That is looking stunning bud, really nice work, agree with Solar Dragon symbols should be gold, but maybe Try your hand at salt whatsit, have the gold looking like very worn paint.

Comp entry is very promising I really hope you get it done in time, but we can extend if necessary.

Dr H wrote:

 inmygravenimage wrote:
Thanks! I had thought about using VJ Metallic Gold but I'm still scared of that stuff :/

Just slap it on something small and see how it behaves. Once you know it won't be scary. Knowledge is power.

also, there are no metals ANYWHERE on any of my bmg stuff. It's a comic thing

I "believe" your bell tower has some metallics in it.

Looks great. Nice work.

OK, OK, OK and, yeah, fair point

Gitsplitta wrote:I just love that graven.

Cheers mate!

Warboss_Waaazag wrote:Nice restaurant. Looks like it's seen better economies, though.

A sad indictment of our times..

Ruglud wrote:Excellent work, your collection of terrain just gets better and bigger all the time

Cheers, I really need to get it all laid out at some point!

Solar_lion wrote:Great work.. Howeverrrrrrr.. I will say I think the dragons on top should be gold. Tarnished and maybe some patina? Hollywood influenced? Currently I think it blends into the building colors too much. The dragons being much of an advertisement than just building dressing... 2 cent's.

Lastly,... add this graffiti... ' Lo Pan sucks' somewhere . Reference to a movie classic.

@D Just for you:

Camkierhi wrote:That is looking stunning bud, really nice work, agree with Solar Dragon symbols should be gold, but maybe Try your hand at salt whatsit, have the gold looking like very worn paint.

Comp entry is very promising I really hope you get it done in time, but we can extend if necessary.

I'm almost certainly going to need it, alas, though the cupola has begun:

Trying something completely new for the painting of this: to achieve layered, peeling rust, there is no primer and just a base coat of orange. It's painted black inside the transparent plastic and I'm gong to start layering over. No idea if it will work but, hey, that's what we're here for, eh? One has to push oneself I'm going to try some salt weathering on the main tower, also.

So, yeah, I took your varied advices, and am willing to conced the gold looks pretty good.


Sponged liquid gold, polished gold,1/2&1/2 gold and silver, and then a little silver at the end.

And in situ:

Yes.. looks much better..

Being a distinguished purveyor of the cinema .. you do know who Lo Pan is? Now you need Jack's Semi truck parked next to the restaurant.

Good show!

The Chang Sings approve of these additions.

The GIT Gits it! ( Drops Mic )

Yeah, I am a movie nut and media teacher, I most certainly get it I do need a mullet wielding Warrior and truck though , too true


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Glad y'all approve!

Amazing work on the restaurant!!

Thanks kindly!
Shreck's continues:

However, it is now primed and zenithally pre shaded, but drying v-e-r-y slowly in the garage because Winter.

Meantime, therefore, I got on with my Nightclub:

The sign is detachable, clipping the roof in place. I need to fix the "dancers" (they're starting to lie down on the job) with a leg to the floor or something I guess anyway.

I am fairly sure that the Penguin would troll the Joker by buying available ad space for his own club
And with more signage -

So graffiti and then weathering. I am debating the word Rhubarb tagged across the back but that may be a little too obtuse? Any other suggestions?

Up and down otherwise. Little dude broke his tooth (or rather, had it broken by another grrrrr), though to his credit he is being very stoical. Little lady managed to throw up all over me.
Fun times, kids are great, aren't they?
But feeling a bit more upbeat, having spoken to wife about feeling low. Just good to get it off my chest and be listened to by herself.

Anyway.
Had a great game of BMG with my old buddy Metropolis, and side by side with a couple of other mates who were learning with my Birds of Prey and a CW theme crew of Flash, Kid Flash, Hawkgirl and Arsenal.


I'm starting to be bothered by how good goons with guns are. Joker mook with machine gun and grapple just made a kill zone whilst holding the batsignal. It's partly a lack of experience on our part though, I think - we're not doing the finesse strategies and so gravitate towards old gaming habits.
We were using his TT Combat buildings - the bank is huge, looks cool but impractical, actually, in game terms - and another friend's plastcraft Infinity ones which went surprisingly well.

Interestingly, on the tactical note, the other 2 teams of all supers seemed really well matched, even with Arsenal and his shooty death arrows (though he did fall afoul of Ivy making him fall off a building )

I have way too many crews for bmg, I realise: Batman, Law, Arrow, Joker, Penguin, Scarecrow, Ivy, Court. Sigh
Ah well.

Onwards!
Graven

Looks like good times. Love the tall buildings on the table. Impractical or no.

At some point I'm going to have to get that batgirl mini. That cape looks too cool.

I hope that it wasn't a permanent tooth.

Looks like a blast graven! Glad you had a good time. Your models are certainly adding to the atmosphere of the scene.

So, my Red Beam Designs nightclub is finished:

I do wonder if I should've done something more with the door. It's kinda unassuming just now. I was going for dingy dive feel.


Working our way round. The neon sign is not attached so you can detach roof and access interior.



Generally really happy with the reverse, by contrast.

I reckon the Penguin would troll the Joker by buying available ad space for his own club



Filthy roof.
Oh, and functional lights:
https://youtu.be/HpedtOkFxr4

And side by side with Lo Phat Chinese Restaurant


Finally, meantime, started on my loer painting:



Going to do the cat ball verdigris for a bit of variety. Posters next, then more weathering.

Even got a game in today - great game of X-wing with the boys. They were Imperial, but separate, #1 with 2 phantoms, #2 with slave 1 loaded for bear - both competing to take my The ghost and the phantom. Good fun.

So, loering ahead!
Cheers
Graven



Automatically Appended Next Post:

Got a bit more done

Wait, what the?!
[url=https://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/859944-Very%20meta.html]
[/url]

Great job on the club. I'd still go there.

Good progress on the tower.

Excellent seeing the terrain in action. Still more battle report type pics would help us ( entertain ) feel like we in the moment!

Thanks guys. The plan for our next game is to use as much of my painted terrain as possible - plus lots of pics, naturally.

Speaking of terrain...

Done!
Who'd've guessed, eh?

LOER contest entry: Shreck'd

15 years since the bicentennial, he found it hard to believe that all that remained of the temple of avarice that was Shreck's was its iconic tower.
"What's the matter, Batman?" purred a voice from above, "I know that it's not because I've got your tongue." He ignored Selina, who preened within the ruined cat-cupola like some bizarre Shakespearean inversion, instead on the hunched shadow that emerged, framed by the flickering light.
"Nyah! This is private property, see!"
A step forward; the Penguin half-stepped back, "Nyah. But, the view's free. For old time's sake, eh?"
And the three of them stood, on the brink, gazing into a city of hope and ruin.


So, an idea that's been brewing for a long time.
Component list

Trying to embrace the quasi-festive theme, there's a sign for the Gotham Bicentennial on the building also (plus, Batman Returns is one of the greatest Xmas movies ever )




I enjoyed decorating this appropriately. I tried a few new techniques, too: layered up kitchen roll with pva and paint to make the flaking white on the cat, and used Humbrol Rust Red weathering powder in a couple of ways (dusted, combined with tamiya mud stick, and with VJ smoke) to add some depth to the crud.


I always imagine domes made of copper, and this gave some nice colour contrast to the piece as a whole.


A lego blog I was reading pointed out that builds often neglect undersides, and it occurred to me that, from a model's eye view, that's very important. So I made a point of rivetting, as well as weathering, below the cupola.


Numerous references in the many posters and graffiti.


Went a bit 4th wall here with the Deadpool poster also pleased how the wanted poster turned out.


Functioning, flickering light.




Lots of fun with graffiti

I've enjoyed this. I've tried to push myself in all sorts of ways. Thanks Cam for a great challenge!

Next? Well, maybe a mini or two. I've got the Apartment building primed and ready, but think I need a break from terrain for a bit.

We'll see

Cheers y'all,
graven

OOOoooooOOooo that building looks good.

Brilliant use of posters and graphiti!

That's very cool graven, great job!

That's quite a tower. It looks great.

Stunning stuff, looks brilliant, posters and graffiiittttiii taken to next level.

Talking of levels, how usable is it in game, I mean a lot of games it would not be great as movement to upper levels would take too long. How does it play in Batman?

TerrainWalker wrote:OOOoooooOOooo that building looks good.

Thanks, I don't think I've ever done so much sponge weathering in my life!

kestral wrote:Brilliant use of posters and graphiti!

Cheers the posters have become quitea common theme in my buildings - I spend a lot of time looking at urban decay! Graffiti likewise, I got a lot of inspiration from a book of tags in the Oakland area. Plus I wanted a LOER tag on there I'm not sure how obvious some of them are - the teeth and lips are over a Superman 'S' for example.

Gitsplitta wrote:That's very cool graven, great job!

Cheers mucker!

Warboss_Waaazag wrote:That's quite a tower. It looks great.

Thanks! Can't believe it's actually stable, too.

Camkierhi wrote:Stunning stuff, looks brilliant, posters and graffiiittttiii taken to next level.

Talking of levels, how usable is it in game, I mean a lot of games it would not be great as movement to upper levels would take too long. How does it play in Batman?

It's very specifically playable The height of it is 25cm to the platform; grapple guns (eg batclaw, or characters like Slipknot, although all factions can buy a couple as gear for mooks) are 30cm in a direct line (uses 2 action tokens, characters get approx 6 tokens a turn depending on rank, experience etc); it was always a key consideration I actually widened the original platform (it was just the cd initially) to increase playability: it can comfortably take half a dozen minis slugging it out. No pushing, it's the fall that will kill you Likewise the inside of the cat head has a stable platform that can take at least 3 models (well, as long as no more than one is on a large base) and so it gives some elevated (therefore more defensible) terrian.
I tried to put my terrain into boxes today. I need another terrain box, it turns out
In tangental news, I think I *am* going to paint some more terrain. Those hobos need somewhere to pee, after all.
Thanks for the C&C folks,
graven

Truly a work of Art. I at first expected a pristine copy of the movie piece, but the ruin version is excellent. The posters and the little touches like the tapped door.. Nice.

This is one of those models that the more you look at it... the more you appreciate it. I just love all the posters and graffiti scattered about and the fact that your detailing took the model's perspective into account.

Wow thats amazing Graven, I think thats your best yet, truly impressed!

Solar_lion wrote:Truly a work of Art. I at first expected a pristine copy of the movie piece, but the ruin version is excellent. The posters and the little touches like the tapped door.. Nice.

Thanks, you know me, nothing's clean in my city door tape is a thing I've been wanting to try for a while and I suspect you'll be seeing a lot more of it.

Gitsplitta wrote:This is one of those models that the more you look at it... the more you appreciate it. I just love all the posters and graffiti scattered about and the fact that your detailing took the model's perspective into account.

Thanks buddy. I'm taking real inspiration from some of the great folk here - loving insaniak's MEdge stuff at present.

GiraffeX wrote:Wow thats amazing Graven, I think thats your best yet, truly impressed!

You're most kind.

A different kind of clear out tonight - boxed up all my old game of thrones cards to go to a mate. No time for ccgs anymore. Well other than Pokemon with the #2 son, that is.

Hey ho. Any suggestions on figs to paint? Suicide Squad, Joker goons, or something else entirely?

Tower is awesome!

I say do some of the Squad next, give yourself a break from the Joker guts as you've done a load of those recently. You could always do Harley if you wanted to keep it relevant to the Joker project (and she's one of the best models in the set)

Squad sounds good. Though need to build them

Meanwhile...
Posters? Police tape?

How about a police outline on the pavement with some shredded bits of tape around it?

Congratulations on 250 pages, graven! Loving the terrain and the Knight Models stuff that your working on. I hope you're keeping well, last time I was here you had an arm splint on, clearly you didn't let that stop you!

couple of chalk body outlines. The the side wall need a mural. Something you see in urban city's over here a lot. Mostly cultural or Ethnic themes. You can dirty it up afterwards.

Gitsplitta wrote:How about a police outline on the pavement with some shredded bits of tape around it?

^This. Definitely using this idea. Cheers bro!

Casey's Law wrote:Congratulations on 250 pages, graven! Loving the terrain and the Knight Models stuff that your working on. I hope you're keeping well, last time I was here you had an arm splint on, clearly you didn't let that stop you!

Lovely to hear from you mate! Yeah I'm ok. Wrist has generally been better offer the last year or so. I blame sleep deprivation

Solar_lion wrote:couple of chalk body outlines. The the side wall need a mural. Something you see in urban city's over here a lot. Mostly cultural or Ethnic themes. You can dirty it up afterwards.

See I'd love to do a mural, I think it's a brilliant and fitting idea - but I cannot draw for toffee. I'd worry that not only would it not work it'd ruin the piece as a whole. But I do love the idea. Maybe - maybe - the Joker's face as graffiti? A bit like the SMILE bat I did on the nightclub?
Meanwhile, posters:

Dirty paint water makes excellent weathering wash
I think this wall just needs a tag or two now.

And, the sidewalk, so far:

More police tape to come, and litter in front of the building. But, you get the idea.

That is fantastic, love it.

Take a leaf out of RedHarvest and Grimdorks book, print out a mural picture and stick it on, can go over it with paint if you want to feather it in to the wall. Could also go with billboards, again printable and can weather them up. Tie it in, have a advert for the restaurant on the side of the night club. Does not have to fill the side just break it up. Tall and thin dragon silhouette and restaurant name should cut it. Just some thoughts.

Still laughing, thank you Gits and Graven excellent idea and excellent execution.

 inmygravenimage wrote:

Casey's Law wrote:Congratulations on 250 pages, graven! Loving the terrain and the Knight Models stuff that your working on. I hope you're keeping well, last time I was here you had an arm splint on, clearly you didn't let that stop you!

Lovely to hear from you mate! Yeah I'm ok. Wrist has generally been better offer the last year or so. I blame sleep deprivation

Glad to hear it wasn't anything more serious!

The detailing you've done to those buildings is great, really adding some life to them.

I love the Deadpool poster.

Casey's Law wrote:

 inmygravenimage wrote:

Casey's Law wrote:Congratulations on 250 pages, graven! Loving the terrain and the Knight Models stuff that your working on. I hope you're keeping well, last time I was here you had an arm splint on, clearly you didn't let that stop you!

Lovely to hear from you mate! Yeah I'm ok. Wrist has generally been better offer the last year or so. I blame sleep deprivation

Glad to hear it wasn't anything more serious!

The detailing you've done to those buildings is great, really adding some life to them.

Many thanks amazing what steroids injected into the muscle can do although I was hoping to turn into Bane or something.

Warboss_Waaazag wrote:I love the Deadpool poster.

yeah I'm going to start hiding them on my terrain generally.

Camkierhi wrote:That is fantastic, love it.

Take a leaf out of RedHarvest and Grimdorks book, print out a mural picture and stick it on, can go over it with paint if you want to feather it in to the wall. Could also go with billboards, again printable and can weather them up. Tie it in, have a advert for the restaurant on the side of the night club. Does not have to fill the side just break it up. Tall and thin dragon silhouette and restaurant name should cut it. Just some thoughts.

Still laughing, thank you Gits and Graven excellent idea and excellent execution.

Cheers mate. I've been thinking about making posters for my other buildings generally, actually. The R_h and grimdork pointers were helpful - I have an idea...


But centre, and just Joker's face. Yay/nay?



Automatically Appended Next Post:

Actually

Oh that's dope. Maybe just grime it up a smidge.

Nice work graven, the latest adds are fantastic!

That looks amazing bud, brilliant stuff. Your board has to be one of the most brilliant places to play, really immersive for the players. Fantastic.

Casey's Law wrote:Oh that's dope. Maybe just grime it up a smidge.

Will do boss!

Gitsplitta wrote:Nice work graven, the latest adds are fantastic!

Cheers Mucker

Camkierhi wrote:That looks amazing bud, brilliant stuff. Your board has to be one of the most brilliant places to play, really immersive for the players. Fantastic.

Well here's hoping - game planned for 14th with all the terrain

And here it is. You can smell the pee from here.





I like the burst rubbish bag, this was an exciting experiment using a real bag and Superglue.




Really happy with the graffiti mural

Thanks for all the input, as ever, my lovelies.

I am torn, as I only have a very few bits of terrain left to do, but I think I'm more in a mini mood.

Still, as I say, game planned for 14th, and aiming to break out allllll the terrain I think I have enough now

Here's a list of what BMG is on the "shelf"
Leto Joker & Cosplay goons (from Suicide Squad)
Harley Quinn SS)
Deadshot (SS)
Slipknot (SS)
Diablo (SS)
Killer Croc (SS)
Ravager
Deathstroke (Arkham Origins)
Riddler (Classic)

Suggestions gratefully received
Adiós
Graven

I zoomed in on the burst garbage and I felt a little sick, so great job! The whole thing is very impressive.

The only one I really liked in Suicide Squad was Harley so I'd vote for that. Do whatever takes your fancy though!

LOL thanks buddy. Papa Nurgle makes the best colours a vote for Harley, then!

Hey guys,

Little One has a touch of fever and more goo leakage than a great unclean one. Tough night last night, though as a result Mrs Graven crashed early. So, I'm trying to get my last couple of terrain bits done.

Firstly, the radioactive waste container that I've been avoiding for about 6 months.

Finally did all the black. Now to make it look like crap! To the weathering sponge!

And done work on my TT Combat police van also.

It has funky acrylic lights, that my desk has obligingly eaten But anyway, they'll turn up.

Speaking of terrain, the voting thread for the current loer challenge is up:
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/719936.page
Vote Cobblepot! Or, you know, whoever you think actually deserves it

Meanwhile, I promised I'd start actually painting minis again. Felicitously, who should arrive this St Felicity's Day but Calendar Man?

A lovely surprise to come home to. Easily one of my favourite characters, bonkers in game: his abilities change depending on the month you're playing. Best promo ever. If I ever wrote a Batman comic, he would be the villain. I'm not crazy about them doing these limited edition promos with separate rules, as he's a beast, Alfred's is basically a must-have for Bat crews, Batfleck is very potent and the next promo, Arkham knight, is likewise vicious. That being said, they are free. Calendar Man, however, is terrifying and was only free with €150 from Knight or retailer Exclusive. I'm just lucky I have a helpful chum.

The base will be just printed calendars I think. Next, I'm planning on doing some dedicated building; expect a shelf of shame shot later this week!

Hey ho
Graven

Well hello there,
A super productive evening lead to this:



Such fun Not sure my attempt at moody lighting worked though
And dispatch was called to check out a suspicious container:

Finally done! No terrain left to do... yet. Something awesome incoming, "Secret"

Plus, got some time playing Return to Arkham, and red wine. Good times

Nice work, Graven'. Looking good. Base works well for the chap.

Love that building

Orange! My old nemesis. Is that tattooing on its head? The base is exquisite. Simple and direct, which is how bases ought to be.

Dr H wrote:Nice work, Graven'. Looking good. Base works well for the chap.

Cheers! It worked better than I'd hoped.

TerrainWalker wrote:Love that building

Yeah, it's the new apartment block from Red Beam. They've asked me to paint it for the site, which is pretty awesome. I don't, as a rule, do commissions, but free terrain is not to be sniffed at.

Red Harvest wrote:Orange! My old nemesis. Is that tattooing on its head? The base is exquisite. Simple and direct, which is how bases ought to be.

lol Nemesis? You?! Lies, damn lies. I love painting it with VJ orange fire just love the stuff. Yeah, he has the months of the year tattooed on And I really appreciate the base comments; sometimes, as you say, simple is best.

I come back and more city crops up! Great work actually!

Calendar Man looks great Graven and the poilce van is rather stunning it looks like its a model and not MDF, very impressed.

Great looking terrain!

shasolenzabi wrote:I come back and more city crops up! Great work actually!

Yeah it breeds in dark corners thanks bud

GiraffeX wrote:Calendar Man looks great Graven and the poilce van is rather stunning it looks like its a model and not MDF, very impressed.

Cheers! I think the acrylic lights on top help fool the brain of the viewer

Illumini wrote:Great looking terrain!

Thanks, and welcome!

Tonight involved mainly clipping off base tabs and starting to assemble figs:

Harley's legs are so spindly there was just no way I was cutting her off her tab. I'm pleased with how the bag looks at her feet, debating movie scheme or a more classic comic red and black. Thoughts? Croc is just sitting on a nice sewer grate, but am not sure how to do the velour (ah, below, a manly fabric). Batfleck I have cheated with sightly as that's a 40mm topper - adds a bit of heft and presence to the mini as a whole, and doesn't interfere with Los, movement etc as there's still space. Plus I wanted a traffic cone for colour contrast. I'm thinking of dark brown for this bat, much like his vision of the future. Dark and dusty.

Thoughts welcome as always,
Graven


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh! And if you've yet to vote in the public loer challenge vote, please do so ASAP!
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/719936.page
Ta

ok .. late to the show. One more thing you have to do to the building. You need top mess the roof up a bit. Maybe a broken lawnchair or some spots that look like at one time the roof had a temporary patch job. For a building that far gone the roof is in too good of shape.

Helping you stay busy since 2010

*shaking fist* why I oughta!
Of course, you're right. Definitely more decaying.
This evening has mostly been about basing:

KM's obsession with separate heads/hands never ceases to baffle me. Fair enough with Deadshot (going masked), Deathstroke (bare) and Ravager (undecided, probably masked) , but Riddler?! Why???
Still, lots done, and all BMG now based. Achievement unlocked!

Thats cool I've just finished assembling my Suicide Squad as well. Katana was the biggest pain in the behind, was like trying to put together an Infinity model didn't help that her hand came off the top of the sword!!!

Hello chaps
So here's where I am, roughly.


Nothing major to report, quite frantic at work just now: it's coursework time, prepping for exams also, and have gained a top-set senior class as a colleague's off sick and I'm the only one with any experience of teaching Hamlet. Oh, and the wife's got jury duty (having been back at work all of a week), so a lot of juggling of small people going on. The BMG stuff is all built and primed, with some zenithal shading also, but nothing much to show just yet.

Did get a game of X-wing last night, against a friend who's a competitive player (but very friendly with it). Tried out the TIE striker, which is bonkers, shall have to pick one up at some point (I don't usually play Imperials, so borrowed his to test) - it can do an extra move before standard movement, which is all kinds of weird, very nippy little thing. Eventually got toasted by his wall of Y-Wings, but held them to good account and had a pleasant time of it. Also, pizza, empire biscuits (vader's favourite, after all) and general chill.

In other news, looks like I'm back "in" with Knight Miniatures, so hopefully be getting some more review product in the run up to the new Campaign system. Also, having cleared my mountain of terrain, my FLGS has got the terrain pack for The Walking Dead in and more generally TWD boosters, so I might take a break from BMG and do the post apocalyptic tango (apocalypso?) for a while.

Mutterings of new Necromunda have me sadly excited. I still have my last =][= gang, about the only GW stuff I kept hold of. Dang

Lastly, I'm on the scrounge again for a slightly odd project, so if you find yourself with any spare bodies/body parts in the Infinity or BMG aesthetic (spare heads, limbs, organo-mecha bodies - heroic scale but real-world proportions that is - crazy Spaniards), then there's a "safe" home for them sought at Case del Graven.

Cheers
El Gravenator

Boy, that's a lot going on there my friend. Never a dull moment though... that's good.

True but so very, very tired

Crap day at work, made the mistake of speaking my mind in a meeting. Ah well.

So...



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Walking Dead terrain set. £20 well spent

Looking forward to seeing what you do with the Walking Dead terrain set, I've been looking at that for Batman as well.

Nice collection of things going on, looking forward to whats next.

Should add a number of options for your games with that set, are you going to try and match any of it to stuff in the actual show?

Man that's a lot of exciting blank canvases.

Edit: That sounds sarcastic now I read it back. I really am excited to see what you do with these!

GiraffeX wrote:Looking forward to seeing what you do with the Walking Dead terrain set, I've been looking at that for Batman as well.

It's good, Mantic really know their scatter terrain.

Camkierhi wrote:Nice collection of things going on, looking forward to whats next.

me too

Knightley wrote:Should add a number of options for your games with that set, are you going to try and match any of it to stuff in the actual show?

Well honestly I'm not a huge fan of the show! Like the comics, or at least did for the first wee while. I'm thinking a police truck and a breakdown truck, and just good strong colours for the cars.

Casey's Law wrote:Man that's a lot of exciting blank canvases.

Edit: That sounds sarcastic now I read it back. I really am excited to see what you do with these!

no worries. I'm excited too, really love the barricades. Also, after my 10% discount and store credit it only set me back £13

Got a notion to make some Rooftop scatter also:


And the state of the shelf


For anyone who builds, i cannot recommend highly enough this article about an artist who creates 1/20th models of real world, everyday buildings:
http://www.archdaily.com/867050/micro-scale-modelling-how-to-construct-tiny-intricate-worlds-from-ordinary-materials-joshua-smith

Next round of the League is up - Tubes!
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/720769.page
Think I'm going to sit this one out despite having an idea (i even have bits...) I think it's also important just to let other folk have a go, having won it a couple of times and placed on other occasions also - not being cocky, it's just boring/threatening to see the same folk win contests.

So lots to paint anyway, and the school holidays are nearly here... Yeah, like I'll have any time!
Later,
Graven

Nice little box.
Good potential for the terrain pieces.
Look forward to what gets painted next.

I like that little scatter piece, should grunge up nicely.

That's a great wee article, I saw it posted somewhere earlier but I forgot to give it a proper read, I've bookmarked it now.

If you have an idea for the League competition and you fancy it then I say go for it. Doesn't matter what sort of competition it is, I'd rather lose to the same sharks over and over while trying to improve myself than stagnate in a shallow pool.

Love the scatter piece, nice AC unit. Great little article too, very inspiring.

I know exactly what you mean about the contest, I want to enter but don't want to win again. (that sounds so big headed and I will go shot myself now.) The last round Cleatus won not because he had the best model, but because the effort and brilliance and extra mile he had gone, and that's what I would like the contest to be about, not who is the best. I would definitely say you have to enter if you can, for the fun, for the inspiration you give others, but maybe we should have a handicap system, previous winners get -10pts per win, that way the new boys don't feel so intimidated. Sorry waffled a lot in your blog.

Dr H wrote:Nice little box.
Good potential for the terrain pieces.
Look forward to what gets painted next.

Yeah, me too My wife really despairs whenever she hears those fateful words, "Ooh, that's an interesting bit of plastic."

Casey's Law wrote:I like that little scatter piece, should grunge up nicely.

That's a great wee article, I saw it posted somewhere earlier but I forgot to give it a proper read, I've bookmarked it now.

If you have an idea for the League competition and you fancy it then I say go for it. Doesn't matter what sort of competition it is, I'd rather lose to the same sharks over and over while trying to improve myself than stagnate in a shallow pool.

You're kind The level of detailing that he achieves gives a lot to think about. I've started adding slaps (tiny stickers) to my urban terrain, for one thing.

Camkierhi wrote:Love the scatter piece, nice AC unit. Great little article too, very inspiring.

I know exactly what you mean about the contest, I want to enter but don't want to win again. (that sounds so big headed and I will go shot myself now.) The last round Cleatus won not because he had the best model, but because the effort and brilliance and extra mile he had gone, and that's what I would like the contest to be about, not who is the best. I would definitely say you have to enter if you can, for the fun, for the inspiration you give others, but maybe we should have a handicap system, previous winners get -10pts per win, that way the new boys don't feel so intimidated. Sorry waffled a lot in your blog.

De nada. Those few of us who've not only won more than once - Meade, Viktor Von Domm, and ourselves (though in fact we've both been runner up more than once too), should perhaps be barred from taking on an active role in the contests - a League Member Emeritus, as it were? Legend of the League? (that's Leg-end. Not Bell-end). I - all of us, in our way, I suspect - am a very competitive person but, beyond the fun of actually running the contest (and, you know, stuff), I don't want to stifle the competition as a whole. What do you think? Or maybe we should have this discussion over there. I don't think it's arrogance - it's just trying to keep the contests fun, fair and mutually supportive. There's nothing to stop us building sometihng in theme, sharing it in thread, letting folk dissect it, and use it to spur discussion.

Oo, I like the handicap idea.

Have put a post in the comp blog, you are probably right Graven we need to talk it out over there.

I like to compete but would rather not at all if I am going to put someone off entering seeing our work. I enter many competitions with no hope of winning, especially the painting ones, but enjoy the drive it gives.

I fully expect to see you all entering now I have said that.

 inmygravenimage wrote:

...Yeah, me too My wife really despairs whenever she hears those fateful words, "Ooh, that's an interesting bit of plastic."

Amen to that. The trick is to use those plastic storage bins for all the bits, and store everything with the lids on. Everything stacks nicely in the basement and is never seen. I've found that keeping things neat and tidy cuts down on a huge amount of erm *commentary*.

Judging is an option too, instead of entering a piece in the comp. Also, build something to the theme, but not as an entry, but as inspiration. My two pennies.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
Very cool article too. 1:20 scale is huge stuff. For us, We mostly build stuff in the ~1:48 to 1:55 scale, and is considered large scale.

inmygravenimage, thanks for sharing that article, that's cool.

Interesting discussion about the LOER comp here... I'm going to post a reply on the LOER thread.

So.
Been a while.
Work is bonkers. Just about out the other side of it, though.

But, stuff is getting done. In addition to lots of priming, I'm repainting some minis I acquired. Here's a teaser:

Had an excellent game of BMG last night with metropolis, Joker vs Two-Face. Crucially, we​ only checked the rules once! Though admittedly we did refer to my cheat sheet of traits a few times, but still.


Scenario was Plunder - all objectives in the middle, makes for a bloody and frantic game.
Tried out the Joker's titan thug with a grapple gun and clown paint - very silly, but makes what is regarded as one of the most over-costed henchmen in the game a highly mobile beast - or as I like to call him, Mr Hoppy! (If you get that reference, you win all the internets). Now, whether to make him a pogo stick or a space hopper, that's the question. Clown paint grants Distract (reduces target's defence) meaning that even against a Boss you're hitting on a 3+ and doing up to 8 stun damage on 3+ also (9 if you crit, enough to take out just about anyone in the game). Very, very scary. He got 6 of the 8 succesfully, and still surivived a full scale onslaught from all of Harvey's goons. General agreement that he rules.
I lost but Mr J still managed to take out Harvey on the last roll of the game - KO, not a kill, which would've won me it. Crucially, the vast majority of our points came from scoring objectives - I placed mine really poorly and could, with a bit more thought, have easily snatched an extra couple on the first turn of the game. All a learning process, though. Joker makes one very lazy (you don't have to pre-plan your resource management) which leads to complacency. This was also a chance to test Joker post-FAQ (points cost increased by 10%), which effectively meant one less thug to hold objectives - more of a penalty than I expected, tbh. Very interesting, will be trying other Jokers I think in future. Harley's Follow Me! continues to impress (grants extra movement), and chaining high movement off her was fairly effective, but limited by the scenario we rolled (which, in itself, was an important lesson learned).
For those of you that are interested, list below, with other comments:


It was great to break out the terrain properly also. I've got a real desire to get my cars done, having tried some toy ones out. I have some toys to recycle also - a classic 40s beauty for Penguin's Arctic Roller, an RV for Walking Dead. It's also really apparent what toys don't work - if it's not got a flat roof, not worth it!
Holidays a-coming in April, spending first week off (well, Monday-Thursday) with my boys. We have boy plans: Power Rangers, Pokemon at the board game cafe, trip to Art of Frank Quietly exhibition... Hopefully, will get some toys painted too

Cheers y'all,
Graven

Funny things, repaints. On the one level, you want to treat the original with respect (assuming it's been done fairly well), on the other, you want to make it your own.

So...

Titan Joker

Think the exposed raw muscle might need more highlights, but otherwise done.


Needs either a pogo stick or space hopper, and possibly a comically small beret to match the others. Very pleased with how the jacket and trousers turned out.


Beret, or some sort of comedy Russian hat perhaps? Again, trousers worked well, don't know whether I want to give him any more tattoos. Very pleased with his grumpy wee face.


God, so many thin highlights done on this! Still not 100% on face but this was a rescue so not too bad.


Still wet in pic (how fitting). Needs more scars, maybe fresher ones, and not happy with face repaint. Still, looks fine for tabletop.

So - busy busy


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Group shot, for scale
Cheers
Graven

Titan J is looking great! I'm still not a fan of the concept, but the paintwork is excellent!

 Paradigm wrote:
Titan J is looking great! I'm still not a fan of the concept, but the paintwork is excellent!

Honestly, if I hadn't got one on the cheap, I would never have bought him for myself (though he is bananas in the game, just charge him straight at the enemy). The original had had colours blocked in and some shading on the flesh. I just finished the job, really. Repainted the trousers, claws, nails, gore, eyes, mouth etc. What I didn't keep from the trade was the fully painted stuff - lovely but didn't see the point!

Nice line up! The stripey trousers are great!

Nice work. They're looking good.

Casey's Law wrote:Nice line up! The stripey trousers are great!

Thanks! They were surprisingly not awful to do. I may even do the Grin Twins in pinstripe suits.

Dr H wrote:Nice work. They're looking good.

Cheers matey!
Well, a productive evening was had.
Mr Hammer got a beret and tattoos.





Harley and zsasz repaints done



And started pre shading... Well, everything



Yes, that's a primed rubber duck. No, I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet.

This actually started because I decided to pre shade the osl on Diablo -



Hopefully this will work! I also made a GS space hopper for the titan clown, once done I'll get a pic up, tomorrow maybe.

Good to be doing stuff. Wrist is sore now however.
sleep, maybe?

Good job all round.

Thanks man.
Meanwhile...

He's just too damn pretty.


The crocodile skin jacket worked, but very shiny in pics.
Happy with the velour though

All of it is looking great, no idea about the titan stuff, looks amusing.

Funny really, was going to say how I really like the Killercroc from SS, he is great, but small for me, should be bigger more imposing, then you have 20ft tall joker!! LOL

Anyways, like I say great work, you managed to capture the skin effect well on the clothing.

Very cool, is that croc skin sculpted on or some painting magic?

You should paint the rubber duck, grunge it up real nasty and stick on top of a building with a sign for an old toy shop or something. I'm thinking of big American advertising statues.

Camkierhi wrote:All of it is looking great, no idea about the titan stuff, looks amusing.

Funny really, was going to say how I really like the Killercroc from SS, he is great, but small for me, should be bigger more imposing, then you have 20ft tall joker!! LOL

Anyways, like I say great work, you managed to capture the skin effect well on the clothing.

Yeah I'm a classic Killer Croc kinda guy though I did like him in the movie and it's a nice sculpt. Titan Joker is just bonkers. Because size in bmg is volumetric he's impossible to miss but he can cause untold carnage.

Casey's Law wrote:Very cool, is that croc skin sculpted on or some painting magic?

You should paint the rubber duck, grunge it up real nasty and stick on top of a building with a sign for an old toy shop or something. I'm thinking of big American advertising statues.

Sculpted. I used VJ Cayman Green​ to paint it which felt fitting, though

Work on Mr Hoppy progresses:

For those of you unfamiliar with millennial satirical British animation, he's a character from Monkey Dust - "Me name's Ivan Dobsky and am the meat safe murderer only i never done it!"
Check it out


Automatically Appended Next Post:
So... Done!

Me name's Ivan Dobsky and they said I was the meat safe murderer only it turns out I never done it! It was Mr Hoppy! I only said I done it so they wouldn't give me another jalfrezi enema!

Very pleased with how this turned out despite the original concept being a pogo stick
And if the whole thing makes no sense, here's a clip from Monkey Dust the epic satirical cartoon that spawned the idea.

So far, so shelf:

Deadshot's cloth and eyepiece next, but don't know when exactly, GB mother's day tomorrow.
So till next time,
Graven out
Elsewhere on the table of shelf (or something):

Working on Diablo's osl


Quite surprised how much I'm enjoying doing this guy. Tattoos on his face will be a nightmare, however. Needs more yellow at the edges and in the flames also.

Meanwhile, Batfleck is done! I blame the Justice League trailer.


Cone for a bit of contrast - on a cheeky 40mm scenic base.
And yeah, on the scrounge again. Are giant chaos hands a thing? Also looking for cyborg ish body parts, or infinity style. Want to make a justice League cyborg lmk if you have oddments, and I'll see what i can provide in return Giant parts for making jokermobile gas tanks? Flamer tanks? Mini guns? Any help and I'll love you, puddin'!
Cheers Graven


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Proof!

I will be going through in next couple days and getting your Prize off, but would encourage others to pitch in as I have limited supplies of Infinity style stuff..

Work is looking great, except what he heck is that at the end!

Fantastic work graven. Be sure to take extra time up-highlighting harly's butt... because... you know... it needs to be done.

Checked out the Batman gaming area at Adepticon. Their terrain can't hold a candle to yours mate. You set the standard!

Wow youre really getting this Batman minis painted quickly, they all look good really like how colourful the Joker crew is.

Diablo's tats arent going to be easy thats for sure!

Camkierhi wrote:I will be going through in next couple days and getting your Prize off, but would encourage others to pitch in as I have limited supplies of Infinity style stuff.

Work is looking great, except what he heck is that at the end!

It's a jokermobile skin - joker version of the arkham batmobile.

My take on this

Anything appreciated old chum, I'm not fussy.

Gitsplitta wrote:Fantastic work graven. Be sure to take extra time up-highlighting harly's butt... because... you know... it needs to be done.

Checked out the Batman gaming area at Adepticon. Their terrain can't hold a candle to yours mate. You set the standard!

It's a shapely one to be sure. you're most kind, the boards were pretty tasty.

GiraffeX wrote:Wow youre really getting this Batman minis painted quickly, they all look good really like how colourful the Joker crew is.

Diablo's tats arent going to be easy thats for sure!

Oh, tell me about it! I can't believe I wrote DIABLO on his jaw.

Fun with osl.



And, just because, decided to make me a Cyborg


Obvs more GS to do, around head and neck, but I feel the principle is sound. Deadshot's head, and cyborg's lower arm, and old VOID parts. I think he needs a new other hand, maybe open, maybe not.

If this works, I'm going to try to make a Raven (no rules exist for her yet though).

Tiring day, little one poorly, and then middle one nearly broke biggest one's nose "accidentally".

Life eh?

Still, Tuesday tomorrow - bit of Firefly beckons.

Stay shiny,
Graven

Great stuff! Diablo is coming up a treat and I like the concept for the vehicle.

Cheers, it's a bit bonkers, but there we are, why not eh? Needs a bow-tie I'm really just avoiding doing the hands and feet
Quick update - decided to tweak Cyborg a bit.

Just a quick phone snap. More head detailing, new neck, changed chest plate; much happier. Proportions and height feel better. Going to need, I think, to add more gs detailing to the legs also. Not going to sculpt hair, I don't think, just paint.

Gun will go on left arm now, extended out horizontally most likely, and I found some sort of biomechanical arm for the new right. Still a clenched fist, but better. Unsure about shoulders, that'll come when I've got the arms in situ.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Just realised i forgot to ask anyone to pick me up the promo Walking Dead All Out War Lee & Clementine pack from Adept icon. Raging. If anyone picked one up on a whim, lmk - I'll give you GOLD!

You've been busy. Nice job. Spot on for killer Croc and Diablo.

Thank you kindly sir!
Hope I can get the rest to that level.
meanwhile...


Much happier. Still needs work obviously but this pose works for me.

Very cool. Just needs some beefier shoulders and I reckon he's set.

Ask, and ye shall receive:

Had to resculpt the right hand because it was just... wrong. Out of scale, looked weird and Trump-y. Need to add a few skinny pipes on the inside of both elbows,


Better view.

So, questions:
1) Back rivets - lose them (as they don't fit the aesthetic) or treat them as tiny red lights? (that's where I'm leaning)
2) Waistband - Cyborg has a red light at his waist also. Should I add it over the current --x-- shaped buckle, carve out the --x-- buckle and then add to get the --o-- shape, or (sigh) carve out it and lower the currently horizontal waist shape --x-- to a dipped \o/ (shallower v than that but, hey, limits of ascii)?
3) Do the legs need any further details (eg circles/lights)?

Great game of Firefly last night - came in 2nd, but flying the slowest ship in the game and playing a totally different set of tactics to usual, so very pleased. (To be fair, I tend to get on pretty well at Firefly, precisely because I never stick to the same tactic!)

Later mes amis,
graven

Nicely done.

All the while at Adepticon, every time we Played X-Wing: I kept thinking ,, How would Graven re-paint these?

Fun Game, especially for all of us whom never played it.

ps.. I play Imperials!.... Rebel scum!

 Solar_lion wrote:
Nicely done.

All the while at Adepticon, every time we Played X-Wing: I kept thinking ,, How would Graven re-paint these?

Fun Game, especially for all of us whom never played it.

ps.. I play Imperials!.... Rebel scum!

Yeah, repainting X-Wing is surprisingly therapeutic. I have an idea for a list based of a Decimator and 2 TIE Strikers (none of which I own) which will have to get a thematic paint job when I eventually get round to it. I don't typically play imperials but, as I've probably mentioned, it's a great beer and pretzels game that has equally deep strategy. They're not afraid of errata'ing stuff if it dominates the meta or combos out, but equally, basic original TIE swarm is still a shark in the meta (as, to be fair, is a squadron of nothing but Y-Wings, though you need multiple copies of some upgrades). You can genuinely play imperials of nothing but TIE fighters - with nothing but what they come with out of the box - and win at the highest levels of competition. Quite remarkable, and surprisingly simple to fly. (Just be sure to fly casual).


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Well a productive evening was had in the end, starting with Cyborg:

So as you can see I decided to resculpt the waist area. Another cheeky scenic base, to tie him in him Batfleck

And as i was building, i decided to tackle the Arkham Knight.

Reposed slightly to give him a bit more dynamism. Ears lopped off and a vent added to side of mask as he's getting a Deathstroke paintjob to match the rest of my Mirakuru crew.

Speaking of which...

Like father like daughter - although I'm going with a CW inspired look for Ravager, who's not Rose Wilson. They have the same base topper Dark blue next.

And while i had the orange out...

Doesn't fit the mime aesthetic, but I'm going to run him with Ledger and/or Blackgate prisoners anyway. Oh, Mr Grin got an orange tie, too.
And, finally, Deadshot.


Despite sticking closely to the movie look, and looking ok in RL, the pics suggest to me that the cloth and the straps need to be more distinct. Thoughts?
Cheers gang,
Graven

Well I'm really pleased with how cyborg looks now, with the primer tying it all together.

I did end up adding hair. I'm​ so glad i did the pecs! And then, red lights blocked and blue wash:



I redid the cloth for deadshot.



So much better. And, in addition, this helped me finally figure out how to tackle Slipknot. Pic to follow when he's further along.

Huzzah, etc. Obvs more needs done but still.

Watched the IT trailer. Now debating adding red facial lines and balloon to Titan Joker...
In the meantime, laid down primer and basic highlights on the Jokermobile:

This is despite the fact that the build is most likely unfinished. I just needed​ to see it as a single "thing" to visualise where to go next.

Nearly, oh so very nearly, the holidays...
Graven

awesome Joker mobile.. you have to paint it in insane colors!

Holidays?... were out of them till late may!

Our esater holidays fun for the first two weeks of April Green and purple will be order of the day. BTW WIll-shot is not finished, just happier with where he's now going.

Well now.
Cyborg done.

Need a better pic. But for a kitbash of random parts, I'm pleased.

Tbh the back view shows the colours better
Ah well.

Working on jokermobile colours.

Wondering about the giant eyes (bottom centre of pic) for either over the gun barrels or as headlights?

Started on the grin twins

Going to go for the pin stripe here I think.

Aaaaand the big reveal​. Re-repaint of Titan Joker. You can call him Pennyworth, I mean, Pennywise.


It's fair to say I'm quite happy with him. Slightly different view.

Wife is not entirely sure about the painted light spots on the Balloon, she says though she likes them they mess with her head.

And obligatory butt shot.

Just to prove I wrote on both sides of the boat, mostly.

The official Facebook group is running a painting contest. This will likely be one of my entries, along with Grundy and classic Killer Croc - they've definitely been my best, i seem to do better with big figs - for individual Miniature entries, and my mime themed Joker crew as my Crew entry. If you can think of anything else I've done which is with trying, lmk

Got the Secret Apartment from Red Beam Designs at last.

Here it is in separate floors (there is one more still!). I am debating how to do it (derelict, intact​ or a mixture). So that'll be fun
Two weeks off now - bliss! So maybe more updates
Later
Graven

Wooo! Two weeks of graven magic!

Can't wait!

Lovely work on the minis mate... though I'd paint the gold bricks in nearly pure metallic gold with only a light sepia wash. It is gold after all. No tarnishing involved.

Thanks kindly. And you know a thing or two about gold

Working on Jokermobile, and wondering what's next after SS box. Need to do the building, and wondering how best to exploit its stackability.
Might pick up some more twd, or maybe Captain Cold and Heatwave, just cos. Ah, the holidays! Power rangers tomorrow with the boys (ack), but art of Frank Quietly to look forward to Tuesday.
Fun times ahead eh?

"Pennywise" looks rad. Awesome work.

Soon many updates! Loving the Pennywise take on Titan Joker. Joker mobile and Cyborg are looking cool too.

EDC

Heretic Tom wrote:"Pennywise" looks rad. Awesome work.

Thanks, and welcome! We all float here...

evildrcheese wrote:Soon many updates! Loving the Pennywise take on Titan Joker. Joker mobile and Cyborg are looking cool too.

EDC

Cheers mucker. Speaking of stuff:
Grin twins!

Smile, and the world smiles with you, eh?


And, time to take the Buttmobile out!





Lot of fun to do. Very silly. Why not eh?

Took the boys to see Power Rangers today. They enjoyed it.
TL;Dr - it's surprisingly OK.


Off to see art of Frank Quietly exhibition tomorrow. Exciting stuff - comics ahoy!

Later
Graven

For some reason when I first saw the Grin twins there, I thought "Why has he got Daft Punk?"

Get it now though, car looks brilliantly silly.

And I had hoped against hope that the Power Rangers were bin and done a long time ago. Why doesn't anyone try something original instead of dragging up this naff stuff.

The twins and batmobile are looking good Graven, your making me want to paint more Batman minis but I have to resist!

 Camkierhi wrote:
And I had hoped against hope that the Power Rangers were bin and done a long time ago. Why doesn't anyone try something original instead of dragging up this naff stuff.

Tens of millions of dollars go into the production. The studio is terrified of losing that money. So they put it into a safe, established property and use safe, established cliches to fill out the run time. Nostalgia is a reliable way to get people to spend their money, which is why major studio films in the last decade have been properties from the 80's; the kids who grew up watching Transformers, GI Joe, and Power Rangers are now in the movie business and want to make it their way; they usually overlook what made the stories so well-received in favour of surface grittiness.

Lots to catch up on. Good work all round, Graven'.

The middle of the joker-mobile still looks a bit too bat-y. Maybe all it needs is ledger-like eye makeup about the cockpit windows... or something to change that area. Or not, if you're happy.

Camkierhi wrote:For some reason when I first saw the Grin twins there, I thought "Why has he got Daft Punk?"

Get it now though, car looks brilliantly silly.

And I had hoped against hope that the Power Rangers were bin and done a long time ago. Why doesn't anyone try something original instead of dragging up this naff stuff.

Glad you like em. Yes, the car is daft. Why not eh?

GiraffeX wrote:The twins and batmobile are looking good Graven, your making me want to paint more Batman minis but I have to resist!

Nooooooooooooo. Resistance is useless (not futile - we're Hitchhiker's here).

DarkSoldier wrote:

 Camkierhi wrote:
And I had hoped against hope that the Power Rangers were bin and done a long time ago. Why doesn't anyone try something original instead of dragging up this naff stuff.

Tens of millions of dollars go into the production. The studio is terrified of losing that money. So they put it into a safe, established property and use safe, established cliches to fill out the run time. Nostalgia is a reliable way to get people to spend their money, which is why major studio films in the last decade have been properties from the 80's; the kids who grew up watching Transformers, GI Joe, and Power Rangers are now in the movie business and want to make it their way; they usually overlook what made the stories so well-received in favour of surface grittiness.

Yup. "Get nostalgic for the last ten years before the last ten years has past." as Ben Folds wisely sang Even the Minion Movie was nostalgia for 5-yr olds

 Dr H wrote:
Lots to catch up on. Good work all round, Graven'.

The middle of the joker-mobile still looks a bit too bat-y. Maybe all it needs is ledger-like eye makeup about the cockpit windows... or something to change that area. Or not, if you're happy.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I'll think about it, sure. I certainly see your point.

Got a bit of work done on some Arkham inmates today:

They are both about 2/3 of the way there, and another one is not even started. But still.

More work on Deathstroke, Ravager and Arkham Knight. All done as part of the Mirakuru scheme, and only with inks for the blues.


Had a great game of Walking Dead with the kids this afternoon. We played Rick, Carl and Sharon versus a horde on a supply run:

Obvs have only just started on the figs etc, but having the 3D scenery makes a massive difference, especially for the kids to visualise.

We just about survived the scenario, but not before Carl got bitten. Close thing, great fun, and the boys played very tactically.

Also went to see the Art of Frank Quietly exhibition at the Kelvingrove today, fascinating stuff and the boys loved it too. Later, a review of it, possibly.
Day well and truly seized!

Hey ho
graven

Looks like a wonderful time with your boys graven, well done!

Carlllllllllllll! Spears Damnit. Why doesn't anyone have spears.. Not Brittney either!

Gitsplitta wrote:Looks like a wonderful time with your boys graven, well done!

Yeah,it really was.
Here my review of the exhibition, if interested:
https://bigcomicpage.com/2017/04/05/frank-quitely-the-art-of-comics-is-a-thrill-of-an-exhibition-comic-fan-or-not-review/

Solar_lion wrote:Carlllllllllllll! Spears Damnit. Why doesn't anyone have spears.. Not Brittney either!

quite. I really want to pick up some extras for this, much to Mrs Graven's despair tempted by the solo expansion as that would give us more to do as a family (we tend to play a solo game using characters separately) plus narrative campaign (albeit for one survivor, The Governor), some new equipment and stuff to balance out the event deck. But, £25 with lots of bits we don't need (the basic game components etc) it's a tough call. Only the price of 2 boosters I guess. Days Gone Bye might be a better buy - same price, 5 more survivors, whole new Campaign. Regardless, I did find an old game bag which is perfect for storage, with loads of room to spare

Today, the boys had a friend over, so while they played everything from charades to King of Tokyo, Lego to Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus, i painted (well i made lasagne too, but still).
Also, Red Beam have asked me to consider designing a token set for the game. Huzzah, etc.

Progress on the Secret Apartment:

Colours laid down. Next, sponges​!

And further test on rooftop AC unit:

Chipping back paint to create layered damage.

Also continued to plough through SS box:
Slipknot


Panda Guy


Eyeball Guy


Also, as i had time, those Inmates



And the man himself, Slade Wilson


Darling daughter - or rather, not



And the Arkham Knight, restyled


Plus a Team Mirakuru photo!


I've entered Solomon Grundy, Killer Croc and Cyrus Gold into the painting contest, along with Pennywise. I think I'll enter my Joker mime crew also as a team entry. Not sure if anything else cuts it.

Tomorrow, for the last day of the holiday paintathon, i face the two remaining, and most awkward/terrifying bits of the box: Joker and Harley plus, for fun, a riddle...
Later
Graven

Awesome stuff. Slipknot and the thugs are spot on!.

Harley is always tough as the joker is. Expectations being high for the fan favs.

 Solar_lion wrote:
Awesome stuff. Slipknot and the thugs are spot on!.

Harley is always tough as the joker is. Expectations being high for the fan favs.

Thanks man.

Wips ahoy!
Decided to do the goat priest as a test for wet blending Joker's purple jacket



Speaking of which...

Very happy with jacket, calling it done, first couple of skin layers down.

Rear view


Wait - who's rear is that?

Early days, but still, it's a start!

Didn't do a huge amount today (the above were later last night). All 3 kids, birthday shopping for wife, and some Pokémon with the boys.

But did get going on this - and just kept going.


Also tested a new light setup. Fast, phone friendly, very accurate to actual model colour and no shine on the minis.
Win!

Slightly cranked up the contrast on that one to prove the boots have highlights, though makes the suit look a bit extreme (should look same as front, naturally).

I'll do some group shots once I'm at the end of the current paintathon with new rig. Hope it comes together

Speaking of which, wife is now off work for ten days (ie rest of my holiday!) So doubt much more will get done except in stolen moments. I have the pressure of making her birthday cake, too :(
Adiós
Graven

I like the riddler.... wonderful work on the suit.

Thanks most kindly. It's all in the lighting

Nice work, Graven'. Nice purple, nice riddle. Lighting works well. nice and even.

Wow.. Love the Riddler..

Mr. J and the Quinn are shaping up nicely

Thank you chaps!

Goat priest






Very pleased with her and all her tiny ink.

Cannot get a clear shot of his face.


His tiny ink was horrendous to do! But very pleased nonetheless. Just got the one Inmate left, and then BMG fully painted!!
So, y'know, need more I'll try to do pics of the lot over the weekend, Sunday probably.
Actually, scenery and Walking Dead next
Thanks for all the support gang,
Graven

Awesome work. Joker's jacket came out really well. I'm super excited to see your scenery, hope you find the time soon. Good luck with the cake!

That's... pretty darn good graven.

High praise indeed many thanks

Better?

They are looking really brilliant, great vibe to them, really capturing the feel of the characters.

Many thanks my friend.

A much needed weekend away (beer and childcare is an excellent combination) was had. Boys did some archery, all swam lots, and much grub eaten.

So, Mrs Graven's birthday tomorrow. Cue annual cake pressure. This year, a torta Di gianduia, essentially chocolate hazelnut cake. Also, as she's off this week, less toy time.

But, made a start on the All Out War starter set and the vehicles also.

Initially just blocking in colours, though cars are a bit further along.


Experimenting with much thinner paint than usual also, wanting things ultimately to look very faded.

In exciting news, 2 lots of review goodies are headed my way, Jersey barriers and bullet casings from Secret Weapon (I'll be giving a set away on my bigcomicpage blog) and an exclusive look at the new BMG expansion, the Arkham Knight campaign (again, will be giving away a copy, because even if they only send me one, I've got one on preorder ).

So, not doing badly. Baby (14 months) for the first ever has now slept right through for a minimum of 8 hrs for the last 10 days; the difference it makes to our general humanity, and the atmosphere around the house, is incredible.

Enjoying being off. Not sure if I'm any less frustrated by my job - or rather, workplace - but the distance helps.

Still doing token fun with Red Beam Designs. We've just done a Shadow War set along with compatible terrain . I'm getting to do even more, and they now want me to design tokens for TWD and X-wing, which is exciting. If you have any suggestions, or requests, for any game, stick them here.

Later gang
Graven


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Quick addendum:


A thin wash of Russian Uniform goes a long way

They look like they are coming along quite nicely.

Always high output at Graven manor! Keep it up, dude.

Cheers chaps B)

Had a cracking day with the kids yesterday (although seem to have tweaked my back somehow ), but had time to do some odds and ends.

Took pics of the Walking Dead All Out War stuff, which i did the other day.

Individual pics of the Walkers in my All Out War gallery, but they look so much better as a horde

And the Starter set survivors.

Lovely models. Crisp and deep detail BM on the sculpts makes for very wash-friendly painting. I'm not obsessing over these guys because ultimately, they're going to get knocked about by the kids.

They are so screwed.

Cars from the terrain set. Playmat from the starter (20" square, folds neatly in an old ultra Pro heroclix bag i found in the garage, along with all the minis and masses of room for more. Lovely crate from DrH
Just need to do the barriers and supply tokens.

Meanwhile... Colours done and Posters added to Red Beam Designs Secret Apartment block.


Lovely kit, accessorised further with off cuts as AC units.

Managed to get my last BMG mini done also, the final inmate from the Zsasz boxset:

Creepy bugger. Here he is with his mates.

And, yay, all done! Shelf of shame complete.

Except...

Came home yesterday to a large box from Spain...

That's... A lot of toys. Review copy of Arkham Knight (review here on bigcomicpage.com - tl;dr it's really good, has a strong Necromunda/Warhammer Historical vibe to progression), plus all of this month's releases. Penguin is my main villain crew (or at least, was my first!) so to get all the new goodies was pretty epic. I've not unboxed everything yet but to say I'm pretty psyched doesn't come close to cutting it. Supergirl and Aquaman for the DCU game, Catwoman for both, and Arkham Nightwing to round the haul out.
A good day to be a geek
Graven

Loving the building. And that joker is amazing, I think you really captured his character!

 CommissarKhaine wrote:
Loving the building. And that joker is amazing, I think you really captured his character!

You're most kind mate!
Btw, taking suggestions for graffiti on this one

wow those walkers look truely nasty, LOVE IT!

and that building, while reminding me a tiny bit of the ghostbusters firehouse for some reason (not a bad thing) is pretty wonderful to look at, the more pastely, washed out tones really brings it all together and should stop it from taking over from the minis in any photos.

Green graffiti would really pop IMO; and or maybe some defacing of the Harvey Dent posters?

Glad to see you didn't fully deplete your lead pile you now if you ever do you die right?

Top work on the terrain and TWD stuff. Looking forward to the new KM goodies!

Zombies... love them! Building is looking fantastic too. Add a little rust and the "crane" on top would fit in perfectly.

Excellent.. though I have to say the building entrance need light fixtures. even if there broken.

Zombies look great . the game was all over Adepticon.

The zombies look great Graven.

Cool haul as well from KM

Eccentricnormality wrote:wow those walkers look truely nasty, LOVE IT!

and that building, while reminding me a tiny bit of the ghostbusters firehouse for some reason (not a bad thing) is pretty wonderful to look at, the more pastely, washed out tones really brings it all together and should stop it from taking over from the minis in any photos.

Cheers. They're an ugly bunch the building is actually modeled on the apartment block from The Secret Life Of Pets. Very happy with the colours.

CommissarKhaine wrote:Green graffiti would really pop IMO; and or maybe some defacing of the Harvey Dent posters?

Green will feature some of the posters are already de-faced (two-de-faced?), fear not!

Llamahead wrote:Glad to see you didn't fully deplete your lead pile you now if you ever do you die right?

Paradigm wrote:Top work on the terrain and TWD stuff. Looking forward to the new KM goodies!

cheers. You and me both!

Gitsplitta wrote:Zombies... love them! Building is looking fantastic too. Add a little rust and the "crane" on top would fit in perfectly.

They're a blast to paint, actually. As for on top, funnily enough, there will be a rusty addition...

Solar_lion wrote:Excellent.. though I have to say the building entrance need light fixtures. even if there broken.

Zombies look great . the game was all over Adepticon.

That is an outstanding suggestion. Consider it done.
TWD: AOW is fab. Fun, very easy, nasty, complex. Boys love it, non-gamers get it. Cracking stuff.

GiraffeX wrote:The zombies look great Graven.

Cool haul as well from KM

Thanks! Yeah it's not quite sunk in yet. I suspect the Street Demonz will be getting head swaps - it really bugs me that they are modelled with gas masks and (1) don't have them on the card (2) can't even buy them as equipment (tis the curse of Penguin lists, alas). But I have many heads left over from converting my Mirakuru crew, so a solution will no doubt present itself

Do check out the article if you can (it's gone a bit viral, it seems), why would you not want a free book and miniature, after all?

You have been very busy! Villains and thugs, zombies and survivors, and vehicles as well as more buildings!

Yup quantity, with variable quality

Fiddled with scrap MDF offcuts and made these:
And with paint


Finished the rooftop AC unit also

Absurdly pleased with that.

And my kids love Beast Boy from the teen titans.
No model exists, so i made them one:

Good times
Graven

The colours of the building really give it a comic-book look. Right out of the pages.

Yeah, that wooden box totally sets the scene, it says all that is necessary to the viewer; the colour of the wood expresses the wamth of life remaining, while laying on it's side at that angle conveys the bleakness of the situation.

Good haul of things.

Nice additions to the building.

Fantastic, said it before but your game table is going to be stunning.

Dr H wrote:The colours of the building really give it a comic-book look. Right out of the pages.

Yeah, that wooden box totally sets the scene, it says all that is necessary to the viewer; the colour of the wood expresses the wamth of life remaining, while laying on it's side at that angle conveys the bleakness of the situation.

Good haul of things.

Nice additions to the building.

Thanks, i love that wee box. Now i just need a broken bathtub to go with it. I'm surprised, tbh, that going full colour on the building has worked. I can see me replicating it on others

Camkierhi wrote:Fantastic, said it before but your game table is going to be stunning.

You're most kind mate. Sadly this one is not destined for my table, it's for metropolis's birthday. He's a big Two-Face fan so really wanted to incorporate that into it.

Planned graffiti so far:Metropolis rules!
GCPD y?
Graven woz ere
Red Beam
Stop Trident
Dead inside

Any others?

Right, building done!

Kept the front view very simple, and indeed generic.


The roof, with its scrap-built AC unit.


And the back, with scrap AC also.

For the sides, heavy Gotham tagging.



Decided I didn't like the HAHAs at the top in red, so...


Much better. All in all, really pleased with how this turned out.

Not sure what's next. Probably should build my new BMG/DCUMG stuff, but might make a custom large plant for my Ivy crew. Right now I have this:

Made from Chaos spawn bits. Ivy can now take 1 Ancient plant (large base, tangling vines, basically horrific) so I might rebase this and add more foliage etc. (still got some 3rd ed tree bit somewhere), maybe a big flower, a half-digested body trapped in the vines, that sort of thing.

Very nice work on the building. Crazy graffitti artists getting up that high!

That thing's amazing.. I love those eyes right underneath the roof.

shasolenzabi wrote:Very nice work on the building. Crazy graffitti artists getting up that high!

I know, the devils, right?

CommissarKhaine wrote:That thing's amazing.. I love those eyes right underneath the roof.

Cheers mate - - really glad I changed that bit

Its new owner-to-be is absolutely thrilled with it, I'm pleased to say.
Nice evening, quite quiet, family all crashed out so after a game of Pokemon with the boys, watched Dr Who (really enjoyed it, good soft reboot), repaired a tiny crystal tortoise of the wife's and made a couple of ATMs out of scrap mdf - no pics, phone (well, firefox on android) not behaving.
Simple pleasures (don't worry - there was also beer )
Cya
graven

Chrome working


Wip safe boxes

ATMs

And starting phone boxes

Tortoise is looking good - and so do the ATMs

Light fixtures are 'spot' on. You just keep cranking stuff out. Very nice.

Looks amazing - have you considered putting scaffolding up one of the sides (or two) - give you some more gameplay areas and would look (potentially) amazing - plus could explain the graffiti being so high without the need for extra long ladders - Could even have shredded plastic hanging off in places...

I'm with Ruglud.

Fantastic work though... wow.

Well clearly is was Superman that did that top graffiti, he doesn't need a ladder.

Great job, Graven'.

I'm agreeing with Rugland, it's a bit weird to have so much graffiti up high without a way to get to it. Aside from the scaffolding, a different option would be a bosun's chair or two up on the roof.
Whatever you decide to do, your work is always amazing. Keep it up!

CommissarKhaine wrote:Tortoise is looking good - and so do the ATMs

Ha, forgot the toroise had crept in there! Sneaky devil.

Solar_lion wrote:Light fixtures are 'spot' on. You just keep cranking stuff out. Very nice.

Well, I keep getting pushed by people...

Ruglud wrote:Looks amazing - have you considered putting scaffolding up one of the sides (or two) - give you some more gameplay areas and would look (potentially) amazing - plus could explain the graffiti being so high without the need for extra long ladders - Could even have shredded plastic hanging off in places...

That's a very neat idea, especially the latter.The original idea was fire escapes, I just never got round to it and pressed for time with birthdays.

Gitsplitta wrote:I'm with Ruglud.

Fantastic work though... wow.

Cheers mucker!

Dr H wrote:Well clearly is was Superman that did that top graffiti, he doesn't need a ladder.

Great job, Graven'.

Yup, that's it.

Anpu-adom wrote:I'm agreeing with Rugland, it's a bit weird to have so much graffiti up high without a way to get to it. Aside from the scaffolding, a different option would be a bosun's chair or two up on the roof.
Whatever you decide to do, your work is always amazing. Keep it up!

Thanks! I spend a lot of time when on the train or stuck on the motorway looking at graffiti. It baffles me how they get it in some of the places.

Not much to report, just building BMG/DCU minis. The current sculpts are a bit more user-friendly, at least. Really annoyed that the new Penguin goons with gas masks don't have the Gas Mask rule. it's really ill-considered. seriously debating decapitating them (+/- of not having separate head pieces). No doubt if I do so they'll FAQ them with masks
Continued with my trucks from TWD:

Removed the roof lights from one. I need to take the yellow back up now on the Highway Maintenance truck but they're generally good and crusty. I've not redone the windows (or tyres) yet, clearly, but you can see an inadvertant bloody handprint on the red truck which I think will reappear in the final version

Things are busy-busy - last week of senior classes before exams start, wife writing her dissertation, so not much actual hobby time. One of my mates was working at Salute at the weekend, though, so managed to pick up the convention exclusive booster for TWD for me (they went in under 30 mins!) Woo toys!

Apparently I'm really spiky to be around just now. Not sure why. Had a great weekend with the kids, got them to organise all their Pokemon cards etc, but I think I'm just a bit tired and crabby. Guess I'm still playing catch-up.

Anyway - haven't I got work to be doing?!


Later
graven

Ooh looking nice! Wish the wife good luck on her dissertation, and I hope everything falls in place!

Thanks! And yeah, it's getting there, she's just mega stressed.
Bit more work on the trucks, and...

I quite like the lighter windows but it doesn't match my other vehicles. I'm sure it'll all come together though. Other than that, just evening out and grubbing up tyres, I think.

And, as you can see, decided to try to do one of the crashed cars in the style of a police crusier, specifically Rick's from TWD. Closer pic:

Hate doing freehand... Debating whether to do a police badge on the side or not?
Hey ho,
graven

They look great, graven! If you're going to do a badge on the side if the police vehicle I recommend using a template or a decal. You could do a google search for a generic shield logo and print it out in appropriate size. A lot of police vehicles have the badge behind their written words - the "sheriff" but would be on top of the shield icon. Alternatively, and especially if the cop car is going ti be just one more car amongst a great many as terrain, you could leave off the shield icon and it would still be recognizable as a police cruiser.

Looking good Will you be adding more weathering around the damage on the police car? Still looks a tad pristine to my grottish mind

Looking good.

Best diffult to place graffito that I ever saw was on a train overpass on the Washington Beltway (outer loop) as one approached the Mormon Temple. The Temple sort of pops into view as one crests a hill.

The graffito said "Surrender Dorothy!" Here's an image link, http://goldsteinphoto.com/mormon.jpg I suspect you'll get the reference.

CommissarKhaine wrote:Looking good Will you be adding more weathering around the damage on the police car? Still looks a tad pristine to my grottish mind

Red Harvest wrote:Looking good.

Best diffult to place graffito that I ever saw was on a train overpass on the Washington Beltway (outer loop) as one approached the Mormon Temple. The Temple sort of pops into view as one crests a hill.

The graffito said "Surrender Dorothy!" Here's an image link, http://goldsteinphoto.com/mormon.jpg I suspect you'll get the reference.

That... Is simply magnificent! I freakin' love Oz, especially its darker regions
And thanks
Bit of work on the pickups also

sorry about flash. Needed for showing window cracks.
Better pic:

Really enjoyed painting these. But then I am a terrain junkie

Great job on the trucks. Looking very good.

Vehicles are looking great. Loving the detail.

As to the graffffiiiitttttiiiiiiii, (never can remember how to spell it!) in life and in my job I have discovered that the amount of effort people will put into doing something they should not is limitless, if only we could channel it to world peace or something, and as a mater of pride, the highest tag would win, I am sure there was a thing a while ago about people doing them in ridiculous places.

Fantastic work on the vehicles my friend. Love them.

Dr H wrote:Great job on the trucks. Looking very good.

Thanks! Great to do. They're a bit grubbier now.

Camkierhi wrote:Vehicles are looking great. Loving the detail.

As to the graffffiiiitttttiiiiiiii, (never can remember how to spell it!) in life and in my job I have discovered that the amount of effort people will put into doing something they should not is limitless, if only we could channel it to world peace or something, and as a mater of pride, the highest tag would win, I am sure there was a thing a while ago about people doing them in ridiculous places.

Thanks mate. Too true. Working with a lot of disaffected young people, getting them to channel their energies in a positive way can be ... challenging Yeah, the contest thing, I'd heard that too from a friend who's very into her tag culture. Directly impacted this metropolis loved it, btw, he got it last night and was pleased as punch - though not happy that he now (a) has to paint the rest of his terrain and (b) aim for that standard

Gitsplitta wrote:Fantastic work on the vehicles my friend. Love them.

Debating what to do with the other car, if anything (it's currently green) - possibly to cover it with tags (or a Riddle?), swipe the hubcaps, up on bricks?

And here's the finished police car:


Rust covers up all kinds of freehand errors, it turns out.

Very nicely done. these will go well with all the other terrain you have. Now get to playing so we can see it all in action!

Up on bricks... stripped.

Nice! These wrecks came out great, graven!

Great looking wrecks

*Waiting patiently for the scaffolding...*

Now that's a proper wreck. Lovin'it!

Solar_lion wrote:Very nicely done. these will go well with all the other terrain you have. Now get to playing so we can see it all in action!

Hopefully doing a demo game Tuesday...

Gitsplitta wrote:Up on bricks... stripped.

Warboss_Waaazag wrote:Nice! These wrecks came out great, graven!

Ruglud wrote:Great looking wrecks

*Waiting patiently for the scaffolding...*

shaddup

CommissarKhaine wrote:Now that's a proper wreck. Lovin'it!

Lucky there are no grots hiding to steal stuff


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Final car:



Motor pool, finished:


And a scale shot:

Look great, Graven'. Nicely done.

 inmygravenimage wrote:

Ruglud wrote:Great looking wrecks

*Waiting patiently for the scaffolding...*

shaddup

Should have been *Shaddupa ya face*... surely?

Those vehicles look great Graven

Dr H wrote:Look great, Graven'. Nicely done.

Cheers mate!

Ruglud wrote:

 inmygravenimage wrote:

Ruglud wrote:Great looking wrecks

*Waiting patiently for the scaffolding...*

shaddup

Should have been *Shaddupa ya face*... surely?

Whatcha gonna do, hey ?

GiraffeX wrote:Those vehicles look great Graven

Many thanks indeedy!

So lots to build, and lots to paint for TWD. So, of course, I started working on an Ancient Plant for Ivy (40mm base beastie of doom):



There's a ninja arm and militia head buried in the vines...

And with first pass of highlights

"Feed me Seymore, feed me all night long!"

Awesome plant, just perfect. All those vehicles looking great too.

NomNomNomNomNom....

Thats cool I like how you do your plants.

Solar_lion wrote:NomNomNomNomNom....

Mean green mutha

GiraffeX wrote:Thats cool I like how you do your plants.

Whatever they offer you, don't feed the plants.

(I am very fond of Little Shop of Horrors )

Well now.
Busy long weekend, wife finishing her dissertation, so not much geek chez Graven got done. Managed to see GotG2, oustanding. Proper good. Like all the best Marvel, about family.

Did finish off my not-Audrey 2:


I think it's supper time...



Very pleased with the beast

I also got an astonishly generous LOER prize from Camkhieri (join the League kids! It's riveting fun!) with all sorts of unusual and exciting gubbins, but none more so perhaps than a set of Wargames Factory female post apocalyptic survivors. Not only will these do for custom TWD characters (which is a part of the rules as standard ) but civilians and undercover cops for BMG - and...

Daddy's l'il Girl

Going to see if I can make a 2nd female Cop and a female detective (a not-montoya to go with the not-bullock), though the latter will require a gs trenchcoat.

Got a game planned tonight, all things be equal, and will be using some of my scenery too Batrep in the next day or two.

Later peeps,
graven

Looking forward to the detailed battle report with stats, play by play analysis and post game interviews.

Yeah infuriatingly delayed till 30th because papa nurgle on the rampage.

28 days!!! What the Flagnar!
You'll have to paint more stuff to keep us entertained.
Cake is also good!

Cute Is her hand behind her back, or has it been removed? Can't tell from the pic.

Solar_lion wrote:28 days!!! What the Flagnar!
You'll have to paint more stuff to keep us entertained.
Cake is also good!

you'll be lucky mate, no paint here.
Cake soon though - Joe's 7 on 22nd

CommissarKhaine wrote:Cute Is her hand behind her back, or has it been removed? Can't tell from the pic.

Removed it was a spare adult arm I severed.

Yeah, so mostly building again. I'm trying to get the new bmg / dcumg done to maintain being as close to fully painted as poss.

Some fun with bases here. Like making the Land Mine tokens too. Crucially, with the addition of Aaron Cash and the Quick Response Team I'm pretty much good for bmg (lying... ) - yes there's still a few things on my wants list (AK Harley and goons, Rick Flag, Electrocutioner, Diggle, DKR Batman and The Batpod) but they are very much Want, rather than Need per se, with the possible exception of Diggle, though he's a different case because I want to kitbash him (want to do him in a suit).

Did lay a bit of paint - well wash - on the rest of the scenery kit for All Out War

So a steady if unglamorous couple of days

Playing bmg Tuesday (assuming no plague grrrrr), starting Arkham campaign. Being the only scarecrow player, I'm taking charge of the villain team. Mixed feelings - kinda have to - but I'm sure it will be fun.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Lots to do!

Also had to repair a broken lamppost. Km lampposts are terribly designed.

So the paper clip replaces broken metal. On one level, pleased I managed to not destroy it further, but getting it looking right again will be hard. Either I try to encase in a gs sheath - hard to get looking smoothe and even - or I add another clip along the back of it (not drilled in, just cut to size and stuck on. Any suggestions gratefully received.

So muddling on. Got to design 200 pts of crims to take down the Bat - and, I promise, photos!
Cheers
Graven

Suggestion: use a paperclip sheathed in plastic. Remove the sheathing (is that even a word?) where it will be pinned? This should reduce the thickness difference and make the difference ornamental.

Hmm... Like the lid for a paintbrush maybe?

Not sure what you meant, but I meant one of these. Remove the plastic around the core, and that should reduce the diameter difference between the pin and the rest of the lamppost.

Use putty and rather than smooth it out put a sign on the lamppost?

Is it fixed in place. If not cover part in GS and roll it to make it smooth.

Or you could use copper wire. A length of 1.5mm or 2.5mm with the sleeving left on may work.

How fine are we talking, because you could try adding very thin strips vertically to make it look like the pole is fluted.

Good work on it so far. Good luck with the game.

Do you have any plastic tubes that are the correct thickness? Keep the paperclip for strength and surround that with the plastic tube.

Thanks for the input and ideas chaps, much appreciated. I am exploring various options and will let you know what pans out.
So, the last few days were spent preparing for a job interview, which I didn't get whilst not the end of the world, feeling pretty damn

Sigh.

Tiny person was full of plague last night also, so didn't get my game of BMG - clealry I rolled a

Sigh.

The Scots have a word for utterly fed up and hacked off - scunnered. It is exactly how I feel right now.

Anyway, onwards, if not upwards.


Some limited progress on buidling stuff:

and priming stuff


Did a little base, also, for Captain Cold:

Wondering what to do for Heatwave. I feel I should have something aflame on it...

Oh, did at least manage to get the All Out War barricades and tokens done:

The tyre wall is on the reverse of the pannelled barricade bottom right; the back of the large radiators is wood etc. Now that these are done, I've promised the kids a game at the weekend (wife has a girls' night out), though I should try to get the new Survivors (Angela, Amy, Lee and Clementine) and walkers done for then too.

If you feel like a read, head over to bigcomicpage, read my article, and you can win a bunch of stuff from Studio Miniatures and a pledge for their current KS, Turf War Z (LA gangs vs zombies).
https://bigcomicpage.com/2017/05/09/geeking-out-turf-war-z-studio-miniatures/
On a not unrelated note, I did get a comment on the upcoming Slaine TPB - a wee warm glow to get a review on something you've been reading for 30 years!

Adios
graven

Nice work on the barricades graven. Hope the wee one gets better quickly.

Its tough when the little ones come down with something, adult fun stops when that happens. The good news is they generally get over it pretty quick. As for your modelling it is coming along nicely!

I really like that set of Linear terrain

Barriers are looking good, and wishin the lil'un gets back soon!

Gitsplitta wrote:Nice work on the barricades graven. Hope the wee one gets better quickly.

Cheers, she's had a rough couple of nights, so all are basically exhausted.

Yorkright wrote: Its tough when the little ones come down with something, adult fun stops when that happens. The good news is they generally get over it pretty quick. As for your modelling it is coming along nicely!

Ta! Yeah... adult fun nothing adult going on at all

dsteingass wrote:I really like that set of Linear terrain

Cheers Dave. They're really nice scatter, it's a great set for the price (£20, $30 iirc) given that it includes the 2 cars and 2 trucks. I've got some Jersey Barriers too from Secret Weapon, both intact and wrecked - going to use the wrecked ones for TWD and the intact for BMG/DCU.

CommissarKhaine wrote:Barriers are looking good, and wishin the lil'un gets back soon!

Yeah she's kindly given me her throat plague also, but that is enabling me to walk around doing convincing John Hurt / Emperor Palpatine impressions at small(ish) children.

Out of interest, what do you lot want to see next? Shelf of Shame stuff? BMG? All Out War? or more terrain?
Just now on the desk there is:

PRIMED
Supergirl
Big A (Penguin Lieutenant)
Arkham Knight (Sniper)
Catwoman (modern age)
Andrea, Amy and Walker
Lee, Clementine and feasting Walker
2 ATMs
Jersey Barriers

BUILDING/BASING
Heatwave
Aquaman
Captain Cold
Penguin & Street Demonz
Aaron Cash & Quick Response Team
AK Nightwing
3x 40mm Landmine Tokens
Liittle Girl Walker

REPAIR
Lamppost

UNBUILT
Generic Walkers/Survivors
Hawkman


That's rather more than I thought, actually...

BTW chaps - thanks for the support, as ever. Swinging back round to positivity
Later
graven

You won't be satisfied until you've painted the entire DC Universe, will you?

Good work on the many things. Terrain pieces look good.

I say Catwoman or supergirl next. Just... because.

I vote Supergirl as well, shes on my list of ladies to pick up so would like to see what you do with her!

All good and all interested no matter what you doing. The ladies sounds good.

Gitsplitta wrote:You won't be satisfied until you've painted the entire DC Universe, will you?

Um... Maybe... I actually am perfectly happy expanding the crews I have - believe it or not, I only have about half of them! No speedsters, despite my love of Flash. And almost no DCUMG either.

I feel better now

Dr H wrote:Good work on the many things. Terrain pieces look good.

I say Catwoman or supergirl next. Just... because.

And a vote for the ladies.

GiraffeX wrote:I vote Supergirl as well, shes on my list of ladies to pick up so would like to see what you do with her!

Not a patch on what you could do I'm sure. Right, the ladies have it!

Camkierhi wrote:All good and all interested no matter what you doing. The ladies sounds good.

You guys have a one track mind.

Well, I'll be honest, a bit of building happened first :

Damn that guy with the crossbow was hard. Really pleased with Heatwave's base. Aquaman was supposed to get a mesh grid, but it's almost like a net, now that I look at it. I am debating gs a beard.

Maybe hair.

Maybe go full Momoa.

Anyway, talking of bases, a wedged sign in the road for Hawkman's base :


And started to repair that lamppost with rolled gs


Made some landmines


And thanks to Cam made a fat grandma Walker, and Dan made himself a survivor:

He's called her Twitch - high shooting dice, low nerve. Love that boy really like the fact you can design your own characters in All Out War, very slick and balanced.
Also made a really rotten Walker to go with Baby Doll

So pretty productive, and all set for painting up the ladies.

And some exciting news. KM (bmg/dcumg) contacted me and asked if I'd like exclusive review access to their new game: Harry Potter

So yeah - not bad

Cheers gang
Graven

Working on some Nth metal...

Very cool. Totally changes the look of the model.

Exciting news on the KM front, I'm kind of done with the company after the Marvel fiasco and the recent unexplained price hike, but I'm still following the HP stuff with some interest, so I look forward to seeing what you make of it.

Nice work, Like the zombies.

Nice additions to whoever he is.

Oh yeah, and good show on getting free stuff.

Paradigm wrote:Very cool. Totally changes the look of the model.

Exciting news on the KM front, I'm kind of done with the company after the Marvel fiasco and the recent unexplained price hike, but I'm still following the HP stuff with some interest, so I look forward to seeing what you make of it.

Thanks man. They got utterly screwed by Marvel, tbh. Price hike is a eurozone thing. But they do suck at communication
I actually could care less about HP as a game, though I clearly remember reading the Battle of Hogwarts and thinking "that'd make a great mini game"!

Dr H wrote:Nice work, Like the zombies.

Nice additions to whoever he is.

Oh yeah, and good show on getting free stuff.

Ta!

It's Hawkman:
But I am not a fan of the rather kitsch 70s pornstar vibe.
Mine's inspired by the TV series & its concept art.

It amuses me that I've made armour from axe heads and sword blades. Very metal.

Everything else is in priming.

As for the free stuff - I'm excited, but I'll also reserve judgement till I have product in hand. Been let down before - as ridiculous as it might seem to complain.

Supergirl and Catwoman are this week's task. However, wife has masters' dissertation presentation coming up, and Joe needs a couple of cakes (Baby Groot and a Pokeball...) so who knows, eh?
Later
Graven

More metal and gs.

And he now has a base, clearly.
I wonder whether he needs epaulettes? A third layer of brass on his shoulders basically.

Repositioned his wings, too:

Much more dynamic!

Eagle-eyed viewers will spy Catwoman and Supergirl in the background

Awesome Hawkguyness.

Supergirl .. yeah , I voter for her!

Beautiful brass work on hawkman

The zombies and survivors you made are excellent as well, can't wait to see them all painted up.

Not a fan of the original Hawkman either. Nice conversion though, looking forward to seeing it painted up.

Nice conversion. Lovely use of all those blades

Solar_lion wrote:Awesome Hawkguyness.

Supergirl .. yeah , I voter for her!

Cheers. Yeah, everyone loves Kara.

Theophony wrote:Beautiful brass work on hawkman

The zombies and survivors you made are excellent as well, can't wait to see them all painted up.

Cheers! One thing at a time

ckig wrote:Not a fan of the original Hawkman either. Nice conversion though, looking forward to seeing it painted up.

Why thank you kindly sir!

CommissarKhaine wrote:Nice conversion. Lovely use of all those blades

Ta! Still debating whether to add more brass to Hawkman, perhaps some filigree greaves or something.

So not much further. Busy busy, plaguey plaguey, cakey cakey. (love the new orkmoticons!)

Meanwhile. Got the kids to start drybrushing walkers.

Good for when they build and paint their own. the one feasting and the guy are Mantic ones, the grandma (Warlord) and really rotten one (sedition wars?) via Camkhieri. I think they all look good against one another

Scenics. Tested a quick job on a Jersey, and started the landmine tokens:


Slow start on the girls (and chicken beast boy, who's going to be a Loot objective I've decided )

Catwoman, in purple:

So much blending on the purple my eyes hurt. But I honestly think it's worth it. Very pleased, so far.

And speaking of purple, I started Supergirl's red and blue in purple and blended up for the both:

This was a risk, as I've never done something like that, or at least not to this extent. I think the depth and vibrancy of the colour really works.

I had initially only intended to do the cloak that way but then thought - heck, why not eh?!

And discovered that Dark Knight Batman's scenic base goes rather well with the new km bases.

This will get a Vote Harvey Dent poster of some sort on the base also
Crucially, with the addition of Dkr, I am only 1 model away from completing my Bats collection: Batpod, and that's me, though I'll need to get a 60mm lipped Base for it. Well, in truth, I don't have Rick Flag, though not overly fussed there, and as mentioned I want to make Diggle in a suit so need an appropriate base model such as a Mr Grin or black mask goon. And then there's AK Harley and goons... but they are not on my must list, rather wishlist. My bmg collection is a bit out of control so now is a good time to rein it in. Not fussed about two new starters (organised crime, LexCorp) or dcumg ones (Darkseid and parademons, Zod and kryptonians), so until we get more scarecrow militia and TANKS I'm probably ok for now

Boys are really getting into Pokémon. Oh, the horror. I can't not build decks! too many years of ccgs. Turns out deck construction is a bit counter intuitive, but anyway.

Onwards...
Graven

The kids did a good job, looking good as a group.

The girls are looking fantastic so far, Super is looking great, good work on the paint experiment, seems to have worked a treat.

Good job putting the kids to work.

Nice work on the ladies. Good depth to Supergirl's colours.

Catwoman is looking good as does Supergirl. Cant wait to see how Hawkman and the Harvey Dent sign turn out.

Going to remember that purple trick . Nice work!

Camkierhi wrote:The kids did a good job, looking good as a group.

The girls are looking fantastic so far, Super is looking great, good work on the paint experiment, seems to have worked a treat.

Yeah very pleased, the colours have worked well.

Dr H wrote:Good job putting the kids to work.

Nice work on the ladies. Good depth to Supergirl's colours.

Cheers mucker!

Yorkright wrote: Catwoman is looking good as does Supergirl. Cant wait to see how Hawkman and the Harvey Dent sign turn out.

Me too

CommissarKhaine wrote:Going to remember that purple trick . Nice work!

Cheers!

Colours done on catwoman



And supergirl



So, need to do the faces.
...
Tiny, tiny faces.
...
Very tiny tiny tiny faces.
...
Any advice?!


Shelf evolves...


And next up, aquaman and landmines, and beast boy as a chicken.

On we go eh?
Cheers,
Graven

The best way I've found to do really shallow/small faces is to simply do 99% of the work with very carefully applied washes. Start out with a nice and thin sand/ivory basecoat, wash the whole thing a light brown, apply some redder wash to the cheeks, mouth and eyes and a darker wash around the hairline.

Takes some practice, but it's my go-to when the usual layering methods would need too many coats of paint and you'd loose detail.

Afraid I can't give you any advice on painting faces, still struggling with 40k faces. Can say that Supergirl looks good but I really love cat woman, that purple is very rich. Looking forward to seeing how their faces turnout.

Colours look good. I like the blue on Supergirl especially.

They look a bit shiny though or maybe its just the light.

For faces, if the main issue is that they're really small, maybe it will help if you paint them first. and paint outwards from the face. That way it is easier to tidy up as you go outwards.

Nice stuff Doc!

^Wut?

Looking great, Graven'.

You have a good base to the faces already.
Just a matter of darkening the peep'oles and highlighting the cheeks, chin and T-zone.

I can't really help on faces beyond that, I just tend to keep poking at them until they look right.

Babealiscious!

See, that's why painting guardsmen is so much easier...not speaking about faces to be painted...but these curves would distracted me no end....
Catwoman looks amazing!

I recently painted up a squad of guardsmen with my kids...and I let them start by drybrushing too...in the end they're quite decent looking...

Cheers, vik...

Girls are looking good! Is it worth doing the faces? On very small minis, I always find the effect unrealisti.c

As far as tiny faces are concerned, I recommend finding a dark version of their eye color - midnight blue or burnt sienna- and barely dotting the eyes with it. It's hardly a major detail, but the color may be enough to break the monotony of color otherwise present. As for brush size, I recommend plucking a single strand of your own knuckle hair, if you have any. Those hairs are surprisingly strong and fine.

Faces.. I'd say let Nerd paint them.. just saying!

Paradigm wrote:The best way I've found to do really shallow/small faces is to simply do 99% of the work with very carefully applied washes. Start out with a nice and thin sand/ivory basecoat, wash the whole thing a light brown, apply some redder wash to the cheeks, mouth and eyes and a darker wash around the hairline.

Takes some practice, but it's my go-to when the usual layering methods would need too many coats of paint and you'd loose detail.

Thanks Para. I love your style and I know you've faced the help of km tiny faces so much appreciated.

Yorkright wrote: Afraid I can't give you any advice on painting faces, still struggling with 40k faces. Can say that Supergirl looks good but I really love cat woman, that purple is very rich. Looking forward to seeing how their faces turnout.

ME TOO! glad you like the colours.

ckig wrote:Colours look good. I like the blue on Supergirl especially.

They look a bit shiny though or maybe its just the light.

For faces, if the main issue is that they're really small, maybe it will help if you paint them first. and paint outwards from the face. That way it is easier to tidy up as you go outwards.

Yeah, lazy rush on the lights cheers

dsteingass wrote:Nice stuff Doc!

Dr H wrote:^Wut?

Looking great, Graven'.

You have a good base to the faces already.
Just a matter of darkening the peep'oles and highlighting the cheeks, chin and T-zone.

I can't really help on faces beyond that, I just tend to keep poking at them until they look right.

I'll take what I can get, tbh....

Gitsplitta wrote:Babealiscious!

you're too kind - come on, your ruthless criticism is what made me learn wet blending in the first place

Viktor von Domm wrote:See, that's why painting guardsmen is so much easier...not speaking about faces to be painted...but these curves would distracted me no end....
Catwoman looks amazing!

I recently painted up a squad of guardsmen with my kids...and I let them start by drybrushing too...in the end they're quite decent looking...

Cheers, vik...

Thanks buddy. Great to have you back

CommissarKhaine wrote:Girls are looking good! Is it worth doing the faces? On very small minis, I always find the effect unrealisti.c

Yeah, well, I spend too much time on other peoples' galleries...ta!

Warboss_Waaazag wrote:As far as tiny faces are concerned, I recommend finding a dark version of their eye color - midnight blue or burnt sienna- and barely dotting the eyes with it. It's hardly a major detail, but the color may be enough to break the monotony of color otherwise present. As for brush size, I recommend plucking a single strand of your own knuckle hair, if you have any. Those hairs are surprisingly strong and fine.

Ooya! ...
Hope, I am not hairy enough.

Solar_lion wrote:Faces.. I'd say let Nerd paint them.. just saying!

very wise.

Well, progress, following advices:

Dunno if they're there yet, but certainly better.
Cheers gang, really appreciate the input.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Meanwhile, basic colours all blocked in. Where there's a lot of grey (eg bottom half of Clementine, the girl with the red cap), only washes/shades being used, though that may change of course.

since i never had a DC mini in hand i cant tell if the current state of eyes is sufficient...it is certainly a step into the right direction...

as for the last pic...basic colours done by the kids?

The ladies look amazing to me, purely personal, I would have gone for larger black pupils on Catwoman, and probably gone all glowy red on Supergirl, like she is powering up ready to blast. But I'm a bit late to the party on that one. As it is I think you have done a spectacular job and they look brilliant.

Oh and just remembered a bit of advice from Gits I think, use a cocktail stick to do the pupils, could even shave the point finer if needed. Really works.

Faces are why my marines all wear helmets . Not very Heroic, but easier by far.

They look great now with the work you've done on them.

Calling social services since your putting children to work.....unless it's not too hot in there. Sweat shops are fine if there's air conditioning .

Viktor von Domm wrote:since i never had a DC mini in hand i cant tell if the current state of eyes is sufficient...it is certainly a step into the right direction...

as for the last pic...basic colours done by the kids?

yeah, though I've finished them off. Boys are going to do jersey barriers and their own models next. Dan was proudly explaining it all to his best mate today

Camkierhi wrote:The ladies look amazing to me, purely personal, I would have gone for larger black pupils on Catwoman, and probably gone all glowy red on Supergirl, like she is powering up ready to blast. But I'm a bit late to the party on that one. As it is I think you have done a spectacular job and they look brilliant.

Oh and just remembered a bit of advice from Gits I think, use a cocktail stick to do the pupils, could even shave the point finer if needed. Really works.

You're very kind amigo. And great tip!

Theophony wrote:Faces are why my marines all wear helmets . Not very Heroic, but easier by far.

They look great now with the work you've done on them.

Calling social services since your putting children to work.....unless it's not too hot in there. Sweat shops are fine if there's air conditioning .

I'm a teacher. Child labour is mandatory, it's called fostering independence

Bit more on Aquaman today:

Again, steady and cartoony.

And finished up the walkers and survivors

Not worrying about their eyes, frankly was spurred on by reading some more TWD for the first time in ages (not since Lori died, for those of you that follow the comic), enjoyed it having had a good break, plus also all excited for new stuff in the game now. May have to make a michonne as her card is coming out as a promo in one of the UK gaming magazines over the summer. (Though I'll need to make a katana somehow).

Feeling pretty good. Joe's birthday, complete with Pokemon and baby groot cakes, was a big success. Wife has finished dissertation, and I'm about to start exam marking, which is a dull way to make money but passes the time of an evening... pays for holiday, crucially (woo! Tank museum!) Pretty sanguine about work generally, actually, timetable for next year is pretty decent too. Only a month left this term, 39th birthday in at the end so at least there's toys at the end of the tunnel, eh? Got to count one's blessing with all the horror in this world, especially so close to home.
Later y'all
Graven

Brains, braaaains brains braiiiins.
Brains!
Brainnnns brains, brains.

Good luck to the wife. Something scientific isn't it?

Aquaman's a keeper. Nicely done graven.

 Dr H wrote:
Brains, braaaains brains braiiiins.
Brains!
Brainnnns brains, brains.

Good luck to the wife. Something scientific isn't it?

Their the reason why we don't have a Brain-iac Sorry.

Nice job on all the super folk and zombies. Great looking stuff all around.

EDC

Poor Aquaman, the butt of every DC joke He looks good though!