Wednesday 24 January 2018

'nids part 238 - Rippers - TO DONE!

I've had four bases of Rippers for so long now that the 4th base, which was done at a later date than the the original 3 still looks like they were painted at the same time.


But I collected a fair few Rippers from bits and other assorted ebay purchases but always wanted swarms to look more like the Forgeworld variety


Their rules may be lacklustre but those piles of little gribblies look cool.


I'd put off making some green-stuff press molds for a long time but the need to have two broods of three for GT3 meant I had to crack on and make my attempt at press-molding.


I also piled some Spinemaw Rippers on a base to make up the second base.


I'm not a fan of Spinemaws, from a model point of view so I'd rather they sit on one base than have them infect another with their presence. But these don't look too bad really.


The tunnelling swarm is made up of 7 green stuff casts.


As well as three plastic Rippers and the Tyranid Warrior face at the the front.


As a first attempt at making these bases I was really chuffed with the result.
I've just done another round of casts and I'll see what I can do with twice as many on one base!
Ultimately I'm taking these because they're cheap Troops choices that allows me to take two Battalions. In game they're only function is objective grabbers.
Although I understand they have the ability to swarm the likes of Imperial Knights so they can't Fall Back from combat - so they have their uses.
They look really cool though and I'm pleased with how the evolved scheme has made them look much better than their older siblings. Although these pictures are making them look much more blue than turquoise.

My other beef with the Spinemaws is I can't seem to find the sweet-spot to take their picture.

OK, that's more to do with how I placed them on the base but evens so.
But their disposition at least shows a little variety as I'd added some plasticard at the front and you can see the nearest Ripper has his tail submerged in the ground to give some height difference to what is four copies of the same model.
So there we go, I'm not entirely sure it was the case but these seem to have been done really quickly. Of course they were stagnant for a VERY long time but they've gone from build to completion quite quickly. I think mainly because I've been busy doing many projects simultaneously I know that the time spent has been significantly less than the time that has passed. Now, despite these being 'off-list' I still get the Great Big Gamboge Stamp of Approval - voila!

Monday 22 January 2018

'nids part 237 - Trygon - Toxin/Plasma

Toxin Sac and Plasma effect next. I had originally planned to do a video of the green being applied but foolishly shook my Dark Green Valejo paint just before I began, which given how the process specifically requires the paint to remain un-mixed rendered the whole process redundant.


The Dark Green just dries flat.


OK, so sue me this is one of those step-by-steps that misses out three steps ;) Lime green, followed by lime green/yellow and lime green/yellow/white.


Same deal with the head, Valejo Dark Green


Side view, almost decent OSL already.


Then fully OTT.


Pleased with the result and that's it pretty much done now.


All I need to do is glue it together, varnish - matt and gloss and then Tamiya Clear Red X-27 and it's TO DONE!

Friday 19 January 2018

Dark Angels - Tanks - Predator progress

Over the last few months where I can I've been adding a little bit here and there to my two Dark Angels Tanks. Both original Rogue Trader models but the Razorback has some modern bits on and is slightly converted. I've finished the bronze metallics, up to first wash stage and then at this point I put it on hold.


The Predator was at the same stage but as I thought it would be part of my Dark Angel GT3 list it was worthy of additional attention beyond where the Razorback stalled.


Waaargh Flesh was used to stipple highlight the green, like my Drop Pods, Bastion and Crashed Aquila Lander. But this makes it too sage/moss green and I want something a little warmer


This time I used the Waywatcher Green Glaze, which you can see gives it a yellow tint.


I took this picture after a second coat which looked weird, because it was on a pale background it had shifted the colours


So I took another pic on the Labatts beer towel and you can see how the second coat of Waywatcher Green Glaze has made it richer.


Which is all a bit moot as this is the most accurate for colour. The company number was cut out of paper as a stencil, stippled on gently and then tidied up freehand because the stencil was far from perfect.


As I looked at the model I had sudden doubts about adding chapter symbols freehand, so quickly glued on a Ravewning upgrade sprue winged sword on the front and a drop-pod chapter symbol on the hull at the back. I added highlights to the company number and painted on a company badge. I had shaved a drop pod symbol plate for this but felt completely freehand would work best.


But I felt it needed some red so I added a Heavy Support marking and 'underlined' it on the rectangular block below it.


Which meant the 5 had to be underlined. It's a bit heavy-handed but I needed something to lift it up. Alongside all the oaths of moment scrawled on the sides it's enough detail added.


The top view manages to show some balance between both side of the turret.


Next up - battle damage and weathering.

Thursday 18 January 2018

Terrain is everything - movement tray

Suddenly realised I hadn't shared any progress on these and it would appear I've only taken this one picture so far, and they're almost complete. As much as I tried to convince myself these will speed movement up my last game suggests I might have been mistaken. Regardless I thought I'd make them match my Red Planet BASE! I'd added sand and a few Tyranid elements - Venom Cannons as small spore chimneys and some Spine Fists erupting from the ground as alien growths [what else would I use Spine Fists for?].


These were a a really neat way of making them look a little cooler and actually the Venom Cannons help with movement as I can move the entire tray by picking it up from the chimney. However, I have created a eminently difficult item to transport! Seriously these things are a nightmare and I envisage them snapping off at the first opportunity and being really annoying to go in boxes far bigger than they would have required if they'd just been flat! At least one of the 10 bases and the Tervigon/Trygon doesn't have the chimneys on, so they're less annoying.

Also worth noting is that if the Venom Cannon was used as a weapon it'd be red fleshy bits, but for this purpose it's bone, just because it looks cooler. Anyway, these have now been varnished and I just have to add some gloss and take some finished TO DONE! pics

Wednesday 17 January 2018

'nids part 236 - Trygon - Chitin highlights

Work continues to be split among the 'nids and Dark Angels. I managed to finish all the first Chitin highlights on the Trygon's tail and I havevn't gone mad in the process!


I then allocated some time, while flitting between the Predator and Land Speeder to 2nd highlight the head and largest back carapce.


The first two carapace plates are done and two vent stacks [they're so fiddly to do].


The chest and abdomen plates, two small talons and one of the largest [three to go] and all the tail.


Cut to the following night and the back, all the talons and 85% of the tail is now done but this pic is just to compare and contrast how the painting style has evolved since I first started. I'd love to redo the original but there are tones and patterns there I don't want to lose.


Next up - finish the tail, highlight black, highlight fleshy bits, toxin glow effects and the detritus on the base. Nearly done!

Monday 15 January 2018

Terrain is everything - 40k future container scatter terrain - To Done!

Following on from the Deathwatch and the sentinels I finished up two future containers. These pieces of scatter terrain have been knocking around for years. Whereas I'd completed six of them and been using them in games these two had stalled because I wasn't convinced about the weathering I'd done and my reluctance to tackle the OOCL logo I was set on branding them with.


But with my AoP board relying on these sorts of items to sell the storage facility theme [and not being in a position to get some Munitorum Containers] I had a crack at finishing them off. Thankfully Typhus Corrosion and my efforts at sponge weathering on my Bastions and Drop Pods meant fixing the weathering was a doddle. Equally the OOCL logo was much easier than I had feared, mainly because it was just an 'L' shape and a series of circles I stamped on with a pencil rubber and then cleaned up afterwards. A couple of stnecilled numbers and some weight details completed the effect I was after.


I've three more of these Mentos Cube boxes left, they haven't even been converted yet but I would love to find time to get these done to add to the set. Yellow MSC containers and an orange one perhaps? Anyway, that's enough self-congratulations, well, except for my Great Big Gamboge Stamp of Approval. However, I've just finished my two Ripper bases which will need To Done! pics but you'll be pleased to know the blog will be back to WiP pictures for the foreseeable future ;)


Friday 12 January 2018

Deathwatch To Done! pt3

Got to love my phone pics, you can almost get warm just looking at them! I expect them to be a bit different and occassionally they come out amazing but sometimes they offer only a little more saturation than the originals.


It's fun to play though but as these weren't adding much to the mix I didn't take many. In future I should probably use these specifically for close-ups, they tend to work better in that capacity.



As you can see the colours get completely out of whack on them too.



But Jetek looks pretty cool and his skintone at least shows up my attempt to render his scar.


So that's the last of the Deathwatch, hope you liked them.