Big Pig Helga

I've been excited to get my paws on this model since I first saw it. I'm not ashamed to say that I based, primed, and painted it on the same day I got it. Can't stop won't stop.

I used white primer, which really popped the colors when I layered them on thin. The hair in particular was a very dark red-brown (skrag from GW? not sure) that came out so vibrant and perfect I couldn't bear to lighten it up to blonde like I originally intended.

Also, the blue was a last-minute addition. A local painter said the theme was a bit bland and suggested I make the banner blue; then we started investigating woad, and she went full highlander.

Malifaux Adventures

I am all about Malifaux right now. My local shop has been clearing out their stock of old metal models for dirt-cheap prices, so I picked up the Lady Justice crew and used them as practice models (painting and playing--though with the new cards and rules).

The orange bodysuit might have been too much, in retrospect. I'm experimenting with colors I don't use often. Orange is perhaps my least favorite color and seems to clash horribly with everything. This model didn't do much to change my opinion on that. In this, I was going for warm tones, with the contrast of the blue water below...

I might go back and change the bodysuit color, and maybe add some blue reflected light. WE'LL SEE how ambitious I get, especially since I have the new models to play with now.



As for playing the game, Lady Justice has been a mixed bag. Everyone seems very intimidated by her, and if you're lucky, she can dish out impressive amounts of damage. She is a total melee beast and wields a broadsword. Unfortunately, she doesn't have any ranged attacks, and so far she's done a good job of getting mown down from a distance before she gets to attack, despite my attempts to shield her on her journey.

It would probably help if I did some studying before my next game, memorized her and her crew's particular shenanigans, and picked out some upgrade cards to give her the correct boosts. Also, remembering to use those cards would help.

And, from a short workshop on the dip method of shading with Joe Neet, I did some quick and dirty work on these guys:

Object source lighting? I'll revisit it.

As practice models, I like them. I might use the bright turquoise as the pop color for my guild crews.

But now, I have new, shiny Malifaux babies to paint.

The Perdita crew, plus the female Death Marshall alternate sculpt, some Guild Guard, and the Santiago alternative sculpt, the female Santana. (I enjoy the number of badass female models included, though I do wish there was a little variety in body types for them.) The new plastics for Malifaux are so sexy. Every character is unique and packed with quirky details. This crew is much more shooty than Lady Justice, especially Perdita. She gets fun quick-draw skills, and all of the family has the "Companion" trait that allows them to activate in a domino effect to get a jump on the competition. Plus, Papa Loco carries dynamite and accidentally drops it on people, including himself. Hilarity will ensue. I'm excited for the Abuella model due out soon--grandma is in a wheelchair and carries a shotgun.

Also, played around with using cork board for basing for the first time. I love the effect, even if it's sort of an easy fix. 

Relic Knights: 'Murica

I missed the Kickstarter boat for Relic Knights, but lucky for me, one of our locals was selling off all of his factions. Though some of the other factions have a few gems, I grabbed Shattered Sword because a) not many other people are playing it and b) women with practical armor. Holy cow, the end is nigh.

What? Where are the boob plates?!

Also, they have the highest number of models I actually like. For instance, Austrican.

Who, for reference, is huge. He barely fits that 50mm base. Also, he's only just smaller than the actual Relic Knight of the faction:

The guy sitting in the cockpit of that beast is regular troop size.

I had a hell of a time finding a color scheme for these guys, though, and I may still change some things. I went through an ill-fated Easter-bunny color scheme, and mint chocolate chip ice cream colors. Apparently my skill isn't quite up to those choices, so I fell back on nice stable primary colors, Red and Blue.

They're looking a little bit Captain America, I'm afraid. Not sure if there's a way I can fix that. Perhaps something other than white for the scrollwork... not sure.

Also, Secret Weapon bases! My first time using nice bases. Pretty stoked.

Calandra Truthsayer WIP

After my initial troll-related success, a friend of mine who's just starting to play them asked me to paint one for him. So I bring you Calandra Truthsayer! A work in progress (though she's juuust about done).

I'm trying to get away from my comfort zone colors (purple and green), so I went with a yellowish skin tone and lots of warm-spectrum colors, with turquoise for contrast.

Okay, so a little purple snuck in there. Shhhh.

Also wanted to minimize my metalics use. I'm very comfortable with silver and gold metal (not GOOD at them, per se, but comfortable!), so I turned the edgings on the bustier into sturdy brown leather. The only part I'm really unhappy with is the leather of the arm guards. I may need to revisit them.

ALSO, pretty darn pleased with the base. My first real adventures with cork. I went for a swamp scene, with a little dead tree in the back for flavor. Regular super glue over paint for the water.

Ongoing Legion Color Scheme Challenge

I've been working on a Legion of Everblight army since the beginning of the year, and it's starting to take on the features of a Learning Experience.

Let me regale you with my painting movie montage:

Just the base coats on the warspears. They're getting an extremely pink skin and purple/magenta scales. Redish leather, gold and silver metals. Honestly, the only thing I liked on these guys was the leather. 

Here I started experimenting with washes: Reikland Shade (red) and Seraphim Sepia for the golds, and Reikland Shade and Druichi Violet for the skin. I really loved how it came out, but I couldn't get it to highlight back up without looking like poo. It's cool with just the washes, but I want more.

Also, that carnevean lurking in the back was the first model I painted for this army. She's a little too purple, but I'm not sure how to fix that yet. Add that to the list of things I haven't figured out yet.

Thagroooosh. I'm avoiding washes now and trying to paint his skin with straight-up mixing of paint for shadows and highlights. I'm also trying to incorporate some skin spots, which was what I wanted from the beginning but am only just experimenting with now... I would love for it to look like bruising, and gather it around where the plates and spikes come through, like they're tearing through old flesh. Work in progress.

Very early version of the Ulk's coloration, and just base coats.

Going more and more natural on the color scheme, which means I keep getting comments like "Wow, I've never seen that Circle model, who is she?" Sorry, guys, she's with the Legion.

The latest mini. I was testing out my new expensive brushes on him. I washed his skin with the red just to see where the low points were, then did some highlighting. Liking the skin better, but thinking the cartoon-purple for the scales might have to go. Not sure what else to do with them, however. Hm.

Reorganization

About a year ago, I strolled into my local hobby shop with a vague nostalgic urge to hang out with geeks and work on art. I figured I'd buy one model and a few paints, get it out of my system, and move on.

Hah.

So I bought a box of Skaven clanrats and put my primary colors in an Easter basket I had lying around.

Soon enough I outgrew the basket and leveled up my hardware.

To a larger basket.

Why yes, that is a picnic basket.

I have this stubborn streak about doing things the traditional way. The Skaven Warbasket has custom-built shelves (plucked-foam leftovers hot-glued together) and carted my army around very competently for some time. However, it's big and not incredibly sturdy (bought it at Goodwill) and just not customizable enough for the variety of stuff i needed to haul around. 

Eventually I put my paints and miscellaneous supplies in a craft tackle box. Then, when I had too many paints, the spillover was stored in a Ninja Turtles metal lunch box. But this was starting to feel ridiculous, so I finally caved. Our shop had a Bizarre Bazaar, where I got a $20 citadel case, and now I'm putting it to good use:

I threw it around for testing purposes, and everything seems to be willing to stay put.

(Day #429, still haven't caved to the GW or Battlefoam man...)

Jumpmaster's Challenge

Definitely a mistake.

Last weekend was my local hobby shop's second birthday, which included their second annual Jumpmaster's Challenge miniatures painting competition. Extremely unexpectedly, I won 1st in the Fantasy Unit category.


I'm still pretty sure it was a mistake. But they can't have the plaque back now, I've licked it.

But much more interestingly, I got to meet some absolutely incredible painters and sponge some of their wordly painterly guruship. In particular, Mike Schaefer (who's blog is over here and has loads of pictures from this competition) and his adorable schnauzers were in attendance. Like most truly passionate artists, the guy is humble and eager to share tips and tricks of the hobby.

Also, the guy in the picture next to me is Joe Neet, one of the judges and another talented multiple-contest winning painter. He also frequents Dropzone Games; I was lucky enough to get to attend the first in a series of workshops he's running. Great teacher and super friendly guy.

These guys (and Rob Chandler, who both terrifies and inspires me) and the general support of the community at Dropzone are inspiring.

Even if winning was a fluke, it makes me want to paint more, experiment, dig deeper into techniques and color theory, and get to know more people enthusiastic about the hobby.

It also inspired me to go buy some really expensive paintbrushes. At this rate, I really need to get good enough to support my addiction with commissions, or the bank account gods are going to have a word with me.