My timeline for Space Hulk — and, zoomed out a bit, miniature painting in general — looks like this:
- 2009: bought Space Hulk
- 2012 or 2013: finished painting all the Genestealers
- 2014: base-coated the red on all the Terminators
- 2014-2020: basically quit miniature painting altogether
- February 22-March 13, 2020: finished painting the Terminators
I’ve shared a representative sample of my painted Genestealers here on Yore, now it’s time to share those Termies!
May the Emperor’s light be upon you, brothers
I’m too close to these right now for self-critique. They’re not perfect. Despite having been painting for 30 years, I’ve spent the vast majority of that time not painting. I’m very much a beginner, with a lot to learn.
I’ve included my favorite mini in the center of each picture below: Lorenzo, the Librarian, Gideon, throne boy. (Close seconds are Leon and Zael.)
Even though there are fewer Terminators than Genestealers, and fewer of either than all the BattleTech stuff I painted ages ago, this was the most personally significant miniature painting project I’ve ever undertaken.
I have loved Space Hulk since I was a wee lad, flipping through issues of White Dwarf around age 10-12. Terminators are my favorite Warhammer 40k concept and figure, and always have been. I’ve wanted to own a set, painted by me, for over 30 years. The journey to getting these painted has, until 2020, been defined largely by not enjoying painting; this was the year, and the project, that saw me enjoying the process for the process. I love it now, and I had an absolute blast painting these Terminators.
For now, these are my best paint jobs. For now!
Painting is a ton of fun
I learned a lot, and rediscovered some things, while I painted these dudes:
- using brushed-on washes, with multiple shades
- a more delicate touch while drybrushing
- a bit of experimentation with highlighting, notably on armor plate edges and gems
- paying much more attention to painting details
- using a brushed-on varnish for the first time
- working with new tools, including a painting handle and a specialty water cup
- using better brushes, and finer-tipped brushes, and taking better care of them
- thinning my paints for the first time
I’m going to put what I’ve learned into practice on my Blood Angels army — and then iterate on that, and iterate again. I’m a miniature painter now, and I love this hobby!