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Greetings!

I finally decided to pop my head out of the rabbit hole and share my thoughts with the venerable Dakka community. Some of you might already know me and be familiar with Spiky Rat Pack, the blog where me and my good friend okkiW regularly post scribblings regarding arts, craftmanship, miniature hobby and scene around it. But those of you who don't know us (which I'm sure are plenty), here's a short introduction...

We, Spiky Rat Pack, are two enthustiastic hobbyist who like to share their creative sides with the rest of the scene. We love to shape the grim universe the way we see it - sketching, mooding, writing, painting, sculpting... whatever style we find to be suitable way to bring form for our visions. In the past we've done couple of joint-projects, okkiW sculpting and me painting. Our first project done together was Rogan Rygaard, Chaos Dwarf of Tzeentch, which basically was the start of the Spiky Rat Pack. From the perspective of our hobby, I might say that we've grown up a lot during these couple of years, looking for new ways to improve our skills and widen our creative horizons...

But enough of the jargon! Our current project, operation Punk Moth, is about creating a perfect experience of INQ28 game. The project is divided in to four stages: creating playable, personally designed INQ28 gangs (the egg), building perfect gaming board (the caterpillar), making interesting and detailed scenario (the pupation) and finally, having a great time playing a game of INQ28 (the moth).

My part of the project started about six months ago when returning from my trip to UK Gamesday 2011. My mind full of inspiration like cup filled to the brim, I started forming up the gang of rogues by sketching and painting them on pieces of paper. My plan was then to create miniature version from each one of them and finally paint all of them in blend of unique and coherent style.

Here's the first two members of the retinue, Mutie Kul (with his cyber-mastiff Skullhopperre wriggling next to him) and The Rifleman...




Mutie Kul


The Rifleman

If you're interested in knowing more about these fellows, please pay a visit in our blog Spiky Rat Pack. I'm currently working on the third member, Job a.k.a Old Man, whose steps I'll be sharing with you in the near future, just need to get couple of pieces together before moving to the next phase of modding and sculpting.

In the meanwhile, please feel free to give feedback from my process and share your thoughts.

- Kari

Seriously amazing work!

Cheers jackanary! Glad to hear you like 'em.

I hope I'll get some bitz today so that I can continue to work on Old Man. My hands are itching from creative inactivity...

Great models.
Great painting.
Great artwork.

Great stuff

Great to see you on here guys, your talent is just not fair.
The Riflemen is one of my favourite minis of all time.

Was stalking Jackanory's blog, and he made a mention of this one. I'm going to enjoy watching this one grow into fruition- your art is very blanche-esque. The starting models are VERY promising and very well done.

Subscribed!

-Remi

These are cool. Scary, but cool!

Found my way here thanks to Jackanory. And well, I'm speechless, luckily I only have to type... You're obviously a gifted painter, the conversion-work is good too, but that's not what makes this stand out so much. It's the perfect harmony between inventive concept, frugal conversion and flawless color palette, that makes this simply sublime!
I like to think I'm badass (and I am ), but this is a book of seven seals to me. The unique style you achieve with seeming simplicity is just beyond my grasp. Reminds me of John Blanche, Jakob Rune Nielsen and other idols.

Wow!

Great looking stuff, very reminiscent of the "Old Days" of 40K (RT and 2nd) - and that is something I really, really like!

Looking forward to lots more, I hope!

Thank you very much for your kind words, Roy Langa, Neil101, HF Izanagi, Cave_Dweller, Baiyuan and Alpharius!

neil101 wrote:Great to see you on here guys, your talent is just not fair. 
The Riflemen is one of my favourite minis of all time.

Neil, your amazing and crazy detailed studies at Opus Maius have had great deal to do with the Punk Moth operation. I basically got an idea for module based gaming board from your Tor Gilead construction. What's up with that project, by the way?

Baiyuan wrote:I like to think I'm badass (and I am   ), but this is a book of seven seals to me. The unique style you achieve with seeming simplicity is just beyond my grasp. Reminds me of John Blanche, Jakob Rune Nielsen and other idols.

I met Mr. Blanche on my visit to Nottingham last summer. I had a priviledge to sit down with John and exchange some thoughts with him while studying some of his latest miniatures at close range. Needless to say, that moment changed the way of my creative thinking forever...

JRN's work has always fascinated me. The way he masters the hobby is simply spectacular, very inspirational. I'm a keen fan of him and would really want to meet him in live and exchange some visions with him.

Your art reminds me of John Blanch =) And this is a good thing.

Wow, these are amazing, very gritty and unique!

The Chaos dwarf you linked to is amazing too, I'll definately been looking through your blog.

Lovely stuff, the aesthetic is spot on to my mind, grim and dark, rather than grimdark, if you take my meaning.

Any chance of a walkthrough of your painting techniques for us mere mortals? :p

Incredible stuff! Your models are amazing - the paint scheme is understated yet technically brilliant, and the modelling is beautiful, especially the rifleman. It's been said before, but your art-work in particular has serious overtones of Blanche, with it's own uniqueness as well.

I'm really excited about this project - can't wait to see where you go next! Thanks a lot to Jackanory for the link - you should look at his blog if you have a chance, lots of inspiring stuff there too!

Judging from your Spiky Rat Pack blog this thread is going to be more than interesting. Will your partner also join you here at Dakka?
As people said, the execution is flawless but I somehow like the proportions of concepts more than of the resulting minis.
Great work anyway! And welcome!

Storag.

@ I am just wondering how many times I will have to say , holy feth , OMG and before I need to find more fitting eloquent words of appraisal when you show your stuff.

Tor Gillead is still sitting on my table .. finished now next to my cornflakes and toast wondering what to do with it tbh , Thanks for the compliment guys.. I am sure you will in turn inspire many more of my models and artistic ventures.. was just saying to PDH yesterday , I really need to do some painting like you and JRN .. always sketches ..never any colour with me


look forward to seeing the (the caterpillar) phase very much and also a little scared

Jubear, smiler, Yodhrin, Scarper and storag, big thanks for your attention and comments!

Yodhrin wrote:Any chance of a walkthrough of your painting techniques for us mere mortals? :p

I used lots of different techniques while painting these two fellas; acrylics, inks, washes, varnishes etc. My primary aim was to restrict the palette and stick on warm tones... I used gray primer. Skin was painted with pale Elf Flesh + acrylic white and washed with brownish wash. I then sharpend some details with white and brown ink.

Faces always get an extra attention in my projects. Wrinkles, moles, impurities of skin and reflections in eyes are the factors that have great deal to do with the personality of my creation.

Reds are first painted in dirty orangish red, washed with brown inks and washes and finally given some highlighting by adding bone white to the main colour. The same technique was pretty much used in all places and I just fine tuned the amount of washes and inks to give varying effect to the end result.

Scarper wrote:Thanks a lot to Jackanory for the link - you should look at his blog if you have a chance, lots of inspiring stuff there too!

Already sent my thanks to jackanory for noting my humble blogging in his topic. He is indeed doing something very different and unique in his blog. I'll keep following his progress with great interest...

+++

The postman didn't bring me any bits on Friday for the Old Man so he remains on his current (early) stage. To be frank, I couldn't have spared any time for the hobby this weekend even if I had wanted to.

This mysterious Old Man that I've been referring to is Inquisitor Cassar's witty minded counselor. His knowledge of the old technology has prooved him invaluable aid in many of Cassar's inglorious missions...


Job a.k.a the Old Man

Job hoovers on an anti-gravity chasis that has replaced his whole lower crippled body. The anti-grav chasis makes dim humming sound with casual crackling arcs down to ground. It lets Job to ignore harsh ruined terrain but restricts his rate of speed to fast walking.

So inspiring, the Rifleman is my absolute favourite !!!

Cool stuff, I've admired that Chaos Dwarf before and I particularly like Skullhopperre who is quite cute. Your illustrations remind me of Mervyn Peake, I could easily picture the Old Man in a decrepit, creaky, 40k castle full of bizarre gothic individuals.

Nice to see you on dakka

Punk Moth is going to be an interesting topic......will be very interesting to see you guys on terrain.

While I'm sure the old man is going to be great....it is your inquisitor that is going to make me turn greener than ever.

Hey izeColt!

Welcome to the party! Great to have you joining in on the fun here on Dakka!

Those pieces are just as spectacular now as they were when you posted them on your blog. Subscribed!

Great stuff. I dig your unique miniatures and outstanding painting, though I like your concepts most of all - so Blanche-esque, characterful and stylish!
Keep it up!

PS:
Captain Gaga and servomonkey Alejandro are hilarious!

Beautiful work man, the skin tones are subdued nicely, and the fact you're building them around John Blanche's art...brilliant! I'll be keeping an eye out over here!

Granesh

Nice work so far, great ideas. Consider me subscribed.

Cheers Armorum Ferrum, Bruticus, PDH, KrautScientist, Ishkatar, Granesh and Scrazza!

Bruticus wrote:Your illustrations remind me of Mervyn Peake, I could easily picture the Old Man in a decrepit, creaky, 40k castle full of bizarre gothic individuals.

To be honest, I had never heard of Mervyn Peake before I Googled him today Maybe I've heard of him but didn't know to put face for a name... His art actually does have some similarities to mine, grotesque faces etc. Thanks for the hint

PDH wrote:will be very interesting to see you guys on terrain.

It'll be very interesting for us to try our best on terrain building too We've already planned to make the terrain very low in hue, giving very tepid background for our characters.

ishkatar wrote:PS:
Captain Gaga and servomonkey Alejandro are hilarious!

Aren't they! I'm eager to wait and see what Mikko will do with Alejandro if he'll ever be doing it... (hopefully at least in 28mm scale!).

+++

Weehaa! Got miself some bits today for Old Man, Cairn Wraith to be exact. I couldn't wait but tear the blister open and start to model the man with some bits and blue tack. Here's a raw "3D sketch" so far...



If you compare Job to his drawn version, you can obviously see some differences right away; Skull is kept in his left hand instead of right, his back is much more bent etc. But you can still feel his cruel smile while he is admiring his latest finding, wondering what would be the perfect price for such a beauty...

The thing is, I try to find perfect balance between the miniature and the drawing, giving space for creativity while modelling and painting. If I'd try to make an exact model from the drawing I'd loose my mind!

Any ideas for the anti-gravity chasis, how to mod it even more wicked?

Nice work, now onto the legs or isn't he supposed to have legs?

EDIT: Ah I see. I just read he doesn't have any legs. Hmm, I'm curious about how you're going to manage this.

His art actually does have some similarities to mine, grotesque faces etc

I was really thinking of his writing, Gormenghast (one of my favourite books) is full of oddball characters: the grotesque, the gothic, the bizarre and the macabre.

Job is looking good so far, I really, really like the hair and nose. Something about the hair on your figures moves the models from being standard Warhammer figures to being something else entirely.

Yeah I second the hair comment, Your tiny greenstuff skills change the whole model. No-one has a crooked nose and smile as delvish as old man.

Fantastic work, keep us updated =)

Jeezus!

You Scandinavians are crazy! Pure essence of 40k in all its glory.

Bruticus wrote:

His art actually does have some similarities to mine, grotesque faces etc

I was really thinking of his writing, Gormenghast (one of my favourite books) is full of oddball characters: the grotesque, the gothic, the bizarre and the macabre.

Job is looking good so far, I really, really like the hair and nose. Something about the hair on your figures moves the models from being standard Warhammer figures to being something else entirely.

Cheers for the Gormenghast shoutout! That book is so awesome!

Bruticus is right, though: izeColt, you should really take a look at Gormenghast if you haven't already. Chances are you'll love it to bits, considering your art and fluff! There's a pretty good film adaptation as well.