“A blade grows keener with every war it survives. A warrior should do the same.”
— Ragnar Blackmane
A Character With History
Ragnar Blackmane has always been one of those miniatures that carries weight beyond the tabletop. For a lot of people, he was the Space Wolves character — aggressive, characterful, and very much of his time.
The original sculpt reflects that era clearly. It’s compact, slightly exaggerated in proportion, packed with detail in a way older character models often were. The pose leans forward, full of intent, but still grounded in that classic “hero on a base” composition. It has charm. More importantly, it has identity.
There’s a reason people still go back to it.
The New Sculpt – Movement and Intent
The newer Ragnar Blackmane sculpt takes a very different approach. The first thing you notice is the movement. The model isn’t standing to be observed — it’s mid-action. Cloak pulling back, stride extended, weapon carried forward with purpose. It reads instantly on the table, even at a distance.
The proportions are more natural, the silhouette cleaner. Details are still there, but they’re placed with intent rather than layered everywhere. There’s space in the sculpt now — room for light, for contrast, for the painter to actually work. The model feels modern without losing what makes Ragnar recognisable.
Old vs New – What Carries Over
What’s interesting is how much of the original DNA is still present.
The wolf iconography, the sense of aggression, the slightly reckless forward momentum — it’s all still there. The difference is control. The new sculpt understands where to focus attention. It doesn’t need to shout to be dynamic.
For this version, I added subtle streaks of white through Ragnar’s hair. Not to age him in the literal sense, but to acknowledge how long he’s existed within the hobby. He’s still written as a young, aggressive commander — but the character itself has been part of Games Workshop’s world for decades. That history felt worth carrying into the paint.
Painting Across Generations
This is where the project becomes more interesting.
I’ll be putting together a full video tutorial looking at both versions of Ragnar — not as a comparison piece, but as a way of showing how modern techniques can be applied across older and newer sculpts.
The older miniature benefits from selective refinement. Picking your moments. Creating separation where the sculpt compresses detail. Letting light do more of the work. The newer sculpt gives you room to push further — smoother transitions, cleaner volumes, more deliberate focal points. Same character, different problems to solve.
The Heritage of the Model
There’s a tendency to treat older miniatures as something to move past. Ragnar is a good reminder that they still have value. The original sculpt represents a different approach to design. It’s denser, more compact, more illustrative. Painting it well is about understanding that language, not fighting it.
Together, they show how the hobby has evolved — not just in sculpting, but in how we approach painting itself.
Learn the Process
The full breakdown of both versions — including colour choices, Space Wolves grey handling, and how to adapt techniques between sculpts — will be covered in an upcoming video tutorial.
