# Tau Riptide WIP



## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

Hey guys, 

It's been quite a long time since I worked on a GW product, 2012 I believe. But I picked a load of Tau stuff from a friend recently and have just finished building the riptide today. I've wanted a riptide ever since they were released, so am a happy chappy right now!

Here it is: 



















I didn't want to just build it in the "standard" pose and wanted to get as much movement into the pose as possible. It's a chunky model and it's easy for it to look really static.

I started out by getting an idea of the kind of pose I wanted in my head and building the base first. I used Hirst Arts blocks (more of that, here) to get the height and then started assembly from the bottom up, pinning the feet and then working my way up the body. 

I'm really pleased with the results and am looking forward to painting him up. I also got one of the FW Tau 54mm fire warriors in with all the stuff so am using him as a colour scheme test (I've not done any real painting in months and months so I need to dust of the skill set)

Let me know what you think!


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## Gothic (May 12, 2008)

Welcome back reaper (looks like my idles back). I love the pose of the riptide, does this mean another project log coming up?

Gothic


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## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

@Gothic 






Thank you :biggrin:

It may mean the start of a new plog. I'm going to see how the riptide treats me on the painting table before I fully decide though.


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## Gothic (May 12, 2008)

I can't wait to see it painted


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## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

Looking good reap, the build and positioning look top notch and the base fits well. The only thing that's bugging me about it is the head. It's not a problem with what you've done, it's a flaw in the kitself. A) It's too small for my tastes but the main thing is is that it the kit doesn't really allow you angle it up very well. So much of the intention of a mini is dictated by the head and where it's looking. At the moment it looks like it's looking down which gives me the idea that it's tripped over. I'm not sure if there is anyway you can raise it's line of sight via the head to change that. From the front it's not so bad but side on it really shows. Not sure if there is anything you can do about it due to the limitations of the kit, and as I said it's not your fault, just my opinion though.

Looking forward to seeing it painted!


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## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

Indeed, the issue with the head has been bugging me a little. I would have liked the kit to have a larger head. I may see if I can do something using another battlesuit head, but if not it's no problem. Because of the elevation offered by the wall, he's less staring at the floor and more at a tiny enemy some distance away.


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## Einherjar667 (Aug 23, 2013)

The new broadside kit has some pretty cool heads (they even come in a few parts with different lenses). I used one of the rounded off heads with the shark fin on top. 

Great dynamic pose, I wanted to do a more dynamic pose, like kneeling to stable the large cannon arm, but chickened out. The crashed drone kicks ass too!


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## DeathKlokk (Jun 9, 2008)

totally looks like he tripped over that curb.


Sorry.


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## ChaosRedCorsairLord (Apr 17, 2009)

The model's looking good man. Have you decided on a colour scheme yet?


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## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

Einherjar667 said:


> The new broadside kit has some pretty cool heads (they even come in a few parts with different lenses). I used one of the rounded off heads with the shark fin on top.
> 
> Great dynamic pose, I wanted to do a more dynamic pose, like kneeling to stable the large cannon arm, but chickened out. The crashed drone kicks ass too!


I plan on picking up at least a broadside (if I decide to just do this as a hobby project) or 9 (if I foolishly decide to get back into 40k) so I'll take a look at them. 



DeathKlokk said:


> totally looks like he tripped over that curb.
> 
> 
> Sorry.












He does have a little of that. But it looks less like that in the flesh (I know, I know, "it's better IRL!", worst excuse ever right?)



ChaosRedCorsairLord said:


> The model's looking good man. Have you decided on a colour scheme yet?


I have, this is the 54mm fire warrior I'm testing it on, excuse the crappy photos:










He's a way from being finished yet. The cloth needs more highlights, I'm waiting on some vallejo model air white to bring up the white areas, the face needs more work and all the straps, pouches etc need finishing. Pretty much the only finished part is the red. 

But this will be the look I'm going for, a red and white (Red seems to be the only colour I work in anymore) with plenty of battle damage. I'll probably hit him with some weathering pigments too.


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## ChaosRedCorsairLord (Apr 17, 2009)

imm0rtal reaper said:


>


Oow, pretty! I like that scheme very much. White and red are made for each other.


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## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

So painting has begun on the riptide. In the five minutes it wasn't raining, I braved the outside world to undercoat him this afternoon. And at the time of writing, the base has had basecoats applied and the shield is finished except for the white. I've also started blocking in the ion accelerator energy colour.










I'm really enjoying this sponge technique. I think it gives a nice natural battle damage, without being too overpowering.


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## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

Looking good reap, sponging is indeed an awesome technique, it's what I'm using/will use on my Tau. Are you going to be adding more energy color to various other parts of the mini?


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## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

Nice work on the riptide, i am also a big fan of that model (must not buy Tau though....)

The posing looks great and the paint so far looks very promising - excited to see it painted up :victory:


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## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

He's finished! Well, except for the missile ends and lenses on the head, but I wanted to get a picture while there was still enough light. Just notices a pipe that I missed too, god damn it!

I enjoyed painting this model so much. The heavily beaten look isn't one I've ever really tried before but I really like it. It hides a lot 






































There are things that could be better, like the weathering on the white, which is a little inconsistent (some edges that should be weathered, aren't and it looks a bit weird) 

I don't think the effect I was going for on the gun worked so I'll probably go in and re-paint that "energy"

If I'd have had some, I would have hit all the exhausts with some black pigment instead of brown. 

But overall, I'm really chuffed. I would definitely paint a riptide again. I'm still not sure whether I'll get a full army, but I'll almost certainly be picking up other Tau units to paint very soon. 

C&C is encouraged and welcome


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## Nordicus (May 3, 2013)

Well if this isn't a big middle finger to the whole "The Riptides ancles are too fragile, they will break easily" debacle, I don't know what is.

It looks awesome, simple as that. The color theme works really well, the pose is spectacular (although I feel for you if you have to trasnport it around) and the weathering works. 

Well done sir! +Rep for you!


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## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

That is pretty epic paint job IR. 

Some of the weathering looks weak on the gun but its looks fine everywhere else. It looks like he has been fighting for months in some pretty hostile terrain.


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## imm0rtal reaper (Jul 15, 2008)

Nordicus said:


> Well if this isn't a big middle finger to the whole "The Riptides ancles are too fragile, they will break easily" debacle, I don't know what is.
> 
> It looks awesome, simple as that. The color theme works really well, the pose is spectacular (although I feel for you if you have to trasnport it around) and the weathering works.
> 
> Well done sir! +Rep for you!


I've no doubt at some point I'll knock the model and the ankles will break, but hopefully it will just be the ball coming loose and easily fixable. 

The torso isn't glued to the legs so transport should be a touch easier. 



humakt said:


> That is pretty epic paint job IR.
> 
> Some of the weathering looks weak on the gun but its looks fine everywhere else. It looks like he has been fighting for months in some pretty hostile terrain.


I agree about the gun, definitely the weakest part. I think the problem is lack of contrast. It's pretty much all red. I might go back in and add a little white, maybe a touch of silver at the back to break it up.


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## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

Great paintjob and modeling for a disgusting model!  (i really hate taus, but i do love your hobby skills!)


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