My '90s Space Marine Challenge

Here is my entry in the #90smarinechallenge. 

If you read my post announcing my intent to participate, you night know that I was not sure how to paint my model.  After hearing everyone who offered an opinion, it was clear that the masses wanted me to paint an Ultramarine, so who was I to stand against the will of the masses?*

Here are the stages I went through:

Primed. 

Basecoats.

For the basecoats I used a very old color  one of the oldest paints in my menagerie of paints: Space Marine Blue. It came in the "89 Space Marine Paints set, and it still works great. 

Attachments basecoated. 

On the gun, the eye lenses and aquilla gem stone, I used Khorne Red. 

Macrage Blue.

Macrage Blue, the modern Ultramarines base coat, was the midcoat color of choice. 

The '90s Ultramarines Blue 

Then came another oldie, the "90s era Ultramarines Blue. I think itt has a "kick" that modern blue colors in this tone seem to lack. 

Highlights.

Fenrisian Grey is the final highlight on the armor. It was at this point I painted the trim on the paldrons in the third company red. 

And some final details.

Without going into the full saga of it all, the decals proved to be their typical challenge. But Microset, 'Ard Coat, and pure tenacity eventually got me results I could live with. 

Chapter badge applied.

Sadly, I had forgotten that the bolter covers up the gemstone on the aquilla. A revelation all too evident after the fact. -And I thought I had done a decent job on it too! All well, if I decide to paint up more of these guys I will try to keep that fact in mind. 

Tactical Marking applied.

Finished with tufts.

The temptation to add additional decals on his greaves was very appealing. A campaign badge,, or roman numeral three, etc. But this fanciful idea was thrown out by the challenge of the shoulder pads. Sure, they're flatter areas and more susceptible to the decals, but I was just over it. And that's okay, as I think the legs have turned out good. And sometimes, less is more, and it's best not to make the model appear too busy, right?

Stay tuft. 

All-in-all I am very pleased with how this chap turned out. He is a vast improvement over the his battle brothers of the same design that I painted way back in the late '90s. If you look at the post from way back when I got these Ultramarines from my brother, you can see a ten-man squad of these guys painted as Veterans. Feel free to compare and contrast**. 

 

It's been a fun challenge, and I hope Darren throws another one out there soon. 

*Alright, it was like five people. Maybe six.

**Pun not intended, but there it is!