20101031

On The Table: Runic Miniature


After seeing a friend paint up his version of this model, I've decided to give it some time tonight with a spark of inspiration.  I picked this model up as part of a prize from a day of gaming with some friends.  It's a new release from Runic Miniatures that really provides me with a great break from the norm in it's style and subject matter.

The base is a sample piece from Secret Weapon Miniatures.  There was only a little flash along the edges but will take a little more filing work to get it a little smoother along the rim.  Overall though very nice base with great detail on top.

The skulls are another Jakob creation but aren't available for purchase unfortunately!  The bird bit is from a random sign post I have had for many years floating around in my bits box.  Goes to show you never know what will come in handy if you hang onto it!

Haven't picked out a color scheme just yet.  If you've got suggestions for colors leave a comment!  Happy Halloween!

20101029

Win $10,000 at the Crystal Brush 2011


Wow.

I almost don't know what to say, except "Pack your bags and bring your 'A Game' to Adepticon" because CMON is offering TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS to the winner of the 2011 Crystal Brush, held at Adepticon in April 2011.

20101020

On The Table: Warhammer Fantasy


Over the weekend I finally got my first taste of Warhammer Fantasy Battle.  I've been collecting an army for some time now, and slowly but surely painting them up.  With more Fantasy games in my future, I'm really trying to settle in on getting an army 100% painted.  Since I've got so much done already with my Warriors of Chaos, I'm likely going to try and finish them up first. 

In the above you can see what I'm working with so far.  A lot of champion types and just a few core units.  When I originally started the army, it was all because of the champions, and just how amazing the models were.  So naturally, I've gone after those models and used them to get me excited about the force.  So far, it's worked!  After the weekend, I've only added to my collection of champions and heroes by picking up the lord model you see still in the box at the back of the army!  I still need another core choice or two to help flesh out the army a little.  I'll likely go with a nice block of Chaos Warriors after seeing how solid a choice they are this weekend.  I also have another set of Chaos Knights in bits and pieces waiting for me, but until I have enough points in core, it's going to be hard to take them!  But given how hard they are in game, I'll definitely be doing so.


This weekend also saw me winning an Island of Blood boxed set that was graciously given up as a prize for the friendly event by Empchild of Akers Minis.  I was tops for points on the weekend after my pairings went  4-0 on the day (it was a doubles set up with one player taking 1000 points and the other 500 points, with WHFB and 40k being played).  I snagged the box, which was just one of multiple prizes, as I'd been looking to get it sometime in the near future anyways!  I split the contents with a good friend of mine and took the Skaven for my own letting him have the High Elves.  I've always loved the Skaven, but have never really wanted to paint that many mini's for ANY army, but given how amazing these new plastics look, it's going to be hard to not paint them up...At the very least I have a lot of great models for my Mordheim Warband!


A special treat on the weekend was a box of these great little minis from our good friend Jakob Rune Nielson.  Jakob had been sculpting this piece for a month or two leading up to the weekend and had them cast just about two weeks prior, and sent them just in time to be used as prizes as well!  My friend Pesmerga was kind enough to hook me up with the one he picked up as a prize since he had already purchased two directly from Jakob earlier!  Jakob's minis are always so full of character and have a great storybook fantasy feel to them.  I can't wait to paint this one up and might have a go at creating a different (see: creepy) look for the model.

I've got a lot of things on my painting table right now, and not a ton of time to get them done!  But any progress is good progress right now, so hopefully the Warriors of Chaos find a few hours here and there in the coming weeks. 

Anyone else getting into a new game?  Starting a new army?  Just digging a newly released model?  What do you have on your table this month? 

20101019

Reinforcements: Champion of Nurgle


I gave a quick sneak peek of this model last week with a quick On The Table update.  This past Friday, I found some time in the early hours of the morning to get some serious paint time in before I made my way to a friends for a weekend of drinks and gaming!   Overall I think I spent around 3-4 hours getting him painted up and for the time invested I can't help but be happy with the results. 

I used a black base coat for this one, as I knew I'd be working mostly with metallic paints and wanted to give a nice dark scheme overall.  No crazy bright colors were in the mix with this guy.  Instead, I went with a gritty hard feel from start to finish. 

The model started off by painting everything that was going to end up metallic with GW Chainmail.  I then washed it all down with a watered down GW Chaos Black (about a 1 to 8 dilution / paint to water).  This toned him down appropriately and added some quick shadows but without filling in the details.  I know some might ask why I didn't just use GW's Badab Black, but I've had issues when doing heavy washing with the wash creating an artificial surface over some of the finer details like in the pockets of chain mail. 

With the paint wash dried, I went back in with GW Devlin Mud wash on the armor plates.  I stayed away from the bits that would end up another tone of metal (the weapon and the bronze detailing) and did multiple passes to build the color of the armor up.  The armor was then 'scratched' when dry using GW Chainmail again along edges and cut details.  (Would you like to know more?)

The bronze details were painted with VMC Bronze.  For the weathering I mixed Secret Weapon Patina Weathering Pigment and Vallejo Matt Medium and painted it into the recesses, wiping away any that was on the raised areas.  When dry I touched the areas up again with VMC Bronze. 

The shoulder blade and the axe blade were painted using the 'true metallic' painting technique that was part of an Open Discussion.  This uses metallic paint and a lot of hard shading using regular paints to add a serious amount of contrast, running the full gamut from fully shiny metal to pitch black shadows.  Once the shading was done, I used a little GW Vermin Brown to add a touch of color and touched up a few edges with pure GW Chainmail. 

The inset detail of the axe blade was done by mixing dry pigment with water, applying it to the recesses liberally, allowed to dry and then with a slightly damp finger I wiped the surface clean leaving the pigment in the recessed detail.  The idea was that the bronze skull of has washed the inset with the patina coloring. 

The chain mail was given a very light wash of Vermin Brown in a few spots and touched up with GW Chainmail.  Paying attention to where you apply your touched up highlighting can help create much needed depth with what can otherwise end up a very flat looking area. 

The axe handle was painted GW Bestial Brown, highlighted with GW Snakebite Leather, given a final few lines of GW Bleached Bone and then washed down with GW Devlin Mud.

The wraps and rope were painted with GW Bestial Brown, then Snakebite Leather and finally Bleached Bone.  Gryphonne Sepia Wash was then applied to the recesses. 

The pouches/straps/leathers were painted black and highlighted with Bestial Brown followed by Snakebite Leather. 

The trophy head was painted using GW Bestial Brown, then Snakebite Leather.  The skin side was painted with Elf Flesh and the bone was done using Bleached Bone.  The whole head was then washed with Devlin Mud and touched up with the previous colors. 

To finish the model off I painted the base with GW Chaos Black and drybrushed the top using GW Fortress Grey. 

All of the techniques used were quick and efficient, leading to a very fast paint session and a brutal looking model that stays from the usual nurgle color schemes but keeps himself firmly rooted in the grime.  This model fits nicely with the champion and models that have come before him as well.  Once I've got a good number finished, I plan to go back in on the basing and add some additional detailing after some goading by a few friends to punch them up a step beyond their current state!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the piece.  Anyone else working on any Fantasy models lately?  Any crazy Warriors of Chaos you've seen around the net?  Share those links!

20101016

On the Table: Huron



Just got him last night; lots and lots of work left to do on this guy.  The least of which is picking out which color scheme to give him.

They up and gave Astral Claws a silver and blue scheme in the new IA book, but I'm not really a fan of the change.  It is a little too Ultramarines meets Grey Knights to me, and certainly doesn't look like a corrupt chapter.  (There's some really choice wording on the color schemes change in the book; really very weak and lame excuses.  If you are going to change a scheme, man up and just say the old one sucked, because it did.)  The old school tiger stripe colors are really hideous, so I am also considering a Red Corsairs scheme even though it would be chronologically incorrect.

Which scheme do you like?  Also leave your take on GW switching up schemes at will.

20101014

On the Table: Grey Knights

It has been a while since I've posted; I've returned from the great dessert of burn-out.  While WarGamesCon and Masterclass back-to-back were excellent, after those two big events I needed a little break.  I've barely lifted a brush since August, but here is the project I've started.  It isn't so much a project as practice for my blending.

20101012

Open Discussion: Are You Airbrushing Yet?


So it's been a while since we ran Airbrush week here on TPC, and every few weeks we post a video from our good friend LBursley where he goes over another great use for airbrushing with wargaming models.  Then there are the other sources of airbrushing inspiration like seeing what GMM Studios can do in such a short time with a proficient hand! 

Today I thought we could take some time out to talk to all those newbies taking their first tentative steps into the world of airbrushing, and even ask the veteran airbrush fanatics to pitch in the latest and greatest links/ideas/advice for those looking to push things just a little further. 

Are you airbrushing?  On the cusp of putting some cash down on one?  Need more evidence to make that decision?  Buy it and too afraid to try it out?  Old hand looking for some new and fresh ideas?  Comment.  Ask questions.  Talk to one another.  Learn something new.  Get into the mix!

20101011

On The Table: Warriors of Chaos



It's been FAR too long since the last update and I've been fighting to get back to the hobby table since I unpacked things.  Unfortunately for me, art project deadlines, more unpacking, shopping for new additions, and social obligations have kept me from getting dug back in with things here on TPC as quickly as I would have liked to. 

But, I'm finally caught up with a lot of the things that have kept me from the table, and I've a big gaming weekend coming up with some good friends that promises to be an absolute blast.  With that I'm using this week to tear into some Warriors of Chaos!


Today I modeled the warhounds and the champion.  Overall though, I'm hoping to paint what you see here and the last three of my marauder horsemen. 

The champion was a simple head and weapon swap, but the change in look is far more menacing than the originals.  Both additions come from the Chaos Knights box set and were pretty easy to modify and set in place.  Just a few chops and clips, a little file work on the hand and it all came together nicely. 

My deepest apologies to everyone for such a long absence!  Let's get this conversation going again!