Vylka Fenrika - Test Model #2

I really hope I can keep up this pace of posting. At least we're catching up on the number of posts I managed the last time I revived this blog. One thing I hope to do in the future is post more work-in-progress shots and maybe even some step-by-step guides, allowing me to eke out more material for my blog without actually painting more. (Although my painting process is less paint A, then B, then C as it is paint A, paint B, go back and fix A, maybe add some more shade to A, get bored painting C and start on another bit of the model until I feel like finishing C, and then fixing messy bits of A and B, and then C. I'm not sure this would be useful to anyone except as a warning.)

In the meantime, while I have recently completed some models and have one awaiting varnishing on my table, I also have a backlog of pieces of which I haven't shared any photos, and they'll carry the blog through at least another six posts. I will, however, make no further reference to the fact that they were completed some time ago, as this will help the blog seem more current and up to date. Ah, the magic of storytelling.

Right, onto the post (please imagine everything going wibbly-wobbly to the sound of a harp):

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A while back I painted a space wolf model for my brother, who has an entire space wolf army but doesn't like painting. The idea was to create a quick and easy-to-replicate colour scheme that I could either paint for him, or lay down the base colours and let him work on the details in his own time. This was the result:

Unfortunately, he didn't really like it. He wanted to move away from the 41st millennium colour scheme of the wolves which he thought was more than a little gaudy and cartoon-like. Fair enough. To be honest, while there elements of this paint job I really like, I have to admit there's room for improvement.

So, with 30K Vylka Fenrika as my inspiration and guide, I starting cooking up another colour scheme that was quick, easy to replicate, and reflected the gritty era of the Horus Heresy. It didn't take long for me to envision blasting various greys with an airbrush and then adding depth with washes. It sounded easy and I figured I'd have it ready the next time I saw my brother.

Several months later I dusted off the second test wolf and got to work:

Even the photos got better!

Despite the time lag I was delighted with the result, and so was my brother. I'm really happy with the grimdark, Christopher Nolan's Batman-esque vibe it has. It didn't even take too long to finish once I got started.

The greys were all airbrushed with two different tones (I think German grey and cold grey from Vallejo), washed with brown and black (GW washes), and edge-highlighted with a light grey (I want to say fortress grey, or whatever GW call that now). The bronze was warplock bronze highlighted with runelord brass and a little silver, with a brown wash somewhere in the middle. the rest was just filling in the details and making sure to use lots of dark washes to tie everything together.

Anyway, as soon as my brother gets round to giving me some actual units to paint, I hope to get a lot more of these guys done. Until then, happy painting!