Inside number nine

It's my #blogaversary and somehow I've been blogging for 9 years! I wondered last year if I could even take a break? Careful what you wish for...

Given the family situation that transpired at my last blogaversary and all the IT obstacles that have been put in my way blogging is now finely balanced between the effort to keep it going and the need to share my efforts. That's not to say I don't appreciate all those who keep coming back and find value in my postings, as well as the support I've felt for during this difficult period. I am forever grateful for all of the comments and support.

But I know I haven't been able to keep up with the blog how I would like and that has also meant I have failed to contribute quite as much as I'd like to the hobby blogging community - I read less blogs and haven't been able to support them with my own feedback as much as I receive. In some respects I've been seduced by twitter - spending more time on there because of the bite-size chunks. And I have been able to respond to comments a little more here, compared to previously. As the IT policy on the images has tightened the actual blog and comments have relaxed and with G+ dead it's now straightforward to see all the latest comments chronologically in the dashboard and which ones I need to respond to [or delete of they're spam].

Rest assured I've no intention of stopping any time soon. I may well have had a lot of challenges to test my love of blogging recently, and I'm fine with a platonic 'friends with benefits'. 😂 But at the moment I think I'm enjoying it again; and if you hadn't noticed there is evidence that blogger has some new functions in the dashboard, so maybe google is investing a bit of effort in it? A different way to view your stats isn't ground breaking but maybe it heralds more for the future...

Here's to another 12 months, 9 years though ... how did that happen?!

Dreadtober 2019 - Verdigris and vert de green

#Dreadtober update and the verdigris has been added. Typically it is a mixed affair, where sometimes the application looks as close to what it can be in reality

And then in other areas where it just looks like I've splodged turquoise paint on it. 

But the fist got quartered for the 5th company's badge and I also started shading all the panels with black. 

Again, subtle unwanted tide marks with the black, that's what happens when you don;t apply a layer of texture to hide all these mistakes! However, the subsequent highlights/glazes should mitigate this issue.  

Waaargh Flesh I think is the highlight, mainly drybrushed on but some areas where it was applied as a line-highlight and others where it was thinned and blended.

I could feel myself rushing this a bit in places, but I'm thinking I may go back in with some Caliban Green, drybushed to help blend the lighter and darker shades together.

This will also help cover up any marks I hadn't resolved, although if I do any weathering/battle damage that will be even less of an issue...

More highlights and glazing next...

Armies on Parade 2019

#ArmiesonParade has been and gone now, but I'm still ferrying my Tyranids back home from my staging post at work. So, how was it for me? I have to admit despite not being able to be instore I loved seeing twitter and Facebook explode with boards on the Saturday and Sunday. So, much so that come MOnday Facebook was so convinced that my sudden spike in sharing folks content was unusual it actually locked me out of my account thinking it had been hacked by a bot! Anyway, the quality of hobby was excellent and I even saw someone post a Warhammer Underworlds tile with a few warbands on it as their entry - the exact example I hoped for. Sadly I saw one person report they were turned away because they hadn't arranged their space in advance, such a shame as it was a tiny display, featuring just the main characters from Blackstone Fortress, a shame but we did get to see it online.

Manchester Warhammer took pictures of their entries, sadly I have none, but coincidentally did not reveal who had won anything, just that the winner was to remain instore in the cabinet. So in effect I have managed to experience a non-competitive Armies on Parade. I've no idea who won [didn't have time to look in the cabinet] or who received any awards, I even forgot to ask for my pin-badge and just got the crusader card. The guys in the store were very appreciative of the display though so it was all worthwhile.

Hopefully my twitter and Facebook shares make up for the lack of pics here. I still love the event and will most likely Parade my Knights and hopefully some Forgebane AdMech next year. I was not without reward though, Element Games runs a weekly competition on twitter and Facebook to win a £10 voucher. I had already won earlier this year, sharing my Tyranid Hierophant, but sharing my AoP board secured me another. Now I've £20 worth of store credit and no idea what to get with it...

GW Manchester Battle of the Brush - September - Characters

Following on from August's Battle of the Brush [or 'Tale of our Warlords', as it's also known], September's category was Characters. I entered my Space Hulk Deathwing Librarian . My goal is just to achieve the 12 entries over the course of the year and as you can see the standard is exceptional each month so the competitive aspect will be tough, hence why I'm just along for the ride.

1st place was this elf.

2nd to the Slaughterpriest.

3rd to the Nighthaunt

And the staff pic for colour scheme they would do - Gotrek

I did manage to pick up the 'Warlords' award - the miniature chose by all the other entrants who last year completed the 12 month challenge, I was actually really chuffed with this, moreso than I felt with the Land Speeder Dark Shroud - this felt like a big deal to be honoured so.

I took these pics in the old store, not sure if they were also entered into the challenge.

Some more random pics

And an Orruk in Orange.

The obligatory Chaos/Necron/Tau

A rather pallid looking dragon

Some Ork bombers from Aeronautica

And their new home in the new shop.

A Squat display in the window.

With fab Red Planet BASE!

And the old Squats in Exo Armour, I used to have these...

 Lastly a fantastic Renegade Knight - makes the Imperial kind so dull 😞

Next month is squads and I'll be putting in my Genestealer Neophytes but I seem to have misplaced my entry form which isn't a problem but is annoying, ...

Dreadtober 2019 - Shadow metallics

#Dreadtober update and I've shadow washed all the metallics. My Valejo Sepia 'dipping' wash is the main difference.

In truth it is not the best product in the world but I've tons of the stuff and a lot of this will be further enhanced with Army Painter String Tone wash for even more contrast and then the Verdigris

But you can clearly see on the assault cannon unwanted tide-marks

It's less noticeable on the Plasma weapon and certainly makes it look a little more ancient but it's still a bit of a gamble using it.

Perhaps a mix with Lahmian Medium might make it settle a little better but that's always too much faffing for me 😂

And then not too much difference but this is after the Strong Tone wash as well

But a back shot, curiously missing from the last set of pictures.

I then shaded the pauldrons with black and painted the fist Angel Green.

And at some point plaid down the skull for a Renegade Knight banner that will go on the base of Lady Pettorini. It's not quite working but maybe it'll come right in the end...

Verdigris next...