Merlin's Magic and The NOVA OPEN (Casting)

I've been casting my own resin bases for at least a year now. One of the things that I rarely do is use a vacuum pump to degas the resin. Sometimes I use a pressure pot. (think flying bases where there are only a few) .  So when I need bases, I usually just accept the fact that there will be air bubbles in my casts and get on with it.

This is no longer the case.

While chatting up Bill at the GW store, Dewey, one of the NOVA OPEN gurus, introduced me to  some magic casting stuff appropriately called Merlin's Magic.  In a fit of total awesomeness, he provided me a few scoops of the stuff to experiment with at home.  The stuff is just awesome. I managed almost no bubbles in my casts, and the stuff turned out to be really durable One obvious mistake I made was to not wait long enough after casting before removing it from the molds.

In terms of painting, the stuff really seemed to soak in the paint. When I intentionally chipped the edges, the soaked in painted covered the damage well.

Merlin's Magic is great. I can't wait to use it as a base for some desert base designs.

How cool would it be for people to be able to experiment with Merlin's Magic at the NOVA OPEN? A great little hands on session where people leave with casts of terrain would help out gaming tables all over the place!

Three Storm Talon Based

My Storm Talons are now based! I have a load of additional weathering to do, but I just had to see what these three birds would look like on the ruins. I've never used these birds, but come saturday I think they are going to get some gaming love!

At least one of these birds will be part of my armies on display board.

Custom Resin Flying Base

I decided it was time to finally base my storm talons, which meant they needed a flying base covered in cobblestone ruins. After dutifully creating a blank and then casting it, I added some of the GW building ruin sections. The most difficult part of this project was figuring out what to use to hold the storm ravens up. I really wish GW would come out with some slimmer clear stands. A couple layers of watered down glue and I think these will paint up quite nicely.

As an added touch I dusted most of the horizontal surfaces on the buildings with debris. I think I adds a cool effect. Hopefully it stays on during painting!

Ultramarine Biker Force Weathering WIP

The first round of weathering has started. I put damage on the attack bikes but not the scouts or Outriders. A quick spray of heavily thinned graveyard earth was sprayed around all of the under carriages. This is really just to tie the bikes into the bases a little better. The tires will be revisited later.

The next step is going to be adding stowage to the bikes and painting the headlights. After that the weathering powders come out for the final step. One the powders are out the tires will start looking better.

I think I am going to have to field this force sometime. I wish I could use all three storm talons and the LS storm. That would make a great scouting force for 40k.

The Outriders are equiped for 30k.

Attack Bike WIP

My last squad of bikes is nearing completion. This gives my ultras a scout bikers, regular bikers, and one squad of two attack bikes. These miniatures were ebay finds, so while they were unpainted they were built when I received them. Normally I paint in sub assemblies for ease of painting and then assemble at the end of painting. There are those times when I get really excited to see a model built that I go whole hog and build the entire thing, but I usually regret that by the time it comes to painting.

Before weathering I plan to add a spray of dull coat to the entire miniature. I'll have to paint the metallic parts again, but I think that is better than living with the weird oily sheen nuln-oil wash left on the mini.

The three squads will be dusted together and then have their stowage added at the same time.

Legion Outrider Squad

I thought I'd share a quick peak at my WIP legion Outrider squad. The weathering and dusting on the tires is not done, but since I've not seen anyone else paint these particular models up I thought I would share.

After painting the marines themselves, it makes me never want to paint plastic again. The edges are just so sharp these were a joy to paint.

Emperors Children Color Test

I had a bad day at work. Usually that means I am not in a very good mood when I get home, and I can't enter the kind of painting zen necessary for painting to be fun. Knowing this, I decided to grab an old twice painted miniature and just test out a potential purple color scheme for my ECS. Why not do the low stress version of painting. I know that if I tried a color test on one of my forgeworld moldels I would have been worried about the outcome.

On this mini everything besides the purple was splashed on, just to see how it would contrast color wise. I didn't even bother to paint the storm shield, and the thunder hammer is just washed boltgun metal. I think the miniature served its purpose though. I think I need my ECS to start with more of a blacker navy blue base.

What do you think? Keep experimenting with purple, push the highlights, or accept this as is?

Two Thirds of Dreadnought Talon Complete

After a month away from home, I finally got the chance to do some painting this weekend. I now have enough painted and magnetized arms to configure my two Contemptor dreads as needed. I really just needed something easy to paint, so I knocked out the weapons as a way to get myself used to painting again. I really think the blues will go nicely with my Sons of Horus and Emperors Children. I'd like them to look like they are fighting as part of the same campaign.

As great as it is to be  home, I just found out I have to travel overseas again for another two weeks. (immediately after a family vacation!) The next two weeks may be the only time for me to paint, so I think I am going to focus on Ultramarines. Perhaps I should finally finish that LS Storm.