the outset.  The minute the ball first hits grass, half our line are out of action.  We need something that can bolster our scrimmage line.  We need a Treeman!'

These calls have been welcomed by most fans, although some assistant coaching staff have expressed concerns about where the gold for such a high-profile purchase may come from.

'The thing is, tee-hee,' giggled Page-Tree stunna Wynona Cherry-Blossom, Hackers cheerleader.  'It's fine to talk about what we could do with all of these extra boys running around, but boys cost money, don't they?  What about m - ?  I mean, what about the rest of the coaching staff?  Are we going to lose ours jobs over this?'

Only one person can answer that question - and that person is the one voted most likely by fans to be out on their ear before the start of next season.

I'll Get Quicker. I Hope.

It's been fairly slow progress on my test-Wolf tonight.

Rather naively, I had hoped to finish him.  Ha!  No such luck!

The problem I had tonight was getting the shoulder pads right.

Now don't get me wrong, it's not going to take a whole night to paint each Marine's shoulder markings, it's just that tonight I had to paint each one about three times before I got the colour right.

I've finally managed to sort out the colour scheme - I just hope that my painting will get both faster and neater by the time I've finished the army.

If you're interested, the reds were painted with a 2:1 mix of Blood Red and Dark Flesh, followed by a shade of 1:1 Dark Flesh and Chaos Black.  They were then line-highlighted with Blood Red, Blazing Orange and finally, Vomit Brown.

The yellows were given a basecoat of Tausept Ochre and then a 1:1 Tausept Ochre and Golden Yellow mix, finally highlighted with a 1:1:1 mix of the previous layer, plus Skull White...

You may have noticed the greenish non-descript tattoos painted onto his face.  Not entirely sure I'm happy with them (anyone seen Braveheart lately?), but as my army is from Sven Bloodhowl's Great Company, the Codex specifically states that they all tattoo their runes and Sagas across their skin.

As they don't look hideous, I've decided that they'll do.

Hopefully, he'll only take a couple more days to finish as I have a week or so (more like three) of DIY which starts on Saturday - so I'll be spending my time replacing the bathroom instead of painting.

Rubbish!

Never mind, hopefully I'll have earned plenty of hobby time by the time it's done...

Bring On The Rats!

I was very excited to find the new White Dwarf on my doorstep this morning - and even more excited after I had taken my first cursory flick through it.

Naturally, given the release of Island of Blood in a few weeks, the majority of the issue focuses on the new Skaven and High Elf miniatures, and very exciting they are too!  I've already picked the Skaven for my next army project once my Space Wolves are finished (not that they ever will be!) and I can't wait to get hold of them.  Still, that's a long time away yet.

Painting-wise, there's a large and varied 'Eavy Metal Masterclass which covers a variety of different subjects, from banners to Space Marine armour to Gretchen skin - far too much to mention here, but I can't wait to sink my painting teeth into what's on offer.

Of course, it's not all been about White Dwarf today.  This evening I've been busy picking away at my 'test' Wolf and the good news is that he's... well... getting there.  Slowly.

Hopefully, a couple more days should have him done!

Although I've got the formula for the Power Armour sorted, I'm still going to go back and neaten it up.  I'm not all that happy with the dry-brushing which I employed in order to save time painting up the huge amount of troops that I hope to field.  However, I'm getting quite quick with my painting now and hopefully, if I layer the highlights instead, it should only take me a day or so longer for each squad.  I hope you'll agree that that'll be well worth it to have a beautiful army on the field.

I decided to paint the accelerator on the plasma pistol green instead of the more common blue because it stands out from the grey of the armour more.  If anyone's interested (and for my own future reference!!), it was painted Dark Angels Green, then Snot Green, followed by Scorpion Green and then highlighted with a 3:1 mix of Skull White and Scorpion Green with an extreme highlight of Skull White.

Oh, and rest assured it was a lot less work than it sounds!

As for the wolf pelts, I painted them very simply with Bestial Brown and gradually built up the highlights to pure Bleached Bone.  I then washed them with Ogryn Flesh and added a Skull White highlight before another wash, this time Gryphonne Sepia.

The actual wolf flesh on the skins and the Marine's tongue were painted with Scab Red and built up to pure Bleached Bone before I added a wash of Leviathan Purple - a wash that I also applied to the golds, after looking at them and deciding that they were a bit too 'fresh from the forge'.  I think that it makes a subtle difference, ageing them up a bit.

I am very happy with things at the moment, but can't wait to get him finished so that I can begin my army in earnest...

Da Red Arra's!!

Well hurrah and hurrah!

That's another fine Blood Bowl team under my belt.  I decided to paint an arrow marking on the armour in the end because I've been lovingly calling these boyz the Red Arra's since before I began painting their red armour.


I'm very impressed with them in the end, despite how tricky it was to get everything just right.


And here they are:

Let me know what you think!

As for my next painting project, I've promised not only myself but my gaming buddy wiredwrong that I'd finally make an effort to get some more of my Space Wolves army painted, so I'll be painting my first pack of Blood Claws over the next couple of weeks.

Of course, updates and pictures will be posted here...

4-1? Oh, For The Love Of - !

Well, I played another great game of Blood Bowl tonight, but once again, the Green Glade Hackers were completely outclassed by - and by the end of the game, also completely outnumbered by - the Human team we were pitted against.

As you may have already guessed, we lost by a massive 4-1, almost as bad as last game's 5-1 defeat.

We really need to pull ourselves together before we enter October's Bunker Bowl Tournament at the Chelmsford Bunker (http://bunkerassault.co.uk/)!

The game couldn't have started much worse for us, losing our Thrower by the end of our second turn.

Things began to unravel at an amazing pace after that, with one of our two Wardancers being Blitzed to death before we were even near the end of the first half.

We went into the break 2-0 down and managed to score a consolation touchdown early in the second half, but we saw any chance of equalizing slip rapidly away as the Humans scored another two touchdowns in quick succession and another four Wood Elves were killed.

By the end of the game, we were outnumbered two-to-one!

A terrible, terrible day - but then that's Blood Bowl, and even though we were soundly mauled, it was still a lot of fun!