So I have a little trip coming up (2 weeks in DC!), and had planned on taking some minis to paint with me. We'll see if the painting happens, but I sure would like to get the above attack bike squad finished. So I figured, why not make this post into a little tutorial on how I do my Hawk Lords (or Raven Guard) shoulder icons with greens stuff press molds. Hell, while I'm at it, why not also show how I magnetized the bikes for both heavy bolters and multi-meltas. So here goes....
Step 1. Here are the materials needed. 1) green stuff, 2) olive oil, 3) space marine shoulder bit (on sprue or off, but I find on the sprue to be easier), 4) exacto knife and/or sculpting tool, and 5) super glue (not pictured).
Step 2. Get a little piece of green stuff the size of the icon you want to sculpt, and press it on to the shoulder bit. Honestly, I developed this technique trying to copy one of Ron's sculpts. Also, use a tiny drop of olive oil to smooth out the pressed circle, before you start sculpting. Fingerprints don't exactly make for nice icons.
Step 3. Here are the successive steps I use for my Hawk Lords icon. Of course, they differ slightly each time, but once you have one you like... you're good to go on making a press mold or you can try and sculpt them for each marine.... I don't recommend this. Just make a press mold, mash it on, and clean it up for each marine. It's much easier and consistent.
Step 4. Now there are ample press mold tutorial by From the Warp members (e.g., Corvus and Shotrsonfire79), but here's how I do it. Once you icon you like, dab a bit of olive oil on it, and press a bit of green stuff on top. Take care to make sure it doesn't wrap around the shoulder pad, or you'll be stuck (pun intended).
Step 5. Once the green stuff mold cures, pop it off and clean it up (wash off the oil).
Step 6. If you do it right (or are lucky), you can pop off the icon you built and put them onto another bit. Here are the ones I did for my primed and magnetized attack bike squad.
Step 7. lastly, magnetizing is easy and for me it's the final step before painting. Also, there are quite a few tutorials on the process over at From the Warp, so be sure to check them out. If your careful and have small magnets, you can put one in the bottom of your weapons and one in the handles of the seated attack bike gunner. Make sure to check the polarization before you glue them in since the magnets only attack one way. This is especially important for the second weapon.
Step 8. Paint 'em... and that's just what I am going to do. Hope you found this helpful and check back for the painted squad.
