'nids part 366 - #DreadTober Norn Emissary & GSC Sentinel shading

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity it's #DreadTober2024 and it's shade wash time. For some reason this doesn't feel like much progress but I've done both the sepia and strong tone washes so it's now ready for the first set of highlights.

I also did the rusty sections on the base with Vallejo Game Effects Dry Rust, similar to Typhus Corrosion, just a little more red. This will form a great base to drybrush and weather.

The Sentinels also had Dry Rust applied.

I also added a chainsaw arm to the armoured Sentinel. This was an original Adeptus Titanicus chainsaw arm. Part of me felt this was heresy.

But I'm not likely to use them for their original function when I have lovely new Titans painted if I want to play Adeptus Titanicus

And, it's better the bit gets used rather than sit in a box gathering dust. You may also spot some decorative gemstones on the inside leg joints of the scout sentinel. They had been missing some bits and I just wanted to cover the holes up.

I'll cover the gems up with paint on primer and Dry Rust and it'll look almost original. That's it for week one, hopefully I'll continue progress and keep this momentum going with first stage highlights this weekend.

'nids part 365 - #DreadTober Norn Emissary & GSC Sentinel prep work

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity it's #DreadTober2024 and I need to get my hobby mojo back on and get some painting done.

My pledge this year is my Norn Emissary/Assimilator. I've had this for about 10 months now and it's about time he got finished. He'd pretty much been built, based, primed and base-coated months ago but I then decided he would be for DreadTober and also I'd magnetise the Assimilator arms and head which was something of a challenge.

It was such an afterthought it was quite difficult to get it done, but this is my usual starting point for DreadTober for me. Everything else takes just so long to do and this stuff is so tedious it needs to be out of the way to give me any chance of getting it done by the end of the month.

Another issue was that I dropped it at some point and didn't realise his tail spike had snapped off. obviously that piece is no lost for all eternity so I used a Carnifex spike to replace it. I'm hoping that this will be the easy part of the challenge. I mean it's big, but it's not High Rule Dude big, like last year's pledge.

Now, because this was technically done last hobby season I need to break out the old Bloody Great Big Bloody BIG BUILD Stamp of Bloody BUILD Approval as well as the Bloody Great Big Bloody BASE Stamp of Bloody Approval for one last time.

The first time I joined in DreadTober was 2017 and I painted 2 Genestealer Cult Sentinels and look what I have as my 'stretch' goal - 2 Genestealer Cult Sentinels.

As you can see all prepped and ready to go. It's actually worth noting that these might be far more of a stretch than they appear. Sure, last year I did a massive Tyranid monster and two Screamer Killers for my stretch - 3 much bigger models. But they were all the same colour palette so it was very easy to keep the flow going.

Here I have a very different palette and although the models are significantly smaller I really do pack in a lot of techniques to make these grungy and weathered. Although, perfection isn't 100% necessary because of that weathering so they may actually be very quick

But I had a bit of fun building the 'armoured Sentinel cabin'. I had the cabin frame but none of the panels. So, I cut up post-it notes to create templates for the panels between the frame sections. Then I stuck the shape to an old credit card and that became the armour plating. Then I used the template again on cereal box card, but cut it 1mm inset, to make the additional armour plate. 

Drilled holes in the cereal box card for added detail and then used a superglue tube spacing ring to make the roof hatch, with a drawing pin, bits of card and a cocktail stick. I'll probably never use these in a game, so it begs the question why I'm actually doing them but I really enjoyed painting the first two in 2017 so hopefully I'll get a thrill from doing these.

And this gives me the first Great Big Wooden BIG BUILD Stamp of Approval for the hobby season

As well as the first Great Big Wooden BIG BUILD Basing Stamp of Approval

'nids part 362 - #DreadTober Screamer Killers - White pics

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been #PaintingWarhammer on my Tyranid Screamer Killers. I'd been too preoccupied obviously, with the completion of #DreadTober and then #ArmiesOnParade I forgot to post these white background pics. 

These were surprisingly straightforward to paint, although I'm sure it felt a little overwhelming to do 2 and the High Rule Dude over the September and October.

A lot of work, with great results, but I was a little burnt out by the end.

It was the workload that was the challenge, not the work. 

There's still and urge to get another one and kitbash Old One Eye out of it.

I've seen some great examples with Haruspex claws, but foolishly missed a chance to get a pair on ebay.

But it's a question of 'why?'

Why do I need another one? I've got plenty to paint as it is.

Maybe if I finish all the Leviathan Tyranids and my Norn Emissary that should be added to the list.

Anyway, enjoy the pics, hope you like them.

'nids part 360 - #DreadTober Screamer Killers - TO DONE!!

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity it's the 3st of #DreadTober and I've been #PaintingWarhammer on my Tyranid Screamer Killers. Did we manage to meet the deadline? Of course we did!

 As #DreadTober comes to an end I'm less guilty about my headstart as without it it would never have been completed in time. It looks like I judged the effort needed to perfection and rather than feel bad about that I'm going to embrace it from now on. 

I felt bad when I missed the deadline with the Tyrannofex so at least this time it was all worthwhile. Not to mention I managed 2 Dread sized creatures and a Knight sized one too.

Of course I could have just focused on one thing throughout the month but I'm not sure if that was the most effective and efficient use of my time.

Bottom line I have to balance the community event with my own mojo and muse and September I had the urge to start these early and it was the right decision.

So, no more apologies and I really like how these both turned out, enough that I will not mention the legs again!

In fact I'm going to say how much I like the plasma effect.

The blue is my least favourite glow that I add to things but it's worked out OK here. Just enough to add some variety.

The second Screamer Killer feels like more of a spider, with its downturned talons.

I put this next to a normal Carnifex and I can't believe how tiny the old model looks in comparison. 

Almost like the old one is it's little brother.

The debate now is do I buy one more to make a proper Old One Eye conversion?

I think it's inevitable, but right now I want a bit of a break. Although I feel satisfied with my efforts in the hobby season so far, I think at some point I need to finish those Deathwing Terminators to be truly satisfied.

Possibly with the remaining bits of my Death Guard too, the Blight Haulers and lone marine.

But these are great and alongside the High Rule Dude it's been the best #DreadTober ever.

I've ended up with 3 amazing models that despite the minor setbacks I think have come out amazingly.

Can't wait for DreadTober 2024

And to top it all I get another Bloody Great Big Bloody Stamp of Bloody Approval!