I use .005 if it helps.

Well this is a very nice start to your army! I personally am not a fan of the Black Templars, but I love a nicely converted army with some solid background.

First think I noticed though is that the paint scheme is a bit rough. Now, I am no expert and I'm not saying it is bad, but I think that there are some areas where the models could be improved. So since I too am starting Marines, I thought I would offer my fellow Battle Brother a few links that might help improve the colors on his blessed armor.

This article on painting black is very helpful and will hopefully make it a bit easier for you since you have chosen one of the more difficult colors to paint. And also, since there is going to be white involved, her is a really simple, but effective way to make it work on a black undercoat. This article on painting Gold is awesome and makes it so easy!

Those are some of your basic colors and I think that if you apply the methods within you will see some really nice results. Keep up the good work!

Wolfs16: Thanks for the articles; I'm especially psyched about the one dealing with painting white on black primer. I've since moved away from using black primer, but the fact that it handles the issue with a little less watering down makes me a little more comfortable with the practice...especially since I've got all those paints available.

I also agree that I've got to correct some things...especially with the highlights. I paint all of my minis while they are still in bit form in order to guarantee a clean look and even coverage. Great in one sense, but at the time, I was under the impression of trying to give the look of natural highlights...randomized as it would be naturally. Of course migrating to ATT has shown that just overall highlighting/edging has a very pronounced effect.

Here's an example of my latest...it's just the beginnings of a Terminator


I looked over FTW the other day actually and took note from the following link Painting & Highlighting Black Legion. I know that my previous attempts at highlighting were not the best...so I'm going to go about cleaning lines up and highlighting again to see the results. Hopefully the test image shows some improvement.

Terminatorinhell: Score one for the micron pen. I used it to ink the black line between my white on the shield and the red.

Otherwise I've got a lot to think about in terms of working with the white. I may need to think about removing the paint from all of my tabard wearing BTs and look into starting fresh...at least with their torsos to get the white under control. I guess I should stay tuned for the upcoming results down the line.

Original Message removed to clean up the page/post since follow up pictures were posted.

And Terminatorinhell: You win...the .005 micron pen has definitely become the way to go with writing the small prayers on the white and on the purity seals. It's too perfect not to use it.

Much better, but I would give the gold weapons a heavy wash of ogryn flesh or devlan mud, they are a bit too shiny now. But see, micron pens rule!

Alright then, here we've got the latest work on the Neophytes after going over the articles supplied by Wolfs16 & using tips from Terminatorinhell.

Here's an image from GW's website to show the work I am referencing when I work of these items. I'm not at their level yet...but striving at the moment.


Here's a group shot of the three Neophytes; touched up, cleaned up and loaded with purity seals & holy scripts

The reason they're loaded up with purity seals: Crusader Seals were quite prevalent during the Geonide Crusade. It was rare to find a Templar on the battlefield with less than five affixed to his armor, weaponry, backpacks, or other wargear. In addition to Crusader Seals, Purity Seals were administered by the Inquisition and Chaplains on a near weekly basis in an effort to preserve the sanctity and uphold the resolve of those Astartes involved

Close ups of the new paint jobs
Otho


Licinius


Justinian


Essentially the Neophytes are covered in the required minimum of five Crusaders Seals/Purity Seals. They've also got holy scripts written on their shins and around the black trim of their shoulder pauldrons. And of course a few have blessed censors to allow these inexperienced warriors to vanquish lesser demons with little worry and to loosen the grip greater demons have on the material plane.

All I would suggest would be a brown or red wash just on the wax of the purity seals, don't worry, you are getting close to the GW minis

So the blood red with blazing orange highlights is too bright?

Not too bright, I just think it would add a bit more depth to the model, but it's your call man

For my purity seals, I paint like this.

1] Mechrite red.
2] Mechrite/Blood red. Perhaps there is a colour that sits between the two and so doesn't need mixing.... nothing comes to mind at present.
3] Blood red.
4] Leviathan purple wash.
5] Fiery orange.

Naturally all the painting parts cover less and less area, though the wash is done all over it.

It sounds a bit over the top, but when you are doing it in batches, it is not a big deal

Red and green are complimentary colours and so you can use green when shading red. However, purple also works well and actually has red in it.

Just a quick update on touching up the Black Templars and working on creating some new ones. I did touch up Marshal Lucius, his older picture has been edited, as well as Hadrians.

Brother Marius:

Brother Marius has always believed his Bolter Pistol and Plasma Pistol did all his talking, and in most aspect its true. During his time in the Declates Crusade, as a Neophyte, he was part of a multi-Chapter kill squad sent out into the barren plains in order to hunt down the Ork Boss Gitzmott. Wading through heavy opposition, one of his Crimson Fist brethren fell, dropping a plasma pistol. Picking it up, he unleashed several well placed shots with his bolter, and then watched as a plasma bolt ripped through another Ork; from that moment on, the weapon had become his. Even during the Geonide Crusade, Marius continues to wield that weapon and paint his left fist red in memorial of those lost during the battle on Declates VII.

And I just figured I'd show this image. It's my latest Terminator. Not sure if I want to throw in a unit of these guys or not.

Alright then...I'm currently in the works on something for my Black Templars. Not quite yet prepared to blatantly tell you what it is...but I'll show you a small teaser.

Alright, the teaser came and went without notice...but then again, I was still working on the final product and have finished it...with a few minor touch ups/clean ups still in the works.

Without further ado, here are the latest in my Black Templar army...the Marshal's Honor Guard.


You'll pardon the less than perfect picture. I basically let the idea mill around in my head when I saw Marneus Calgar and his Honor Guard; seeing scibor's Adeptus Custodes pretty much sold me on the concept, especially when I saw how they went about creating the Guardian Spears.

So here's a slight tweak to that: I've got a bolter, the bitz from a thunderhammer, blades from another kit altogether and incensors at the bottom...they are fighting daemons afterall. Just gotta figure out a name for these weapons since I do/don't wanna relate them directly back to the Adeptus Custodes w/o altering them slightly.

**If anyone cares to know the Scibor Guardian Spear - Bolter, Thunderhammer hilt/arm, bottom half was shuriken pistol & assuming plasticard blade**

Yeah, sometimes ya post a good update and get like one or no responses, and then you post a small update and it gets like ten! Keep on updated though!

I really like what you did with those bolters. Your use of parts is truly inspiring and is something I'd like to include in the Honor Guard I've been thinking about for my Marines. My one suggestion would be to make the bottom blade look a little sharper and longer. Right now it looks too stubby to be effective.

Keep up the great work! The addition of the fluff pieces really adds to each model and helps to create a unique force you can be proud of. Question though, what do you use for lighting when you take photo's?

Thanks! I was quite psyched to have figured out their overall bitz scheme by looking at the finished product; definitely got the creative juices instantly.

As for my photos, I do not have a photo booth, and I suppose I should get one. All I rely on are the track lights situated above my work bench. I've angled two of them down to shine at my makeshift photographing station and have made use of some blank pages off a sketch book to create a white background.

For my picture box I just use a shoebox that is all white inside. I shine my painting lamp in the front and just stick my mini's in. It gives it a nice even white lighting that is really inexpensive and easy to use.

You don't need anything too elaborate to take good photos. All I do for my pics is place stuff in front of a blue gradient image that's stuck to the side of some cans with a magnet. You can get one here or run a basic google search http://www.cheddarmongers.org/prod/file ... adient.jpg

Between the overhead flourescent lights in my kitchen and a small work lamp I picked up at home depot the lighting comes out very nice. I got a clamp on work light for like $4 and a 60 watt full spectrum bulb which puts out a nice even light that's slightly more blue in tint than standard household bulbs. Standard house lights will tend to give everything a yellow or tan like haze to the photo.

You want to place the lamp above and also in front of the models, if the light is behind the model it'll look too much like a sillouette and if it's directly overhead you'll have too many shadows.

Have the light posistioned about a foot away, above and in front of the model, that way it lights both the top and front of the models evenly.

The most important part is making sure you are taking pictures with the macro function on your camera. (Usually the little flower icon) That is for taking pics of items at very close distances of about a foot or sometimes less.

If you plan on taking lots of pics you can pick up a light tent on Amazon for between $30-$40

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Concepts- ... 994&sr=1-4

They have several that include lights and work well.

Hope that helps

I'm also loving the templars, I have my own crusade in the works so I may end up adopting some of those halberds as they look great.

Wolfs16: Good to know there are severely cheap options out there for a quick photo booth...though I suppose the price of the shoes out weighs it being cheap

Paulson Games: Thanks for the info on lights. I have been wrestling with the idea on getting myself a work light. As of right now, I continue to use incandescent track lighting above my desk, which does a good job of giving off light, but I know I need to get something for photography.

As for the Halbreds...go right ahead, you can see the parts list just under the actual pictures. I've still got to figure out a good name for those things since I can't/don't want to call them Guardian Spears...though that names would work just fine for you Wolfs16.

Alright, here's a quick update: I figured I'd make up some info on the two Honor Guards I created recently, and I've finished a standard bearer. Still using the old method to photograph these guys...I've got to get myself a good hobby light to the photo portion of this!

Sejanus & Macrinus:


Sejanus & Macrinus – Brothers Sejanus & Macrinus have assumed the temporary role as the Marshal’s Honor Guard; Initiates chosen for their martial skill, but not yet prepared for the honor of Sword Brethren, are granted the honor of serving the Marshal’s house as a way to better discern their skills & possibility of ascension to the Sword Brethren. Clad in Mk. IV ‘Maximus’ armor, these Honor Guard wield weapons that trace their heraldry back to their former home planet of Terra. Variants of the Guardian Spear, the Honor Guard wield Crusader Spears, power weapons fitted with bolters & ended with heavy censers – to not only force lesser demons from this plane, but to also smash their foes. It is a trial by fire in the truest form – the Marshal’s enemies will be numerous & failure to defend their lord means disgrace. Sejanus & Macrinus are currently undergoing this rite of passage against one of the more hated foes of the Imperium.

Constans:

Constans – Brother Constans has been granted a most prestigious position for the Geonide Crusade, that of the Standard Bearer. It is a position he will fulfill with great fervor. Clenched within the inhuman grip of his Power Fist, he carries a black flag; attached to the black flag are the tenets established by their first High Marshal, Sigismund & the promise he made to the Emperor upon leaving his Legion & Terra. Constans will openly display this promise to the Chaos controlled beings, forcing them to sneer in disgust, all the while strengthening the resolve of his brothers on the battlefield. The standard WILL NOT falter from his grip.

So there you have the recent addition to my BTs. As you can see, I've decided to name the spears Crusader Spears...partly because of their eternal crusade the BTs embarked on, and I liked having the tie-in to their Terran roots from when they belonged to the Imperial Fist Legion.

Also, I've sort of added to minor levels within the BT hierarchy, mostly in the Initiate division. The Honor Guard serve as a temporary role as the Marshal's Honor Guard - they are in the process of being selected for service within the Sword Brethren and this protective role allows the Marshal to physically see them in combat. If they succeed, they rise to Sword Brethren.

The second added level is the Sentinels of the Champion - this is a position for highly skilled Initiates. It is there sole duty to ensure the Champion is able to reach the enemy leader and challenge them to combat; this means they will fight side by side with the Champion, killing all unworthy opponents & ensure that the enemy leader does not allow his own forces to interfere. This tends to be a more stable position that does not dissolve the moment the Crusading Champion completes his duty.

So Hadrian & Trajan, the current Sentinels, have been doing this for quite a while, as they are considered more than apt at getting Tiberius towards whatever enemy is deemed worthy. Upon completion of this role, they too will be elevated to Honor Guard & eventually the Sword Brethren.

And we shall see what comes next. There's pretty much a lull in my Marine figures, short of my Terminators...I do want to purchase an Assault Squad so I can paint them and attach Gaius to their squad, which then leaves me purchasing another BT conversion kit, or picking and choosing solo figures.

I suppose I should grab a Chaplain and get him in here. I would love to have Grimaldus, but I don't want his Servitor Retinue. Any suggestions?

EDIT: I've decided I'm still not happy with my highlighting techniques on the black armor. I've got to slim down my lines and need to get a hold of a new fine details brush.

Nice work Ar'ka!

I'm loving the 'Crusader Spear' idea! It's a great concept that Initiates would bodyguard their Castellan for a while to prove themselves worthy of ascension into the Sword Brethren. More fluff soon please!

I did want to correct you on one thing though. Mk V is Heresy armour, not Maximus. The Maximus armour is Mk IV. Marine trivia finally coming in handy there!

Fi'rios Shi'ur

PS. Looks like you're going to be a purity seal painting master by the end of this project huh?