Dark Angels - Deathwing Land Raider Redeemer - Mo' Bone

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer Dark Angel Deathwing Land Raider Redeemer. If you recall I saw this video by Artis Opus showing how to paint a Rhino and said to myself - "why yes, that's how I should approach the Land Raider". The reality is I far from the results they achieved and although I was realistic in what I hoped to achieve and part way there I'm still feeling disappointed.

Now I know I shouldn't judge it until it's finished. I mean I've been here so often - salvaging models or shifting my perception as I add and refine elements.

This is still very much the scruffy stage and although there are some tones and textures I think have come out quite well I'm hung up on the fact I have drybrushed this in places. Now I know I shouldn't look down on this technique - it can really work in places but usually I hide it with my texture paint.

But unfortunately I don't have that crutch to rely on. The doors in particular don't work for me, although they look far more yellow in the pics than they do in real life. I'm sure when I get onto the reds it'll definitely help bring it all together.

As you can see I'd tried adding the red rivets above, but realised there wasn't any point as then next set of highlights covered some of them up so this side hasn't had them.

I'm sure once all this 'messy' stuff is out of the way I can clean it up with some proper white line highlights in places and pin washes to define all the elements.

Then tsponge on some battle damage to further break the panels up and that should stop the focus being how the bone was achieved because there'll be the whole to consider.

And if all the red weapon casings look cool and they'll be a bit tidier then it should even things out.

I had seen a Deathwing Land Raider with an offset diagonal company badge across the back and sides but I can't find it now. It looked really cool and I was considering trying something similar but with the badges on the door and bronze engine it didn't seem feasible. Perhaps it's a blessing I couldn't find it. Anyway, I'm going to go off and do something else until I get my head straight enough to move this on. Why do I get so bogged down with these projects, I wish they could be easier sometime.

Blood Bowl - Nurgle Team Test Model TO DONE!

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer in this Nurgle Blood Bowl Bloater and some of the turn markers. I'm currently in avoidance mode so I found something completely different to play around with which was marginally effective in keeping me productive.

I don't normally do test models, but the original thought was these were something my youngest and I could paint together but I'm just not convinced that's going to happen. Either way if I gave this a try I would have an idea of how to do it so I could share with him if he showed interest. Otherwise I;d just find somehting else for us to paint.

I'd been contemplating what to do and which bits would be which, typically it ended up far more complicated than the rough and rusty approach I'd had in my head originally. Saying that the dirty cream pants are a revelation thanks to my Dark Ochre art acrylic.

In particular the seat of the pants came out so well, although I'm less pleased with the lack of highlights on his back. But I'm planning to do a wide variety of skin colours, again to play around. Some will start with the same base but I may diverge in how I approach each rotting player.

The tar came out just as I'd hoped with the sickly bleached branches sticking out of the muck. I drybrushed the lower parts of the boots black [after painting all the highlights, must not do those again in future] then added some gloss varnish to keep the wet look and some blobs of the 3D gloss texture paint to complete the effect.

I did one of the markers Nurgle Green, some purple and strong tone washes helping to give that diseased look.

I had not noticed I'd caught the knuckle with the 3D paint, rather annoying. 

All the boils were yellow, with a gloss varnish and red and purple washes to make them painfully sore looking.

I struggled deciding on how to do the team badge but I just threw on the bone and dark ochre to help tie it in with his clothing.

I was really pleased with the end result, can't wait to do the others, although I realise that I may have to switch around the colouring on the pants. I think if I stick to dirty cream pants some will end up with very little orange. So we'll see what happens.

The plan is not to batch paint, or at least not in large numbers so I can try and get them to be subtly different, which is odd because on the box they look great doing them the same despite the diverse range of models. But I just want a random mix of shambling creatures.

I also cracked on with these counters, once again trying to get Ryza Rust to work for me.

Not sure how good they look and the BB logo and Nurgle symbol was falling back on the filthy cream, with a bit more green thrown in for different tones.

I then added Tamiya Clear Red  X-27 on all the fleshy bits. Liam has been dissing the use of gloss on models for a while now and I just can't help myself  adding it, even to the detriment of the model.

I think it may well have been better with out, what do you think?

Anyway, I never expected to use the Great Big Minor Project Galactic Stamp of Approval. I don't consider Major and Minor projects a thing but it makes sense to acknowledge a minor TO DONE! all things considered. So I get's one.

'nids part 278 - Rippers - TO DONE! White pics

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer on the Rippers and here we have the white pics.

Not entirely sure what else to say about these, but it's been really good to get them complete.

It's great to have this extra variety of models, things I'm familiar with that I can just dip into inbetween the challenges.

Which means I also need to consider what happens once these items get done.

I really need to go on a bit of a building spree again. Get some additional things built and primed.

It could well be that come the Winter I have significantly more hobby time available to me and it would make a lot of sense to get stuff ready and take advantage of the good weather I have to get them primed.

So, I might build up my spare Tyrannofex, the 3 attack bikes and perhaps my MkI Proteus Land Raider and my old skool Whirlwind.

Having them ready alongside all the other things I on my list should keep me busy for a good while.

Then again I've 15 terminators to build, a load of Genestealer Cultists and some Adeptus Mechanicus as well, but I'm not really feeling all that building work right now.

We'll just have to see how things go and what takes my fancy.

Actually, coming back to the Rippers it's worth noting that I got a bit random on the turquoise, some of the plates might have 3 striations on one side and 2 on the other.

Still not 100% certain some of those gloss varnish elements on the eyes work. They bled a bit into the surrounding area so there are inexplicable reflections/highlights.

But I can't help myself, I just have to add them.

Anyway, enjoy the est of the shout uninterrupted until the end, where I have another comparison with my earliest of painted Tyranids. 

Here we go, the latest alongside the oldest. Looks like I can go back over some of those old ones and bring them up to standard. Shouldn't take too much but it's not a particularly satisfying feeling to go back so it's difficult to factor this into my workstream when I've so many other things to do.

Not to worry, I'll get to them eventually. In the mean time hope you've enjoyed the showcase.

'nids part 277 - Rippers - TO DONE! Red pics

Afternoon #warmongers and #warhammercommunity I've been #paintingwarhammer on the Tyranid Rippers. Once again prepping so many projects in advance bears fruit. Granted it can feel like not a lot of progress is getting done at the beginning but when you suddenly get the urge to get something done it's often only a small push top get them over the finish line.

The great things about these Rippers is they still match up to my recent attempts at recreating the Forgeworld Ripper Swarms, as shown by 5th one in front.

Now the 4 I made included this Spinemaw swarm, it actually means I have 10 bases of Rippers, when I really only needed 3 more to make the 9 bases for my 'Troop tax' - just at the point Troop tax is no longer relevant - than you 9th!

What is frustrating is I tried to fish out all 10 bases to do a collective shot, but could only find 8 in total so there are 2 bases still hiding in some figure case/box somewhere 😞

I'll find them eventually but there are at least 4 that will require some repainting to bring them up to today's standard.

Shouldn't be too hard, mainly the chitin is the issue, so a quick splosh of blue, wash and turquoise. Maybe red on the fleshy bits, wash and highlight and the bone just needs a little wash in places and highlighting.

In fact the same needs to happen to some of the old Warriors too, but I'll tackle those when it feels right and proper to do so.

I'm chuffed with some of these close-up shots, if you're in the market for hobby desktop pics I think these will be great.

Especially with these where you can't even see the base.

You might have two screens where this left-handed shot could be useful...?

I just think they look really cool. Not sure I'll ever need anymore bases but these were certainly far more fun to do than I expected.

You see a lot of people complain about painting the Forgeworld ones, not sure why... perhaps its the many many Rippers that need doing and they can be fiddly.

Mince don't have quite as many little gribblies on and I did feel a certain tedium but I'm super chuffed to have got them done.

It also felt really good to get them done reasonably quickly. With the Deathwing Knights taking SO long, and so challenging it felt like a breeze to do, even when I hit the 'hard' bits.

Anyway, enjoy these 'swarm' pics - like a carpet of Rippers.

Some pics against white backgrounds next, hope you don't mind.

Great Big Galactic Stamp of Approval for being a good boy!