Paint On The Fingers

While getting ready to do the genestealer tutorial, I decided to pull out an old vanguard mini that I had planned to be part of Dante's honor guard. Back when I first started this guy I did not bother with cleaning the flash or mold lines, so it has been a bear to work with. However, I had so much fun playing with anyas' blending technique that I ended up with something that I liked.....and then mitheral silver happened. I must have had a dab of it on my finger, because I just covered this guy in silver fingerprints. I tried to salvage the mini by scrubbing the silver off with a wet brush, which worked to some degree. Now my painting stride is broken, and I must go be zen for a while doing something else.

Won GW painting comp for gene stealer

I won a painting competition for best gene stealer at the GW shop today! We had about two dozen models in the competition, which was a very good turn out. The rules for what to paint were a little confusing, though at least this time I did not show up a day late. Two of us made the mistake of thinking that since it was a Space Hulk painting competition that we had to paint space hulk miniatures--this kind of logical thinking has cost us both before. I think I might just pull all the stops on the next painting competition and convert as much as I like. I won a box of gene stealers which were promptly traded away for the winners assault marines. I am very happy that the store is getting more competition, even though the terminator that took ~12 hours to paint lost and the 25 minute gene stealer won. I tried to encourage the older painters to join me in our own painting competition, but I think we would need to arrange it through the store. There was a very nicely painted dead Terminator, Librarian, and the overall winner Typhus.

I guess I need to consider painting the rest of my bugs! I'll post a step by step for the gene stealer so everyone can see how it was done.

Now I should finish the lightning claw Blood Angel for Jawaballs! I changes bases last minute and have had trouble getting my space litter to look right on the new base. (I know bases don't matter for this one, but I enjoy painting them)

Space Hulk Terminator

So I tried a white primer followed by a wash of black as my base coat on this miniature. I think there really is something to using grey primer. I read on another blog about it and had to give it a try, and the results surprised me. It was far easier to paint light and dark colors, so I did not have to make the devils bargain that comes with either black or white primer. I think I may use two washed on the next miniature in order to ensure all of the recesses are evenly covered.

I also discovered how how it is to pain gems. I could not even see the purple I was painting, when it was over a black or red under coat.

I have some touch up work to do on this mini, and then I will post a step by step for my gene stealer color scheme. It takes about 15 minutes to paint a gene stealer this way, and I am really happy with the way they turn out.

Space Hulk

Trying a new technique out on the next terminator. When I polished this guy off I stumbled upon a blog that suggested grey primer. Lacking grey primer, I made due with GW white primer and heavy badab black wash. We shall see which technique rules supreme!

Gene Stealers On the Painting Table

I love the new gene stealer holding the decapitated head of some adeptus mechanicus. It is one of the most fun miniatures I have painted in a long time. I like it so much I have been comparing it to the old gene stealers and wondering what happened to all of the little boney knobs and things that were part of the old model. I may consider some green stuff boney additions to my new stealers, as a way to add the little bit of detail that missed the model. It makes me think about the original models. The original models are very old now, but they have a timeless look that keeps them from being relegated to the back shelf. Compare that model, decades old to the space marine in the new set. I am not sure the marine is as timeless.

Distraction Painting

I was reading another blog last night and realized that I had never painted an ultra marine. I happened to have a pot of ultra blue, a partially completed Angel's Tempest marine, and an hour to kill. So here he is, my first ultra. My normal method of painting is simple layering followed by really controlled dry brushing. Since Space Hulk came out I have been trying to use layering alone. I am not convinced the technique works for me, however I have not painted enough to really have learned it yet, so you expect more random chapters painted using techniques new to me.

Space Hulk Tyrannids

I am really having a blast painting these gene stealers. The base is wet in this photo. I'll post another one when it dries. This miniature is one of the coolest poses ever. I find myself posing it behind the blood angel I just painted.

Is it weird to want to wait to play the game until the minis are painted?

Blood Angels Terminator AOBR Kit Bash

This is the terminator I have been practicing on for a while. I had some badly primed lightning claws and forge world shoulder pads, so I thought I should give it a go. Besides, I am one step closer to having two legal squads when I add him to the Space Hulk set.

With the exception of the arms, I have tried to keep the paint very smooth. Overall, I think it is an interesting technique. It takes hours longer than just dry brushing. The next terminator will have a darker initial wash, so there is greater tonal variety. I still have a bit left to paint on this guy. I need to add his heraldry to his yellow knee pad (probably something blue), as well as the lightening claw wires.

So what you do think about adding battle damage? I was thinking of adding damage to the black lighting claw casings, as well as some parts of his armor. I was thinking of doing this with a dark grey/brown shadow and bolt gun metal. Any thoughts?

I know there are plenty of tutorials on how to take photos of minis. I use natural light when I can, but it is gloomy here in DC, so I flash is the best I've got. I did buy some poster board to try and make a light box following one of the tutorials I found on the B&C, but that can wait till another day. I've got stuff to paint.