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Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/02 03:10:13


Post by: kestral


Well, I'm not sure what the etiquette is on having multiple blogs going at once, but I kind of like to keep mine separate by theme. I have one for my Titan and associated models, one for my Space Samurai, one for my Beast men, all mostly finished at this point. This one will be for all my other stuff, and also tracking my hobby spending (because paper gets lost, but the internet is forever).


So, what do I have for "open projects"? Good question. An open project is one for which the models have been purchased, which creates an obligation to paint them. I've been losing ground I think over the last year.

By Army/Theme


Orks

15 Classic Snakebites

Civilian 40K stuff
1 Explorators in space suits
5 Gladiators

Thousand Sons/Counts as necrons/Tooomb Kings in Spaaaace
1 Chariot Conversion
1 Ghost Arc Conversion
1 Mechanical Dragon fly rider

Mechanicus:
Done

Space Samurai
All Done

Battle Fleet Gothic

1 x Cruiser
1 x Scratch Build Heavy Freighter
3 x Eldar Scratch Builds
6 x Tyrannid Units (4 Done)

Kickstarters due to arrive in 2016-7
Toughest Girls in the Galaxy 2 - nuns with guns mostly - about 40 figures total.
10 Mantis Warriors
15 Dark Elves
5 Nuns with Guns
5 Death Dancers
10 or so Characters

Random
Krieg Dwarves (6 Models)
10 To'ok Knights


Bretonnians
Aprox 10 x Knights
15x Men at arms

Terrain Full Sets
Tau City - been collecting for this for about a decade - time to get the flower pots going.
Ork City - likewise. Want to do lots of little vignettes like Grots going about their daily tasks.
Space Hulk starship stuff - about half finished.
Desert City. Molded a bunch of buildings for a commission, now I want to do my own.

Nurgle bits
10 Plaguebearers
1-2 classic GUC (the tiny ones)
1 Beast of Nurgle.
5 Misc Figures
1 Neo Oughta.

Optional Projects: (Didn't actually purchase these sets, so I'm not obligated to do anything with them)
Dark Vengeance Box
Saguinary Guard Box
10 Bloodthirsters (I'll think I'll do these, the Kreig dwarves and some Dark Vengence stuff as a Khornate war band) Can't find these guys/? WTF?
1 Leman Russ

Tyranids
All done




Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/04 13:57:15


Post by: kestral




Slayer and Bone Chickens Painted - with some other Cryx.

January 4th - money spent $0

Got a message that the Imbrian Arts stuff is one the way.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/08 01:26:15


Post by: kestral


Spent $10 on a GW dry brush and some Nuln oil at FLGS.

Helldiver half painted, expect to finish tonight.


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Helldiver 90% painted, Mishima Deathstalker 80% painted.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/10 01:49:18


Post by: kestral


Painted the Helldiver and Mishima Deathstalker. I used the same scheme for both, even though they are totally different armies, just 'cause I liked it.



Got the Imbrian Arts Gnoll and Ashura figures in the mail. Well sculpted, but incredibly small and fiddly. Started working on assembling, lost patience quickly. Also discovering the gel superglue sucks as far as holding strength. Will have to spring for liquid locktite.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/12 02:45:59


Post by: kestral


Spent $3 on superglue. Spending now $13, about a dollar a day. Eregore painted, Pistol Wraith Painted, Gorman Diwulfe and Denny started. Discovered I had a Killer Can to paint, along with a unit of 30 bretonians on foot and and other 10 spearmen. Not sure I will ever paint the bret stuff. Loved that army, back in the day, but it will probably be changed beyond recognition in the next army book, and it's basically worthless currently. Plus I don't even like Fantasy these days. None of the nights are particularly inspiring except one scratch build. I think I might cannibalize the foot guys for 40K.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/12 14:08:12


Post by: Jangus


Not 100% sure what Cryx are, but they look awesome! Could you post a couple of close ups of some of those other models you have there? Really like the blue paintjob, makes them look really snazzy. Keep up the good work!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/14 00:20:56


Post by: kestral


Thanks! (although the quality of the blending on the blue varies according to my motivation). I was most motivated on the Helldiver, bit less so on these guys:





Cryx are one of the Warmachine factions.

Spent $16 on brighter lights - Total $29.

Found a scratch built chaos dread to paint - This guy (the big thing in the center).






Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/14 03:01:45


Post by: Jangus


Mmmm, I can see the difference between the two paintjobs, although they're still both pretty eye catching.

It'll be interesting to see that chaos dread; will you be using the blue colour scheme?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/18 18:57:04


Post by: kestral


Not sure. It was originally going to be a Slaneeshi dread, to fit in with the Eldar bits on the machine. I want to do more with greenstuff on it.



Here is the list of models remaining to paint. I'm hoping to keep editing it shorter and shorter during the year…. - Not much progress yet.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/23 13:35:56


Post by: kestral


Purchased a Cryx Stalker for $12. Total $41. Hmm, it adds up fast.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/26 15:31:36


Post by: kestral


Cryx Done all except for the Stalker. To have a complete army I probably still need a few things - a unit or two - Mechanicthralls, Banes, and Bile Thralls top the list. I would also like a Warwitch Siren, a Scarlock Thrall, and perhaps an Iron Lich and another heavy warjack.



Here is a close up of Blackburn's Raiders. I wasn't really very keen on them, in game terms or as models, but I decided I would paint them because A) you never know when you're going to need some ghost pirates, and B) I could do them very quickly.



I probably spent the most time on the Coven. They originally had light blue cloth, but I did some purple wash and patterning because the light blue looked too "fluffy", plus this way they could fit in with a GENESTEALER CULT!





Now the question is what to paint next? The Stalker, probably, but I'm unlikely to spend the money for the Cryx units any time soon. I will probably try to trade of them. In the meantime, I want a small project, something different. Maybe Battlefleet Gothic, maybe the Rogue Trader crew for our 40K RPG, maybe the Necron Stuff, which I will be painting the same as the Cryx and my 1K sons. Maybe terrain though, just to break it up. It gives me enjoyment to contemplate what to do. I might go for something from left field - converting the Dark Vengence cultists to Khorne?


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Might also paint some of my son's Khador for him. Really like the Wardog and Mechanics.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/26 15:50:46


Post by: Jangus


Those Coven are awesome!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/29 18:22:07


Post by: kestral


Thanks!



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Sculpted by Kev White of Hasslefree - one of my favorite sculptors.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/01/30 09:23:26


Post by: gunslingerpro


That Cryx is unreal! Such a bright color, really done well with the flesh and bone tones.

Really something to aspire to! The Coven is particularly impressive!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/02/01 02:07:36


Post by: kestral


Well thanks - I did try harder than usual. : ) Spent $10 on paper models from Dave Grapham (still time to get all his stuff for $1 a file!). Figured they don't take up space, right? Got a set of medieval/empire buildings, a bunch of tents, and lots of floor patterns. Looking forward to getting some printed out. Also assembled the Stalker. It is tough to get put together in a reasonable sort of way.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/02/04 05:27:41


Post by: gunslingerpro


kestral wrote:
Well thanks - I did try harder than usual. : ) Spent $10 on paper models from Dave Grapham (still time to get all his stuff for $1 a file!). Figured they don't take up space, right? Got a set of medieval/empire buildings, a bunch of tents, and lots of floor patterns. Looking forward to getting some printed out. Also assembled the Stalker. It is tough to get put together in a reasonable sort of way.


Yeah the Stalker has to be pinned to death to go together well at all. I'd recommend a conversion I've seen a few times where people replace the rear legs with Bone jack legs. It's pretty fantastic looking when completed.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/02/08 13:42:21


Post by: kestral


I think my Nihalac oxide phase is over. I was using it on my Adminstratum building when my wife came down and said "Ewwww, what's that?" I explained, and she said "well, as long as you like it". A few minutes later as I was manipulating my building, paper towel to wipe off the Nihilac and brush I thought "wow, I need to be careful not to knock over the paint pot". Sure enough, about 20 seconds later I dumped it in my lap. The combined effect has made me much less keen on it. I did find that a wash of Agrax Earthshade over Nihilac is a pretty nice effect. Here is the building and the stalker. I may build a base for it at some point, but I never attach buildings to bases, since you might want to combine them in different ways in a battle. I added bits of paper on the floor to show that it was an adminstratum. The stalker did eventually go together, though I considered various possibilities, like putting the legs in the arm spot and the arms in the leg spot for maximum weirdness. I also tried to get it as upright as possible. I used grey stuff and superglue, a trick I learned here on Dakka, which works quite well for fiddly limbs.












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Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/03/09 01:37:03


Post by: kestral


Spent 9:50 on some flock and daemonette purple. I do like GW base paints. Total $50.50 so far this year. Been working on the house in every spare minute, so no much progress yet. Annoyingly, I need a base coat brush and neither FLGS seems to be able to keep them in stock. Also realized my standard brush is nearly worn out.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/03/09 17:53:26


Post by: kestral


Here are some Hinterland Trenchraiders. They are WIP at this point:



I love niche companies like Hinterland. They serve as "naval infantry" in our Rogue Trader campaign. It is my main reason to keep modeling at this point. We've been off for 6 months or so, but I am looking to start up again soon. There are two story lines possible at this point - either our heroes get involved in exploiting the many commercial possibilities of a system in the throes of being devoured by Tyranids (Rescue, Looting, Nuking the site from orbit, snatching priceless works of art from the claws of the swarm, piracy, staying alive), or they will be signing on as military advisors to a feudal world being overrun by Chaos Marines. Both have interesting modeling capabilities, as well as fitting well with my collection. The Fuedal one will involve paper fold buildings, perhaps a rock and grass table, finishing my Bretonians, and converting some knights and such with high tech weapons (Sir Eglemore and his Lasgun). The Tyranid one is a great springboard for finishing my gene stealer cult, finishing some odds and ends for ruins, and doing "imperial civilians/vehicles" which I enjoy. Also I have tyranid battle fleet gothic stuff.

In the meantime, I prepped the Imbrian Arts and more Hinterland this morning. For highly detailed figures I like to spray them white, then wash with Nuln Oil. It shows detail (and mold lines) really well and kind of gives you the best of both worlds with black and white base coats. Much more enthusiastic about painting these figs now that I can see them better.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/03/13 20:46:50


Post by: kestral


Pecked away at the Gnoll and Ashura, but haven't really been feeling it for painting them.





So turned to the Rogue Trader crew I converted up last summer. I love making figures like this, but hate painting them. I've even toyed with the Heresy of hiring someone to paint them. It is hard coming up with a color scheme. I don't think I want to make them uniform, but I think I do want colorful, so I think they will a variety of muted tones. THey are made primarily from Empire Militia and Wargames factory Ashiguri (mostly for torsos), we a few heads, shotguns, goggles and breath masks from Victoria miniatures, and other bits. Here is a test figure:



Crewman with flame-crossbow.



Officer with splinter rifle, two archers and an engineer with shotgun. Plus ship's dog.



Shotgun, Pulse Rifle, Officer with Katana and bolt pistol, crossbowman



Crew with crossbows, blunderbuss, pistols, etc.



Boarding shotguns, pistols, chainsword.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/03/25 23:55:14


Post by: kestral


Got given a set of Cryx Banethralls. I think that makes my Cryx more or less competitive. I'm not a huge fan of the models, which is part of why I didn't buy them myself. I think I will mix in some Thousand Son bits so they fit in with my Chaos force - "Ghost space marines with axes", as well as "Cryx undead". I think the two aesthetics are close enough to make it work.

Bought an advanced battledroid figure for $6 to make into a counts as Dreadknight for my space samurai. I think with a few japanese style banners coming out the back and some bits it will look great.



Spent $12 on glue and zip kick for the first time. Hopefully it will be all I have heard….


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Total spending about $80 on the year.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/04/23 16:37:31


Post by: kestral


Painted the Women on Camels. Really, Really small. Going to use them as objectives at some point.



Mostly working on Crew though:

Quite happy with them in some ways - it is surprising how much a uniform basing scheme will do for you.

Here are some engineers from the same set:


Also scratch built a plasma cannon servitor for my samurai.



He's painted - I'll post a better pic later.

Overall though the crew are going really, really slow. Not sure why.




Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/05/07 01:48:40


Post by: kestral


Spent $12 on plastic trees from amazon. Because i could. That makes about $92 on the year.


And spent $15 pledging on Kreig Dwarves: $107. Were are my trees anyway?

Hmm - a month later I haven't done anything with the trees. Dropped another $12 on paint - $119. Won an Aegis Line just in time for the quad gun to get nerfed.

Hit some Amazon and Ebay coupons, got a BA-10 armored car and ZIS-5 truck for my gene stealer cult, plus some Valkerie and my first Dark Sword model for $15 (a $75 value). Total $134 on the year. Miniatures fix sated for a short time. In other news the Genestealer cult is nearly finished. And I have pics to prove it! I've incorporated quite a few models from other armies fit - the number of cult specific models is not that high.



























Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/07/23 02:59:48


Post by: kestral


Not much left on the cult - finish painting some hybrids, work on the truck a bit more, and at long last, the Limo. Always loved the early armored Cars, so here's a BA-10 turned into a limo. I figure its like a hummer today - a luxury status symbol with lots of ground clearance. After all, if you took a low riding vehicle onto most 40K terrain you wouldn't get far. I'd also like to do some beast men with shields as bodyguards. I suspect I have the bits needed.

Spent another $7 on Hydra Miniatures Valkeeri, which puts me to $141. Not bad in the self restrain category.








Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/07/25 17:08:12


Post by: kestral


Limo is done: The Kreig dwarves came today - awesome figures, especially at $15 for 7 figures, shipped. They're fairly big, all but the engineer who seems to be slightly out of scale with the others, but nothing serious.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/11/26 11:51:58


Post by: kestral


Need to take some pics and update I think. I've been on a wild spending spree the last month or two - bought Codex SM, Printed out paper fold tents, and a bunch of paints. Total is up to $245 on the year.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/02 00:33:51


Post by: kestral


Hey, I've painted stuff!

First we have the Valkyrie from Rocket games. Someday I may combine them with Shadowforge marines, a few Infinity figures and some high tech marines to make a high tech pulp army with lots of ray guns and go go boots. One of my desert buildings is in the background, along with my cheap trees from Amazon.com. The building is actually cast in latex, since I have some know how of latex casting from making masks. Then I fill the mold with spray foam from the hardware store. More complicated than you might think, but very durable.



Now we have Fabius Bile. Insurgency Walker provided the miniature and took the picture. This is typical of miniatures that I start out painting to my highest standard, then get sick of and stop with it about 80% done. That is pretty common. It was fun for the first few hours. I did some interesting layering on the skin coat that I liked, then washed it with flesh wash, thereby wiping out most of my work. I do this over and over again. I start with just a little wash, and it looks great so I do more, then the whole thing is covered and it dries and doesn't look so good. : ( I painted him to work with my Cryx/1 K sons/Egyptians in space.



Did up paper fold tents from Dave Graffam for this battle, depicting evacuation of a world in the face of Tyranid invasion. I printed the tents on Cardstock, then glued plywood in the bottom, creating very rugged terrain pieces with enough mass not to slide around the tabletop in a slight breeze.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/03 02:18:19


Post by: kestral


Here's a picture showing the plywood base inside the tent. Can't say enough about how happy that makes me. Looking forward to doing a paper fold fantasy town at some point.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/03 02:32:24


Post by: RiTides


Such a variety of projects in this plog! I really, really like the Cryx scheme you have. Are there complete army pics of it somewhere?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/03 18:32:41


Post by: Llamahead


Great stuff especially the pulp girls.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/09 20:47:12


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Sadly, there isn't any more to the army as far as actual Cryx goes than is shown a few posts back. There are some pictures of the 1 K sons side of the army on my Titan blog: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/30/243937.page
Bit dated now.
I'll try to do a combined picture, but I want some terrain and such to go with it. I'm thinking colorful paper fold tents, now that i'm on that kick. More like Knight's pavilions or arabic tents than army tents I've done so far. Sort of a wandering in the desert thing. Next thing I need to photograph is dread fleet - 2-3 ships and some accessories to go on that.


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And now some dread fleet - my favorite ship first - the Scabarus!







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/13 21:00:18


Post by: kestral


And some more dread fleet….

I have to admit I dislike the sails on Dreadfleet models. Very hard to paint, plus they make conversions really hard. I'd likely be scratch building my own ships after buying a second dread fleet box if they were more generic. Plus, billowing white sails are important to the vision of sailing ships to me. Oh well! Great figures otherwise.

Grand Alliance





Dreadfleet:



Plus just working on clearing the paint shelf - a Rogue trader crewman with shotgun, a lizard man by an unknown company of long ago (painted mostly with washes over bare metal), star wars figure (not sure what he will wind up being, but he looks cool and 40K and I have a bunch of others like him), plus the Bloody Reaver in the background.



Some Kestrals space marines in my future:



I got the 25th anniversary figure as a gift, plus some figures from dark vengeance. Mostly Beakie, which is what I require since most of my chapter is that way.




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Bought a figure for a secret santa thing - brings me to 265 on the year. Considering getting this model for my gene stealer cult:




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A little too modern as is though - would need some conversion. Plus the usual 1/35 scale issues.


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Finished the Genestealer cult truck a while ago.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/14 14:10:03


Post by: Llamahead


Rather than Dreadfleet have a look at Uncharted Seas by Spartan for extra ships.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/14 21:44:39


Post by: kestral


I looked at them - wish they had more "vaguely historical sailing ships and galleys". Not sure about the scale either, but if Dreadfleet continues to be popular with the family, I may well score some.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/19 01:28:24


Post by: kestral


Well, with a car on its last legs, it looks like there won't be any major miniatures purchase in the new year. On the plus side, that makes it more likely I might actually paint every thing. Maybe. Got my toughest girls in the galaxy squad this week. Not sure if I should paint them to match my brown and tan quasi Catachan IG, or for something completely different. They are not a terrible match for catachans.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/20 02:15:33


Post by: kestral


Been looking at the TGG troops. I got the jailbirds troops. They are nice, but definitely not as detailed as the character models. Kind of wish I had gotten a single character in stead. They are resin or restic of some sort and are likely to be a nightmare to assemble. If I do break them up, one will probably wind up joining Khorne in company with the dark vengeance cultists, maybe two with the catachans, two with the rouge trader crew.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/21 17:33:20


Post by: kestral


Through a strange and complicated series of events, I have wound up spending another $5 on the Nihilac oxide I had once sworn off and wound up acquiring the plastic Plaguebearers box at a net cost of $15. $265 on the year.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2014/12/29 18:20:43


Post by: kestral


Got the Drop Zone Commander starter for Christmas - should be fun! I have some thoughts on the buildings which I will post at some point. In the meantime, here is Pulgax, Imperial Loader/dozer!





I am warming up to the Typhus Corrosion/Ryza rust combo.

I have been thinking about doing a civilian 40K detour, and I have a number of construction vehicles at this point. Perhaps I could do a Munitorium Labor Battalion.

Dreadfleet is nearly done. Here is the Flaming Scimitar. I disliked the original on several grounds, so I made some changes. I ditched the fire elemental, which never seems to look good, and went for a green and silver look, as well as cutting away the figure head. Not sure I did right there, but no going back now obviously. One thing that really annoys me about the Dreadfleet ships is that many of them (including the scimitar) have their spars held to the masts by ridiculously out of scale bundles of rope, essential giant knots, which is about the silliest idea possible. I find that a thin glaze of seraphim sepia over white does sails rather nicely.








Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/01/11 13:53:59


Post by: kestral


Spent $5 on spray paint for Drop Zone Commander. Using Valspar Chrome from Lowes. Seems to work great on Scourge. Another $5 on Blu Tack Original, which apparently is the best stuff and can be ordered only from England. $10 on the year. I am cautiously optimistic about how easy it is going to be to paint scourge after watching the tutorial video and painting a test model. Chrome spray, Nuln oil, paint eyes red and a few other details and done. Not sure if I will add the additional purple ink or stay with a 1950s Alien Chrome look.
Another $5 on Dave Graphem Models paper fold files. $15 on the year. Will probably buy drop zone commander stuff soon;
Ok, it turns out Mordheim is the big push among my friends this year. Resisted the temptation to get a whole new war band. Instead vowed to use some unpainted models I converted for a regiment of Bretonnian scoundrels. Instead I treated myself to a very evocative mordheim oop youngblood. Stupidly overpriced, $15 with shipping, $30 on the year. And where is my blu-tac?
Jan 30 - Still no blu Tac. Bought new greenstuff - $50 on the year.
Dropped $86 on the shaltari starter set (plastic), command cards, plus a walker. $136 total on the year. As expected, I like the Eden gates quite a bit.

Well, I had a total breakdown last night and went berserk in on the internet. I wanted a cheap figure or two for Insurgency Walker's upcoming 40K rpg where he wants to do a ballroom scene. I thought, hey, there are some Anima tactics figs I've always wanted and they are going to direct only and maybe out of business, so I better do that. So then I went on Ebay and found a really great deal on some other things I've always wanted. But I didn't have the anima tactics figure I wanted, so I did a search for it and found it for $5 - wow! On Blue Table painting's junk store of all places. Huh, so I looked for some more deals. Wait, $13 shipping? Must buy… …MORE stuff to justify it. Sigh. Wound up spending $60 putting me to $196 on the year. Spent another $16 on the trash bash door kickstarter. $212 on the year. Plus Nuln Oil. $216. Trying to resist the second TGG kickstarter. Really need to reign that addiction in. It was my Birthday, Dammit. Or is soon. Isn't rationalization wonderful? Anyway, the fig that spawned it is work it:


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All dread fleet ships are done, though I'm not very happy with the Sea Drake. Now doing objectives and monsters. Bought $20 of paint, at the FLGS, Bought the Axis flier for Dust and Goreshade and Deathwalker during the end of summer sale - $23, total $259.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/01/14 02:57:24


Post by: kestral


I took all my Drop Zone commander starter set buildings and glued down their railings (the little bit around the edge of the top of the building) and glued a piece of sprue inside them. That keeps the roof from sagging down when you put them together but still allows you to fold them up to put them away. I am very impressed with the value on DZC cardboard buildings, and also the playability. I do wish they would make battle damaged buildings, or sell the overgrown deserted ones which I think are really cool, in cardboard. The basic city is really… ….pristine. Kind of a 1950s YMCA vibe. Perhaps I will do some scatter terrain.



Also painted a scourge dropship. The painting video makes it seem like they come out a little better than they really seem to with the "just slather the ink on" technique, but I do like it. Not sure if will add the purple mottling or not.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/01/25 02:06:28


Post by: kestral


Painted the rest of the starter set scourge, at least to the "spray paint silver, wash black, paint eyes" level. Also test painted a stand of scourge infantry. I was initially extremely unenthusiastic for the infantry because of basing - I hate basing small models (my Flames of War finns are still languishing) - I never like how it looks, and I especially don't like how it looks on the table where it never matches. In drop zone commander with roofs, roads and grass it seems particularly bad. I hit upon the idea of using transparent bases. My test stand uses dividers from a little organizer box. Plastic cement and gale force nine superglue didn't work, but gorilla brand superglue did. Iid like a little clearer plastic though - this stuff was slightly opaque. Overall though I am encouraged.




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Oh, yeah, also working on the fine cast 30th anniversary miniature, a sanguinary guard, a 3D printed Tox crawler done by a friend, and a giant snail made out of shell, hot glue, and greenstuff. Because, well, because I could.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/01/25 22:05:48


Post by: Llamahead


Always a good reason that nice work on the Scourge as well


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/01/27 21:55:40


Post by: kestral


Thanks! I saw you're using scourge as epic scale mechanicus. That is really a good call. If they ever make 28mm scourge troopers they will be near the top of my list for mechanicus thrall troops. For the mechanicus army I don't have.

Painted a few Kestral space marines. I enjoy my chapter colors, a fabulous 80s combo of teal and silver. Enjoyed the Sanguinary Guard which I have no use for at all. Might do a whole unit of them. Not sure about adding the wings though - they are cool but kind of over the top. Iit occurs to me that I like an assault marine component to my marines so perhaps some blood angels allies are in order since I think . I'm not going to shell for the codex though, so if I can't figure out the rules from army builder that's a no go.



Mordheim is the current push among a couple of my friends, and I'm hoping to get a monthly game going. I have two war bands already, but of course I want a new one. I dug out some unpainted guys from a scratch unit of Bretonnian foot troops as a start, plus some random figs:



My scourge are "Stage one" painted. Stage one is where a group of figures looks good on the table, and many of my figs don't get past it. The transparent bases worked fairly well - the feet and legs on the plastic DZC infantry are pretty strong, but I had to glue each one twice so that they had a little transparent base from the puddle of superglue that holds up much better.











Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/02/01 01:27:45


Post by: kestral


Yeah, so I got my Mordheim Young Blood miniature in the mail. This one:


I paid collectors cost for her, mostly because of the similarities to the "like a pudding" gal from Dragonheart:

Sadly, what you don't see from the pictures is that her arms are grossly different sizes. I'd be OK with her having the usual GW gorilla arms, but the one you can't see is tiny. Not sure if I will try to shave down the larger arm, or just go with misshapen form (she's a mutant!).


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/02/02 16:07:06


Post by: kestral


Working on Clearing my paint shelf in order to start Mordheim. So, I got the last few Rogue Trader Crew who had been sitting on the shelf for 6 months taken care of. Then I got the rest out and based a couple and photographed them:



The Engineers, led by the highly Dubious Engineer's Mate Cargus.



Boarding Party #1, led by Lt. Nakamura Gunther. Special weapon: Pulse Rifle.



Boarding Party #2, led Lt. Barbarossa with splinter rifle and meltagun.



Specialists and allied officers on loan from Toujours L'Audace





Also on my shelf were some random bits, a plastic cow, and a cart, and if it gets on the shelf it usually gets painted. So I started working on some 40K agriculture. Always enjoyed the "low sci fi" aspect of 40K. Here we see a bondsman taking a wealthier farmer's Grox hauler out to perform the Rites of Maintaining on some Agroprocessors. In his backpack he carries the essential Hydrospanners.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/02/15 13:42:09


Post by: kestral


Finished the cow, serf, and cart. i've used plastic farm stuff in the past with some success, but in this case the paint and glue adhesion was terrible. Not sure it will be worth it in the long run since it is likely to chip like crazy, but I enjoyed doing it. I should try to remember to clear coat it when the weather is better.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/02/19 02:13:35


Post by: Insurgency Walker


Nice cart!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/02/24 02:14:54


Post by: kestral


Working on my Mordheim war band. Fairly pleased with how the "girl in the red dress", aka "Like a Pudding" came out, even though it is just a speed paint. Liking the war band so far, though I almost wish I had sprung for some new Empire figs rather than my ancient bretonian and empire plastic conversions.










Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/02/24 13:12:56


Post by: weetyskemian44


So many different things and unusual/rare figures. I especially love the cow.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/03/08 17:01:06


Post by: kestral


Why thank you! Some day I'm going to do a whole "Civilian 40K" thing, including a dubious dark future gothic farm. I think that will be fun. Pretty scary and very "dune the movie house Harkonen" I expect.

In the meantime, for Drop Zone Commander I have finished an Eden. My wife calls it the "Southwest Jewelry Army", but I really like it.



My favorite DzC model so far.

Also did the Limited edition banner from the 25 anniversary model.



I do love me a good base/objective marker.


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Scrounged for bits (without having to go out in the cold workshop) and found enough to make 3 steward servitors and start on a sister Familious in a wheelchair.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/04/08 00:24:24


Post by: kestral


Cast of Characters for the ballroom Scene in a 40K RPG episode



Sister Famulous and Retinue:



Some random imperial nobles with musicians and a sister hospitlar in the background



Visiting couple from Oyashima-Nihon






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Not bad for a random ransacking of one's collection, IMHO, though it does point out my lack of civilian figures.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/04/26 14:21:24


Post by: kestral


Shaltari are done and speed painted a razorback for a friend.



Basing on the infantry is blu tac temporary since I'm not sure if I want to try to do transparent basing or something else.

I like the size of a DZC army - this is enough for a good game.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/06/22 18:05:37


Post by: kestral


Here are two additions to my Genestealer Cult - a hybrid based on a Martian Greenman by Tinman miniatures and the Toughest Girls in the Galaxy "Dark Mother".



Next up I'm working on my sort of Crazed Egyptian Undead Surgeon Chaos type models - my Tzeetch/Cryx combination figs.


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Hmm - that picture is one of the few cases where the photo looks better than the original figures.


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With the camera/lighting combination working out so well here are a few more I've painted over the spring -



Tin Man mars stuff, plus a Reaper bones fig. And yes, those are cans of delicious COLT 45 on his base. My main complaint about Tin man is that some of the figures don't scale well with others of the same range. I've had a tough time getting a good prime and mold line cleanup on bones. This one the primer wouldn't dry for days and went on a bit heavy.


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Here's a better Valkyrie pic too. I kind of want to do at least a small army based on them and the shadow forge marines (that's the one in front), but it is a bit of a stretch.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/07/15 01:39:23


Post by: kestral


Bought a 50% interest in an Ork codex and pledged $25 on the reaper bones kickestarter which should cover the victoria Gun. That puts me at about $276 for the year.


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Kind of want an Ork mek gun for the crew.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/07/15 02:46:33


Post by: Briancj


Am subscribing in the hopes that I get to see more civilian 40k stuff.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/07/15 15:47:22


Post by: Sageheart


 kestral wrote:
need to reign that addiction in. It was my Birthday, Dammit. Or is soon. Isn't rationalization wonderful? Anyway, the fig that spawned


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All dread fleet ships are done, though I'm not very happy with the Sea Drake. Now doing objectives and monsters.


Beautiful model.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/08/19 13:55:26


Post by: kestral


I've been working on the Orks, but I do plan to do more civilian stuff eventually.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/08/20 13:18:37


Post by: kestral


Hasn't been a real productive summer, but I do have some photography to catch up on.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/08/29 02:33:31


Post by: kestral


So, here's what I have to show for the summer -

Corrupted Wraithlord:



Khorne Ork Warboss







Worker Grots



I like the gretchen ammo type grots quite a bit. I'd like to do more. I might get an Ork Mek Gun in large part for the crew (the gun itself is lackluster). I think I'd also like to do some grots based on Night goblins. They'd be a comparatively wealthy mob of squig hunters and fungus tenders. I'd do a few as archers, but give them a reel of wire on their backs connected to the arrows - the idea being that they harpoon shy squigs and drag them in, some with signs to advertise the goods, some with catching poles, etc. I'd mix in gnoblars too. Someday I want to do an Ork town, with the Gorka Morka type emphasis on industry and a (semi) functional ork society. If I ever start that up I'll do a new blog for it though.

General Grots:





Burna Boyz WIP - I like that I have four generations of Orks there - a pretty early GW mad boy, a gorka Morka era Mek, a 3rd ed burna and one of the up to date ones. I like the older orks best, but I appreciate all of them.

I'm kind of on a snakebite kick. I think I'm going to paint my snakebite mob next, then do a couple of vehicles for them. Most people do Squiggoths for snakebites, but I think I'm going to do a sort of "house on tracks" and a werdboy tower like this one:



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/09/06 18:11:12


Post by: kestral


Burna Boyz iz done:


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/09/06 18:41:43


Post by: Llamahead


Always like Snakebites but the Battletowers are a Bad Moon Toy. Dead killy too so go for it!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/09/08 23:28:59


Post by: kestral


True, but for some reason houses on tracks just seems to go with the guys I'm working on, even though I suppose fluff wise it should be squiggoths. Here's a Kan and a snakebite battle banner. The banner, oddly, looks better in the picture than in real life. The Kan, on the other hand, looks worse - I love it to pieces but the picture doesn't do it justice. I'm on a real yellow kick right now - Averland Sunset and Seraphim Sepia - is there nothing they can't do?!




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The old school Kan is an outstanding model that paints up easily and looks great. I wonder how the detail is on the plastics?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/10/25 01:00:35


Post by: kestral


Updating all my projects today. Did a new warcaster for Cryx. I do like that a single figure can basically make a new army for warmachine. Gorshade da bastard.
Might redo the breathstealer as a ghost...




Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/11/01 13:04:01


Post by: kestral


An unknown figure. I was trying to paint only with inks, but didn't really do him justice.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2015/12/20 15:08:09


Post by: kestral


Anna Puma and Uni Puma from Dominion Tank Police. Unofficial of course, by Denizen Miniatures in the UK, 25mm.





Nice enough figures, and on the bigger side of 25mm, but the facial detail was pretty poor. Which is fine, since I'm terrible at painting faces in general.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/01/16 13:27:08


Post by: kestral


I always try to keep a greenstuff project on hand to use up the extra from filling gaps and other such tasks. For a while its been converting a revolutionary war toy mortar into a Nurgle Artillery Bombard....







I accidentally bought some GW technical Mournfang snow and lustrian undergrowth, and I'm going to use them to texture the thing and see if the snow can smooth out some of the greenstuff to model transitions. Some crew from various bits, a ramp, and these guys lugging stones into the mouth:



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/02/20 22:35:31


Post by: kestral


Currently hiding out from fiddly over busy resin tiny figs, so I thought I might paint some of my stuff from the (in my opinion terrible though my wife and some friends like it) board game Wrath of Ashardalon. Horrible 4th edition D&D turned into a boardgame. It comes with a pile of figures though. Most of the humaniods kind of suck, but the creatures are nice, especially the bigger ones, and they are simple and fun to paint. First we have a "Rage Bear", to go with "Wrath", "Rage Drake" and so on.



And some Grell:



I think they'll make good daemons for my Tzeentch guys.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/02/21 18:32:16


Post by: Llamahead


Interesting stuff Bear looks useful and the Grell creepy vicious both intrigue me for Frostgrave.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/02/23 02:20:40


Post by: kestral


By a weird co-incidence, my main goal in painting the bear was for Frostgrave, though it is actually a little large. : )


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/02/23 21:18:51


Post by: Llamahead


Wizard Did It.........


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/03/25 11:55:17


Post by: kestral


Painted my Yephina, female cloud giant. I am going to work on the color blending a bit more though, since pictures always show you all the places you screwed up. Also a strange little figure from my childhood and a couple of reaper figs:











I've always thought this was an amazing figure, and the standard paint job is also stunning. I wanted to do it justice, but I guess I'm just not there year. Might work on it a little more.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/04/06 01:24:23


Post by: kestral


I'm in the process of inventorying, counting, and photographing all my miniatures. For insurance, you know.

At the moment I'm doing my Valarian 3rd and 4th Armored All Terrain Rangers, a light mech outfit based on the old Catachans, because they were my first IG army and I didn't know any better.

Pictures are taking forever to load, so I'll put them in later.

The army consists of 102 models, plus 7 heavy vehicles (Chimera size) and 8 Light Vehicles.

Vehicles:
1 Flame Tank (WWII polish Tankett with heavy flamer towing a fuel supply).
1 Vindicator
1 Leman Russ, optional turrets for standard, demolisher, and the plasma one.
1 Basilisk (cut down barrel and lowered profile - more of a tank hunter look.
4 Chimeras, one of them scratchbuilt.
2 Morter Carriers converetted from more 1/35 tankettes.
3 Sentinels
2 Devil Dogs converted from czech pz IIIs IRC.

5 Rough Riders

3 Missile launchers, 1 spare crew.
3 Autocannons
1 1/35 AT gun + 4 Crew
10 Carapace Veterans
5 Storm Troopers (mostly converted off scouts)
4 Vox operators
5 Flamers
21 Lasgun infantry
7 Meltaguns
3 Demo Charges
3 Snipers
3 Grenade Launchers
3 Power Fist officers
3 Etioles Mortant
2 Standard Bearers
8 Misc. officers
1 Heavy Bolter Sgt
1 Mechanic.

Unpainted - 1 Mechanic, 1 Etoil Mortant, 3-4 Raging heroes jailbirds, 1 aliens vasquez smart gunner.
80% painted (almost every fig has paint on it, but many don't even have inking.
98% collected- not much more needed - maybe a few more line infantry from other manufacturers, a few Warzone figs that fit in, and a 1/35 two seater motorcycle conversion I wanted to do.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
Forgot that I also wanted to do some medical types - some catachan style, one cadian that I have who fits in with the stormtroopers pretty well.

Also, gotta figure out how to get the dust off of these. They've been in a case for years, but not sealed enough I guess.


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Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/04/06 20:44:52


Post by: Cleatus


Lots of fun stuff to look at here. Subscribed.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/07/30 12:05:28


Post by: kestral


Thanks! I love looking at the more off beat stuff you see on Dakka myself.

Here's my little Nurgle detachment, plus 10 of the new plastic plague bearers. I'm going for a kind of "Not sure if fantasy or 40K" vibe, in homage to the old chaos days when they were pretty much equally playable in both.



The detachment has 28 Models, plus 1 Mortar, 1 objective marker and 4 stone bearers on loan from another armor. It includes 16 Plague Bearers, 1 "Not that great these days due to scale creep" unclean one, 1 really cute flopping seal beast of Nurgle, 2 Chaos warriors with guns, 1 Neo -Oygtah from the Wrath of Ashardalon set, one gibbering mouther, and a few other random figures looking for a home. The plague bearers are very early work of mine and will need to be repainted - I want a more interesting color scheme, with more color and grey-greens than bright greens I think. There's alot of interesting ways you can go with Nurgle I think. It seems like you could just slop on inks, but it actually is a bit tricky to get a good effect in my limited experience.


Finished the Plague Mortar. Exploring some different metals, notable the GW warplock bronze with runelord brass, which I rather like.







I do need to build a ramp so these guys can walk up and toss their stones, and possibly themselves, into it. Something like this:



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/07/30 14:48:38


Post by: ThunderFury 2575


I really like the jeanstealer cult apc type thingo, i'm doing armoured trucks for my renegade guard too!




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I really like your nurgle detachment too !


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/08/22 17:38:08


Post by: kestral


Gene stealer cult is one of my favorite things in 40K. Glad to see them getting a little official love with the release of the Deathwatch stuff.

Here is my Mechanicus Detachment:



Tech Priest
Tech Priest's skitari Axe bearer
Enginseer
7 Rangers
Onager Dune Crawler (Great Model!)
9 Tech Guard, champion with storm shield. (Old Warzone Brotherhood Figures)
5 counts as Thallax from EM4's marines. Low grade plastic figures with heavy armor, jump packs and odd weapons. My paint job doesn't do them any favors though
10 Robots from Starwars
1 Light Vehicle, 34 Figures.












Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/09/12 00:10:23


Post by: kestral


Working on some my first miniatures ever. When I first got into warhammer, I had a minimal budget and only a dim idea of how to proceed. The first game I set up was orks vs armymen. I needed more Orks but couldn't really afford GW stuff beyond what I had - so I turned to converting Mageknight figures using hot glue and carboard. In fact, weird as it seems, I did alot with hot glue in those days. It is not quite as ludicrous as it sounds. This guy was originally green, but I've just repainted him flesh tones to use him as a sort of small skinny Ogryn - let's call him an Ogront. I'm going to do the rest of his unit fleshtone. They used to function as a unit of Ork Commandos.



The armor is made of little pieces of cardboard and is an homage to the glory days of D&D....




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Better pics eventually.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/09/24 11:42:49


Post by: kestral




Here's the whole group of, uh, lets call them Orruks. I like them better flesh color than green. They can still work for the orks, or whoever really. Lots of cardboard and hot glue, as this was before I knew about green stuff.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/10/02 00:51:21


Post by: kestral


And now a Tyranid Hive guard. Love the mid generation nids - much better than the present, or to be honest, the old ones.

The contrast between this model the toxicrene I just got on Ebay is huge. The Hive guard is so detailed, so fun to paint. The Toxicrene literally could have been a decent 28mm model blown up to 5 times the size. The detail is minimal and soft. Of course some of that is due to plastic, but man other miniatures are much better. So much they could have done with it, but it is really a lazy sculpt. I wanted one really badly because they look great in the pictures and the one I saw on the table looked great, due to the concept, but I don't feel very motivated to do much with it.

In this case the pictures came out better than the model I think.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/10/15 01:08:32


Post by: kestral


Not my model, but to continue my point - the Malinthrope is twice as detailed as the Toxicrene but only 1/4 the size...



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2016/12/22 19:27:00


Post by: kestral


To finish my point - here's my Exocrene - no where near on the same level as the Malanthrope. I didn't really do it any favors with my paint job, but still. Very poorly detailed.





In other news I've been painting the Raging Heroes Familiars, which are quite nice, but have the opposite problem - too much detail in too small a space. Better problem to have! I really need to be using magnification though.









I think they are pretty much Raging Heroes Best work.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/02/23 02:25:58


Post by: kestral


Another nice Raging Heroes piece is Santa Delores. A couple of notes: I thought from the pictures that her head was covered by her hair (kind of like "cousin it the flying Psyker", but it appears to be cloth. I had to alter the angle of her flight support - she came in what can only be described as a "Kick line in the sky". Now she looks more like she's swooping. She came with about a dozen daggers you could stick in her, but I thought that would be crazy hard to paint, so I settled for three, though I might add in a few more. I'm really not sure about colors on the cape thing.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/03/17 18:14:22


Post by: kestral


Santa Delores is pretty much done. I think I will add one more dagger or even two, and she needs a base obviously - but I'm not sure which army/project she goes with.





Next up spaceships I think.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/03/17 20:01:05


Post by: Cleatus


Santa Delores looks good! Thanks for sharing.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/03/17 21:09:11


Post by: amazingturtles


I think i missed this thread! but those familiars are adorable. i love the sheer variety of things you do


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/03/18 11:44:58


Post by: aku-chan


Nice job on Delores!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/05/07 02:31:24


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Glad to give back a little in exchange for all the awesome stuff others have shared.

Being trying to get my Battle Fleet Gothic stuff in order. First, a couple of classic ships - I'm calling them "Armored Cruisers". As a matter of policy, I'm doing all my BFG ships a size class up - so for example cruisers are serving as battleships, destroyers as cruisers, and escorts are mostly small scratch builds.





Then we have my Tyranid test paint. I had a couple of requirements - my hive fleet colors (black and yellow) had to be in, it had to look like an ancient monster of the void, and I wanted it to look like it used some photosynthesis to supply extra energy. Pretty happy with it, though I think I'll sleep on it.





All the best Tyranid BFG stuff is scratch built, so I plan on doing more that way going forward, but I did pick up a few old figures cheap.

Here is the Saphire Star, a tramp freighter configured for vapor mining from this battle Report: (Bottom of the page) https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/30/524342.page

This was the small section of Exterior shown:



I got a pack of Britannia escorts for Dystopian wars very cheaply, and I am turning them into Mechanics Standard Pattern Gamma freighters and variants. I'm going to paint it a bluish grey.





Here is a Mechanicus Bombard planetary attack variant of the Gamma Hull (well, two of them stitched together).



Now some Eldar scratch builds. I'm very happy with the builds, but the painting is really not working. I was thinking blue sails with a lightning pattern and grey/blue hulls, but it really isn't working out. I could use some suggestions!











Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/05/07 06:43:32


Post by: Camkierhi


Fantastic work here, the detailing on the BFG is outstanding, considering the scale, brilliant work.

Got to say I have fallen in love with the familiars.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/05/27 22:45:16


Post by: kestral


Painted my Tyranids. Quite pleased with them, looking forward to doing more converted from bits like all the best Nid fleets.





The Eldar. The sails look like pretty decent star fields at a distance, but I thing I will work on them more. And may do some that that are black with white sails.



The Saphire Star. Again, the pictures look worse than the real thing - somehow the 3D printing texture shows up a bunch.





I like the little yellow windows looking out to space. Captures a lonely feel for me.





In other news, I am totally going to get a Dystopian wars Ottoman cruiser to convert to a rogue trader. Sadly, they come only as part of a $60 fleet.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/05/28 02:02:57


Post by: youwashock


Inspired design on the Eldar ships.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/05/30 00:43:51


Post by: kestral


Thanks! I'm planning to do more, including a sort of mini craft world that has tiny ecosytems under glass domes.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/06/18 23:16:00


Post by: kestral


Painted for a friend - WGE tau pinup:





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/06/20 06:52:10


Post by: Camkierhi


That is rather a stunning model and brilliant paint job, how did you manage to keep straight lines?!! Really great tone on the skin, nice blue.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/06/20 21:38:18


Post by: kestral


Glad you like it! Just a white basecoat with nuln oil wash followed by some highlights in gloss white. I flowed a little extra black wash into the armor lines in places. My favorite part is her trophy ring.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/07/02 22:41:25


Post by: kestral


Hmmm, painted this for a friend and I was really trying to do well. I did the eyes like 3 times, but I can see I screwed up the cheekbones also. I'll have to go back to that.





I really struggle with finer scale/detail figures, alas.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/07/03 05:52:06


Post by: Camkierhi


Looks pretty good to me boss, great work. About the only thing I caught with my eye once zoomed in alot, was the lips are quite full and it looks like she is snearing or something, nothing else popped out to me.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/07/03 05:55:56


Post by: evildrcheese


Looking good, liking how you've done the blonde hair.

EDC


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/10/21 19:43:20


Post by: kestral


She definitely has a sneer. In the end I went with it - gives the model more personality. Thanks for the props! Painted Tau squad to match the WGE figure.









Done mostly with black washes over white basecoat.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
The Cadre Fireblade is a nice enough figure, if rather busy like most of the recent generation of tau. I liked the simplicity of the older models.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/04 01:00:52


Post by: kestral


And now... ...a moldsnuffler squig, just doing it's part in the orkish food chain. Made from a toy plastic fly. Spent WAAAYYY too much time on this, but it made me happy.











Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/04 03:10:58


Post by: amazingturtles


I really like it! it's got that great mix of semi-adorable and creepy that works so well for squigs and such like,.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/04 10:22:42


Post by: Ynneadwraith


Love the Tau Kestrel, and you guys are right. The fly-squig is creep-dorable


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/06 00:13:27


Post by: kestral


Thanks Guys! I'm going to do a whole bunch of squigs some day, so it was just a concept I guess.

And now:

An Alien Tree. Also for no particular good reason.








Automatically Appended Next Post:
Only cost 84 cents.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/06 00:29:33


Post by: Camkierhi


Alien tree looks fantastic. But da bug is spectacular. Awesome work.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/06 00:35:49


Post by: Meer_Cat


We paint, sculpt, kitbash and customize because we _want_ to, and not for any particular reason. Love the Tau- very well done and I think you may not be giving yourself enough credit for great skills- white paint and straight lines aren't easy (at least- not for _me_) and your pin-up sniper looks great. The unit is terrific also.

The alien tree is fun- I also like seeing something in the dollar store or Goodwill that makes me say to myself "I can make something out of that".

I look forward to seeing more!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/06 03:19:12


Post by: amazingturtles


The popcorny pinecone type things are neat and look like something that could be alien but still real, which i like.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/07 14:46:25


Post by: aku-chan


Love the tree, it kinda looks like it's full of brains.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/11 23:10:16


Post by: kestral


 Meer_Cat wrote:
We paint, sculpt, kitbash and customize because we _want_ to, and not for any particular reason.
The alien tree is fun- I also like seeing something in the dollar store or Goodwill that makes me say to myself "I can make something out of that".



Well said and thanks!

In the spirit of scrounging stuff up and turning it into tiny things and continuing the general floral themes, here are two potted plants made by sticking tree moss into beads.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2017/12/12 17:27:00


Post by: kestral


More alien plants -



Mostly I like that I have a little one. Alien but plausible, as you say Turtles, is my favorite. I'm not quite sure what the biology of these is. I had planed to give them roots/tenticles/legs but just couldn't quite make it work.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/01 19:00:58


Post by: kestral


My younger brother and I got matching Umber Hulks from wiz kids this Christmas, and we painted them together. He went for naturalistic green, I insisted that I was pretty sure Umber Hulks were purple. Here is the result, at least from my end....







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/01 22:41:54


Post by: amazingturtles


The plants are wonderful, and yes, very believable looking!

I'm not sure what color umber hulks are meant to be, but that's a dang nice purple.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/03 20:44:11


Post by: youwashock


Nice work on the Hulk. Purple is an excellent choice.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/10 00:09:02


Post by: kestral


Well, I certainly think so. Thanks! I've chipped away at my "shelf". Once a thing gets on the shelf I feel obligated to "do it", even if it is only there because I found it in an odd place. Currenly on the shelf I've got this:



And recently finished this:



Most notably a test of the water effects stuff I got using part of a milk jug. : )


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/10 01:39:10


Post by: JoshInJapan


Those pinecone plants are inspired. I'll have to copy that idea myself.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/15 03:45:46


Post by: kestral


Thanks! I do think they needed something more, but I'm not sure what.

I spent the evening inventorying my unpainted figures, and it is quite a list, although my collection is 90%+ painted, so overall I'm not too embarrassed. . Then I spent some time thinking about what I want to do in the coming year, and how to synergize modeling and gaming.

Currently I have three gaming outlets:

Insurgency Walker's Necro-Gorka-Munda, for which I need somewhat oddball figures, some terrain, and maybe to finish some ramshackle Grot Luggers.

Competiive 40K, which right now means basically Nids. I have a Prime (old Hive Tyrant), a Broodlord (the space hulk beauty), and a few stealers I could do for that. I'd like to purchase a Tyrannofex, A hive tyrant, venomthropes, and some Hormagaunts, if practical.

Shadow War Armageddon, which may morph into Necromunda, which points mostly to Terrain, plus a couple eldar figures a player is borrowing.

Beyond that, I have yen to write a set of rules for Battle Fleet Gothic, which would mean finishing the ships I have for that, plus some wacky space terrain ideas I have.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/18 23:38:39


Post by: kestral


Painted this guy for I-Walker - it was a joy to paint - all that inkable detail!





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/19 01:25:28


Post by: Meer_Cat


Inkable detail, indeed! Very nice work- so much depth to the colors.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/19 01:46:40


Post by: JoshInJapan


That's a nifty model. I like your work on the goggles.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/19 04:10:59


Post by: Camkierhi


Beautiful work on the pilot. It's a great model, you have done it justice.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/21 00:45:15


Post by: Ynneadwraith


That pilot is wonderful it's so rare that you see orks in non-combat positions. Really strikes me as something out of the ordinary


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/21 19:44:14


Post by: CommissarKhaine


Nice ork pilot. That's a lovely model, is it GW or kromlech?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/21 23:21:58


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Kromlech I think, or one of the Euro companies. Not my figure, so I don't know much about it.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/22 23:23:00


Post by: Insurgency Walker


 CommissarKhaine wrote:
Nice ork pilot. That's a lovely model, is it GW or kromlech?


Kromlech. They do some great figures. He is one of the Ork pilots they make.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/23 01:49:46


Post by: kestral


I decided to finish and paint a grot lugger - that was the old Gorka Morka peddle powered grot vehicle. My younger brother made a simple one when he was experimenting with playing Grots. He never finished it (basically it was dec with 4 wheels and a bit of a platform on the back), but it has been around for years, and I've decided to build it up and paint it, along with smaller skiff if I can find it.

Behold the might Grot landcruiser Grim Skull Grim!!!







Only partly done, needs railings and the "rowing" system.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I do like ork/grot scratch building - no pressure to make it look neat!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/23 06:47:13


Post by: CommissarKhaine


Kromlechdo make some lovely models... Looking forward to the grot lugga, I've always had a soft spot for the grot rebels in Gorkamorka


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/29 00:25:23


Post by: kestral


Thanks! I've enjoyed your grot blog, so I'm glad to give a little back. I like grots as the underpinning of the Orks, the ones who really keep things going.

The lugger has a captain - Sly Slagbo!





I've also been painting up some Forbidden stars ships for use in Battlefleet Gothic:



Plenty of detail on them, though a bit bendy.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/29 05:07:36


Post by: Camkierhi


Ah the subtle beauty of grot engineering, wonderful to see.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/29 20:01:50


Post by: CommissarKhaine


Thanks! I've enjoyed your grot blog, so I'm glad to give a little back. I like grots as the underpinning of the Orks, the ones who really keep things going.


This is dakka; no better source of inspiration needed . That Sly Slagbo model is looking great, is he a conversion?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/01/29 23:44:39


Post by: kestral


Nope, he's a Kromlech also. I think the resemblance to Rambo is intentional, but I'm not sure.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/09 23:55:05


Post by: kestral


I've painted up an Eldar Kill team out of the odd eldar figures that have found their way to me over the years, mostly randomly. One of them is not painted by me - can you guess which one?
I'm fairly pleased with the bases - I was going for a scrubby, old, maybe dying world.







Quite pleased overall. I think I'd like more Eldar. I also think I might convert some Reaper Chronoscope disco heroes to capture that proper early Eldar bellbottom pointed boot vibe.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/18 00:59:00


Post by: kestral


I finished the Grim Skull Grim - now on to the Grot Skiff "Skull". I was mostly just trying stuff out. I was pleased with my tent (made from paper towel soaked in glue drapped over a paperclip frame, with some green stuff patches), the speed painting technique for making it look like ti was made of other things cut up. I based it black, dry brushed Burnt Sennia, Nutmeg Brown (craft paints), then silver without cleaning the brush. Finally I used Reaper foundation paints sort of spackled on to make the original paint, followed by some decals, and plenty of Seraphim Sepia. Not bad for a relatively quick job!











[url=https://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/931949-Gretchen%2C%20Grots%2C%20Lugger.html]
[/url]



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/18 02:11:17


Post by: Camkierhi


That is looking great bud. Nice Grotty feel to it.

The Eaeaaaeeeelf kill team are looking fantastic, like them.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/18 07:27:27


Post by: CommissarKhaine


Grot luggas ftw! Eldar kill team is looking good as well! Based on the bics, I'd guess the dark eldar wych, because she has very sharp highlights when compared to the other models.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/18 18:00:13


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Yes, the Wych elf is not by me. I'd never think to do highlights like that, (literally white on black), but it really works. It was part of cool "Secret Santa" miniature painting thing a local shop did. Here are a few shots of the Lugger with Capn' Slagbo, his crew, and a captured downed Ork Pilot on board....





The captain is on the bridge with his helmgrot, One Eye Grull



My first ever Grot - one of my first 40k Minis actually. Probably should base that guy. Though for a long time I never based anything on the theory that it never matched the board anyway.



Poor Sad Mukt never gets to work the "oars". Or use the shoota. So he pretty much just sulks in the tent.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/20 02:23:22


Post by: kestral


I made this Tau Thingy (perhaps a drilling rig?), from the left over parts from a windshield repair kit. It was easy and fun, unlike the windshield repair.





Also did up the Grot Skiff "Skull". The sail is the only notable part - I did it by soaking a bit of tissue paper in glue, covering a ladle in ceran wrap, then carefully draping the tissue paper over it. When it was dry I cut it off. I've used the technique for vehicle drapes before. It is fairly strong, but I think next time I might layer more tissue paper on it. One side is Ceran wrap, so not very paintable....
Why does it have a moth wing for a tiller? I have no idea.









Note to self:

Next time I make round huts out of pipe, use these for the roof:



Painted of course. I found them while I was looking for red plastic toothpicks to make these (not my work, just want to make some for nostalgia's sake, since they were 40% of the terrain in early WD).



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/20 19:14:08


Post by: CommissarKhaine


Clever way to make that sail. Consider it looted


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/21 17:01:02


Post by: kestral


Excellent! The 40K universe needs more sails, in my general opinion!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/02/27 02:17:39


Post by: kestral


And a Dire Avenger I found in the bits! And some trees I found in the woods (from the top of a fallen conifer - better shape than most twigs).



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/08 13:06:41


Post by: kestral


Another Dire Avenger Pic:



Plus a Tau Car for I-Walker









And neat little ork vehicle he gave me from some European company.











Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/08 13:22:43


Post by: Briancj


Where'd the Tau car come from?

Great work on all fronts!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/08 13:45:15


Post by: kestral


Wargames Exclusive, natch!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/08 14:35:05


Post by: CommissarKhaine


Interesting stuff, looking good!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/08 14:48:11


Post by: amazingturtles


Well 40k definitely needs more cars and you are doing good work towards that end.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/08 15:13:03


Post by: Briancj


 kestral wrote:
Wargames Exclusive, natch!


Thank you kindly!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/09 01:10:57


Post by: kestral


Thanks everyone!

 amazingturtles wrote:
Well 40k definitely needs more cars and you are doing good work towards that end.


Mostly due to Insurgency Walker's Blandishments, really. Having seen the cities of death roads, it is pretty clear why there are no cars in 40K...

But I do enjoy painting them!

And now a Shaltari Fire Drake! I kind of rushed it, and didn't match my previous Shaltari well, but it looks older and scarier and that is cool. I'm going to do Shaltari in 40K as some sort of terrifying xenos death machines.









Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/09 21:11:25


Post by: CommissarKhaine


That's a cool looking model, would be a nice alternative heldrake


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/09 23:29:30


Post by: kestral


Hmmm, good point. I think I had thought that originally when I was looking at it. A little on the small side, but that never really bothers me.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Though others may see it differently.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/11 02:27:41


Post by: Camkierhi


Lovely work on the drake. Great work on the colours.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/12 14:36:58


Post by: Ynneadwraith


Neat! I love the Tau and Orky civilian vehicles. 40k needs more of that stuff


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/13 17:30:00


Post by: kestral


Thanks! We need a 40K car show at some point.

Painted a Chameleon (From Tin Man miniatures)







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/17 00:11:14


Post by: kestral


And another Grot Skiff - bit plainer this time.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/04/19 10:45:25


Post by: Ynneadwraith


40k car show! Great idea

Loving the skiff too I can just imagine that tacking across a vast flat desert.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/05/16 00:36:43


Post by: kestral


Just so happens I got a vast flat desert for my Birthday....




Automatically Appended Next Post:


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/05/16 01:17:37


Post by: Meer_Cat


Sweet battle board- perfect for your wind racers!

Happy birthday!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/05/16 23:24:22


Post by: kestral


Thanks!

Been painting mostly D&D related stuff (or Mordheim if you prefer).



My wife also got me the Adventurers Camp set. The wagon is the centerpiece, but I gotta say, I'm not impressed with anything but the price. Basically, it feels like a bunch of cut and past 3-D print. The windows are strange coffin shapes. Some of the small windows are cut and pasted into the front and back where they don't fit and just get cut in half for no reason. Everything is identical except for the door on the back... ...which is chained shut from the outside? I thought maybe it was supposed to be a vampire wagon, but even that doesn't make sense. Lazy design as far as I can see. I like the other accessories though.









Some Unit Fillers/Party gear haulers...



And a super hero prepaint with a little more detail added. Psyker maybe? Interesting note - the eyes on these prepaints are perfectly outlined in black - except that the outline is not always in the right place. I think there is a tool that somehow does it, sort of an eye stamp. I wonder if I could get one, because I hate painting eyes. I wound up painting over the eyes badly.




Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/05/17 00:13:17


Post by: Meer_Cat


I see your point about the make-up of the wagon pieces- but I think the end result came off very nicely! And the camp accessories are great pieces too. I feel your pain about painting eyes- I'm obsessed with that very thing myself at the moment. But, anything worth doing is worth doing to excess, amirite?

Great work!



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/05/18 01:48:11


Post by: Briancj


I believe that is supposed to be a "Gypsy" style wagon, but the chained up rear door is a little odd.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/05/18 13:13:15


Post by: Meer_Cat


It's so crazy Uncle Zoltan doesn't get out....

I was thinking gypsies, too- great job of painting it up!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/05/19 11:25:40


Post by: kestral


Ah! I'd forgotten Uncle Zoltan. Makes perfect sense now!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/05/19 14:30:02


Post by: amazingturtles


Aw, the campfire and bedrolls are cute. i like 'em.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/06/28 21:00:05


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Speaking of cute - my productivity has been low recently, but I've got some time now. Here's Bailey Silverbell, a horse, and some treasure.
(The figure is great, but I should have gotten it in metal rather than bones. Mold line hell).






Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/06/30 16:22:36


Post by: Syro_


All three look great kestral. I just looked up the bare Bailey Silverbell mini, and you really made it look good. What do you think of the mini, other than the mold lines? I may want to pick one up after seeing it here.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/02 22:59:46


Post by: kestral


The mini is fabulous - one of my favorite reapers, but well worth paying for metal. She is nominally a dwarf, but looks much more like a halfling.

Here's a better pic...



Also, a baby owlbear, while we're doing cute stuff.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/02 23:55:00


Post by: Meer_Cat


All the figures are very well done- but the horse sheens you got to come out are really top notch! Horse colors can be hard to do, being flat and at the same time a bit of glisten too them, to look really natural. You've nailed it here.

(After doing eight billion Napoleonic cavalrymen and having tried many different techniques, seeing horses done well brings a bit of a tear to my eye. )


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/03 01:36:27


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Just reaper HD paints. I've always had trouble with horses also, so I thought, hey, why not a roan? The colors work together really well.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/03 04:25:25


Post by: Syro_


Thanks for the better pic, old one was good too. I have the Baily Silvermoon mini bookmarked, definitely very tempted to get her. That baby owlbear is cute, I didn't know about that mini, where is it from?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/03 12:03:53


Post by: kestral


Owlbear is from Raging Heroes.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/04 12:59:21


Post by: kestral


Now I'm gonna paint some Nids. Black and yellow nids were my second 40K army, and the early ones I painted very badly, but I've refined the technique over the years. I'm pretty happy with the current iteration:







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/04 17:57:30


Post by: Briancj


Suitably alien in appearance!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/06 02:11:56


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Aliens will always be my prime inspiration for nids. Here's what I have cued up....



At this point they've been primed black and dry brushed with yellow, which gives a nice greenish effect.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/21 01:02:29


Post by: kestral


Pro tip - home depot is selling a vinyl flooring that looks almost exactly like my expensive desert board for less than a buck a square foot - though it comes in 10 foot wide sections. A 4x10 would cost you about $30. Makes me feel a bit dumb.

Anyway, I've been working on the 'nids...





Love that classic venom cannon.

And of course Mr. Tippy, the winged hive tyrant, since all you have to do to get two hive tyrants from the basic kit is make your own torso. I was going for a longer, thinner, more draconian look.





And my magnetic tyrant - love the poseability.








Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/22 20:42:17


Post by: insaniak


Nice work on the flyrant... The extended neck works really well.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/22 22:10:44


Post by: Syro_


I agree with insaniak, the flyrant looks very good. I really like how you went for a more draconian look. The narrow body and longer neck and torso are a good look. You're making me want to pick up a hive tyrant kit just to try to follow in your footsteps.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/23 02:45:43


Post by: kestral


Thanks! The kit really is great value. I wish I had done more press molding though - my sculpting struggled in places. I also was trying for a birdlike "breastbone" to anchor the flight muscles, but didn't quite work out the anatomy correctly. The regular torso is great, but it doesn't look right for a flyer.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/23 05:06:14


Post by: JoshInJapan


That's a nifty scratchbuild. Is the torso one solid block of Kneadatite, or did you build it around a core of some such?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/23 13:12:38


Post by: kestral


I did a simple core of sculpty, then put the green stuff over it. Not sure sure if that was the right approach really. I then did one small section of surface detail each day for a week or so to avoid getting finger prints on what I'd done.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/07/25 17:36:26


Post by: kestral


Senior De La Horda and his broodlord Pal.... Not 100% done, but good until I get the nid bug again.









Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/08/14 15:50:47


Post by: kestral


The winged hive tyrant formerly known as Mr. Tippy, now referred to as: "$.78 glued in my base" along with his magnetized pal...















Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/08/15 03:53:22


Post by: monkeytroll


Doubles as an emergency piggy bank......how useful


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/09/15 13:18:51


Post by: kestral


I was actually thinking that with a nickle glued in most of my tyranids bases, the army contains like $10 in change.

Anyway, here are some Goeff Rockers. Not my figures and not my conversion - credit goes to I-Walker. I just painted them... ...and had a terrible time. I started with white with a black wash, because I wanted to see all the details on these lovely figures, but it is really hard to paint orks that way. I tried out the ork skin painted yellow and then washed green with mixed results. And the Geoff colors were hard. Then I discovered I had been using Nuln Oil Gloss the whole freaking time and had to redo a bunch of it. GW really should make the bottles look more different. It is interesting, but it sure does not work the same way.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/09/15 16:57:07


Post by: Meer_Cat


I think they look great! The Grateful Dedd- A touch of Grey


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/09/16 19:07:05


Post by: CommissarKhaine


That's a nicve looking bunch you got there


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/09/16 22:32:04


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Always loved those figures, glad to have a chance to paint them.

Doing a little planning for the sudden resurgence of square base Fantasy Battle in my life - nothing like not doing something for half a decade and going back to it to make you realize how much you like it!

My Bretonnians have always need a Joan of Arc rip off. Right now I'm thinking this horse:



I'd like Maximillian or Milanese armor rather than Bretonnian transition plate stuff.





A woman's head (sister of battle?) and standard shouldn't be hard to find, but the rider....

Perry Figures? Plenty of suitable figs, just the size question. It would be OK if she was on the small side, up to a point. Probably should just use an Empire knight really.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/09/16 22:50:49


Post by: Bellerophon


 kestral wrote:
Thanks! Always loved those figures, glad to have a chance to paint them.

Doing a little planning for the sudden resurgence of square base Fantasy Battle in my life - nothing like not doing something for half a decade and going back to it to make you realize how much you like it!


Ditto! Recently picked up where I left off with my High Elves. I miss WHFB.

The horse looks like it would do the job well, though I'm not sure about the spikes on the head, that's a bit more ruinous powers. They'd chop off easily enough. I think the Perry stuff might work pretty well, after all a Joan of Arc ripoff ought to be pretty small so a truescale figure might do quite well there. Perhaps one of the knights from the Mounted Men at Arms plastic set?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/09/17 19:01:32


Post by: Llamahead


If you want Italianate armour go Perry. They're slightly smaller but just so nice a kit to work with. Both WoTR Men-at-arms kits come with lots of that style of armour and they are beautiful.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/09/19 00:51:04


Post by: kestral


I was planning on ditching the spikes and perhaps redoing the horse head a little. I would love to work with some Perry Kits...



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/20 13:04:15


Post by: kestral


Hmmm, well, I didn't wind up doing that conversion, maybe some other time. I did make some terrain out of local plants though!







I love that it comes pre painted (though the pods have a coat of purple ink).


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/20 22:30:45


Post by: Briancj


Kestral, I have a box of Perry cav I can send over to you, if you want?

--Brian



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/21 12:43:29


Post by: Syro_


Nice choices for the terrain, they way you present them, they definitely look suitably alien


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/21 17:00:54


Post by: Captain Brown


kestrel,

Interesting work with that terrain.

Cheers,

CB


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/21 22:17:45


Post by: amazingturtles


The papery bulbs look very nice! What are those, if you don't mind me asking? I know I have seen them before.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/21 22:49:14


Post by: monkeytroll


Nice terrain pieces, good choice of 'bits'


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/23 22:53:00


Post by: kestral


Thanks folks - PM sent Briancj!

The bulbs are from Asian Lilies. They are not super strong (it is why they are so translucent - well, that and the purple ink I hit them with) , so probably not great for travel gaming but stored a tupperware for house gaming I think they will do fine.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/23 23:10:32


Post by: monkeytroll


Have you tried a thinned layer of PVA glue on the lily pods? May help with the fragility - although not to the extent of travelling.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/25 02:49:17


Post by: kestral


Good idea!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/11/26 02:27:54


Post by: kestral


I am going to try the glue idea on some neat but fragile spiky pods I have.

Painted some more deep cuts stuff. I have to say, this line has great gaming value. Everything seems to work really well, like this cage which can be removed from its base and is the right size to shove a figure inside.





Plus, in a fit of Dreadfleet enthusiasm brought on by actually playing a game, I bought a couple of Vanguard miniatures ships to expand the game. They are the right size... ...sort of. The Dreadfleet ships are supposed to be gigantic. The Vanguard Carrock is about the right size to be one of the wrecks that make up the Bloody Reiver for example.







While looking for ships I came across the Uncharted Seas resculpts. What a pity that line is defunct - those were beautiful.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/12/03 12:13:19


Post by: Camkierhi


Wonderful things here, great to see so much variety.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/12/04 20:37:31


Post by: JoshInJapan


You actually played Dreadfleet? That's more than I ever accomplished-- my son and I just sort of push the ships around and talk like pirates at each other. How is the game?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/12/04 21:36:31


Post by: kestral


It is a good game. My family plays it occasionally on Holidays. Well suited to people who aren't "wargamers" per se, but willing to try something more complicated than board games for a couple hours while full of Turkey. I should probably count that among my blessings. : ) Not super balanced, but all around fun. I particularly like the card damage system. You ship gets mauled in all kinds of interesting ways, but with a bit of luck and clever tactics you can stay alive for a long time. My boy likes it quite well, or did before MTG came along. : )


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/12/27 00:19:49


Post by: kestral


Painted the wife's Beholder:









This is an impressive model I must say from the D&D Prepaints. It comes with lots of eye effects, though I decided on only using one you could do a beholder blasting spells in all directions. It also came with a clear plastic cover for the large eye, but I didn't like the effect. Still interesting though!

Bonus points if you recognize this terrain piece - HINT: It came as one of a set of six identical items in one of the stranger game design choices I've seen in an otherwise pretty cool set.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/12/27 05:14:47


Post by: amazingturtles


Can't say that i recognize the terrain but beholders are always a fun thing to see. They always look so cheerful to me too.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/12/27 06:20:54


Post by: Briancj


I've seen the terrain, and I remember six of the EXACT SAME THING bugged me...but I can't remember the game! Argh.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/12/30 20:20:16


Post by: KernelTerror


No idea on the medieval stargate thing, but well done on the beholder ! Great choices on the mouth's gums, looks neat !


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2018/12/31 02:35:47


Post by: youwashock


What is VOR: The Maelstrom?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/01 18:37:05


Post by: kestral


You win! A set of identical, somewhat strange, highly distinctive, very thick and almost impossible to convert pieces of wargaming terrain. If I could find the rest of them. I think at one point I was giving them away in trades.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/04 16:14:49


Post by: kestral


I have at last achieved my long held dream of recreating the terrain of the first batrep I ever read...



Not sure if I need more though.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/04 17:20:51


Post by: Camkierhi


So much memory involved in those simple little balls. To be honest, they say everything we should be doing and are not. I mean they scream alien environment, and we are all breaking the bank and our heads making realistic water and trees. Makes you think really.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/04 19:48:20


Post by: Da Boss


That was some of the first terrain I made as a kid, having seen it in the old 2nd ed rulebooks.

Love the Beholder! I have the same mini sitting in my "to do" queue, was thinking about magnetising the eyes maybe. Love your paint scheme.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/05 12:53:58


Post by: kestral


 Camkierhi wrote:
So much memory involved in those simple little balls. To be honest, they say everything we should be doing and are not. I mean they scream alien environment, and we are all breaking the bank and our heads making realistic water and trees. Makes you think really.


It is an interesting question - do you want to try for realistic terrain/figures, or for a striking visual? I like both, but tend towards the later. It is one of the reasons I don't paint modern historicals much. Not to bring my other major hobby into it, but you see a similar tension in Live Action Roleplaying. When my father I were doing it back in the day, I always tried for "realistic" costumes. His approach (being a far greater artist than I) was to create monster outfits what were striking, original and distinctive, but not necessarily realistic. Less like special effects, and more like living puppets. His approach worked better, partly because of the limits of SFX in that kind of situation, and because once you clearly knew what you were dealing with, your imagination took over and made it work.

Here is some... termite mounds? Made from Oak Galls.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
Natural materials kind of give you a little of both worlds I think.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/05 13:52:30


Post by: Da Boss


Those look convincingly creepy and biological. I think the idea of a properly alien world is hard to pull off because we always want some familiar stuff, but I think those kind of pieces pull off the "It looks like it's life, but not as we know it!" feel pretty well.

We don't see a lot of varient folliage, like vibrant purples or crimsons, and I think that is often because people have an eye to dual use. I know that myself, I play mostly fantasy games and I prefer stuff to look pretty "realistic" so that I can dual use it for historicals.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/05 13:58:00


Post by: kestral


Dual use is a very good point. I do stick to green, partly because of the tyranny of bases - things are mostly based green, so you stay with green, base in green - it is a vicious cycle.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/05 17:35:26


Post by: Briancj


I have to know. Which LARP?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/06 20:31:10


Post by: kestral


I cut my teeth at Nero Ravenholt in '91 and haven't looked back in 28 years. I've probably played 20 different campaigns and run 7. If you add up the days, it s more than a year of larp strung together. I do love hitting things with foam swords!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/07 17:14:36


Post by: Briancj


NERO!

Congrats on the long and apparently enjoyable history of boffers.

--B.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/07 23:38:11


Post by: kestral


To be fair, I haven't played an actual Nero Game in 21+ years. Done quite a bit everything else though.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/08 00:04:22


Post by: Briancj


I started in The Realms, in '87, so just another old foam-slinger.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/08 00:18:41


Post by: Insurgency Walker


Considering your locations It's possible you have traded hits. Small world.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/08 20:26:02


Post by: Briancj


It's entirely possible, but I don't know where Kestral actually lives.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/20 19:48:04


Post by: Wirecat


Came for the Beholders, stayed way too long to look at other wondrous things. Thanks a lot!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/21 18:38:43


Post by: Captain Brown


kestrel,

Nice to see you are starting some terrain for your table. After fully painted armies, nothing makes a game more entertaining.

Cheers,

CB


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/01/27 21:41:05


Post by: kestral


Captain Brown wrote:
kestrel,

Nice to see you are starting some terrain for your table. After fully painted armies, nothing makes a game more entertaining.

Cheers,

CB


Right you are!

Whenever I play a game, I try to do at least a little something to improve the army I used. Had a great old Fantasy battle game this week, so my bretonnians got a little work. A few improvements to some ebay Knights (ink and waterslides mostly) , a bit more paint on a couple men at arms, one got the shield he somehow lost replaced. Sadly, it seems he made a poor choice... ...I often include a few figures with chaos markings in most armies, so that they can go over to the dark side more easily.



I'm kind of spoiled for gaming recently. I wonder how long that will last?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/06 02:13:00


Post by: kestral


Some lovely Ork Terrain by Kromlech, IIRC.



I've been really productive recently, but really unfocused. I have enough stuff that I don't have many super "urgent" projects which is nice, so I'm really not bothering to impose any discipline.

Probably I should establish some kind of priorities though, which I guess would be:

Mithras related stuff (orks mostly)
Finishing my Pegasus Building Stuff, because it is super useful.
Figures for Dark Heresy type gaming.

I'm trying to do some Taros alongsided everything else, but that is a longer term task.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/06 02:18:44


Post by: youwashock


Those are some very nice piles of rubbish. And a huzzah for productivity.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/06 04:15:21


Post by: JoshInJapan


That's some really nice work on that terrain. In particular, the rust-red barrels really look great.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/07 02:13:15


Post by: kestral


Thanks! Nothing much too it really, base black, drybrush a couple of layers of brown lighter and lighter, dab on Privateer Press Khador Armor Highlight and Reaper Terran Khaki.

Painted a concealed gun position. Probably do two more heavy bolter versions, though I don't love it as much as I did thinking about it for three years. On the other hand, it did surpirse the PCs in a game today nestled among the ork terrain. I did say everything was what it looked like!





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/07 02:13:34


Post by: Insurgency Walker


That's some awsome stuff! More junk than I thought now that it's all painted.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/07 20:53:41


Post by: amazingturtles


Ha, those are neat little bits. I need more piles of tires in my life. My gaming life.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/08 00:54:20


Post by: Briancj




Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/09 03:37:01


Post by: kestral


 amazingturtles wrote:
Ha, those are neat little bits. I need more piles of tires in my life. My gaming life.


I too have been berating myself for my relative lack of piles of trash and "Canadian Tires". Working on rectifying that.

Starting to really "feel" an ork push. Here's my Snikrot - kind of a comic take on that actually brilliant GW model. He shops a lot at the Imperial Guard Big andTall shop it seems. Love the pot bellied old fantasy battle orks - some of my favorite conversion bits.







I should do a bit better on the optics I think.

If I were to tackle orks, specifically the Mithras variety, I would have

15 or so Snakebites
1 Warboss in Mega Armor scratch build in my head.
1 Classic Biker - well, 2 orks on 1 bike.
1 Weirdboy tower in my head
Maybe some touch up on some of my old models.
Mithras terrain is really almost there - just some corrosion on some pipes and some quickmold patches.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh yeah, plus the Ork prospector from Gorka Morka and a bunch of tires.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/09 06:23:08


Post by: Insurgency Walker


Yeah, Ork prospector was a cool mini. Too bad we will probably not be seeing that out of specialist games.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/09 14:19:51


Post by: kestral


I'm having trouble finding his head, which makes me wonder if I ever had it.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/11 02:50:38


Post by: kestral


Some further Consideration on the Mithras Project.

I definitely want to run a Dark Heresy/40K hybrid centering around hunting for Khorne worshipping Orks on Mithras before they convert other Orks to the Cause. It also occurs to me that Snakebites don't make a ton of sense on a world that can't grow Orkology very well. I suppose they would be mean and bitter snakebites maybe.

That would make the project look like this:

1 x Ork Mek Shop (thanks I walker!)
1 x Ork Shop buggy
1 x Ork Prospector
Some Tire Piles
Other trash piles
Some mold patches
Corrosion on pipes
40K pipe set I got for Christmas that I keep forgetting about.
1 x Gulash the Magneificent
1 x Cannibal Priestess
1x Magos Biologus
Old Witch of Mithras + Scrap Jack
6 Mithran Knife Fighters
2-3 Mithran Civilians
Maybe an inquisition type or two.
Corrupt Refinery Master
1x Tanker truck.

Another Idea to Archive:

Parasol Trees - I could do their "leaves" out of paper, large scale, then reduce them down. For extra alienness, I could angle them UPWARD slightly so water would flow to the center. You could make trunks out of bundles of wire wrapped in tape and glue bits of twigs and such to the bottom of the parasol. I'd like to have more alien trees, and really, who says you need individual leaves? It seems like a giant photosynthetic umbrella or tarp would work best.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/16 12:36:38


Post by: kestral


I asked for "Painted terrain" for X-mas, and my brother gave me some nicely dry brushed silver plasma pipes. I finished them up with some detailing and assembled them. I used a fair amount of marker - the paler gold is marker, as is the blue. Got an interesting heat discoloration of metal effect by using a grey blue marker over silver and scorched metal.

I was originally going to magnetize, but blu tac should be fine (or maybe better) , and I picked up a little to just chuck into the bag with this stuff.







The supports actually clip on very tightly as well. Quite happy with it overall.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/17 11:24:38


Post by: JoeRugby


Great stuff

Love the paintjob on the beholder


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/19 15:03:59


Post by: kestral


Thanks!

Here's the Deep Cuts library stuff painted up for my wife:



A very nice set.

Here's well, a thing of skulls and sprue that I spent way too long building. Still, I like it. One side is more Khorne Skulls, one side is more imperial skulls. Is it any wonder the well meaning citizens of the Empire get confused?





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/20 18:34:04


Post by: Captain Brown


Nice terrain work there kestrel.

Cheers,

CB


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/20 23:33:12


Post by: Syro_


That library furniture looks great, and I really like the Khornate structure. It's a credit to you that I was already thinking it looked like it had to do with Khorne before reading your description or seeing the second picture with the Khorne banner visible.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/20 23:44:45


Post by: amazingturtles


I love tiny furniture so much. Those turned our really well.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/22 12:00:41


Post by: kestral


Yeah, I like tiny household items quite a bit too. Thanks folks! When I saw the sprue (which is from the pipes) it said "Khorne" to me also.

Here's my Pegasus gothic building a little closer to done. I'm keeping them buildable, so that I can use them to make a variety of buildings. I did the last one in in the set and drybrushed them all, which took forever ,but was worth it because I'd used slightly different grey spray paints over the years, and it helped unify the different sets. I also did some roof pieces. For now they are just sprayed green but they will get shingles from corrugated cardboard eventually, and some weathering. I'm also going to put some ink to the buildings gold work, and do a few more murals, plus the gargoyles and lanterns. For now though, another step forward!

















Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/23 04:15:14


Post by: Insurgency Walker


Fly my buttress! Fly!

I'm digging it.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/23 16:21:16


Post by: Briancj


I'm enjoying your butt...resses.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/23 19:59:29


Post by: kestral


Pegasus buildings never quite fit in perfectly with Warhammer, I'll admit. Maybe with more skulls they won't be the butt of every joke.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And some tables.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/24 00:25:27


Post by: amazingturtles


Tables! Tables and stools and wood grain. So nice to see.

Too bad they aren't made out of skulls


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/24 16:57:13


Post by: Wirecat


Sculls are best inside the head - or in a bowl.

Neat wood, very realistic.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/25 00:34:15


Post by: Syro_


The table and stools looks great, did you buy or make them?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/02/25 17:50:22


Post by: kestral


Deep Cuts D&D figures. That stuff is great - I hear it is eating Reaper Bone's lunch in retail (kind of a shame), though I find the humanoid figures somewhat lackluster. The furniture and monsters are great though!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/09 03:21:10


Post by: kestral


First attempt at an alien tree. I want REALLY HUGE ALIEN LILLYPAD TREES where the top magnets off for storage and being able to move figures around under them. I've spent waaaay to much effort on this project which I have no immediate use for, but so it goes. The final versions will be multistemmed and a foot tall - you never see REALLY BIG TREES in 40k, and I mean to change that. The top has been ruled too paperlike and flat, so I'm using a textured paper for the next generation that is much better.








Automatically Appended Next Post:
Probably going to ditch the red too.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/09 12:43:18


Post by: JoeRugby


love the idea on the tree, looking forward to where you go next with it


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/09 12:47:04


Post by: Insurgency Walker


I like the red, but I like variegated plants too. Makes it look kind of sickly from a traditional biology makeup.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/09 13:11:47


Post by: Syro_


Who cares if you have no real use for them yet, I think it's very important to follow our passions in this hobby. It's a cool idea, rock on


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/10 13:02:19


Post by: kestral


Heck Yeah! Giant Trees! Just imagine X -wings zooming through them, kroot lurking under them.... Of course I'm going to do this. What was I thinking? That, and I"ve already cut a pile of Birch Withies and dragged them into the shop to make them. You're right though - it is about following one's inspiration. It is aaahrrttt, I tell you, art!

Note to self - I should do a fallen one as well.

In the meantime here's some Ghostface Wygars - I wanted a vicious, alien predator, and while I hated the Wargs in the movies (on account of not looking particularly like wolves), I rather liked them as miniatures, and GW was selling them pretty cheap at one point. There is some good value in the LOTR figures. I'd planned even more elaborate basing with water effects and cracked mud, but for now I like what I've got.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/11 02:29:36


Post by: Briancj


No big trees because for MOST people, they're a giant (heh) pain in the arse.

...

And then there's the folks where 'rule of cool' comes in.

I look forward to the table of 70's sci-fi DEATH TREES.

--B.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/11 02:37:01


Post by: Theophony


It’s like the trees from the Lorax.....with a big floppy beret . Now you need a Lorax .


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/11 22:07:38


Post by: kestral


Hmmmm - I am the Lorax in more ways than one, as it turns out. I even had my own book, though not by Suess.

With warmer weather I should rock the trees soon. I think I can reduce the PTA factor - make them very stable, the lift off canopy, and efficient storage. We'll see how it goes.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/11 22:10:53


Post by: Meer_Cat


Your pack of hunting critters puts me in mind of images/paintings of dire wolves I've seen from medieval Ireland. When seen as individuals, the striping makes them stand out amazingly well- as a pack, they blend into their terrain- just as they should in 'real' life. It all goes together with the basing very well- nice work!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/11 23:00:11


Post by: JoshInJapan


NIce work on the wargs. As you say, the models don't look like wolves, so not painting them like wolves makes complete sense.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/11 23:01:39


Post by: Syro_


Theophony wrote:
It’s like the trees from the Lorax.....with a big floppy beret . Now you need a Lorax .


I like that idea, hey kestral, any chance we can see you make a strike team of armed loraxes working for the Tau?


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/12 10:38:00


Post by: kestral


Hmmm - Maaaybeee. The Kroot might eat them though. I hate it when my Auxiliaries eat each other.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/12 20:43:41


Post by: Captain Brown


kestral,

I like the Ghostface Wygars and their stripes.

Cheers,

CB


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/14 21:55:59


Post by: kestral


Thank you! I actually really like painting stripes.

Note to self: 1/48 versions of the bizzare "Pogo" are cheap on Amazon. If I need more flyers for my 40K large scale version of X wing they could work well - pretty stubby, plus they land on their tale and thus would make good terrain.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
Probably convert it to a jet and put some armament in the nose. The propellers are kind of neat but also kind of bug me.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/15 03:19:42


Post by: Insurgency Walker


Cool thing is it already is a jet. Will make converting easier.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/16 17:30:11


Post by: Camkierhi


Nice find though, could work well in 40k, they like things stubby.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/16 20:45:03


Post by: kestral


Must... ...resist....

In the Meantime, Trees!
Or at least tree.

Step 1 - fit it to the container. I got this advice on terrain building at my first ever large 40K event, and it is the best advice I ever received:



Step 2 - Hammer upholstery nails into the ends of the stem. This will allow the magnets to hold the "Lilypad" on.



Step 3 - glue and screw the base to the tree. Base attachment is the most important thing in plant terrain, I think. One of my achilles heels. Taking no chances here. Made the base as small as possible, but with extended roots for stability.





Step 4 - Glue rocks to the base. I chose roundish rocks that might be thought to be part of the tree, and used a huge amount of hot glue. The rocks were warm to the touch for 1/2 hour. Also added some flying roots.





Step 5 - Check stability. The tree can tilt 45 degrees and still return upright in all directions. Also check the magnets.



Step 6 - Coat with golden polyurithane stain. I'm hoping this will help preserve the luster of the bark over time.

Step 7 - Draw circles on textured paper. Cut out. Then the annoying step - I made a series of small cuts around the edge and used needle nose pliers to rip bits of paper off to give the circles ragged edges. Took FOREVER. The paper is quite tough, which is probably good overall. Also tore a line from edge to center, which allows it to form a slight upward cone to capture water, and also bend less.





Step 8 - 2 tone spray paint.



Step 9 - Add twigs and lichen. PVA glue to hold down the twigs, then more hot glue to finish the job, covered by the lichen.






Step 10. I really spent a silly amount of time on this. Add magnets. Since the magnets are on top of the paper, they won't pull off when removed from the nails, but their hold is a little weaker - you need pretty big neodyums much larger than the usual miniatures ones, which I happened to have.



Paint and flock the base. I might ink them browner. Put a little flock over the magnets. Whew!









I think I want to do multiple stalks supporting a single pad, kind of like this:



Hmm, maybe I just want to as close as I can to that period. Dragon Trees are awesome!




Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/16 22:08:56


Post by: Syro_


Woohoo! It's great to see your lilypad tress coming to life and turning out so nicely. I wish I had this post to read years ago when I made my homemade tress. They aren't nearly a durable.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/21 01:54:41


Post by: kestral


Sadly, much of my terrain is not as rugged as I would like either. Live and Learn.

Painting the Mekboy Workshop - lovely kit. Cruel GW - now even their trash piles are better than everyone elses. Mostly because they are full of cool bits one recognizes. I'm using my "dirty stuff" technique that i use for Ork vehicles like the sail cars earlier. It is rather darker than the GW box art, which I feel is too bright. I'm painting everything either the color it is in the un busted version of the miniature (like the tractors, which are in on pile), or the color the equivalent thing is in my workshop. Nice not to have to worry too much about what color to make things!

WIP



And a Knight, one of the three unpainted ones remaining. I always match any foot soldiers to the livery of one of the Knights in my Bret Army - this foppish fellow provided the Bombard. I didn't paint the crew, and probably wouldn't have done those colors, but hey, it was fun.







Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/21 19:56:59


Post by: kestral


Note to self relating to Aircraft -

The Horten GO 229 has many design similarities with the Dust flyers I have for my Nihon armies. I should pick up a kit. In 1/72, the wing span is still 9 inches. You can get 1/48 kits, but they are going to be like $100 bucks.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/23 17:37:55


Post by: kestral


Here's I-Walker's Mek Workshop done up. What an amazing kit! Makes me want to get the welder and torches going and start bashing things together. Makes you want to be an Ork Mek. I do actually have a kind of Orkish sculpture project I might finally get around to this summer.















Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/23 21:06:53


Post by: Meer_Cat


It's great that the kit has so many detail parts; what makes this scene is all the great use you've made of them. The colors are realistic and balanced, you can really feel that the scene and all its clutter have amsassed one piece at a tie over a very long period. Great diorama!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/24 02:27:52


Post by: Syro_


Wow, there is a ridiculous amount of detail in that workbench area, impressive kit. And as Meer_Cat said, very nicely painted up.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/24 14:11:14


Post by: kestral


Thanks! It went by quickly, which is nice when you are painting detailed terrain, because often that can feel like a slog.

Here's the Ryza Ruins - got them for my Birthday and wanted to do them right away. They started to feel like the afore mentioned slog though. You think "hey, I'll have a nice piece here in no time" and then a couple hours later you're like "damn, now I got to paint a million bolts". Overall I like the Ryza stuff - simple, durable, lacking in skulls strangely, but hey, they are an old, more mechanicus oriented pattern, and variety is nice.

The red will be a nice change.



I made a bit of my own rubble. Normally, we assume servitors sweep up all rubble as is the case in the post classic cityfight imperial ruins, leaving just walls and bare ground, but in this case they missed a spot.







I like the red/gold/blue corrosion combo.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/03/24 14:28:16


Post by: JoeRugby


love the detail you've put into the workshop mate


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/04/16 18:32:16


Post by: Captain Brown


Dedication there kestrel, I would have dry brushed and been satisfied.

Cheers,

CB


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/04/24 15:18:04


Post by: kestral


A good dry brush counts for a great deal! I actually like terrain not to over shadow miniatures, sometimes simpler is kind of better.

Here's some stranglevines made from grape tendrils, and some eggs from hot glue.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/04/24 17:29:01


Post by: Briancj


The same theory applies to 'troop models' versus characters. You want the characters to stand out!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/04/24 21:31:25


Post by: Captain Brown


kestrel,

Some nice, inexpensive terrain ideas there. Although how fragile are the grape tendrils?

Cheers,

CB


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/04/25 14:04:08


Post by: kestral


Surprisingly tough. No problem there I think.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/04/25 16:11:52


Post by: amazingturtles


Yeah, dried grape vines are nice and rugged! I wish i had some around, they're fun for all sorts of little hobby projects.

The hot glue is a neat idea, and they turned out great.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/04/26 20:53:55


Post by: kestral


Well, if you ever really need some I can probably lay hands on some. : )


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/01 00:37:18


Post by: kestral




A dream finally achieved!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/01 01:29:55


Post by: Meer_Cat


Brilliant!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/01 02:23:25


Post by: Briancj


Crab or Lobster?

I need butter.



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/01 15:42:28


Post by: Captain Brown


More interesting alien terrain there kestrel.

Cheers,

CB


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/02 00:16:16


Post by: Meer_Cat


They're like the scenery in the last scene of Starship Troopers 3: Marauder. Terrible movie, great settings!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/04 10:00:18


Post by: kestral


Thanks folks!

I should watch the follow up Starship Troopers - especially if they have some cool terrain. I wish I'd gotten some of the bug figures when they were around - they were cool and alien, especially the basic warriors.

This was mostly a test to see if the smell could be removed. It is lobster, and I have a much more ambitious lobster project for later, if this one doesn't stink....



So far it seems that boiling for an hour, picking out any soft tissue, soaking in water for a week, sealing up well with hot glue and spraying with dull coat removes all odor as far as I can tell.

In the meantime, I got my Reaper Bones. I got the Dreadmere, the Peasants, Horror and some statuary. I wish I'd gotten the lost world too. Hell, and the Underworld. Here's the statuary - I sprayed it dark grey, washed with black, lightly sprayed pale grey, drybrushed white, washed with thinned Nuln oil selectively, and then added some flock.




Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/04 12:47:25


Post by: Briancj


I'm one of the people whose order included THE LAST CONTAINER, so I'm still waiting for my Bones.

Nice lobster. I suspect there's some Taxidermy skills that would come in very useful, here? To the internets!

--Brian



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/04 16:19:20


Post by: Syro_


The Statuary looks nice, and good luck on the future lobster project. It's sounds epic.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/04 17:06:48


Post by: Meer_Cat


We used to clean sand dollars by soaking them for a few hours in a dilute Clorox (insert your local bleach based cleaner here) and then scrubbing in clean water. This could work for lobster parts, unless you wanted to keep the natural colors (ie: aren't going to paint)- it probably would bleach a lot of the color out.

The only other thing I can think of, is- after cleaning thoroughly with soap and water, overcoat them heavily with matte or gloss varnish as appropriate, to kind of seal them.

I look forward to your next arthropodic project!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/05 23:06:46


Post by: Camkierhi


Excellent stuff bud, love the lobster though I think I would make moulds and cast in resin, that way no smelly bits.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/18 13:08:29


Post by: kestral


Thanks for the tips folks! We'll see if the smell stays away over time. During my resin casting days I cast a dragonfly for a conversion at one point. I'd like to do some similar stuff at some point.

Too busy to paint much recently, but here's one of I-walkers Mordians I painted for an RPG, next to a Victoria. It shows how nicely the Victoria figures update old ranges without making them obsolete, so to speak.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/05/18 13:34:16


Post by: Briancj


A slew of Victoria's work is on my to buy list, thanks for the comparison foto!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/06/09 09:05:37


Post by: Ragsta


Kestral, if your Starship Troopers void still troubles you I’ll just leave this link here...

http://www.rebelminis.com/screecher.html

They have quite the selection of bug critters, some of them would go nicely with your Stranglevines


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/06/09 19:58:04


Post by: Wirecat


These blue coats remind me of something that avoids being named. Something from anime, of Hayao Miyazaki fame? Anyway, good painting and a very useful scale shot. Thanks!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/06/10 15:23:00


Post by: Syro_


@ Wirecat: Howl's Moving castle?
https://images.app.goo.gl/QMCQpMaq11cefraq5

Stuff is looking good kestral, I'm especially looking forward to your alien bugs


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/06/28 11:25:12


Post by: kestral


They do look like Miyazaki stuff, now that you mention it.

Clearing the shelf for other projects, which means making things out of the odds and ends I've tossed up there for the past couple of months:

We've got... ....an ork Painting station? I don't know. And some giant hive vermin for Necromunda. Mice and Moonspiders. Everyone knows giant mice are more dangerous than giant rats.





Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/06/28 19:39:53


Post by: Meer_Cat


Clearly, a malfunctioning Dalek is being attended to by a pair of fuzzy/hairy servitors and pulled to a repair shop by a pair of Skaven slaves. As the wend their way through the city, a Cyberman squeegee man is accosting them for money to wash their windshield.

(Honestly, these things are so obvious- they write themselves! )



Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/06/29 01:29:51


Post by: kestral


Maybe for you they do. That is brilliant!

The shy and elusive yet delicious hive Roach of Unusual Size.






Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/06/29 14:35:48


Post by: Camkierhi


That is brilliant. Honestly, off to get some bugs I have been keeping for a rainy day out, just love that.

The other thingamejigs above all look enticing too.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/06/30 20:27:35


Post by: Wirecat


Very... believable bugs, to the point of scaring me off this great thread! But I will return, with a swatter!


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/07/01 03:00:56


Post by: The Riddle of Steel


Great idea with the grape vines. I need to keep an eye out for some of those. I have used interesting weeds and seedpods as terrain and I agree, once dried and painted, they seem to hold up for years.

-Rids


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/07/01 12:56:26


Post by: Geifer


I enjoy your terrain making very much. Nice work.

If you have a roach of unusual size, you need a soldier with one boot of unusual size as well. Just saying.


Kestral's Odds and Ends - Currently a Dakkajet! @ 2019/07/13 18:01:36


Post by: kestral


Why thank you!

Here are some random pieces - I was going for a field of vegetation that would make it look like figures were up to their waists in bushes. Worked well, I think.