'nids part 252 - Biotitan Tyranid Hierophant pt.7 - Chitin highlights on the tail and 2nd half of the body

I managed to get really focused to complete the final 19 chitin plates on the tail of the Hierophant. I honestly didn't think I'd do it but perseverance will out! It also helps they get progressively smaller as they go down the tail ;)

Vents also got done, well this side at least.

The striations still bother me as they're pretty chunky, especially on the smaller plates but then I remember these are first highlights and [even] if I could do them finer they'll be most likely covered up by second highlights anyway!

This is two nights on. Session 1 I did the left side of the head, mandible and two neck plates. Given how disappointed I was when I did this first time around I was quite chuffed as I felt I was 'to schedule'. What I seemed to ignore was I possibly did the 4th bigger shoulder plate too in that session, so I was actually behind schedule :( However, I didn't realise it at the time and so cracked on during session 2. So I was already a plate down and only managed half a big dorsal vent but I did do three plates and all the cysts. So a little behind still but it's still progressing.

And then last night's session - three of the biggest plates on the model and a few of the vents. I'm obviously still behind, this may end up taking a couple more sessions to finish up but I'll no doubt throw in the spots onto that second session and then first pass of highlights will be done.

Of course when I do the spots I'll also have to do the legs as well which might end up longer than 2 sessions, who knows. There's a bit of tediousness about this at the moment but thankfully I'm relaly motivated, at least getting these highlights complete before I flit off to do something else...

... which is lies! Because I've actually been multi-tasking this with another project at the same time. No, not the Armigers... nor the Razorback... even the Fire Firs haven't been touched. No what I have been doing is building my Sanctum Imperialis from the Renegade box set. Yeah! What the flip is that all about?! Anyway, I'll have some Big Build To Done! pics from that soon.

'nids part 251 - Tyranid VSG

Almost two years ago now, there was another one of my 'honestly not' diversionary tasks while the Dark Angel drop pods failed to motivate me. But what a task to get distracted inspired by - the Tyranid VSG. Although don't get too excited I haven't touched it since, I just got sick and tired of seeing the two posts about it permanently in 'draft' status.

Anyway, this was just two nights work in 2016 as I endeavoured to fill out some of the fibrous musculature on the containment spine. First of course I had to do spikes which were sculpted to match the Capillary Tower spikes on the Skyshield. I probably should have checked that post before beginning, it might have reminded me how fiddly DAS can be, even when applied to the curtain hook core. The clay kept slipping all over the place and it was extremely difficult to bring to a sharp point it just wouldn't play ball. I'm sure Milliput or even green stuff would have rendered better results with their adhesive properties.

After the two nights of effort progress stalled. The plan was to at least get the fleshy bits done, possibly the battlements too. However, I planned on doing a 'how to' video of the fibre sculpting and for that I need a willing child to hold the phone while I sculpt. The eldest helped with my infamous Chitin panel sculpt that I finally posted regardless of it's 'adult' nature.but I haven't been able to cajole him to repeat the process. The upside of losing interest in the VSG was renewed vigour on the Ravenwing Dark Talon, then 31 Genestealers, Land Speeder Typhoons, my Imperial Knight and finally back around to the drop pods, ultimately seeing them through to completion. So despite the distraction it actually kickstarted my efforts in the task I was actually trying to avoid... eventually!

Hopefully I'll one day film a set of fibres being sculpted, but finding time to do it is tricky and I'm otherwise occupied [as I have been for almost 2 years!!!]. Then I can move the spine onto completion and worry about sculpting the battlements or do the interface with the ground...

Tyranid Void Shield Generator Chapter 1. | part 1. | part 2. | part 3. | part 4. | part 5. | part 6. | part 7. | part 8. | part 9. |

Tyranid Void Shield Generator Chapter 2. | part 1. | part 2. | part 3. | part 4. | part 5. | part 6. | part 7. | part 8. | part 9. | part 10. | part 11. | part 12. | part 13. | part 14. | part 15. | 

'nids part 250 - Tyranid Void Shield Generator - how to sculpt a chitin plate NSfW!

To celebrate my 250th Tyranid post I thought I'd finally publish this 'draft' post officially to the world. I originally sculpted and filmed this almost 2 years ago but I know what it looks like and just couldn't bring myself to share it publicly. I've speeded it up to try and make it less 'inappropriate but dirty minds will out.

All it really is for is helping folk understand that sculpting these plates is not difficult. It takes 10 minutes to do each one and then it's left to dry overnight. I was also doing a couple of other plates on the sides so a half hour sculpting session in total. It's not a huge investment in time and as you can see the technique is not difficult but I think the results turn out pretty cool.

The VSG is in hiatus at the moment, I do have a follow up post to this to show the sculpted fibrous inner musculature on the tower. I actually wanted to film that too but haven't yet but one day I'll get back to it I promise, until then you now know the secrets of it's xenos construction.

Tyranid Void Shield Generator Chapter 1. | part 1. | part 2. | part 3. | part 4. | part 5. | part 6. | part 7. | part 8. | part 9. |

Tyranid Void Shield Generator Chapter 2. | part 1. | part 2. | part 3. | part 4. | part 5. | part 6. | part 7. | part 8. | part 9. | part 10. | part 11. | part 12. | part 13. | part 14. | part 15. | 

'nids part 249 - Biotitan Tyranid Hierophant pt.6 - Chitin highlights on the body

You're all going to have to bear with me at the moment, chitin highlights seems to be a theme to these posts but unfortunately there's no getting away form it. As a record of progress it's helpful but I appreciate it's not a captivating update. However, these four carapace plates took over an hour to do, I was utterly spent and demotivated at the end of it as I envisaged the remaining plates taking forever.

But it would appear I was just trying to be really neat and tidy as my next session managed to do three of the biggest plates, with cysts and one side of the big vent and the side vent too. Again, this will be helpful in estimating time to do the other half of the Hierophant and then repeating it with second highlights.

There are still the spots to do, which will help bring it all together as it currently looks a little spartan at the moment. The irony is that despite the tedium and 10-20 sessions I envisage remaining on the chitin once it's done the Hierophant is almost complete. After the turquoise and bone there's not a great deal left to do [there is but I'm going to stick with my perception because it's optimistic].

I followed up the 3 big plates with two more, the right sides of the dorsal vents along the spine and then both ventral [?] vents on the sides.

I think I got quite busy with the striations on the dorsal vents, not much room for spots, c'est la vie. Which leaves me 5 or 6 significant carapace plates on the back with 7 dorsal vents and then quite a few little plates down the tail. 2 to 3 more sessions to complete this half of the beast and then I get to repeat the process on the other side!

I might do a bit more shading on the Razorback before that, just to stave of the tedium. I've already done some, but foolishly stopped about 75% through. But the Biotitan is definitely a slog, it's not beating me though and I'm not disliking the process but currently the reward is the progress I've achieved not act of doing it.

Terrain is everything - Ferron Fire Firs

The other week I had a day off, mainly to attend a funeral but afterwards I was productive in moving a lot of logs created from my mutant Sycamore tree I had to cut down - it was starting to move the foundations of my garden fence. Having put the wood at the front of the house for a neighbour who has a log burner I Found time to follow up on one of my extra tasks and tackle my Lemax trees. I'd already added shade washes to their bases but this was after the Vermillion drybrush.

A few hours later I came and did the Gamboge highlight.

Then it's the Yellow Mid

Which leaves me with this. Again these paints are really fun as they're thick and gloopy but are slightly translucent in use so it's a bit difficult getting the right colour. I'm still not sure if I've worked the bristles enough to be 'yellow' trees. But with so many to do and the need to get them done I'm not really that fussed.

They look pretty cool, I just need to decide if enough is enough? There are a few that don;t have as much Yellow Mid so they're a slightly different tone, I might even do some with a white drybrush for 'white hot'. Some of the more squashed bistles will get a quick black spray and dry brushed to be already burnt.

Then it's on to the Red Planet BASE! I'm not looking forward to that at all, the Bonewhite chips will be so tedius :(

Meanwhile the Lemax set that I bought two of above, is currently available for £10.99 [plus postage] at http://www.millracegardencentre.co.uk/pine-trees-assorted-21pcs.html

'nids part 248 - Biotitan Tyranid Hierophant pt.5 - Chitin highlights again

Apologies but this is going to appear a little tedious for a while as I fill in all these chitin bits. The top leg is complete [as may have already been said in the last post, it's all a blur]. But the bottom leg has one side done.

The other side has just been outlined, in my fit of 'misdirection'. Completing this leg will be one more session.

Back leg is also complete for the first set of highlights.

Both sides too.

The other leg has it's shin plat complete and just the edges and ridge highlights done.

And with the other side that's another two sessions then comes choosing what to do next...

... do I chitin highlight the body - then everything is at the same point, or do I 2nd highlight the legs [beware my OCD] or first highlight the Bonewhite?

Whats on my palette?

Bless me readers for I have sinned, it's been over 2 months since my last confession.

It might seem a little odd to ask what's on my palette at the moment because it's currently well documented what I'm working on:

• Tyranid Hierophant
• Forgebane Warglaive Armigers
• Old Skool/Nu Skool Razorback

And with those 'big 3' projects I'm pretty much set for what to do, I can't imagine anything gatecrashing this party. However, it has made me think about what I want out of the remainder of the Hobby Season. In my last 'confession' in January I had these on the cards out of my To Do List:

• Ferron Fire Firs
• Dark Angels Rhino [aka. Old Skool/Nu Skool Razorback]
• Dark Angels Predator 
• Land Speeder Dark Shroud

As you can see the Predator got done and Rhino/Razorback is almost complete but the Fire Firs are still a Season goal, as is the Dark Shroud [although I'm less committed to it's completion by Season close]. Obviously I already have a To Do List that should point me in the right direction but I have a clearer perspective of what might be achievable at this stage. Strangely enough that includes adding some things to my list:

1. Build the last 3 Future Containers
2. Build/paint my 0.5 Armies on Parade/display base
3. Build my Sanctum Imperialis

Number 1. is borne out of what I already achieved before AoP this year. I have the three Mentos Cubes boxes left, I want them done so I can start painting them - two mustard and one bright orange. I keep visualising doing them but I can't until I've added all the bit's or card 'reinforcement' at the very least.

Number 2. I have a number of 18"x18" sheets of hardboard that have an embossed and gloss coating that make them look like ceramic tiles. These were in my Aunt's house when we cleared it after she died a few years back. I think one would make an ideal display board for tournaments and a little easier to transport than my 2'x2' AoP boards. I hope to have this done for Double Trouble as 750pts will look even more lost on 2'x2'. But that is a challenge to get it done while still focussing on my 'big 3'.

Number 3. I've had the kit since I got the Imperial Knights Renegade box set. I need to build it at the very least. It is actually on my Big Build To Do List so it's 'sin free' but I want it done and possibly primed which might encourage me to paint it alongside the existing bit of Sanctum Imperialis that I already have and awaits painting.

I'm not 100% convinced this is all achievable by August but getting it all done would be a massive achievement. If I only managed my 'big 3' I think I'd still be satisfied with my 2017/18 Season, theres lots of quality, a wealth of 'mass' not so much quantity but two out of three isn't so bad. I know a lot of folk say you should enjoy the hobby and it shouldn't be a chore but this definitely feels like tasks that need completing. That's not a bad thing just the only way to get them done is throwing time, effort and focus so I can be as productive as possible. There's always enjoyment in achieving goals, even if the process can be tough, I just need to knuckle down and get stuff done.