WIP: Space Wolves intercessors

The first two

I've achieved more than I expected so far this year. Despite some initial setbacks, I've managed to be reasonably productive. These models are, in a sense, illustrative of that, being one of several projects I've made satisfactory progress on to date. In my last blog, a few months ago, I mentioned that I had several targets in mind for the coming year. One of them was to start putting together a very small force of Space Wolves, using the new 'primaris' space marine range. In this blog post, I'll introduce you to the first two models I've finished.

SHOWCASE: Ragnar Blackmane (conversion)

Warhammer 40,000: Wolf Lord 'Ragnar Blackmane' (conversion)

So I managed to get this piece finished at last. I can't say it's the best paint job I've ever done, but it's passable. The pictures haven't come out very well, unfortunately. My smart phone and my photography 'skills' are showing their limitations. I think I need to study Garfy's guide on Tale of Painters again. The model does look a little better in the flesh.

WIP: Ragnar Blackmane (conversion) #3

It's starting to come together...

Since my last post, I've finished off the metal work (gold and 'silver') and started work on some of the flat colours. The yellow areas and skin have been basecoated and are now ready for glazing. They're the next sections I'll be working on. There is a lot of yellow. The Eavy Metal team's rendition of the old Ragnar model used to have lots of it, so I'm trying to emulate that to keep with the character. At the moment, it's quite dominant and this isn't even the final hue. I may decide to temper some of it with black stripes or dags in places but I'd like to complete the shading first to see if that helps. I hope to have him finished soon, but in the meantime, work continues...

WIP: Ragnar Blackmane (conversion) #2

Making progress

Work on my Ragnar Blackmane conversion is coming along. I've begun the slow and steady process of adding paint to the model. After undercoating, I painted the base to get the messy dry-brushing out of the way. Some of this will have static grass on it, so it doesn't need to be too neat, but it's important that it's presentable. A few shades applied the rocks, including some green to represent moss growth, should be enough for that. Next I painted the cloak. That and the armour are the two biggest areas of the model, but the cloak would require lots of thin layers and included some areas that would be difficult to reach with the brush I would be using. As the armour is more intricate, I could afford to do that afterwards with a smaller brush.

WIP: Ragnar Blackmane (conversion) #1

The conversion so far

The original Ragnar Blackmane miniature was released in 1992. That same year, a friend of mine introduced me to the Games Workshop hobby, starting with the 'Epic' range. It was almost a year before I started to explore Warhammer 40,000. At the time, my friend had just started to collect Space Wolves. (I started with Ultramarines.) He bought Ragnar quite early on. One of the few models from that era that is still on sale (albeit now in Finecast instead of its original lead and later 'white metal' versions), it's fair to say it's a classic. It is, however, looking a little dated when compared to more recent releases. So when an opportunity to create an alternative version of this model came along, I couldn't resist...

WIP: Space Wolves Wolf Guard terminators (a third recruit)

A while ago I posted about the Wolf Guard terminator unit I'm working on. I finished the first two right at the end of last year. I started this guy around about the same time, just as I was finishing the others, but he hasn't seen much movement since. The bulk of the work was completed during the holiday season, but then I got distracted by an Imperial Knight and some Blood Angels. I feel a little bad for the poor guy for being neglected so I should probably finish him. He's been on my desk for a few months now so I picked him up again the other night.

SHOWCASE: More Space Wolves

Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf Runepriest

Today I'm showing off a couple of my Space Wolves. The first, a Runepriest (above) was actually the first model I painted in my current study when I moved into my house in 2012. I bought it some time ago, before Games Workshop made the switch to [the somewhat disappointing] Finecast. This is the old 'white metal' version. In the absence of an actual army commander, this model will serve as a stand in leader for the Space Wolves I intend to paint this year.

WIP: Space Wolf Grey Hunters

Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf Grey Hunter pack leader

So, I've started my Grey Hunters. The model featured above represents the first finished model for the unit. He's the pack leader for what will (initially) be a squad of five. He's not competition standard by any means, but my goal isn't to produce lots of individual masterpieces. I just want a small army of them to display on the shelf. I think he's a good starting point.

WIP: Space Wolves Wolf Guard terminators

I'm cheating a little with this post because these two models were finished late last year... but still, the squad as a whole remains a work in progress. These two are the first models I've painted for a Wolf Guard terminator squad for one of this year's major projects: a modest Space Wolf force.