Updates and Old Bear.

I know it has been some time since I last posted but that's what happens when you have a family and a full time job.  Some progress has been made in my projects though and my wife and I are now looking for our first house so here is hoping for a permanent and accessible hobby corner that is not hidden away in a dark corner.  Last month I played in a local tournament my first in about a year or longer and it was my first experience with 7th edition.  So I pushed myself to bring more of my miniatures up to tabletop level. The centerpiece of the army was my Imperial Knight Old Bear.

 

 

My first thoughts regarding my first Imperial Knight, which was a father's day gift from my wife and daughters last year, was to do a northwest native American theme. I had originally painted him black then attempted to paint a stylized face of a bear across his back. It didn't work out so well. So he sat on my desk.  Then I read Paul of Dune and I was inspired by the Atreides house colors of green and white as they were also colors of the Dark Angels I set to work again.  I did want to keep a little Native American to the design, so I added a stylized bear paw to the right hand shoulder plate.  To put a little of me in there I added elements of my own family crest to the left hand shoulder pad.  I added the dark angel to his shield and used a blue glaze over metallic silver to get the metallic blue helmet. I also delved into my first use of dry pigments on both the exhausts and muzzle of the thermal cannon. I'm still working on his banner so as to reflect the long history of Old Bear.

Old Bear first came into the service of the Dark Angels on the cusp of M34 and M35 during their campaign against the Ur-counsel of Terra Nova there he comes across one that the Dark Angels seek.  The original knight's dedication to duty and offer of service impressed the grand masters and was inducted as an honorary Dark Angel.  In mid M36 a new successor to the Dark Angels is founded the Tempest Angels. Old Bear is assigned to the new chapter.  Now it is the end of M41 and Old Bear has served for nearly 6 millennia. Of course the original knight is long dead but his descendants bore from his union with a chapter serf has in a way founded a new knightly house one born within The Rock and now based upon Tempest the fortress home of the Tempest Angels.  The throne mechanicum passing from one generation to the next.

I'm still working on the story and I soon hope to have stories for all my miniatures. I enjoy making stories in my head it helps me paint as I feel that I am in a way bringing the figure to life.  Well I guess that's enough for tonight. As always comments and constructive criticism is welcome and goodnight all.


Will