Dark Angels - Land Speeder Typhoons - moar shots

These are the 'cinematic shots' i.e. the ones with a shedload of filters on to try and make them more interesting. Unlike my pic of the Dark Talon I'm not sure if there's any improvements but I always need some pics on my phone for various social media platforms so it's always worth doing.

Sure all my other To Done! pics are in the cloud but for 'reasons' it's nice to have some stored locally too.

These actually look really ropey, nevermind.

There seems to be a bit of a furore over the use of Prisma, certainly on Facebook folk are getting pretty steamed about it. Personally I think it adds another dimension but there's a knack to it and certainly little benefit of using it on WiP shots with all your hobby table in the back ground.

I can definitely recommend dialling back the filter sometimes, it helps bring back definition of the model but retains the artistic styling.

I could imagine this being useful in making a 40k comic, if I had the time I'd do it I'm sure some bright spark will take the idea and run with it though. Certainly make the headlight OSL work though.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the pics.

GW on the TV

We've all seen a big change in GW recently, from their embracing social media, push for more games and return of Specialist Games, but when was the last time you saw them advertise on TV?!

That time is now (according to the wife, who just sent me this picture).

Dark Angels - Land Speeder Typhoons - To Done!

I'd been holding out for the weekend to get my To Done! pics done. I make the fundamental mistake of using natural light and with autumn approaching that's going to be in short supply. I've a plan to fix that though so 'bear with'.

I wasn't overly impressed with the pics but seeing them now they don't look too bad. In fact it's these pics that are convincing me I've done a half decent job on them. In fairness I should have taken pictures alongside the rest of my Ravenwing to compare the consistency, you can definitely see brighter and more highlights on these than the Dark Talon, but it's a smaller model with more edges so there would be more going on.

I'm still dubious about the orange missiles, but I've used orange throughout for grenades and missiles so I felt compelled to stick with it. Consistency is hugely important across the force, despite huge variation in the three wings and a riot of detail competing for attention so long as some things remain the same it ties all the disparate pieces together.

I plan to get at least another Typhoon to complete the squadron. If I ever do another unit I'll mix up the edges a bit so that there are red borders elsewhere - I don't imagine I'll have more than the three Typhoons so that element will be transposed on a different part of the model.

The jets turned out OK, I haven't added any gloss varnish. Liam brought me to task on its use as a glow effect. Whereas it may be appropriate on the white bits the rest isn't. I may well add those little bits at some point but for now I've just left it.

The Book turned out OK too, I could have done some more illumination on the page but I struggle with this sort of thing so it looked all right in the end so I'll take it as a win.

The Ravenwing pilot is called 'Maze' after the nickname for the demon Mazikeen in Lucifer, well it had to be a short name to fit on the plaque ;) Both marines had the Ravenwing symbol painted freehand, the gunner's is a bit ropey because I was painting it through the speeder frame but I think they pass muster.

These guys had markings moulded into their shoulder pads so the winged skull was a bit easier.

I also put the company number and squad tribal markings in to break it up although I think I should have stuck with one direction. The gunners eyes are a bit wonky but only if you look dead on, which is difficult as the heavy bolter obscures both eyes. They're so small though and such a pain I think they'll do. This pic does seem to suggest the highlights are too extreme, I may look to be more subtle with my Deathwatch and in turn make them easier to paint...

Just a shot of the complete underneath

So close to being completed in last Season, but I really sabotaged myself in that respect. Nevermind it's all done and I look forward to adding them into my existing force. I think they'll easily replace my Deathwing with a few more points to spend. I think they'll give me more long range firepower with potential to hide in my back field and should they last sneak around stealing objectives. Anyway, my first Big Purple Stamp of Approval!

MOAR Red Planet BASING

With the completion of the Land Speeders, with only photos to take, I'm transitioning to my next project, qwhich will no doubt be the completion of my Knight. However, I thought I'd go via Red Planet BASING the Genecult. With my patented process I keep thinking to myself about how they're in fact more orange than red and getting dangerously close to the ridiculous red-highlighting-to-yellow-to-white I used to do way-back-when.

But, as I'm fond of pointing out on the Red Planet BASE! facebook group there is far more diversity in the Martian basing style than people give credit to, evidenced by the variety seen in the group. Anyway, there's still a lot to do on these bases. I have to pick out all the wreckage and debris, render those metallics and there are also various pieces of panels I can add more colours to to fit my original Genecult rubble bases. You can definitely see where I've tried to reign in highlighting the centre of the base [where a shadow logically would be cast] but I can still be over-zealous with the final Pumpkin highlight. We'll see how the extra elements break it up and then there's even the Bonewhite chips too... The rest of the models will be then on pause while I do the Knight but I may flit between it and the Aberrants when I get bored. The rest of the hybrids are compromised by all the various elements to paint but the Abberrants look reasonably straightforward once I reconcile the skin tones and mutations with Hive Fleet Gorgon's colour scheme.

Prior to this I'd also finished my bike bases. These are now ready to drill for pinning the Ravenwing Black Knights/Command squad.

Lastly I finished up the Deathwatch paradoxically I'm looking forward to painting them but no desire to begin. The Knight is calling, it deserves completion and these Johnny-come-latelies are not going to interfere.

Dark Angels - Land Speeder Typhoons gravitic plate

The irony of posting these WiP shots of the gravitic plates underneath the Land Speeders is that the subsequent efforts over the weekend meant I applied the anti-shine varnish on the 28th August, the day of the new Hobby Season! That just goes to show I was dilly-dallying for good reason, any of those days I avoided working on the Speeders could have resulted in a 2015/16 stamp instead of a 2016/17. The fact is it makes no difference either way, borne out by my inability to feel dismayed they weren’t completed last season or happier they’ll ring out the new season in style. The reality is I’m playing the 'To Done' images out in my head and that mental celebration is a win regardless of 24 hours hear or there.

The glow effects were not as straight forward as I'd imagined. Orange was always the first choice, red was considered but with the red lights I thought it'd confuse matters. I must remember to always do the Macharius Solar orange glow though. When thinned it really does add the 'halo' effect, whereas the darker craft acrylic when thinned just sticks to the crevices. You cannot make the glow with it alone, it just defines the shape.

With the varnish dry I was not happy with the anti-shine finish, too many brush strokes were visible. This is a recurring issue on the black, particularly flat surfaces where there is no place to hide. So I cranked out the airbrush and tried to be a little more careful than I was with the Nephilim. In fact I think I had to spray on even more varnish but luckily it didn’t go ‘dusty’ [on initial inspection at least]. The second coat did at least manage to even out the varnish and cover the brush marks. All that remains to do is Tamiya Clear Red X-27 the lights, Tamiya Clear Orange X-26 the targeting lenses and then take the To Done pictures and I can get my first Big Purple Stamp of Approval.

Then what...? I guess I'll have to check the list, I mean it's what it's there for afterall!

To Do List 2016/17

Having covered my achievements over the past season it's now that I look forward to the new Season. Initially I want to crack on with some of the things I couldn't quite finish off in time. They're mainly Dark Angels, they're still my focus despite those Genestealers creeping into the mix at the end there. Anything in bold is a priority, everything else is nice to have

1. Dark Angel - Land Speeder Typhoons
2. Imperial Knight - Paladin
3. Dark Angel - Bastion and Quad Gun
4. Dark Angel - Deathwing Knights
5. Dark Angel - Ravenwing Knights
6. Dark Angel - Ravenwing Bikes
7. Dark Angel - Drop Pod [this is less of a priority but I want it finished]
8. Deathwatch marines

The top three are to add to my Armies on Parade board, hence their priority status, although I supposed everything else is also valid. The remaining nid and terrain based items are these:

1. Project Z?! Still a mystery project ;)
2. Genestealer Cultists
• 1st/2nd gen hybrids
• Aberrants
• Mining Lasers
• Magus
• Primus
• Patriarch
• 3rd/4th gen hybrids
• Familiars
3. Tyranid Void Shield Generator
4. Some bits of Imperial terrain I have knocking about
5. Tyranid Bastion Crater
6. Tyranid Promethium Relay Pipes [way down the list only here to remind me I want to do it]

As always things will insert themselves into the mix  as and when the muse takes me. For instance the Aegis Defence Lines are also something I want to do I've not included them above as I've no real aspiration for them above my list but should I fell the urge...

On top of all that I want to undertake what I will be referring to as 'The Great Build'. Usually painting is my priority but particularly over the winter months, when priming can be a pain I want to build and prepare as much of my Grey Tide as possible. Ordinarily I don't work this way, but having built some things last season I want to crack on and have stuff prepared so I've fewer 'blank pages' to start with.

Then on top of The Great Build I want to base, prime and paint the bases so everything is ready to pick up and go when I feel the urge. To this end I'll be introducing a couple of extra stamps for myself just to complicate the system I never wanted to be complicated! These stamps allow me to tick off this element and nto feel guitly they didn't go through to completion as that's not their goal at this point. There's no complete list here but they include

• 4 Tyranid Lictors
• 3 Tyranid Warriors
• 3 Tyranid Shrikes
• Tyranid Trygon
• Ripper Swarms
• 5 Dark Angel Assault Marines
• 5 Dark Angel Veterans/Command Squad
• 10 Dark Angel Macragge Tactical Squad
• Space Hulk Genestealers
• Remaining Deathwing Terminators
• Sanctum Impearialis

So that's me for 2016/17, I'm not sure it looks particularly impressive but I think we may all be a little surprised further down the line ;) All the best for your own efforts this season.

Hobby Season 2015/16 Review

The 2015/16 Hobby Season draws to a close, and how did I do? Well I managed to complete 9 out of 21 items on my list. However, before I even get to that I did say "first and foremost I need to make the transition to my 40k Man Cave". This has been a huge success, inside it's a bit untidy and obviously the mould problem was a bit upsetting but I've resolved that. A dehumidifier [from the wife] and letting fresh air in when I can has meant no problems over the last 5-6 months.

Should I have any further problems I do have some clear anti-mould paint that I can coat the bottom edges of the furniture and the bottom foot or so of the walls. I keep a regular eye on things though so hopefully I won't fall foul again.

I had a further 'upgrade' to the shed, again courtesy of the wife, one of those magnetic fly screens. It's a bit of a pain but the benefits of keeping cats and flies out have made it invaluable. In fact one night I even painted with the door open, moths and insects attracted by the light inside but not able to pass the barrier. On a lovely night it was quite wonderful.

Bottom line though it's helped organise my painting. As much as I wanted to be able to paint when I want, when the muse takes me having these set times when I can has been really helpful and has resulted in far less friction in the house than before. I can't emphasise enough how much this has gone to improve my hobby/life, so a goal well worth achieving! It does mean I'm in there until all hours which is exhausting but at least I'm getting good use out of it.

Moving on to my actual To Do List and first up on things that got 'To DONE!': Old One Eye he was a bit leftfield, he queue-jumped everything to be completed for Blog Wars X when I realised my Dark Angels wouldn't make it. Ultimately I didn't even take him but that effort was not wasted, these things always need to be done and the time away from my other projects meant I came back even more dedicated and 'refreshed' to get them done. Not to mention he was ultimately used, albeit as another Dakkafex in my Throne of Skulls army so definitely time well spent.

And who doesn't remember my Imperial Knight Cerastus Lancer? I make a lot of the fact this took me five months to make and paint but that's not entirely true. I was distracted by Old One Eye and I was working on numerous projects at the same time, so it was probably only a couple of months work all told.

I finished my Dark Vengeance Azrael conversion but also finally finished my Assault on Black Reach [or is that Vedros now?] Company Commander too! Although I had mixed feelings about the end result they both got done, had some bits that were awesome and some bits less so but completed nontheless.

While doing all this I was juggling quite a few projects and out of nowhere queue jumped 13 Termagants in case I wanted to run twin Tervigons + Tax at Throne of Skulls. The fact is I didn't need them, but like OOE - 'effort was not wasted, these things always need to be done'... everything needs to be done! But the big deal about these was that I'd got beat by Ben on the 12th February, the following night I started to crack onto the Gaunts, and they were complete three weeks later. Now that included kitbashing, basing and priming and all the while I was throwing in a bit of work on the 31 Genestealers too. Not sure if it helped or hindered my other projects but it's definitely rewarding to at least have some quantity to go alongside my quality [and mass]. I also realised that I actually need some more Hormagaunts [just after I converted them to Termagants] so I can field the Endless Swarm formation - so that's something to look forward to one day...

Having gone 'off list' it was definitely time to return to the Dark Angels again and the long dormant Dark Vengeance Tactical Squad which has already been in a number of battles unfinished - heresy! I was actually quite focussed on these, only switching to the 31 Stealers when I'd reached my patience with the Power Armour. Ironically I'd imagined completing these and some other items by November last year, I was only 5 months out in getting to 25% of my list [officially]. Still, it's not a race and no one is judging, I've done plenty of stuff and always felt busy [often more than I should] so there's no reason to berate myself, things get done!

That's 27 models complete, round about one model a week at the half way point... Anyway, moving on! I managed to do some Ravenwing, my first completed bikes since my Dark Angel Chaplain and first Ravenwing 'black'. These were on my list, which is always a plus, but I only said a bike squad and technically I did two as there are six bikers! So this was a really big win for me. I'd debated so many issues with my interpretation of the Ravenwing and had setbacks and doubt about techniques and approaches. Eventually the result, although not perfect in some places, surpasses my expectations and delivered group of models I can't wait to build on.

I followed up with the Ravenwing Jetfighter/Dark Talon and I'm really happy with the result pushing me on to want to complete more Ravevnwing...

And yet following on from that I threw all my efforts at my 'remaining Genestealers' which just so happened to total 31. I set aside 56 'sessions' to complete them, based on an initial estimate influenced by just how tedious I find painting Genestealers. As time went on I realised I'd missed off certain tasks with the final estimate being 61 sessions. However, concerted effort and pushing through the tedium I was able to achieve the completed models in just 33 sessions [just over a session per model]. Of course I ruined this achievement by purchasing a shedload of new Space Hulk Genestealers and my Cultists so I have more than double to do all over. That said I've had these Stealers for over two years so completing them is an achievement in itself.

With the end of the hobby season fast approaching I bypassed my Ravenwing Landspeeders yet again to bring another long standing project to a close, my crashed Aquila Lander. I thought a week would get it boxed off and I was under that estimate, once again the result exceeding my expectations, I felt I was on a roll.

One other To Do Item was A fully functioning Dark Angel force [1850pts]? Without the Ravenwing on board I was a bit dubious but now I have them I've real options. My army up until that point had been recognised as sub-optimal of a sub-optimal Codex. Now I have viable options alongside some of the place fillers so although I previously would have asked for everyone's approval to chalk this one up I think now I can do it with confidence.

Another item was my Dark Angel objective markers. The plan was to paint up my Battle for Macragge Force Field Emitters and Teleport Homers for this but I couldn't bring myself to mark them numerically for Maelstrom missions, at least not in a way I was comfortable with. So ultimately I'm going to box this one off too [in a way]. The items have been complete as was intended it's just their end function is not what I'll use them for. They will continue to be used as 'bolstering defences' by my Techmarine. I'd planed to make some extra armour plates but these fulfil that role perfectly. These are complete aside from varnish...

As for objectives for the Dangles, I'll take the opportunity to use my Blog Wars markers, they deserve it afterall. I may well make some bespoke numbered markers one day but for now I can remove it from next season's list and move onto other things without guilt.

On top of these items I made progress on a number of other projects, both on and off the list. I Based all the Genestealer Cultists from Deathwatch Overkill. I thought I was saving time by getting resin bases but I think it was far more laborious than making my own in the end. Still they look cool and I'll try and get some of these done in the new season.

I also made up my Ravenwing Black Knights/Command squad, including some Dark Vengeance conversions I'd had planned for 12-18 months at least. I even picked up a spare bike that got me a 7th knight into the mix. I can't wait to add some more and actually get these painted up.

I also got my Deathwing Knights built, based and primed.

Not to mention added a couple of extra Vortex templates, even more impressive when it was unplanned and took less than an hour to get done.

I also got back to sculpting and made significant in-roads on my Tyranid Void Shield Generator. It's back on hold, sadly, but I'll endeavour to finish off the sculpting at least this next hobby season. It should feature after Armies on Parade while I try and fill out my board with achievable Dark Angels [and friends].

 

And my Kight Paladin was another regular fixture on the blog. It's not far from completion and I'll prioritise it just because it's taken longer than the Cerastus did and it fits the Dark Angels more than the Lancer and it'll also look cool on my Armies on Parade board.

At the close of the season I put off completing the Land Speeders to get my Deathwatch based and primed. It was an avoidance task but they'll be a nice allied addition on my Armies on Parade board and it looks better if these are partially painted when we play Deathwatch Overkill.

The Land Speeders were easily achievable at the end of the season, after the 31 Genestealers but for reasons unknown I couldn't quite bring myself to push on with them. On the plus side it will mean they should reach fruition early in the next Season - nothing like a quick win to start you off. I've still got a number of debates about some of the additional decorative markings to go on them but I'm sure epiphanies are only a lightbulb's moment of inspiration away. I think it's for this reason why I've been drawn to the Deathwatch - get on with the bases for my mind to reach a moment of clarity on how to move the Speeders forward.

And lastly, although technically it was firstly in the order of things for this last season there were my efforts to get these two Bastion's painted. They've been on hold for a long time but they'll be done for Armies on Parade as one of my priority projects.

Overall I think I've been amazingly productive this year. Although the figure count may actually suggest otherwise 65 models doesn't sound much but it's the complexity and scale of some of these things. But it has to be noted that it's not just 'facing the grey tide' it's overcoming the little grey cells. Making all those decisions, fighting those periods were mojo is lacking and will is weak it's persevering beyond the witching hour and still getting up the next day to go to work [not that that's desirable but it is an achievement].

I hope you've all been able to succeed in your own endeavours and found the Hobby Season a useful way to record your successes [and add to your own blog posts, it's extra content at the very least ;) ]. I've found it incredibly useful this year and look forward to the 2016/17 Season. I'll just leave this here as a reminder, it struck a chord with me recently and I think it'll be an effective mantra going forward.