Since I'm doing multiple repaints in the theme I did my Star Destroyer, may as well have a thread for Shadow Squadron. The debut for this thread happens to be my first of three Gladiators. Also my first attempt at adding lighting to a model. As always, critique is welcome!
Looking very good!
Love the red engines with the black. A subtle bit of drybrushing would really make that model pop. Some good edges on a Gladiator.
yep, looks pretty good mate. Key to the lights is let the ship's structure fork for you. Seems you've got it
The engine red looks a touch dark in the picture, but I know from experience how deceiving that can be. If you find it dark, you can easily use one little 'cheat': take a trace of orange (and if you want to go further after that, yellow) and flick the lower lip of the nozzle as if you were drybrushing it. It's not about adding colour, it's more like it's just making the edge stand out so it looks like it's picking up and putting out more light than it actually is. The main colour is still there, this is almost like a 'desaturation for effect'.
Can't wait to see more.
After dry brush photos of both. Gotta get pics of the raiders. Coated and dry brushed them only.
Why the red exhausts?
Also WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT BIG WHITE BLOB IN THE BACKGROUND?!
That's a Finalizer blue tooth speaker. I asked, lol. Some people get all the cool toys....
Why the red exhausts?
Also WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT BIG WHITE BLOB IN THE BACKGROUND?!
Some new works today!
First off is my work in progress Shadow Squadron Interdictor.
Next is the full lineup of Shadow Squadron for Regionals.
A side by side of my Jumpmaster 5000 for my regionals list, and the X-Wing Miniatures Jumpmaster 5000.
And finally, my attempt at blood stripes on my Soontir Fel squadron.
Just a finished shot of the Interdictor to add today. Shadow Squadron had a local challenger that needed obliged. I'll share the link to my live video for it.
And here's the link to the live video for my match today. I took the win with an 8-2 on Advanced Gunnery.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155419133729097&id=530344096
Edited by DestraaAnother small update, not as pressed to get painting done since I got denied the day off for regionals. Looking at experimenting with bomber lists since they were so prevalent at Worlds, so started work on my four squadrons worth of them, talking on Major Rhymer first and foremost.
Also taking a step into more unique markings with named squadrons, using creative license since the only officially marked one is Soontir Fel.
Finished up my bomber squadrons, and since they're identical other than rhymer with the white stripes, not worried about posting those. Did, however, also tackle the Slave I tonight.
The green didn't quite come out the way I wanted it (closer to the X-Wing Miniatures Firespray-31), but I think it came out nicely overall. My other two Firesprays I intend to paint up like the Mandalorian Mercenary generic from X-Wing Miniatures.
Not a newly painted miniature, but had to share this. First tweet shared by the FFG accounts! Have to say thank you to the FFG team, and that it's an amazing confidence booster to see my work shared by you.
Another update for the day! This time it is pictures of painted models. Today's work is a couple of generic Firespray-31s based off of the Mandalorian Mercenary pilot from the X-Wing Miniatures Firespray-31, and a decently executed set of TIE F/Os.
Cool layout on the firespray, I dig it being mostly not grey.
Few new photographs for today, one of which was taken of my Shadow Squadron skirmish with Darth Lupine's Blood Squadron.
Skirmish going into the top of round two.
And a pair of shots of my flotillas. One prior to dry brushing and one of the completed job.
That's all for today (so far!)
Last update for today. Working on my other two Gladiators, and trying some advanced lighting techniques along the way, as well as trying to refine drybrush technique.
See, I told you yellow highlights would do the trick!
Finished gladiators two and three tonight, and think they look pretty **** good. Took a pair of photos of them with and without my camera's flash enabled.
With flash:
Without flash:
Looks good. A tip for windows, lines and other fidgety bits if I may (probably the best I've received):
After you've made your window/line, go back with the base color (i.e. the color the window/line/fidgety bit was painted on top of) and cover up errors where you went over the edge or the line gets wavy/bulges or the window bled over. For example, with Fel/Saber squadron, you'll go back with black over the solar panels and grey where the red stripe crosses the framework to straighten out the red stripes. Be patient, use a magnifying glass, keep the brush wet and try not to drink too much caffeine
haha, it makes a man shake. I find a good scotch has a nice comfortably numb vibe lol.
Yeah, with the second and third Gladiator tried a couple new methods for the windows and had to go back over them with Chaos Black to cover up the spillage. They've come a long way from my first one (in the initial post), but definitely have room to improve still.
And the more you do, the better you'll get.
Had a migraine today so didn't get started on painting anything until late today. Here's what I managed to get accomplished using Lurtz' painting guide for X-Wings. Still need to pick up some blue for Luke's ultra small R2 unit so I can stick him in the middle. The wingmen are supposed to be Biggs Darklighter (black astromech) and Wedge Antilles (red astromech), but the scale and relative distance from the fighters is counter productive to going that in-depth to do their individual fighter markings. Until next time!
I love the Ledbelcher. Those stripes look great. I haven't checked out his tutorial but here's how I do the cockpits:
1. Paint the cockpit glass first. I prefer a simple gloss black and it will cover the entire cockpit area.
2. Paint the cockpit framework second. Start with the outer boundaries then the inner frames then the inner boundaries. Magnifying tools (tabletop mag glass or wearable device) helps tremendously and a tiny brush kept damp.
3. Go back over the edges with fuselage color as necessary.
4. If you botch it up too badly, start over with step one.
5. If you botch it up a second time, you may have too much paint around the cockpit to salvage it and might consider stripping it and starting over; otherwise, back to step one.
Edited by WGNF911When I first primed them I questioned how they'd turn out, honestly. Seeing them painted up has made the lead belcher grow on me immensely. I think it'll be my go to base for rebel fighters that don't call for a white base (like the Rebel Aces B Wing). The tutorial is over a year old, I'll link it here though. Thank you for the kind words on them as well, I'm liking the hodge podge look they're getting from me correcting an overage with Mechanicus Standard Grey to boot.
Here's the link to that tutorial I'm following.