Hi Ho everyone,
Sorry for the lack of updates. I actually did more painting back over the Labor Day weekend, but went for more of a mass update. So no finished models, but lots of progress done. I went for painting some of the darker colors over the models. Next stage is to do the white contrast. Some of these guys are pretty daunting when looking at them. Unfortunately I don't have a time frame for when I'm going to get back to work on them. I was also lucky/unlucky in that some of the other units I was looking for to fill out the army became available from https://mindtaker.org/. That is a great place to get 2nd hand minis (although sometimes what he gets in are NIB or NOS).
Suffice to say, I am officially done collecting Chaos Space Marines. Okay, well almost. I would like to get a new unit of the Chaos Terminators, but I'm really hoping I can find a trade for them. Pic of the models in progress should be coming in the next few days.
Short update, but at least you know I'm still here. Until next time.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Sunday, August 18, 2019
CSM model #2 done
Hello Gentle Readers,
So I've finished up my second CSM model. All in all, not bad. I have to say, I am still really sloppy when it comes to putting on the gold trim, and then even sloppier putting the nuln oil over it. Ugh, but maybe that's just where I'm at these days. Anyways, very happy with the result. Now I gotta pick another model to start working on. Do I go for one of the bigger guys? Next step up would be the Oblits. Or I could jump straight to the Venomcrawler? Hmmmm maybe doing an Oblit would be good. Guess you'll have to check back to see what I picked. Here's the finished Greater Possessed.
I actually experimented a little with the light box to raise the model a little higher so that I could get the camera looking up a little. I think it worked out. Should be pretty easy to tell which pics uses that technique.
As always, comments are welcome. Until next time...
So I've finished up my second CSM model. All in all, not bad. I have to say, I am still really sloppy when it comes to putting on the gold trim, and then even sloppier putting the nuln oil over it. Ugh, but maybe that's just where I'm at these days. Anyways, very happy with the result. Now I gotta pick another model to start working on. Do I go for one of the bigger guys? Next step up would be the Oblits. Or I could jump straight to the Venomcrawler? Hmmmm maybe doing an Oblit would be good. Guess you'll have to check back to see what I picked. Here's the finished Greater Possessed.
I actually experimented a little with the light box to raise the model a little higher so that I could get the camera looking up a little. I think it worked out. Should be pretty easy to tell which pics uses that technique.
As always, comments are welcome. Until next time...
Monday, August 12, 2019
Greater Possessed update
So this is going to be a short update. I've been working on my chaos process. Last time, I had put down some more contrast paint on the GP model. However, what I had not done was put the Apothecary white on yet. I decided to make that one of the last updates I did so that any error I made during the other colors would be easier to correct. Basically, that theory was correct. I had made a couple of small errors applying the color contrast paints, and I was able to correct them by putting white paint over the mistake and then when I applied the apothecary white contrast, you couldn't even tell any longer.
The last step I have done after applying the Apoth white, was to drybrush matt white back over the armor areas. This was needed to brighten up the white after the contrast white greyed it down. Here's a look and I think the best representation was the backpack.
I suppose I really should have taken a few photos of the model after the apothecary white contrast paint. It really does grey down the white. I want the white to pop more, hence the drybrush. Now I also know that drybrush is for raised areas, and in most cases on this model, the white areas are going to be in the recesses actually. That being said, I knew that some of the areas I wanted to get whiter were going to get hit, and they did. Overall, I got what I wanted quickly. I could go back with a thin white to try to blend the areas specifically, but this model is so detailed, the drybrush worked okay.
Next step is to add the gold trim and then go back to add any other further detail paint. Once the gold is on, I'll carefully apply Nuln Oil over it to shade it. Then I will add the basing material. I actually really liked the simple basing I did on the first guy and have decided to continue that with the whole army.
Feel free to leave comments if you want. Until next time...
The last step I have done after applying the Apoth white, was to drybrush matt white back over the armor areas. This was needed to brighten up the white after the contrast white greyed it down. Here's a look and I think the best representation was the backpack.
I suppose I really should have taken a few photos of the model after the apothecary white contrast paint. It really does grey down the white. I want the white to pop more, hence the drybrush. Now I also know that drybrush is for raised areas, and in most cases on this model, the white areas are going to be in the recesses actually. That being said, I knew that some of the areas I wanted to get whiter were going to get hit, and they did. Overall, I got what I wanted quickly. I could go back with a thin white to try to blend the areas specifically, but this model is so detailed, the drybrush worked okay.
Next step is to add the gold trim and then go back to add any other further detail paint. Once the gold is on, I'll carefully apply Nuln Oil over it to shade it. Then I will add the basing material. I actually really liked the simple basing I did on the first guy and have decided to continue that with the whole army.
Feel free to leave comments if you want. Until next time...
Monday, August 5, 2019
Slowly I turned, step by step...
Hello True Believers,
Okay, so its more like "Slowly I painted..." but then no one would get the reference. Probably most won't anyways..but that's okay. Today we are progressing with the Chaos Space Marines. I nearly got sidetracked by the new Space Marine announcements today and was daydreaming about starting a Crimson Fist Primaris army. Wouldn't that be the shit? But no...I hung in there and stayed true to my path.
(Ed. Because who wouldn't want at least one Crimson Fist army right? For us old guys, that is the first chapter we ever saw and most likely, played.)
So I've got a few more models primed...which reminds me, I need to buy more white primer. The last few did not go as great as the spray kept thinning out on me. Of what I own, it looks like I only have three models left to go. So not bad.
For painting though, I've barely touched a thing..but I did pick up the Skeleton Horde contrast color. I knew I was going to have some bone coming up and just thought it would go best if I tried the contrast on it. Can't say I'm disappointed. Holy crap...that might be the fastest way ever to paint undead. Here's a pic:
Check that out. Fantastic bone color and depth. Super cool. So, as you can see the above model is one of the new Greater Possessed models. I've just barely started him. So at this stage, he's primed (twice) and now I'm coloring his mutations with the shyish purple, and the bone with the skeleton horde. I decided it would be best for me to do all of the color parts first. This way if I make a mistake, I can cover with white before I do the apothecary contrast. We'll see how it goes.
So far, I'm pretty happy. The shyish purple is kind of thick, so I suggest using a bit of water on the brush at first to help thin it out. Otherwise, you'll end up trying to thin on the model, and that doesn't seem to work well, you end up with splotches that are hard to cover. I've heard there are a few contrast paints that are like that, so always test first, then figure out if you need to thin it down.
Here's some more photos:
I might go back on the spines on his right claw with white so I can redo those in the bone. That will provide a nice color contrast on the limb I think. I still need to hit the chains with a dark color (still don't own the templar black yet) and then do the white apothecary, then white highlight, then gold and then nuln oil. So lots of steps left to go, we'll see how it pans out.
Well, that's it for now. Feel free to leave comments or suggestions. Until next time...
Okay, so its more like "Slowly I painted..." but then no one would get the reference. Probably most won't anyways..but that's okay. Today we are progressing with the Chaos Space Marines. I nearly got sidetracked by the new Space Marine announcements today and was daydreaming about starting a Crimson Fist Primaris army. Wouldn't that be the shit? But no...I hung in there and stayed true to my path.
(Ed. Because who wouldn't want at least one Crimson Fist army right? For us old guys, that is the first chapter we ever saw and most likely, played.)
So I've got a few more models primed...which reminds me, I need to buy more white primer. The last few did not go as great as the spray kept thinning out on me. Of what I own, it looks like I only have three models left to go. So not bad.
For painting though, I've barely touched a thing..but I did pick up the Skeleton Horde contrast color. I knew I was going to have some bone coming up and just thought it would go best if I tried the contrast on it. Can't say I'm disappointed. Holy crap...that might be the fastest way ever to paint undead. Here's a pic:
Check that out. Fantastic bone color and depth. Super cool. So, as you can see the above model is one of the new Greater Possessed models. I've just barely started him. So at this stage, he's primed (twice) and now I'm coloring his mutations with the shyish purple, and the bone with the skeleton horde. I decided it would be best for me to do all of the color parts first. This way if I make a mistake, I can cover with white before I do the apothecary contrast. We'll see how it goes.
So far, I'm pretty happy. The shyish purple is kind of thick, so I suggest using a bit of water on the brush at first to help thin it out. Otherwise, you'll end up trying to thin on the model, and that doesn't seem to work well, you end up with splotches that are hard to cover. I've heard there are a few contrast paints that are like that, so always test first, then figure out if you need to thin it down.
Here's some more photos:
Well, that's it for now. Feel free to leave comments or suggestions. Until next time...
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
I'm a big fat liar...
So I couldn't help myself. I had to try out a full model. No basing yet, and I'm not quite sure what I want to do there...probably a dark color to help make the armor stand out more. But the rest I think turned out...not so bad.
What do you think? Please leave comments below. If this is what I go with, I'll share the full process next time.
Added a really ugly basing to it just to see...the feet look better with a basing around it.
See you then.
What do you think? Please leave comments below. If this is what I go with, I'll share the full process next time.
Added a really ugly basing to it just to see...the feet look better with a basing around it.
See you then.
CSM update
Hello True Believers,
So I'm taking it one day at a time with my CSM. I'm really digging the white primer over the green. Today, I went ahead and hit one of the models with the Apothecary White contrast paint, to see what it would do. It does dull down the white a little, but it also smooths the transitions in the recesses. Here is a pic that I hope showcases it.
This one is focused on the marine to the right.
This one is focused on the marine to the left.
As you can see, while the right marine is brigher white, you can literally see the speckled texture of the primer on primer. The marine on the left looks much smoother. I think I do like the marine on the left. His next update will be the gold trim detailing.
Might see pics of that this weekend.
Till next time...
So I'm taking it one day at a time with my CSM. I'm really digging the white primer over the green. Today, I went ahead and hit one of the models with the Apothecary White contrast paint, to see what it would do. It does dull down the white a little, but it also smooths the transitions in the recesses. Here is a pic that I hope showcases it.
This one is focused on the marine to the right.
This one is focused on the marine to the left.
As you can see, while the right marine is brigher white, you can literally see the speckled texture of the primer on primer. The marine on the left looks much smoother. I think I do like the marine on the left. His next update will be the gold trim detailing.
Might see pics of that this weekend.
Till next time...
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Small Update
Hello True Believers,
So I just wanted to do a quick update due to some painting experiments I have recently done. I've been trying out some of GW's new contrast paints. These are supposed to really help speed up painting as they give multiple layers of depth in one coat*.
I recently started up a new Chaos Space Marine force and wanted to use them as my first contrast test. The models I had bought were already assembled and primed in a light green color. Most likely GW's spray color, but not really sure. Anyways, using the cool color charts I had found for the contrast paints..
LINK
Gave me some hope that I could use them on the new models. I will also admit that I am very inspired by the Corpus Brethren chapter which is basically white armor with gold highlights. Very cool looking for CSM, but wasn't sure how trying the new contrast white over green was going to work. Well, long story short, it didn't. It turned out really grey...so I did a second coat hoping it would fit it in..and then the whole thing was just grey. So into the dip the model went.
A little more research later, and I should be using white primed models if I want the Apothecary White contrast paint to work. But all of my CSM are green. I have a few options, and clearly the fastest option is to simply prime white over the green.
EDIT: adding more photos as requested...
As you can see, it turned out pretty good. I have some automatic depth from the green undercoat, and now when I use the contrast white, it should smooth out the transitions even more. Super excited about this. Can't wait to finish the model.
Oh, and as to the models in the dip....after just a couple of hours, I pulled them out to see how much paint had come off....well, surprising, just the top layer. All the contrast stuff was off and as I scrubbed the model with a toothbrush, the green undercoat stayed strong. Even the bolt gun paint I put on top came off with no problem, leaving the green primer. So now I just gotta let him dry and I can hit with white. Yay!
Really enjoying painting again. Super excited over these chaos guys. I hope I can do the models justice. Can't wait to finish these up and hopefully finish collecting the planned army for them.
Till next time...
So I just wanted to do a quick update due to some painting experiments I have recently done. I've been trying out some of GW's new contrast paints. These are supposed to really help speed up painting as they give multiple layers of depth in one coat*.
I recently started up a new Chaos Space Marine force and wanted to use them as my first contrast test. The models I had bought were already assembled and primed in a light green color. Most likely GW's spray color, but not really sure. Anyways, using the cool color charts I had found for the contrast paints..
LINK
Gave me some hope that I could use them on the new models. I will also admit that I am very inspired by the Corpus Brethren chapter which is basically white armor with gold highlights. Very cool looking for CSM, but wasn't sure how trying the new contrast white over green was going to work. Well, long story short, it didn't. It turned out really grey...so I did a second coat hoping it would fit it in..and then the whole thing was just grey. So into the dip the model went.
A little more research later, and I should be using white primed models if I want the Apothecary White contrast paint to work. But all of my CSM are green. I have a few options, and clearly the fastest option is to simply prime white over the green.
EDIT: adding more photos as requested...
As you can see, it turned out pretty good. I have some automatic depth from the green undercoat, and now when I use the contrast white, it should smooth out the transitions even more. Super excited about this. Can't wait to finish the model.
Oh, and as to the models in the dip....after just a couple of hours, I pulled them out to see how much paint had come off....well, surprising, just the top layer. All the contrast stuff was off and as I scrubbed the model with a toothbrush, the green undercoat stayed strong. Even the bolt gun paint I put on top came off with no problem, leaving the green primer. So now I just gotta let him dry and I can hit with white. Yay!
Really enjoying painting again. Super excited over these chaos guys. I hope I can do the models justice. Can't wait to finish these up and hopefully finish collecting the planned army for them.
Till next time...
Friday, July 19, 2019
What in the @ss???? (thank you deadpool)
Hello True Believers,
Wow, missed a whole month. How bad is that? And barely getting in one now too. Well actually, I've been very lucky lately. Life is going fairly well, and I guess this has just fell to the wayside a bit. But no worries...I've got updates.
First off, I took more pics of my Italians. So here they are in all their glory:
Booya! You didn't think I had actually painted more didn't you? Well that's okay, I wouldn't have believed it myself. They won't win any painting competitions, but they will look pretty good on the table. And I'm really happy with them. I have to say, it felt great to paint up a force and have it all done. I am also digging my light box! Made taking pics so much easier..and they do look nice.
Which leads me to my next project. I was having some real issues figuring out what to do next. I could work on a DAK army which is very near and dear to my heart. That army is still NIB. I also considered a Warmaster army. I even got to the point of putting models on popsicle sticks and even primed one group. But again, just couldn't seem to go further than that. So where am I? Well, as fate would have it, some 40K Chaos Marine models that I wanted fell into my lap, and they were already built and primed (for the most part). I just had three models to assemble and I even got in a game with a 51pt list with them. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to paint up these chaos guys and see how it goes. I planned out a full 100pt PL list for them. I'll get the other models as opportunities arrive and just get working on the ones I have. Seems like a good plan and I can get to painting right away. Plus, GW's new contrast paints look like the perfect solution for these heavily detailed models.
I'm also playing D&D using Roll20 quite a bit now. Between myself and my Clemson group, we have four games running and play about once a week. It gets a little tricky sometimes remembering who is playing what character in which campaign, but it is great. Roll20 is working out better than I could have imagined. Playing that game with my real friends...that really helps keep me centered in life. My wife has noticed it and she approves (even though I will never get her to play).
It feels good to feel good. I approve. :) Well, that is about it. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up Contrast paints this weekend and do a test model. I hope the color scheme I pick out looks good because those paints are expensive. Until next time...
Wow, missed a whole month. How bad is that? And barely getting in one now too. Well actually, I've been very lucky lately. Life is going fairly well, and I guess this has just fell to the wayside a bit. But no worries...I've got updates.
First off, I took more pics of my Italians. So here they are in all their glory:
Booya! You didn't think I had actually painted more didn't you? Well that's okay, I wouldn't have believed it myself. They won't win any painting competitions, but they will look pretty good on the table. And I'm really happy with them. I have to say, it felt great to paint up a force and have it all done. I am also digging my light box! Made taking pics so much easier..and they do look nice.
Which leads me to my next project. I was having some real issues figuring out what to do next. I could work on a DAK army which is very near and dear to my heart. That army is still NIB. I also considered a Warmaster army. I even got to the point of putting models on popsicle sticks and even primed one group. But again, just couldn't seem to go further than that. So where am I? Well, as fate would have it, some 40K Chaos Marine models that I wanted fell into my lap, and they were already built and primed (for the most part). I just had three models to assemble and I even got in a game with a 51pt list with them. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to paint up these chaos guys and see how it goes. I planned out a full 100pt PL list for them. I'll get the other models as opportunities arrive and just get working on the ones I have. Seems like a good plan and I can get to painting right away. Plus, GW's new contrast paints look like the perfect solution for these heavily detailed models.
I'm also playing D&D using Roll20 quite a bit now. Between myself and my Clemson group, we have four games running and play about once a week. It gets a little tricky sometimes remembering who is playing what character in which campaign, but it is great. Roll20 is working out better than I could have imagined. Playing that game with my real friends...that really helps keep me centered in life. My wife has noticed it and she approves (even though I will never get her to play).
It feels good to feel good. I approve. :) Well, that is about it. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up Contrast paints this weekend and do a test model. I hope the color scheme I pick out looks good because those paints are expensive. Until next time...
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Here come the Italians!
Well, I finally got my lightbox and took a few snaps. I'm not sure what to say honestly. The box was very easy to setup and no issues there. A little smaller than I had thought, but plenty for most of my projects. Some of my larger GW models might have issues.
So...lets get to the fun stuff. I've only taken a few pics....so please respond with any advice you have for me.
Up first, the M14/41:
As you can see, not a great shot. Lots of shadow in the treads. I'm a bit concerned that the front light is not angled right.
So I got a little closer:
Now this is much better. I think I also pushed her back a bit more inside the box so that the front light could catch more of the treads.
And then finally:
Note to self, make sure the decal is fully dry before hitting the model with the mat spray. Oh well. It adds character.
Now for some infantry:
Again, not great. Also, not in focus. My eyes are old, so telling that its out of focus on a phone camera is not always easy. So once again, we give it another go.
Hey...look who learned how to focus. This is much better than the first. Still lots to learn. More models coming.
Until next time....
So...lets get to the fun stuff. I've only taken a few pics....so please respond with any advice you have for me.
Up first, the M14/41:
As you can see, not a great shot. Lots of shadow in the treads. I'm a bit concerned that the front light is not angled right.
So I got a little closer:
Now this is much better. I think I also pushed her back a bit more inside the box so that the front light could catch more of the treads.
And then finally:
Note to self, make sure the decal is fully dry before hitting the model with the mat spray. Oh well. It adds character.
Now for some infantry:
Again, not great. Also, not in focus. My eyes are old, so telling that its out of focus on a phone camera is not always easy. So once again, we give it another go.
Hey...look who learned how to focus. This is much better than the first. Still lots to learn. More models coming.
Until next time....
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
So close...
Hello Gentle Readers,
Today I'm feeling pretty darn good. Over the weekend I pretty much finished my Bolt Action Italians. The basing was done over a week ago, but I still needed to finish up on my M14/41 and the Autoblindo armored car. I brushed the medium army painter dip on them, gave them time to dry, and then finished up the painting detail. Added some slight rust color to a few pieces based on historical photos and amazing models I saw, plus I hand painted the licence plates on them (Warlord didn't provide those decals) and then did apply the few decals that I had. Then I finished up with the flat coat to take off the shine and protect my little beauties. Now, I'm no great painter. I am purely a table top painter. But damn, these guys are sexy.
Now sure, I can already feel the skepticism seeping through the screen. "Pics or it didn't happen!" I get it. Well I was so proud of these guys that I went online and ordered a photo box. It isn't fancy or anything, was under $15 actually...but it should work great for my models. Thought if I was going to share, then I better make sure I share them in the best way possible.
I know I'm all excited about them...but you have to realize this is the first army I have finished painting in years....years....like "holy shit....it was a really long time ago" years. And again..its a table top ready army....not GT best painted or slayer sword level kind of stuff. This is "hey, he's got a fully painted and based army that will suffice for any event level painting requirements."
But I still feel like a proud papa. Just finishing something like this is awesome. Bolt Action rules. I mean honestly, I have a real finished army that I can use and I didn't have to paint up 100+ minis. I can count the number of painted armies I have on one...okay, two hands.
First there was the Wood Elves...and I did that to enter a Seattle GT way back in 2000 maybe? The next army was Vampire Counts for the local Rogue Trader scene...which I finally did win one. That was pretty awesome. Probably Flames of War Italians came next...and then DAK....then I went back and did a warhammer Dwarf army for the last GT I ever played in. And then came a Necron army I did so I could be part of the OFCC in 40K. Despite being the first GW wargame I ever owned, it never got a painted army until a good 20 years later. Oh, and then I added more Wood Elves to my army so that it was current. And now I have a Bolt Action Italian army to add to that list. Oh whoops...I did forget, I also have a painted Warmaster Undead army...that gets tucked in there when Warmaster was popular. So eight armies...thirty years of being in this hobby....and I've only painted 8 armies. But you know what? I think I finally turned the corner on this hobby. It always used to be about playing...and winning. And that is horrible...the winning part. That should never be the goal. The goal should be to have fun, regardless of the outcome. Well, now I've just had a great time painting an army that has only even been played once. I have no clue how it will do on the actual battlefield...it wasn't built for any sort of meta. It was just built because I love my North Africa Italians and wanted to see them in painted glory.
So...photobox should get here in a week...and then its new pics! And now I gotta pick my next project.. More Bolt Action? Perhaps a new DAK army I got? or should I paint up some US paras? Or...do I go back to my Warmaster and get another one done there? I'm betting on paratroopers. :) Until next time!
Today I'm feeling pretty darn good. Over the weekend I pretty much finished my Bolt Action Italians. The basing was done over a week ago, but I still needed to finish up on my M14/41 and the Autoblindo armored car. I brushed the medium army painter dip on them, gave them time to dry, and then finished up the painting detail. Added some slight rust color to a few pieces based on historical photos and amazing models I saw, plus I hand painted the licence plates on them (Warlord didn't provide those decals) and then did apply the few decals that I had. Then I finished up with the flat coat to take off the shine and protect my little beauties. Now, I'm no great painter. I am purely a table top painter. But damn, these guys are sexy.
Now sure, I can already feel the skepticism seeping through the screen. "Pics or it didn't happen!" I get it. Well I was so proud of these guys that I went online and ordered a photo box. It isn't fancy or anything, was under $15 actually...but it should work great for my models. Thought if I was going to share, then I better make sure I share them in the best way possible.
I know I'm all excited about them...but you have to realize this is the first army I have finished painting in years....years....like "holy shit....it was a really long time ago" years. And again..its a table top ready army....not GT best painted or slayer sword level kind of stuff. This is "hey, he's got a fully painted and based army that will suffice for any event level painting requirements."
But I still feel like a proud papa. Just finishing something like this is awesome. Bolt Action rules. I mean honestly, I have a real finished army that I can use and I didn't have to paint up 100+ minis. I can count the number of painted armies I have on one...okay, two hands.
First there was the Wood Elves...and I did that to enter a Seattle GT way back in 2000 maybe? The next army was Vampire Counts for the local Rogue Trader scene...which I finally did win one. That was pretty awesome. Probably Flames of War Italians came next...and then DAK....then I went back and did a warhammer Dwarf army for the last GT I ever played in. And then came a Necron army I did so I could be part of the OFCC in 40K. Despite being the first GW wargame I ever owned, it never got a painted army until a good 20 years later. Oh, and then I added more Wood Elves to my army so that it was current. And now I have a Bolt Action Italian army to add to that list. Oh whoops...I did forget, I also have a painted Warmaster Undead army...that gets tucked in there when Warmaster was popular. So eight armies...thirty years of being in this hobby....and I've only painted 8 armies. But you know what? I think I finally turned the corner on this hobby. It always used to be about playing...and winning. And that is horrible...the winning part. That should never be the goal. The goal should be to have fun, regardless of the outcome. Well, now I've just had a great time painting an army that has only even been played once. I have no clue how it will do on the actual battlefield...it wasn't built for any sort of meta. It was just built because I love my North Africa Italians and wanted to see them in painted glory.
So...photobox should get here in a week...and then its new pics! And now I gotta pick my next project.. More Bolt Action? Perhaps a new DAK army I got? or should I paint up some US paras? Or...do I go back to my Warmaster and get another one done there? I'm betting on paratroopers. :) Until next time!
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Modeling Retreat
So this past weekend I hosted my first Model and Painting retreat at the Menucha Retreat and Conference Center. <insert loud bwa bwa bwa sounds here>
Got to spend all day working on my models once again, and this time, surrounded by other modelers. This was a fairly small gathering, despite my advertising across various NW facebook groups. You can lead a horse to water and all that.
All in all though, it was a great day. It was beautiful weather in Corbett, Oregon. I love Menucha, and it was a perfect day to be there. We were in the building lovingly referred to as "The Barn". It had a large open area with a full kitchen (the only building at Menucha with its own kitchen), and can sleep 30 in various bunk rooms. It met our needs perfectly.
I worked on my Italian army again. I had some detail paint to put on the infantry before dipping them. I was able to complete the whole army by the end of the day. I even had dipped a few ahead of time and did the final anti-shine mat spray on them there. I unfortunately haven't taken any pics of the final army just yet. Those will be coming soon as soon as a spray the rest of them.
We started at 9am, took a break for a delicious lunch in Wright Hall (pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, and salad) and then continued on until 5pm. It was nice to be able to work on my models and converse with fellow hobbyists all day long. We also all got to see what we were working on and just talk shop. It was very enjoyable.
We are hoping to have another possibly in November, and perhaps even extend the time for a Friday evening through Saturday evening time frame. Due to the fact that the Barn has its own kitchen, we might have the option to opt out of the meals, which would reduce the cost for attending. Although honestly, the meals at Menucha are top notch and well worth the cost. However, having the option may entice more people to come. Even with the Scrap and Sew retreat which is over an entire weekend, some people will just come for a single day. So it is very nice to have the different levels of participation open for attendees.
I had a great time and got one step closer to finishing my Italians. It also just got me excited about my models again and working on them. There is a reason I own so freaking many...it is because I do have fun painting them. I am really happy with how this army is turning out and trying to decide on what to work on next. Bolt Action really has its hook in me now. I think I will most likely start on my American Paratroopers. I got some in the BA starter, and then picked up some metals as well. Either that or go back to my Brits so that I have a mid/late war army to use.
Robert (seen above) was working on his Vanguard models from Mantic and is trying to lure us that way. Tim (also above) was working on his Finns for BA, but expressed an interest in trying out SAGA. Freaking gamer ADD...its everywhere. Can't blame them really. Aaron (also above) was showing off his 3D printed models and doing a bit of priming with his airbrush. Our last attendee was Shaun (not seen above) and he was the only non-gamer there. He brought a Humvee model to work on. We'll see if we can pull him into trying out bolt action. :)
Well, that's it for this update. I'll post pics of the finished Italians soon. They just need to be based and sealed, and then I need to put markings on the vehicles. A good day and that could all be done. Till next time.
Got to spend all day working on my models once again, and this time, surrounded by other modelers. This was a fairly small gathering, despite my advertising across various NW facebook groups. You can lead a horse to water and all that.
All in all though, it was a great day. It was beautiful weather in Corbett, Oregon. I love Menucha, and it was a perfect day to be there. We were in the building lovingly referred to as "The Barn". It had a large open area with a full kitchen (the only building at Menucha with its own kitchen), and can sleep 30 in various bunk rooms. It met our needs perfectly.
I worked on my Italian army again. I had some detail paint to put on the infantry before dipping them. I was able to complete the whole army by the end of the day. I even had dipped a few ahead of time and did the final anti-shine mat spray on them there. I unfortunately haven't taken any pics of the final army just yet. Those will be coming soon as soon as a spray the rest of them.
We started at 9am, took a break for a delicious lunch in Wright Hall (pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, and salad) and then continued on until 5pm. It was nice to be able to work on my models and converse with fellow hobbyists all day long. We also all got to see what we were working on and just talk shop. It was very enjoyable.
We are hoping to have another possibly in November, and perhaps even extend the time for a Friday evening through Saturday evening time frame. Due to the fact that the Barn has its own kitchen, we might have the option to opt out of the meals, which would reduce the cost for attending. Although honestly, the meals at Menucha are top notch and well worth the cost. However, having the option may entice more people to come. Even with the Scrap and Sew retreat which is over an entire weekend, some people will just come for a single day. So it is very nice to have the different levels of participation open for attendees.
I had a great time and got one step closer to finishing my Italians. It also just got me excited about my models again and working on them. There is a reason I own so freaking many...it is because I do have fun painting them. I am really happy with how this army is turning out and trying to decide on what to work on next. Bolt Action really has its hook in me now. I think I will most likely start on my American Paratroopers. I got some in the BA starter, and then picked up some metals as well. Either that or go back to my Brits so that I have a mid/late war army to use.
Robert (seen above) was working on his Vanguard models from Mantic and is trying to lure us that way. Tim (also above) was working on his Finns for BA, but expressed an interest in trying out SAGA. Freaking gamer ADD...its everywhere. Can't blame them really. Aaron (also above) was showing off his 3D printed models and doing a bit of priming with his airbrush. Our last attendee was Shaun (not seen above) and he was the only non-gamer there. He brought a Humvee model to work on. We'll see if we can pull him into trying out bolt action. :)
Well, that's it for this update. I'll post pics of the finished Italians soon. They just need to be based and sealed, and then I need to put markings on the vehicles. A good day and that could all be done. Till next time.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Hey look! its the Dungeons and Dragons ride....
Hello Sports fans...
Thought I should toss up another update in the old blog. Not much has been going on in my modeling world. I cleaned up my office and still have a little bit of restructuring to do. It really needed it. Sadly though, I still can't find my glasses. Its just unbelievable. I remember the last time I had them on...somewhat, and yet they are just gone...poof! So frustrating. Thankfully I do still own an older pair that will let me paint and stuff...but I will need to replace them. Hate that. Getting old.
I will be getting back to work on the Italians shortly. Just need to figure out when. It will happen before the retreat though. Gotta show them off. Weather is turning warmer finally so will be able to take them outside to get with the dull coat soon.
What I have been doing though, is playing my favorite game of all time, Dungeons and Dragons. Seriously, there really is nothing else like it. Best yet, I'm playing with my old college friends. I'm pretty sure I've discussed this before about using roll20.net and all that.
My game just wrapped up our March session. Two decent encounter and I finally dropped a couple of players. No deaths, which is good in my opinion, but did put some fear into the group which was needed. Who knew bugbears were so nasty? Not only that, but I've actually got a bit of direction for them as well and the beginnings of an overall plot arc. Still working out the kinks and all, but its a good start. Also, the roleplaying is getting better too as everyone is getting used to the medium. I need to spend some more time reading the rules though just so that I'm more familiar with them. There are still instances that pop up that I scratch my head about. I just want to get better at being a DM. I've also been watching Critical Role, a video cast of a group of actors that play D&D. They've been in the news lately too because of a very successful kickstarter they created.
I much prefer being a player than a DM. However, I do also recognize how enjoyable it is to be part of a long campaign. Switching DMs or campaigns too often is not good. I think everyone likes to get into their character and really tell that long story. So as much as I'd prefer someone else run a game, I'll be keeping mine going so that my friends enjoy it. Thankfully I do have a game to be a player in. It is also just once a month. I wish it could be more, but life seems to have a heavy tax at the moment.
All in all though, having a good time with my hobbies. They keep me balanced.
Well, that's all for now.
p.s. Saw Captain Marvel, they had a lovely tribute to Stan Lee at the very beginning, made me tear up. Miss you Stan!
Thought I should toss up another update in the old blog. Not much has been going on in my modeling world. I cleaned up my office and still have a little bit of restructuring to do. It really needed it. Sadly though, I still can't find my glasses. Its just unbelievable. I remember the last time I had them on...somewhat, and yet they are just gone...poof! So frustrating. Thankfully I do still own an older pair that will let me paint and stuff...but I will need to replace them. Hate that. Getting old.
I will be getting back to work on the Italians shortly. Just need to figure out when. It will happen before the retreat though. Gotta show them off. Weather is turning warmer finally so will be able to take them outside to get with the dull coat soon.
What I have been doing though, is playing my favorite game of all time, Dungeons and Dragons. Seriously, there really is nothing else like it. Best yet, I'm playing with my old college friends. I'm pretty sure I've discussed this before about using roll20.net and all that.
My game just wrapped up our March session. Two decent encounter and I finally dropped a couple of players. No deaths, which is good in my opinion, but did put some fear into the group which was needed. Who knew bugbears were so nasty? Not only that, but I've actually got a bit of direction for them as well and the beginnings of an overall plot arc. Still working out the kinks and all, but its a good start. Also, the roleplaying is getting better too as everyone is getting used to the medium. I need to spend some more time reading the rules though just so that I'm more familiar with them. There are still instances that pop up that I scratch my head about. I just want to get better at being a DM. I've also been watching Critical Role, a video cast of a group of actors that play D&D. They've been in the news lately too because of a very successful kickstarter they created.
I much prefer being a player than a DM. However, I do also recognize how enjoyable it is to be part of a long campaign. Switching DMs or campaigns too often is not good. I think everyone likes to get into their character and really tell that long story. So as much as I'd prefer someone else run a game, I'll be keeping mine going so that my friends enjoy it. Thankfully I do have a game to be a player in. It is also just once a month. I wish it could be more, but life seems to have a heavy tax at the moment.
All in all though, having a good time with my hobbies. They keep me balanced.
Well, that's all for now.
p.s. Saw Captain Marvel, they had a lovely tribute to Stan Lee at the very beginning, made me tear up. Miss you Stan!
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Modeling Retreat
Hey Sportsfans,
Today I'm going to talk about the next steps. So last update I actually got off my butt and painted stuff. Not only that, but you got pics! Well since then, I haven't done too much more. However, I have been planning. You see I've been working with Menucha (where I did the painting at their Scrap and Sew retreat) and got them to try out a one day Model and Painting retreat. I put the word out locally about it and am now just waiting for the event to be on the Menucha web site (www.menucha.org).
This one will only be a one day retreat, no overnight. First of all, that cuts down on the cost quite a bit. Just $34 a person, which buys you a whole day of uninterrupted modeling and painting, and a good lunch as well. Not too shabby. Why a retreat? Well some times you just need to get away. I've got a family. There is always something that needs my attention at home, be it the wife, kids, pets, or house. With a retreat, I get to go someplace away, remove any distractions, and get real work done on my hobby. Thankfully for me, I have a wife who fully gets that and has no issue with me taking the day. Pro tip to other hobbyists out there, send your spouse on a retreat first for something they love. After that, there is no way in the world they can deny you your own. :)
The other part of the retreat is to connect with your fellow hobbyists. Lets face it, about the only thing better than working on your models, is to hang out with friends working on your models. This also gives you a great opportunity to learn tips and techniques from others, and to share your own. That is what I'm currently trying to work out. What do I want to bring so that I can share with others if interested?
The first obvious choice is to finish my Italians. I still need to do a little painting (facial hair, maybe eyes, and lapels), dipping, and finish the bases. As much as I want to show my dipping technique, those suckers require a full day to dry and aren't easy to transport after being dipped. So that really isn't practical (though I probably will bring a couple for demonstration). I also own an airbrush, but concerned with mess and clearly don't want to get paint on anything inside. I'll probably decide on it once I know what the outside conditions will be. If it is nice enough, I'll just take it outside and use it on some terrain pieces.
But what do I want to actually work on? Well, I did say I had some warmaster empire I wanted to do. I think that might be the next step for me. I really love that game, and I want to get more armies painted so that the table looks great when I do play. Still, I have a month until the retreat. That bolt action call is pretty strong though too. :)
Until next time...
Today I'm going to talk about the next steps. So last update I actually got off my butt and painted stuff. Not only that, but you got pics! Well since then, I haven't done too much more. However, I have been planning. You see I've been working with Menucha (where I did the painting at their Scrap and Sew retreat) and got them to try out a one day Model and Painting retreat. I put the word out locally about it and am now just waiting for the event to be on the Menucha web site (www.menucha.org).
This one will only be a one day retreat, no overnight. First of all, that cuts down on the cost quite a bit. Just $34 a person, which buys you a whole day of uninterrupted modeling and painting, and a good lunch as well. Not too shabby. Why a retreat? Well some times you just need to get away. I've got a family. There is always something that needs my attention at home, be it the wife, kids, pets, or house. With a retreat, I get to go someplace away, remove any distractions, and get real work done on my hobby. Thankfully for me, I have a wife who fully gets that and has no issue with me taking the day. Pro tip to other hobbyists out there, send your spouse on a retreat first for something they love. After that, there is no way in the world they can deny you your own. :)
The other part of the retreat is to connect with your fellow hobbyists. Lets face it, about the only thing better than working on your models, is to hang out with friends working on your models. This also gives you a great opportunity to learn tips and techniques from others, and to share your own. That is what I'm currently trying to work out. What do I want to bring so that I can share with others if interested?
The first obvious choice is to finish my Italians. I still need to do a little painting (facial hair, maybe eyes, and lapels), dipping, and finish the bases. As much as I want to show my dipping technique, those suckers require a full day to dry and aren't easy to transport after being dipped. So that really isn't practical (though I probably will bring a couple for demonstration). I also own an airbrush, but concerned with mess and clearly don't want to get paint on anything inside. I'll probably decide on it once I know what the outside conditions will be. If it is nice enough, I'll just take it outside and use it on some terrain pieces.
But what do I want to actually work on? Well, I did say I had some warmaster empire I wanted to do. I think that might be the next step for me. I really love that game, and I want to get more armies painted so that the table looks great when I do play. Still, I have a month until the retreat. That bolt action call is pretty strong though too. :)
Until next time...
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Avanti!
Hello Sports Fans,
Have I got a treat for you. I painted stuff. Oh, you heard that right. I painted stuff. And not just like one thing....oh no sir, a whole bunch of things were painted. Proof you ask? Oh, I got your proof.
So lets step back in time a little shall we, to my previous post where I talked about Warmaster and Bolt Action.....and how I needed to paint my Italians... Well, for once, I actually went and did it. Not only that, but I took pics!
Here is a quick pic of my Italians getting built and having the bases ready. I use a pumice material that Velljo sells. Been using it for Flames of War for years, works really well for bolt action bases too.
That's the jar there. Goes on easy with a modelling tool. You can even sculpt it a little, so I was able to make tire tracks and the like. Sweet stuff.
Then I busted out the Army Painter Desert Yellow spray primer. Of course, it has to freaking snow on the day I need to prime. Well to ensure the best coverage that I could, I first made sure my primers were warm. I then went into my garage and set up a priming station. I put down some 2x4s, created a backstop with cereal boxes, and then had little portable heater fans running across the board. I'd spray the models, then use the fan to dry them. Worked fairly well considering it was 30ish degrees outside.
Next up was a test model. I wanted to make sure what paints I wanted to use and how it would all look. Now my plan is to use Army Painter dip on these models as well. However, for the test model, I used their strong tone ink for his wash so I would have some idea of how the detail would pop. Not too shabby (NOTE: pic is just of basecoat, ink not applied yet) :(
Toss in two solid days of painting at a crafting retreat, and there you have it, a fully painted Italian army ready for dip and basing. Well, almost. I forgot to bring a red paint with me so I wasn't able to do the lapels or helmet detail. Also, apparently their grenades were red too, so a few guys need touch ups there. Oh, and I need to do the glass on the goggles. So like 95% done. I got 39 infantry done, the howitzer and crew, a MMG and AT gun, and then the Autoblindo and the M14 (decals needed).
Not only that, but I then had time to put together some MDF terrain from Dave's Wargames. I kickstarted his project a while ago, but never got around to building the stuff. Well it is nice. I didn't take pics of that unfortunately, but I just fit the buildings, not glued them....so maybe my next update will have me finishing those guys off.
Had a great weekend (yay crafting retreats) and just really happy with the progress on my Italians. My first painted Bolt Action army baby! Woot! And I just bought the DAK starter army...so maybe those guys next??
As always, until next time....
Have I got a treat for you. I painted stuff. Oh, you heard that right. I painted stuff. And not just like one thing....oh no sir, a whole bunch of things were painted. Proof you ask? Oh, I got your proof.
So lets step back in time a little shall we, to my previous post where I talked about Warmaster and Bolt Action.....and how I needed to paint my Italians... Well, for once, I actually went and did it. Not only that, but I took pics!
Here is a quick pic of my Italians getting built and having the bases ready. I use a pumice material that Velljo sells. Been using it for Flames of War for years, works really well for bolt action bases too.
That's the jar there. Goes on easy with a modelling tool. You can even sculpt it a little, so I was able to make tire tracks and the like. Sweet stuff.
Then I busted out the Army Painter Desert Yellow spray primer. Of course, it has to freaking snow on the day I need to prime. Well to ensure the best coverage that I could, I first made sure my primers were warm. I then went into my garage and set up a priming station. I put down some 2x4s, created a backstop with cereal boxes, and then had little portable heater fans running across the board. I'd spray the models, then use the fan to dry them. Worked fairly well considering it was 30ish degrees outside.
Next up was a test model. I wanted to make sure what paints I wanted to use and how it would all look. Now my plan is to use Army Painter dip on these models as well. However, for the test model, I used their strong tone ink for his wash so I would have some idea of how the detail would pop. Not too shabby (NOTE: pic is just of basecoat, ink not applied yet) :(
Toss in two solid days of painting at a crafting retreat, and there you have it, a fully painted Italian army ready for dip and basing. Well, almost. I forgot to bring a red paint with me so I wasn't able to do the lapels or helmet detail. Also, apparently their grenades were red too, so a few guys need touch ups there. Oh, and I need to do the glass on the goggles. So like 95% done. I got 39 infantry done, the howitzer and crew, a MMG and AT gun, and then the Autoblindo and the M14 (decals needed).
Not only that, but I then had time to put together some MDF terrain from Dave's Wargames. I kickstarted his project a while ago, but never got around to building the stuff. Well it is nice. I didn't take pics of that unfortunately, but I just fit the buildings, not glued them....so maybe my next update will have me finishing those guys off.
Had a great weekend (yay crafting retreats) and just really happy with the progress on my Italians. My first painted Bolt Action army baby! Woot! And I just bought the DAK starter army...so maybe those guys next??
As always, until next time....
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Jesus Christ I've been lazy
Hey Sports Fans,
Needed a break at work, which means you get an update. And by "you" I mean me, since no one else reads this darn thing...except maybe Don..shout out to Don! :)
Okay, so here we are, over a month since the last update. Ouch. I could blame holidays...but I won't. I've just been lazy. That being said, there were the holidays and then some. So I must have done something right? Well as a matter of fact, I did.
I got invited by some local Warmaster players to throw down some dice. I brought my Chaos and Orc armies as they are the best painted that I own so far (neither painted by me of course). I went with Chaos as they hit nearly exactly the point limit we were going for. We played a nice 2v2 game where the forces of chaos were competing to hold multiple points of interested against an unusual orc and empire alliance. Had a great time. My chaos did well for the most part, obeying the majority of my orders. My MVP was a unit of harpies that totally harassed the orcs and goblins for two turns, slowing their advancement. However, I chose to attack when half of my army was still trying to catch up, which led to the destruction of my leading battalions. Oh, and I played the Revolutions rule set for the first time. Jury is out on whether I like it better or not. I have some suggestions. :)
Then, incredible as it may seem, I went to another friend's house and played Bolt Action. I brought my brits, germans, and italians, everything I had ready for the table. Again, played a 2v2 game where my Brits and some American paras faced off against Germans and their Bulgarian allies. This was pretty much a pure infantry game since we were only using 500pts per nation. I went with a MSU style army that ended up with 11 command dice. Whenever the axis went, the Bulgarians seemed to get pulled first, and as such, they got shot to hell by the allies, thus allowing the Germans to advance untouched. However, the sheer amount of pin markers thrown out by the brits soon left the Germans alone to face the American firepower. The allies were able to take out the threats of the advancing axis units, and cross the field to their objective without too much drama. The highlight of the game had to come in the first turn. The US fired a small mortar at a 10 man Bulgarian squad and scored a hit, killing two men. The next die drawn was for the Brits, who also had a light mortar in the area and fired at the same squad. Another hit, and three more deaths. Poor Bulgarians got shelled to hell. No worries though, the dice gods exacted their payment for that luck by causing the Brit sniper to miss every shot. Not fail to wound...no...not even a single hit.
What a day. Yes, that was all in one day (love you wife!). I had a blast. I really enjoy Warmaster and Bolt Action. And the guys that I played with (not against) were great. Fun was had by all! And isn't that how its supposed to be? So...that has left me on a huge Bolt Action kick. I am currently working on my Italians (cuz they are dead sexy) I'm wrapping up assembling the rest of the units for them, adding my pumice to the bases, and then will hopefully have them all primed before my birthday weekend. That weekend, I will hopefully have time to paint the majority of the army with at least a base coat and have the infantry ready for dipping. I will do my best to take pics and post them up next month.
Oh, I also started working on my warmaster empire, but they are on hold until Italians are done. Woot! Until next time folks. Keep gaming.
Needed a break at work, which means you get an update. And by "you" I mean me, since no one else reads this darn thing...except maybe Don..shout out to Don! :)
Okay, so here we are, over a month since the last update. Ouch. I could blame holidays...but I won't. I've just been lazy. That being said, there were the holidays and then some. So I must have done something right? Well as a matter of fact, I did.
I got invited by some local Warmaster players to throw down some dice. I brought my Chaos and Orc armies as they are the best painted that I own so far (neither painted by me of course). I went with Chaos as they hit nearly exactly the point limit we were going for. We played a nice 2v2 game where the forces of chaos were competing to hold multiple points of interested against an unusual orc and empire alliance. Had a great time. My chaos did well for the most part, obeying the majority of my orders. My MVP was a unit of harpies that totally harassed the orcs and goblins for two turns, slowing their advancement. However, I chose to attack when half of my army was still trying to catch up, which led to the destruction of my leading battalions. Oh, and I played the Revolutions rule set for the first time. Jury is out on whether I like it better or not. I have some suggestions. :)
Then, incredible as it may seem, I went to another friend's house and played Bolt Action. I brought my brits, germans, and italians, everything I had ready for the table. Again, played a 2v2 game where my Brits and some American paras faced off against Germans and their Bulgarian allies. This was pretty much a pure infantry game since we were only using 500pts per nation. I went with a MSU style army that ended up with 11 command dice. Whenever the axis went, the Bulgarians seemed to get pulled first, and as such, they got shot to hell by the allies, thus allowing the Germans to advance untouched. However, the sheer amount of pin markers thrown out by the brits soon left the Germans alone to face the American firepower. The allies were able to take out the threats of the advancing axis units, and cross the field to their objective without too much drama. The highlight of the game had to come in the first turn. The US fired a small mortar at a 10 man Bulgarian squad and scored a hit, killing two men. The next die drawn was for the Brits, who also had a light mortar in the area and fired at the same squad. Another hit, and three more deaths. Poor Bulgarians got shelled to hell. No worries though, the dice gods exacted their payment for that luck by causing the Brit sniper to miss every shot. Not fail to wound...no...not even a single hit.
What a day. Yes, that was all in one day (love you wife!). I had a blast. I really enjoy Warmaster and Bolt Action. And the guys that I played with (not against) were great. Fun was had by all! And isn't that how its supposed to be? So...that has left me on a huge Bolt Action kick. I am currently working on my Italians (cuz they are dead sexy) I'm wrapping up assembling the rest of the units for them, adding my pumice to the bases, and then will hopefully have them all primed before my birthday weekend. That weekend, I will hopefully have time to paint the majority of the army with at least a base coat and have the infantry ready for dipping. I will do my best to take pics and post them up next month.
Oh, I also started working on my warmaster empire, but they are on hold until Italians are done. Woot! Until next time folks. Keep gaming.
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