40k Deathwatch - Painting Deathwatch the wrong way.

I'll admit, going into the project I was feelign confident that it would be a snap to batch paint the Deathwatch, and it was - at least up to the point that I finished the line highlighting and the silver arms. Then I started all the little fiddly details, and let me tell you it is no longer the right way to be doing it. I can't begin to count how many times I've had to go back and touch up another part I missed each time I changed colors - since the models are so individualized, there's no real rhythm or routine to rely on. "Oh, there's another bit of gold filigree I missed." Cap paint, wash brush, touch up with previous color, repeat. 23 models is way too many, so following the efforts over this past weekend I'm going to be finishing them off in smaller groups where the models are all broadly the same type (all the jump troops, the tactical guys, the characters, etc.) to hopefully cut down on the back and forth. That said, a fair bit of progress!

The addition of the gold and boltgun metallics really helps the models start to pop. I also took some time working on the faces for the various helmetless models though as mentioned above, these pics point out I missed a skintone step on one of the vanguard vets. Gah!

 

Time to consider how to finish them off. On the left is Watch Force Artemis (plus a Librarian in terminator plate), and on the right Kill Team Cassius. I think I'll knock out the seven jump troops from the two kill teams as a group next, followed by the ten tac marines, and finally the six characters individually (including the biker and terminator in that as they don't have similarly styled compatriots in the force). On the whole I am really digging this project - while the painting up front was admittedly rather tedious, the amount of detail on them has really been fun to paint and I'm really digging how they're coming together!

Off to Nova midweek for a couple days chock full of heresy goodness which means there still a few days left to get in on the rather excellent raffles for some beautiful armies. The money goes to a good cause, and you need not be present to win - the armies and other models will happily be shipped anywhere in the world! Check 'em out - a couple bucks could win you some truly epic prizes!