I DONE PAINTED SUMFING!

I was kind of afraid to paint anything because it had been so long I didn't think I knew how to anymore.  But I managed!  Pretty happy with the results too.

This is the sergeant for my sniper scout squad.  My Crimson Fists usually operate with two scout squads, five snipers infiltrated in and sitting on an objective, and five assault scouts who outflank on a landspeeder storm.   When painting a squad I will usually paint one first to plan out and see how the rest will look. I put the base colors on all five months ago and just now (the last day of my 4 day vacation period) got around to painting the sarg, partially thanks to the crappy, rainy weather.

I have been trying to find a personal style, something quick but satisfying in the results.  I don't do well with the super-thin highlights added with a surgeon's hands (I'm not as young and steady as I used to be).  So I'v discovered dry brushing recently and have been trying to make the most of that.  So basically, applying base colors, then washing then dry brushing, though it's never that simple.  I'm a perfectionist and will come back to the same spots over and over again.  Plus, with this guy being the first, there was a lot of trial and error, mostly error.  But my dry brushing gave me the realistic non-monochromatic look I was hoping for.  I'm most impressed with my lenses on the goggles.  I painted 4 sets while still on the sprue, doing different things with each one.  This one I laid down pure Skull White and then thinned out Dark Angels Green with a generous amount of water and laid that on the white.  Gave me a better shiny look than I'm used to getting so I'm happy with that.  I also experimented with different camo patterns, all with a black cloak using Shadow Grey and then dry brushing Fenris Grey on the edges.  After blacking everything out twice I ended up with this, which is kind of a cold rainy and sleeting night look.  It looks better on one of the other guys.

With all the folds in this cloak it's kind of hard to get a pattern, and I don't like the big central grey streak there, but...  after three tries, i'm going with what I have.  I'd like to stick a cigarette between those fingers but I can't imagine how I'd find something small enough!  Not very stealthy to be smoking there, but he'd look cool! (not that smoking is cool, kids...)

I also have the scouts special character, Sergeant Talion, which is a cool model but not sure i'll pump the extra 50pts into a mere 100pt squad that often.  But he'll look cool as a Crimson Fist!

So I may be on the right track for my Holy Grail of painting then with the quick and easy dry brushing.  I have a lot of guys to paint and at least for the marines, it's basically a dark blue with red hands, should be easy to crank out!