Saturday, November 29, 2014

Space Hulk Blood Angels - Base Coating Tutorial

If you caught my last post then you know the story.

Space Hulk. Ticking clock. Favor for a friend.



Today, I will attempt to tutorialize you with how I prepare my Space Marine canvas.

Obviously, prep the model by assembling, cleaning, and gap filling, to the degree your skill and time will dictate.

Then base the model with a black primer.


As with my genestealers, I used watered down Vallejo Black Primer through my Iwata Revolution CR airbrush. I have used the primer without mixing it with water, but I feel that using the 50/50 ratio gives better results.

For the red, I used Vallejo Model Air Scarlet Red. You can use Mephiston Red, Khorne Red, or any of the darker and heavily pigmented red paints, this was just the easiest available option that I had on hand.

 
 

Some the Vallejo Model Air paints will still need to be thinned, but I have found the Scarlett to have a good consistency that can go directly in the brush.
 
I make sure to lower my air compressor to about 10 PSI max before I start spraying. This is the setting that gives me the most control when applying paint.
 
Then I slowly begin building up layers red over the black, begining with the underside of the model.


 
I will try my best to not leave any area black, the deep recesses and shadows will just be less red then the areas the light touches. The lit areas will continue to have layers built upon them until the brightest parts are a solid red.
 
This is best achieved by pointing your airbrush down at an angle towards your model and spraying the paint concentrically around the model.
 
Here's a crappy drawing that I did in OneNote to try to illustrate this concept.
 


Here you can see how the top of the model is now much more vibrant than before.

 
And thus depth is created.

 
 The effect is basically using paint to simulate how a flashlight will light up and object in the dark.
 
Some painters refer to this as Zenthial Lighting, I just call it painting the armor.

 
Things to remember:
 
-You must start with a dark undercoat (Blacks, Browns, Dark Blues, etc.) to get a good shadow effect.
 
-Thin layers are essential, as with any paint blending.
 
-Take your time, airbrushing should not be used as method to rush through a paint job. If that's your goal, just stick to Krylon spray cans and save yourself some money and frustration.
 
-Watch your needle tip, the acrylic will begin to cake up and can caused splatters or clog your brush.
 
 
That's all for now, let me know if you have any questions! 

Friday, November 28, 2014

Space Hulk Genestealers

I have been duped into doing some commissioned painting for a friend. Now I have to rip through the 38 Space Hulk models in the next week. It's not so much work as it's more like charity, but I still want to act inconvenienced about the whole deal.

I tried doing the genestealers in batches of eight, but that proved to be to demoralizing and I lowered the batch number to four. Four genestealers is that number that makes you almost want to throw the fourth model but you finish it anyway.

I based the models with Vallejo Black Primer that was mixed with water in a 50/50 ratio using my Iwata Revolution CR airbrush.


This is the best way to prime your models.

By using this method you apply the thinnest and most controlled base coat. It also saves you money over time and is probably better for the environment, so yeah... do you need more reasons?

I painted the metal areas by first drybrushing Leadbelcher and then highlighting with Necron Compound before applying a wash of Agrax Earthshade.



After allowing the wash to dry, I painted Kantor Blue on the chitin areas that I would be highlighting with Temple Guard Blue.

The skin was done with Xerus Purple as a base, followed by Genestealer Purple (fittingly), and then washed with Durchi Violet.


The teeth were painted with Fenrisian Grey and the eyes were painted with Flash Gits Yellow.

Nothing too complicated but this is a quick and dirty job for a friend.

For those of you wondering, I use Windsor and Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable brushes for most of my painting. The Size 2 is my main brush, but I'll use 1 or 0 occasionally. I prefer the regular style over the miniature, unless I am doing some freehand details. I also use the Games Workshop drybrushes and their wash brush for their respective uses.

I'm pausing all my other projects until this is completed because my friend will be serving overseas after the New Year, and I want this to be my "Bon Voyage" for him.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Warhammer iPhone App

Today, Games Workshop released a free application for those of you who own iPhones. [insert spark for apple vs. droid/Microsoft/whatever "debate"]
 

The app is basically an advertising platform, from which you can get exclusive downloadable content. You have the option of setting your feed to remove previously viewed posts.


You can even choose what you want to see in your feed via the personalization menu.

For those of you eager to get instant updates, you can allow push notifications to keep you savvy to the latest and greatest...


People who recieve e-mail updates from Forge World, Black Library, and GW, will see this as the pro version of that notification system. 

You get access to sneak peeks such as this audio book clip:

There are also painting guides and what not.

Overall, it's nothing that will change the way you keep yourself abreast of the daily information in the Warhammer universe, but if you have a large HDD on your iPhone it's worth the download... over WiFi. 



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

ZOMBIES!!!

Mantic Games has recently released a set of Sci-Fi "Plague Zombies" for their Deadzone line, and I couldn't help myself from ordering a box from Wayland Games.



 

The box I purchased came with 20 zombies that can be assembled with military, scientist, and civilian options.




 
Each sprue can make five Plague Zombies with a variety of options to build each of your walking dead in a unique manner.

I plan on building and painting at least one sprue, so be sure to check back for my next update.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Ragnar Blackmane Work in Progress

I'm building a Space Wolves army and the companies that will be represented are Blackmane's and Deathwolf's great companies.
 
Those of you who follow my Instagram have seen Deathwolf in his glory already, but today I will be showing  you good folk the progress on Ragnar.
 
First, I based the model with Vallejo Black Primer through my airbrush. I find that the primer is easy to control and, therefore, I am able to apply the thinnest of coats. I proceeded to paint the model's armor with a base of "The Fang" and then applied "Russ Grey" on top of that. I left the fang showing in certain areas, but was very liberal in my application.
 
I wanted to get the face out of the way, so I based the skin with bugman's glow and applied a fleshshade wash.

 
Then I re-applied the bagman, and began layering Cadian flesh and then kelsiv flesh. I also whited out the eyes and teeth and added pupils to the eyes.
 
So, that's where I'm at...

Armies on Parade 2014 Wrap-Up FIRST PLACE BABY!

Hey all, sorry for the lack of posting, but I had a lot of painting to do...

When I left you, I had begun construction on the display board. Here is the board after I carved up the road, added some ballast texture and some debris build up around the drain pipes.

 
I sprayed the entire board with gray primer for the base coat because my brown can had been the victim of some water damage.

 
Then, using my airbrush, I filled in the cracks and craters with black before basing the rest in burnt umber.

 
Then I sealed the board with a gloss coat and washed the entire board with a oil mix of black and umber brown.

 
I also attempted to use PVA to smooth out the river bed.

 
I dry brushed the red and orange to create the Mars look. Note the PVA is still drying...

 
I want the board crawling with Gretchen, as this was an encampment, but I didn't have any built or painted so...

 
I spent two of my days painting these guys up.

 
The PVA dried and I painted stegadon green over the glue and then poured Vallejo Water effects of the top. It ended up having a nice milky, toxic look.

 
I also built the tower out of a Manufactorum kit and created the skull and cross bones from extra stomps bits and plastic card.

 
The Grots... being Grots...

 
My display needed an HQ and I'd been wanting an excuse to paint Kaptin Baddruk.

 


 
Cool model, lots of details...

 
My Stompa isn't very converted, so I wanted the belly sun to be unique.

 
I cut out a tape stencil, based on a nob pole, and airbrushed the black symbol.

 
Then I outlined the symbol with mechicum grey.

 
Finished product.

 
With his little bro.

 
It was hard deciding who got a spot and who didn't...

 
The Dakka Jet was propped up with an acrylic rod my friend gave me years ago...

 
The Deff Koptas were held up by styrene rods painted black.

 
Here's some final pics.





 
These were taken at the store.





 
This was the announcement that proclaimed my supreme victory. 
 
It was a fun experience, I am proud of what I did in a month, but I know I could have done better.
 
Next year, I will definitely spend more than 30 days on my board, and already have the army painted...