Friday 28 April 2023

#WarhammerFest



Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity WarhammerFest is upon us. I remember being super-excited when it was first announced and with Manchester relatively close it seemed inevitable I'd be going. However, information about ticket sales weren't as forthcoming as I would have liked. Although they did not sell out immediately, as the previous event at Warhammer World had, it was still frustrating to organise with friends ahead of the release date.

Ultimately it became apparent none of my hobby crew could make it and I was left to contemplate going by myself, not a problem, I'd done Golden Demon in the 90's on my own. But for one reason or another I just couldn't pull the trigger on buying the Saturday ticket and so by the time I did, they had all sold out [yes I delayed even after the warning they were almost all gone].

So, I missed out and I wasn't going to go on the Sunday - Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which is always eventful. And, my wife was working on Bank Holiday Monday so it's just me and the youngest... but wait, what if he wanted to join me? I mean despite all the promises of interest that have not borne fruit maybe he could be enthused after seeing a WarhammerFest? So I asked him if he'd want to go, he recently went to Liverpool Comic Con so was aware [broadly] of what such a nerdfest might be like and he agreed.

With a bit of luck I'll be wandering around on the Monday in my 'eavier metal t-shirt [minus #BrianTheSewerVent obviously], if you recognise me feel free to say 'hi' if you want.


But wait, news just in it turns out my wife's shift has been changed so I casually asked her if she wanted to come with us and she agreed. Lets not kid ourselves, she is not converting to the hobby, but it is going to be a family day out now! 🤗

Thursday 27 April 2023

Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game - Moria Cave Troll

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been #PaintingWarhammer a #MESBG Moria Cave Troll. I may well have finished this before the Orc Blood Bowl Team, I used it as an interlude to overcome whatever issues I had with applying my rust effects.


But this was not without issue either as I had applied my Vallejo Extra Opaque Heavy Red wash in places to give some added colour.


And I think it had worked, it certainly looked more interesting. As I look at it now I think I'd had pangs for the missed simplicity of the previous state but luckily I do not feel the same about it now as perhaps I initially felt about my Orc Team.



Here's the best example I've had so far for Dirty Down Rust. I tried storing the bottle upside down, so the gunk could settle in the lid - easier to get to


And for the most part it worked, just a little too much on the chain though. I also went in and did the scales in the same way I would do chitin plates for my Tyranids.


This was just the first highlights. Luckily I'd solved the issue of making them stand out on the Blood Bowl Troll, keeping the Heavy Red wash visible between the scales.


I sorted the yellow eyes and teeth and his loin cloth, just some black leather bits to highlight next, all the back scales and fix the rust.


He's getting there.

Wednesday 26 April 2023

#BloodBowl - Orc Team - Pitch pics

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been #PaintingWarhammer on my Orc Team and here we are with some pictures with them all on their pitch. I thin k it helps a bit, that orange rust isn't so garish. 


As I say about my Red Planet BASE! 🔴 Having pictures on a red[/orange] backdrop gives them context. 


Regardless of if you think white backgrounds are best I genuinely think context is more important.


These at least make me a little happier with the end result, enjoy!






Tuesday 25 April 2023

#BloodBowl - Orc Team - TO DONE!

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been #PaintingWarhammer on my Orc Team and they are TO DONE! Inspired by  Tyler Russo's amazing Orks at Billion Dollar Clown Farm and this Orc Team by Robbin Cruddace. After the Dirty Down Rust I think I've ended up more towards Tyler's style than Robin's 


There's so much orange in play, matched with the green skin, red accent, black, silver and bone/white there are far more colours than I originally intended.


Now, although I do like what I've done and how they came out I'd say these pictures aren't great and so they're influencing my overall perception. Add in the fact the rust hasn't quite come out how I expected - the Army Painter Anti-Shine seems to have encapsulated most of it.


I usually expect it to have some effect, which is why I don't worry too much if I go overboard as the varnish helps remove some of powders.


But in person I just get the impressions it is clear it's behind a transparent layer. It's not frosted or ruined it's just there so I'm less happy about it than I should be.


But it's the wealth of colour that's making me feel slightly disappointed.


I know, me complaining about colour!


It's not so much  I don't like it, it's just now I see it and remember a previous step I genuinely wish I'd stopped where I was at.


I've a picture later one, when we get to players 9, 10, 11 and 12 that hopefully will illustrate what I mean.


But let's talk Dirty Down Rust - still not right, not what I thought it would be like but a slight improvement.


But most of the orange here is from my Vallejo Model Wash Rust, mixed with weathering powders.


It's great in places so I shouldn't complain and I'm sure further down the line I'll look more at these as they are and marvel that I actually did it.


But right now, I think I expected something else and although what I expected was probably more within my capability of what I normally do the style would have been more restrained.


Somehow I've done something I would consider technically outside of my norm, but visually more in keeping, it's an odd turn of events.


And the varnish, well? Blood Bowl players do take a lot of handling so regardless of what I hoped to achieve that varnish needs to be one, no matter what.





Here's the illustration of my problem, this was the previous point, before the rust FX and I think I prefer where it was at. It might be cleaner, more uniform with unbroken blocks of black but I like it. The better picture also helps.


I just like the sharpness to it all whereas the rust has gone a bit OTT in places. What do you think?


I do like the markers though, particularly choosing to do different different scales of checks on the gauntlet.


The Blessed Verdigris coin is also pretty cool, although I'm not sure if I should have done a rusty silver metal instead. It does still work but it'll be a question I'll continue to ask for years to come.


And with that a GREAT Big RUSTY Stamp of Approval

But I'm not finished yet, because of course I also painted Varag Ghoul-Chewer whop gets his own slot in my pantheon of TO DONE! this season.



The Ghoul himself was something I was concerned about as I had no idea where I was going to go with him. I winged it a bit but I think he came out alright.


The picture on the left looked awesome when I took it, really seemed to show all the detail and colours I'd managed to achieve. However, on closer inspection it's another slightly disappointing pic. I don't know what's going on with my photography set up but it's beginning to dampen my sense of achievement with lacklustre pics 😔


It highlights all the paint marks, which I'm down for and my Camera360 app was previously enhancing to the point of cartoon but these are genuine blobs and strokes.


But the quality of pics just seem to have gone downhill and I don't know why


I really liked how the horns on his jaw came out.


And with that a GREAT Big RUSTY Stamp of Approval

Subsequently I took some pics of them on their pitch. I don't know if they're better but at least the bases match. I'll share them tomorrow, cos you've had plenty of pics so far today.