WIP: Ultramarine's tactical squad

Warhammer 40,000: Ultramarines tactical marine

Last year I attempted to paint an Ultramarine for the first time in many years. The result was uninspiring. This year, I've decided to pretend that didn't happen and try again. This time I'm happier with the result. The model featured in this article is the first of what might one day be a squad of them. I wouldn't hold your breath for the rest to appear any time soon, but I feel somewhat more motivated by the results this time around.

Taking aim...

This example uses a different technique to last time. Last time I used an airbrush and tried to use several colours: a base coat, a directional shade and a directional highlight. The result was a little crowded and the colours ended up a little flat. This time around, I used a pre-highlight of very light grey primer over the black undercoat before using a single colour basecoat (Macragge Blue), applied sparingly. The black and grey add the required tones to the armour that are then unified by some sharp edge highlights of Calgar Blue and Fenrisian Grey.

Oh... That way...

While I'm happy with the results, I do need some more practice. I think I can get the definition a bit sharper by being more precise with my pre-highlight and thinning my basecoat a little more. The pictures don't show off the colour shift that well, but I think the in-the-flesh version could be improved too. Having bought the Start Collecting: Space Marines boxed set, I still have nine more marines to practice on for this squad, along with a dreadnought and a captain. Hopefully I'll have cracked it by the time they're all done. That does assume I finish them though...