+ inload: Initial models +

+inload: Initial models+

+Amongst my favourite miniatures is this Imperial Fist marine, painted a year or so ago as the test piece for a new army. I've a habit of painting a line infantryman first for most new projects. Perhaps it's a bad idea, as the first model almost inevitably ends up better than subsequent models.

+Invested with all the enthusiasm of the planning, with none of the need to match anything else, and with the joy of playing about with something new, I tend to lavish far more attention on the first model than subsequent ones. 

+As with any model, there's a risk that the model doesn't work – for whatever reason he or she (or it!) doesn't come out as you want it to. That's a risk with any model – but in the case of initial models, you can always chalk it up to experience.

+In those great cases where it turns out just right, then such models are a great opportunity to experiment with new techniques, to push a little further than you have before. Agonistes here is just such a model – one that I enjoyed the process of painting so much, free from any considerations of how he'll fit into an existing army, or match other models – and I tried out a load of techniques I'd been itching to try.

+Tomorrow, I'll go a little more into detail about the specific techniques I tried on Brother Agonistes, but for now, here are a couple of shots of the finished model. He's far from perfect, but I'm proud of how he came out. If you've got any thoughts on 'first models', I'd be interested to hear them.+

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