Welcome all to the 104th round of the Dakka Painting challenge. For the unfamiliar, this is a friendly painting competition open to members of all skill levels and experience, whether your entry is your first or you thousand-and-first time painting miniatures. Each month, finished entries are collected into a thread where the community can vote on their favorite pieces, and those votes go towards an annual overall League that runs for 12 rounds.
This month is our annual Halloween Special. Spooks, spirits, ghost, goblins, monsters, kids dressed up trick-or-treating, costumes. Pumpkins and changing leaves. It’s spooky time here in the painting challenge, so break out the pumpkin spice flavored paint and get with the season!
How To Enter
- You may enter up to 5 MODELS as a SINGLE ENTRY, and are permitted one entry per member per month. If you enter multiple models, they should ideally be related in some way, such as part of the same squad, unit or scene if you are doing a diorama
- You may enter at any time during the month, up to the last minute. We do encourage people to enter early, as to be part of the community, but if you can’t start until the 11th hour, that’s OK.
- You MUST post a 'proof' picture of your entry in the thread of the state it was in before you started working on it; this must be either unassembled, unpainted, primed or coated a single colour. Entries that do not submit a valid Proof Picture will not be eligible for voting.
- After this, you may post WIP pictures in this thread and your own if you wish, and on completing the entry, you may post up to 6 final pictures IN THIS THREAD that will then be used for voting. Please note that pictures in a montage or collage picture will be considered individual images for this purpose, so while these types of presentation are certainly acceptable, please keep the image limit in mind when compiling them. For example, a collage of 5 images and one separate image would count as your 6 picture allowance.
So What Do I Win?
- Points... and points mean... bragging rights for the next month! Following the vote, points will be awarded to every entrant. This year, the Points you receive will be equal to the Percentage of Votes your entry receives in the final Voting thread; if you get 10%, you get 10 points, if you get 6% you get 6 points, so on and so forth.
These points will be used to form a league table, which will be updated month on month as the results come in.
How Long Do I Have?
This challenge begins 1st of October and will end at midnight EST on October 31st. After this, I shall compile the finished entries into a new thread, and voting will run for 5 days.
Tomboy: "I don't know what's scarier. The zombie apocalypse or that we let the teenage trainee run around with guns and a chainsaw."
SS: "Eh. At least she's no longer stoned."
There're a few scary freaks of various sorts about the place - the last free mini of the month turned into a daemonette with hormagaunt limbs, and there's that Terminator champion with tank treads - but I didn't want to pick just something I was going to paint anyway. I was thinking of getting one of the new set of blind-boxed marines and painting it up as Legion of the Damned, but turns out they're not being sold in GW stores (interesting choice) and I couldn't be bothered going to find wherever they are, so I started having a think about alternatives, and honestly I wound up liking this idea better (it's more me anyway): Order of the Damned.
(They're probably not actually called that, I doubt Sororitas would call themselves 'damned' even if they are undead, but I'll have a think about lore later on.)
Right o, Vampires it is!
So we have the keel of Schooner, which may or may not get built as a backdrop, Gypsy, Rotters, leeches and a ferry-person. 5 from that lot, probably.
I am very happy to be using this months theme to get to half of the Royal Beastflayer box set; an exciting addition to my FEC army (which is growing slowly but steadily)
These sculpts are super interesting from a lore point of view and to say I am keen to see them lined up next to my other ghouls is an understatement. Hopefully I do the little fellas justice!
Hmm, can't think of anything traditionally spooky this time, so I might go with the halloween dressing up in costumes approach - some Marvel superheroes
Darn, hoped for the theme be something that will let me finish the squats.
Last of the heroes left from the (Blackstone Fortress) box then, the Pumpkin Kroot.
I would love to enter the new Gorgers but I doubt they will be here in time to paint them.
So instead I will paint my Royal Beastflayers and the King in order to make room for the Gorgers and the CoS Hunters.
I hope i paint them all by the end of the month but I'm not sure I can so I will pick 4-5 from the ones I have ready at the end of the month as my entry.
Also it seems I am on a similar journey as XvArcanevXMade. I haven't seen a lot of painted Beastflayers so I am looking forward to see more!
straken619 wrote: I would love to enter the new Gorgers but I doubt they will be here in time to paint them.
So instead I will paint my Royal Beastflayers and the King in order to make room for the Gorgers and the CoS Hunters.
I hope i paint them all by the end of the month but I'm not sure I can so I will pick 4-5 from the ones I have ready at the end of the month as my entry.
Also it seems I am on a similar journey as XvArcanevXMade. I haven't seen a lot of painted Beastflayers so I am looking forward to see more!
Looks like we are on similar paths my friend. I, however, am already putting obstacles in my own way by not having the good sense to build the Royal Flaymaster in a subassembly
Anyway… it is going to be pretty sweet comparing notes!
I was thinking I might have to skip this one but then my latest project (Tonks!) got enthused by a bout of inspiration from my Halloween-loving son. So assuming I can put this think together in time this month I’ll be building and painting a possessed-flaming skull launching pumpkin tank!
It's the season of fright, so it shouldn't be surprising, but so early in the month I've already made frightening progress. I'm thinking of converting some zombies with the time that leaves me, and add them to my entry. Can't have a zombie apocalypse without zombies, right?
Once upon a thyme, there was this y'olde gent, his fingers soaked in glue, his neck kept forewardth bent.
His eyes were reddish hue, that darnest orange lamp.. did gleam his guise pretend a smile where gloom was yet present.
Death Jester was his trial, a gun arm stiff and floppy cape and toss across the room he staked were discipline not so..
That Jest had met that throw..
Now spoopy autumn would demand that rather than a hissy fit. contender Leo would admit his troubles through a rhyme.
May I present Sister Superior Ardere of the Martyred Order:
Painting speed's got a boost now I've 100%ed Lego City Undercover. I was originally going to go full Legion of the Damned with bones painted on the armour and flames on the cloak and sleeves, but I was trying to think of something to do with the weapons and remembered JoshInJapan's Burning Men from a couple of contests back, and after doing those and the Object Sourced Messy Drybrushing I kind of liked it as-is. Gave her a little motto on her backpack just to carry through a little of the retro Legion of the Damned style.
KidCthulhu wrote: Huh, it's been so long since I finished my Death Jester but I don't remember having any assembly issues
We're talking about the plastic one, right?
Spoiler:
The guy on the far left:
Yep.
The issue is with connecting the cape because it bends around the arm, then has to click into the neck and reach the gunhand.
I ended up cutting off the right side and glueing it on seperately because the prior tries made me have to repaint a lot of places due to glue getting everywhere.
Also contemplating making his head a pumpkin atm. Base still to do aswell. Everything else is done.
Definitely like that Sister Superior.
Particularly since it seems to naturally flow into an army theme that looks good on the tabletop even if you cut corners a bit. I can even imagine myself being able to make an army like that
They need something on their bases, and I haven't managed to get the sword looking how I imagine it. I'm taking a step back from these two, though, and working on their big brother for now.
This entry was much faster to complete. I experimented with some new chromatic paints and it's a neat look if you like metallics. I also tried doing a spooky red glow around the head.
They need something on their bases, and I haven't managed to get the sword looking how I imagine it. I'm taking a step back from these two, though, and working on their big brother for now.
Can't compete with that..
Tbh contemplating quitting the internet again (I lived without it for like 6 years before pre-2020), not because of demoralization here btw but in general. Autumn is killing me anyway.
I'm finally ready to reveal why I chose this model for Halloween. Isn't it obvious, I hear you say. She's a maniac with a chainsaw. It couldn't be clearer.
Not so! It is, of course, entirely down to the fact that shadow bunnies are spooky!
I'll add my usual collage when I have good light for proper photos. Hopefully tomorrow.
It's actually really nice to have plenty of time to paint at the beginning of the month. I should have that more often.
They need something on their bases, and I haven't managed to get the sword looking how I imagine it. I'm taking a step back from these two, though, and working on their big brother for now.
Can't compete with that..
Tbh contemplating quitting the internet again (I lived without it for like 6 years before pre-2020), not because of demoralization here btw but in general. Autumn is killing me anyway.
I'll still try to finish my death jester though.
For what it's worth, you're not competing with me. You're competing with yourself, trying to become a better painter and modeller than you were last month.
Thinking of rejoining the painting train - if I can get some stuff primed in the next few days. Maybe Raven Guard (as they're things that go bump in the night) or possibly a skeletal Wraithlord conversion.
So, I have taken a small plastic pumpkin, given it wire vines underneath, filled it with resin and prepared a dollie for a ghost to ride up top with some skull-beads for projectiles to fire from my Halloween themed Tonk.
I do hate how photography and closeups in particular really wreck how cool a mini looks :/
Anyway, sticking true to the Samhain atmosphere, here's my entry; a Jack'o'Jestero
Just resized all images because closeup they look horrific..
I would suggest November Rain, but due to global warming that probably needs to be changed to Sun's Out All Year 'Round and we just keep doing the same thing over and over again.
I'm probably going to shoot myself in the foot with this, but with the upcoming release of Legions Imperialis some people might be interested in a matching theme. Half Height, Full Power. Plenty of room for dwarfs, halflings or kneeling Wraithlords for those that don't care for Epic scale.
dw, last time when I said I couldn't compete it was a compliment (again now), not that I think I cannot do as good or anything, but I am easily depressed by autumn, that has nothing to do with it though.
Inspiration, not intimidation. We have and welcome all skill levels here. If you see someone doing amazing things, feel free to ask how they get those results. We are always happy to share tips.
I have long been of the opinion that, in the miniature painting hobby, if you are doing work, you are doing good work. Every model painted is a chance to learn and improve and your best model is the next one you paint.
dw, last time when I said I couldn't compete it was a compliment (again now), not that I think I cannot do as good or anything, but I am easily depressed by autumn, that has nothing to do with it though.
Dude, your Death Jester is great! I love the colors you chose, and the striped pants are a great touch.
"Good things/small packages" - gives a bit more scope than just having epic scale and runts, maybe? You can have paladins, too!
"Get to da choppa!" - Orks, Imperial Guard (especially Catachan?), Predators, flying vehicles (especially helicopters and gyrocopters), or just transport vehicles in general, perhaps?
"From the shadows it came..." - nothing at all to do with the fact I have a ton of Raven Guard to paint... honest
"Remember, remember..." - I have no idea what models this could inspire, but it fits with the month. Something to do with big explosions, or the things that cause big explosions, maybe? Or things to do with fire and/or secret plots? Assassinations? Sneaky sneaks?
The lil guy on the left, that face lolz! very nice
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KidCthulhu wrote: This is all I've managed to accomplish since some iRL stuff has gotten in the way as of late:
Spoiler:
The weird scar is taking into account of the hideous casting deformating on his face that I didn't notice until I started painting the skin.
As far as I am concirned, any Witchhunter is a friend! because witches deserve to get hunted, and wraiths too!
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Mr Nobody wrote: This entry was much faster to complete. I experimented with some new chromatic paints and it's a neat look if you like metallics. I also tried doing a spooky red glow around the head.
Spoiler:
Superb contrast!
That red is literally glowing!
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Vejut wrote: Joining the "finished early in the month" club. I think I need better pictures, but done anyways:
Nice! Simple but quite effective.
That gives me a nifty idea to try on the next project limit to 4 colors including black or white, I think I am overdoing it with colors at times.
I like a hint of apologetic look in her face.
A lot of character in a small figure.
Good job on the hair, I need to try that middle-dark gradient, that looks cool!
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Nevelon wrote: We are about halfway through the month. Hope everyone is making better progress than I am.
Anyone have any ideas for the November poll?
Yes!
1 - Squats in space
2 - Futuristic miners
3 - Squad of scifi very short highlanders
Honestly any of these 3 should be very good!
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Leopold Helveine wrote: I do hate how photography and closeups in particular really wreck how cool a mini looks :/
Anyway, sticking true to the Samhain atmosphere, here's my entry; a Jack'o'Jestero
Just resized all images because closeup they look horrific..
Spoiler:
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Looking horrific is the point !
Seriously it looks proper scary, reminds me of KernerTerror's work from our terrain challenges
XvArcanevX wrote: Finally managed to make a start…. no plan this month, making it all up as I go!
Looking Good! Makes me wonder if I should make mine darker...
Ha! Yours are looking nice there too! Kind of fun having someone doing the same models!
I know what you mean about making them darker but I was concerned mine look too dark… plus I have now added more color into the mix too… hard to say.
I like the pale look for ghouls and my first batch (the Start Collecting box) I painted primarily using Iorach Skin and off whites… they look far, far more ‘undead’ than the green ones I am doing now, but then the green gives more opportunity for contrast and interesting complimentary colors soooo….
I am liking the look you are establishing on yours …
So, I'm glad that I got a good week of work in at the beginning of the month because the second week left me with a grand total of 25 minutes of hobby time spread across several days. Thanks, real life! Now, my main entry is done so it's all good, but I'm not so sure anymore if I can add any zombies to it. I've made some headway converting the first one but haven't even started on the other two for which I have an idea.
I'll keep working on them regardless since I'm in the mood and it's the right time of year for it. Worst case scenario, I'll have a trio of zombies that may fit another month's theme down the line.
On a completely unrelated note, I'd like to suggest Early Retirement as a theme for November's vote. You know, something like people or gear who had their careers or usefulness cut short or something. Kind of a random thought. Not sure where I got it.
I like a hint of apologetic look in her face.
A lot of character in a small figure.
Good job on the hair, I need to try that middle-dark gradient, that looks cool!
Thank you!
Wouldn't that be something to see. I love the way you work with color and composition. Your Kroot is awesome and it's always great to see how you tackle different things.
With the trainee finished, I think it's time for a group photo of the sculpts I made this year for the painting challenge. I'm not out of ideas for more characters, but I'm not currently working on any new ones either. I can't rule out that I may have another one ready in time for the January or February challenges, but in the immediate future I'll choose different projects for the monthly challenge.
Sculpting seven models in seven months is a frantic pace. The cost is measured in quality, but getting so much done is so short a time feels pretty good regardless.
Geifer wrote: With the trainee finished, I think it's time for a group photo of the sculpts I made this year for the painting challenge. I'm not out of ideas for more characters, but I'm not currently working on any new ones either. I can't rule out that I may have another one ready in time for the January or February challenges, but in the immediate future I'll choose different projects for the monthly challenge.
Sculpting seven models in seven months is a frantic pace. The cost is measured in quality, but getting so much done is so short a time feels pretty good regardless.
These are brilliant! What do you use to sculpt and how long does each one take you on average?
Geifer wrote: With the trainee finished, I think it's time for a group photo of the sculpts I made this year for the painting challenge. I'm not out of ideas for more characters, but I'm not currently working on any new ones either. I can't rule out that I may have another one ready in time for the January or February challenges, but in the immediate future I'll choose different projects for the monthly challenge.
Sculpting seven models in seven months is a frantic pace. The cost is measured in quality, but getting so much done is so short a time feels pretty good regardless.
These are brilliant! What do you use to sculpt and how long does each one take you on average?
Thank you. They're all sculpted in green stuff over a wire frame of 0.45mm steel paperclips and in the case of thin things like free hanging rifle slings, staples.
I have a set of Army Painter sculpting tools. I don't know if they still sell it. I exclusively use the small, diamond shaped end of one of them. That covers the overwhelming majority of things I sculpt. A knife or scalpel comes in handy occasionally for straight, long(ish) grooves, like the for the ventilation slits on the chainsaw's motor for instance. In rare cases a needle tip can help get in places for which the sculpting tool is too large. Finally, I use a small, conical silicone brush for texture on clothes. It's convenient and has its perks, but doesn't fully replace the sculpting tool.
Averages are hard. I can sculpt a good body in a month, whether that's naked or with simple clothing provided I put in a sculpting session a day. Two months for a fully geared up model with lots of details. If I'm fortunate enough to be able to put in two sculpting sessions a day, you can cut that almost in half. Almost, because some things need to be left to cure for a full day if they are to provide a solid foundation for the next step.
I rushed out the Marine in the middle in two and a half to three weeks, I think. I might have mentioned it in the March challenge thread. That's about the best I ever did and involved a number of shortcuts. Similarly the two guys on the left were a little too rushed for my liking.
All parts of a model aren't equal. I can do one half on a pair of pants in one day and the other half the next day and that accounts for like 40% of a human model. I wouldn't expect a rifle to get done in less than two weeks. It's lots of straight lines that build on each other, a good bit of fine detail on top and some building up like scopes or magazines that just take multiple layers and full time to cure in between. A hand on a hip or weapon is easily done in two or three days. A hand held up in the air with no foundation to work on basically means a day per finger and another couple of days for the rest of the hand.
It's complicated to throw out an average, but I think I'd feel comfortable saying I can make a model from wire frame to complete sculpt in five to six weeks if I get my daily one or two sculpting sessions.
Thank you. They're all sculpted in green stuff over a wire frame of 0.45mm steel paperclips and in the case of thin things like free hanging rifle slings, staples.
I have a set of Army Painter sculpting tools. I don't know if they still sell it. I exclusively use the small, diamond shaped end of one of them. That covers the overwhelming majority of things I sculpt. A knife or scalpel comes in handy occasionally for straight, long(ish) grooves, like the for the ventilation slits on the chainsaw's motor for instance. In rare cases a needle tip can help get in places for which the sculpting tool is too large. Finally, I use a small, conical silicone brush for texture on clothes. It's convenient and has its perks, but doesn't fully replace the sculpting tool.
Averages are hard. I can sculpt a good body in a month, whether that's naked or with simple clothing provided I put in a sculpting session a day. Two months for a fully geared up model with lots of details. If I'm fortunate enough to be able to put in two sculpting sessions a day, you can cut that almost in half. Almost, because some things need to be left to cure for a full day if they are to provide a solid foundation for the next step.
I rushed out the Marine in the middle in two and a half to three weeks, I think. I might have mentioned it in the March challenge thread. That's about the best I ever did and involved a number of shortcuts. Similarly the two guys on the left were a little too rushed for my liking.
All parts of a model aren't equal. I can do one half on a pair of pants in one day and the other half the next day and that accounts for like 40% of a human model. I wouldn't expect a rifle to get done in less than two weeks. It's lots of straight lines that build on each other, a good bit of fine detail on top and some building up like scopes or magazines that just take multiple layers and full time to cure in between. A hand on a hip or weapon is easily done in two or three days. A hand held up in the air with no foundation to work on basically means a day per finger and another couple of days for the rest of the hand.
It's complicated to throw out an average, but I think I'd feel comfortable saying I can make a model from wire frame to complete sculpt in five to six weeks if I get my daily one or two sculpting sessions.
That’s a lot of patience and it must require several ‘passes’ over each worked on area to build up to the final sculpt. Can you still work in fine details with dry green stuff? Wondering how you manage that.
I have always wanted to have a go at sculpting. I always loved monster movies… ever since the old Clash of the Titans etc when artists designed those awesome sculpts for the creatures.. I always had an urge to do just that; creature designs etc.
It’s really cool work you have accomplished with those smaller details and the rifles etc. Very impressive, I can imagine things with straight edges being probably the hardest things to get right.
I have a notion of attempting a diorama one day. A scene involving a crashed car with a huge menacing werewolf leaning over the crumpled wreck and staring directly at the shell shocked occupants inside. Just this ‘image’ I think would make for a cool, dimly lit, horror diorama.
Maybe one day I could try working with a bit of green stuff and seeing if I could make the head or something…
I think of it more in terms of interest and motivation than patience. If you asked me to paint a large model like a tank, you would see my patience evaporate after a layer or two of paint. Layering green stuff isn't really different from layering paint. In my case painting is just a means to an end whereas I genuinely enjoy sculpting. That makes it easy enough to come back to a model day after day until it's finished.
How many passes you need really depends on what you want to sculpt and what approach you're comfortable with. Some things like large areas of fabric can easily be done in one go. Fur, too. Facial features can be pretty fun in this regard. If you can't envision the face and have steady hands, sculpting a face in one go and keeping the option to shuffle things around until you reach the desired result is quite possible. If you're confident that you can construct it bit by bit, and you have shaky hands like me, it's easier to do it in six or seven stages so as not to mess up the very fine detail you already sculpted. Physical deficiencies aside, how much you do in one go largely depends on how green stuff deforms under pressure. Crisp, angular detail is best done on a solid foundation. Things with soft or round edges are far easier to work into fresh green stuff if you so choose. Green stuff also doesn't lose volume as you sculpt it. Take the barrel of a rifle. If you want an even cylinder around your wire, you have to wrap it around and then smooth it along the wire's length to get it to look even all around. If you have too much material in one place and just press it into shape right there, you'll just move the lump to the side instead of eliminating it. You can do it in one go by working along the wire. Or you can do half to three quarters of the cylinder so excess material has a place to go, let it cure and then fill in the rest. Both get you the same result. Mostly it's just a question of what works better for you.
In a similar vein, cured green stuff is rigid and slightly rubbery. It can be cut, but that's mostly limited to evening out the surface. Because it's rubbery, cutting or drilling into it tends to leave ridges and frayed edges. If you want to add further detail into it rather than onto it, it's better to plan ahead and leave those spaces open to begin with and add that layer of detail later on. That's my experience at least. As seen by my list of tools, I'm hardly an authority on the plethora of tools you might use to work detail into cured green stuff.
Geifer wrote: I think of it more in terms of interest and motivation than patience. If you asked me to paint a large model like a tank, you would see my patience evaporate after a layer or two of paint. Layering green stuff isn't really different from layering paint. In my case painting is just a means to an end whereas I genuinely enjoy sculpting. That makes it easy enough to come back to a model day after day until it's finished.
How many passes you need really depends on what you want to sculpt and what approach you're comfortable with. Some things like large areas of fabric can easily be done in one go. Fur, too. Facial features can be pretty fun in this regard. If you can't envision the face and have steady hands, sculpting a face in one go and keeping the option to shuffle things around until you reach the desired result is quite possible. If you're confident that you can construct it bit by bit, and you have shaky hands like me, it's easier to do it in six or seven stages so as not to mess up the very fine detail you already sculpted. Physical deficiencies aside, how much you do in one go largely depends on how green stuff deforms under pressure. Crisp, angular detail is best done on a solid foundation. Things with soft or round edges are far easier to work into fresh green stuff if you so choose. Green stuff also doesn't lose volume as you sculpt it. Take the barrel of a rifle. If you want an even cylinder around your wire, you have to wrap it around and then smooth it along the wire's length to get it to look even all around. If you have too much material in one place and just press it into shape right there, you'll just move the lump to the side instead of eliminating it. You can do it in one go by working along the wire. Or you can do half to three quarters of the cylinder so excess material has a place to go, let it cure and then fill in the rest. Both get you the same result. Mostly it's just a question of what works better for you.
In a similar vein, cured green stuff is rigid and slightly rubbery. It can be cut, but that's mostly limited to evening out the surface. Because it's rubbery, cutting or drilling into it tends to leave ridges and frayed edges. If you want to add further detail into it rather than onto it, it's better to plan ahead and leave those spaces open to begin with and add that layer of detail later on. That's my experience at least. As seen by my list of tools, I'm hardly an authority on the plethora of tools you might use to work detail into cured green stuff.
I suppose it is just a case of me picking up the materials and starting something. In the case of fur I guess once I found an implement that had the right effect on the green stuff it would be quite quick to cover large areas but the real challenge would be in getting the face and general body shape/posture looking convincing.
I think I understand that you are suggesting adding onto areas with fresh green stuff is easier than sculpting into cured areas; makes sense.
I appreciate the advice you are giving here! I can see myself re-reading this in a couple of months time over a stack of green stuff and shaping tools! Ha
Thanks, Geifer, for the primer on sculpting. I've never sculpted anything more complex than the pumpkins I put on the bases for this month's entry. I may have to try something more complex sometime soon.
There's one tool I keep forgetting about that I should mention: SCIENCE! I sculpt wargaming miniatures, not scale models, which entails certain exaggerations to give various details the necessary visual impact. But I find it handy to have a scale to check against. These models are sculpted to 1/48, which primarily determines height. Tomboy for instance is 35mm tall (without soles and hair). That translates to 1,68m in real life, which I consider well in the range of average female height and is what I was going for as the baseline model for this series. It helps to have this one dimension nailed down as it gives you something against which you can check your other proportions and sizes. Her assault rifle is 90% a G36, which I think is just under a meter long. I'd have to check again, honestly. But it's good to have your scale set so you can determine the length it should be when scaled down, even if the weapon ends up a little bulkier in parts or has fewer ventilation slits along the barrel than the real life equivalent. A little bit of impartial math can really help with consistency and overall appearance.
Which goes hand in hand with having reference material for what you sculpt. I have trouble visualizing things and find it really helps to have a picture of something (or video or real life object or what have you) that I can study before I get out wire and green stuff. It's good to have that to check proportions of the foundation you're going to work on, and repeatedly further along when you're adding detail. I've lived in the company of people long enough that that's not much of an issue, but if we go with the werewolf example, I'd have to say I don't really have much of an idea of the proportions of a wolf head. I know a wolf when I see it, but actually understanding its physical structure is something else entirely. I'd want to check some pictures of wolves just to get a baseline, and since it's a mythical creature also look at artistic interpretations of werewolves specifically to figure out style and just how much wolf I want in my wolfman. Familiarize myself with the proportions and placement of physical features and then work out how to go about sculpting a base for the head. A good bit of work on the sculpt can (and in my opinion should) be done before you even touch your sculpting tool.
DJJazzyJeff wrote: Well, no sculpting here, but I tried a new painting technique.
Vargskyr!
Yes! I am jealous man… I need one of these for my army!
This is a sweet job, absolutely love the tones you have got for the fur…. looks like it is glistening in the light but still has a dark and moody feel that fits with the (very nicely done) skin! Love how you have incorporated pinky and fleshy tones with the grey and blue recesses… this is very very cool work.
Hope its going well all Always great to see submissions of course.
Definitely late, but I was going to reckommend
Locked in Combat - pinning fire or being pinned, binding swords, feinting spears, reloading, magdumping
Born to Fight - ranging from Spacemarines to Skaven
Kind of also wondering how painting days will appear for Nov Challenge, obv would be great to do some more.
Enjoyed zooming through these dryads, nice peek at 40 dryads challenge lol, i'm not gona freak out.
inmygravenimage wrote: Right, the Subaqueous Savages... are done!
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Pressed for time to get photos, as they're for my eldest's birthday also, so had to grab snaps before he realised!
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XvArcanevX wrote: Well, I think I am calling these delusional cannibals finished…
This was a make it all up as I went kind of paint job. I had no idea whatsoever where I was going to end up but here we are…
I suppose these ghouls are a little louder than the others in my squad… but variety is the spice of flesh eating mentalists!
Yum yum
Not sure if I am happy with these photos so may swap them over the next couple of days…
You're both making the voting round hard for me.
Those ghoulies look splendid.
Definitely late, but I was going to reckommend
Locked in Combat - pinning fire or being pinned, binding swords, feinting spears, reloading, magdumping
Born to Fight - ranging from Spacemarines to Skaven
Kind of also wondering how painting days will appear for Nov Challenge, obv would be great to do some more
I’ll add your ideas to the list. As long as topics are not fixed to some static event/time/season everything just goes into the bucket and I pull 4 out for the poll.
November will get the same number of days to paint as any other month. Well, 30 days shorter then some. Unless someone asks for more time, then it will get a few extra. How many of those days you will be free to pick up a brush is beyond my control, but I have faith that you could make time for a little something. It is a whole month after all, and minis are small.
Leopold Helveine wrote:
You're both making the voting round hard for me.
Those ghoulies look splendid.
Thank you! I am hoping to get some better pics of mine up for the weekend; they look a little blurred in the current photos. The weather is a bit weird here at the moment though and I have found it is better to take the pics outside in natural light rather than under a super bright desk lamp…
Hopefully I can take some decent ones before end of play this month!
I really enjoy painting ghouls. They are quick and easy and so fun to paint without having 10000 extra details.
So my entry is the Royal Beastflayers but I really hate the Babouls so I replaced them with hyenas, that I believe fit way better the role of hounds. And I also added the king but I had to keep only 5 minis so I ended up with only 2 from the original Beastflayers... Oh well...
XvArcanevX, I really like what you did with them. The green skin especially, with the dark shadows makes them look more savage. It's so cool we painted the same miniatures but they look so different.
Here are the final photos
Btw I managed to paint the whole warband +2 extra hyenas for tests, that don't have bases. So here is a quick photo of the whole warband not counting for the challenge.
straken619 wrote: I really enjoy painting ghouls. They are quick and easy and so fun to paint without having 10000 extra details.
So my entry is the Royal Beastflayers but I really hate the Babouls so I replaced them with hyenas, that I believe fit way better the role of hounds. And I also added the king but I had to keep only 5 minis so I ended up with only 2 from the original Beastflayers... Oh well...
XvArcanevX, I really like what you did with them. The green skin especially, with the dark shadows makes them look more savage. It's so cool we painted the same miniatures but they look so different.
Dude, seriously, I frickin love what you have done with these! This is a blast…
That ghoul king is badass, love the work on the flesh and in particular the ‘flesh’ loin cloth! Amazing! Seriously that right there is one deluded, degenerate cannibal. Haha!
I totally agree with you on the hounds in the box, they suck man! They are literally awful sculpts. Why didn’t they just give us werewolf ghouls? I mean the FEC needs more bestial characters… and a tanky half ghoul, half wolf would have been the absolute business. We are getting ripped off in this faction and I hope we get some better sculpts soon!
Still, the hyenas work a treat. Also loving the interesting colors you have used on the Beastflayer Baron! In particular the sword and hilt…. very nice.
Great stuff. This is turning into a mighty ghoul fest! FECFTW!
Love the face, DJJazzyJeff! The highlights really make the features pop!
@XvArcanevX - great choice of colours - these really make for an eye-catching/pleasing warband!
@straken619 - the dogs are 'OFF THE CHAIN!!!' Your colour choice is awesome! They have the classic 'Lion King' look!....MUFASA....!
Wow, there are lots of entries this month . My Ursula the sea witch is finally finished. I wanted to train shading skin with airbrush, and I think it is not bad.
And a cheap photoshop, which means photographed in front of picture displayed on computer screen
halfling84 wrote: Wow, there are lots of entries this month . My Ursula the sea witch is finally finished. I wanted to train shading skin with airbrush, and I think it is
And a cheap photoshop, which means photographed in front of picture displayed on computer screen
Love Little Mermaid. When I worked, back in the day, in the cinema I even went to see it on my day off.
Anyway, I've decided (madness) to try to get the boat built and painted as well for the vampires:
If nothing else, I can stab Ursula with it...
Been a crazy month and of course I didn't complete nearly what I wanted to. That being said, here's the finished Bullet-Sponge for my Breachers playtest:
Maybe I'll get the Zombie done. Then I'll have at least four things to enter this month.
Almost too spooky to browse through this thread. Well done peeps!
Been a while since I've actively taken part in these wonderful challenges (if not counting the one Canoness I painted in the summer).
Been trying to motivate myself to paint more again, and thought that joining the challenges every now and then might just do that.
I started painting a model for Halloween, the classic Heinrich Kemmler model that I got for Necromunda some years ago.
While painting, I realized that what better way to give it a good deadline than the dakka challenge!
Alas, I realized that I had forgotten to take a proof picture
I did however find a picture of another mini, where this guy is (very poorly) seen in the background unpainted.
Miniature and the date marked (Lokakuu = Finnish for October).
If that's not sufficient, no problemo!
Anyway, here's the current state of the very scary necromancer.
Looks great. Remember, if you make all your goals, you are not setting them high enough. You need to stretch to grow. So it’s OK to miss them once in a while.
But I know you all out there can do it. Get a model painted. Get across the finish line! We still have time left.
I managed to get only one bonus zombie into a paintable state. It's pretty late in the month, though. Not sure I'll even have time to put any paint on him, let alone finish him by Halloween. If I have time tomorrow to slap on a basecoat, I might give it a try. If not, he'll have to wait and maybe get joined by some zombuddies in the meantime.
He's based on a spare Wild West Exodus model. They're the right height for my stuff. Turned out to be a little more work than I thought, modernizing his attire and getting the proportions closer to my sculpts. It's a good opportunity to nail down the look of a few things for which I'm not likely to make full sculpts. The three zombies I had in mind for this are a zombified revolutionary (this guy), soldier and corporate security dude.
I have embraced the madness... Of rigging
Unfortunately, more ratlines required. But the build is finished and paint is nearly done, so it looks like I'll have the full ship and ghoulish crew done for the end of the month.
inmygravenimage wrote: I have embraced the madness... Of rigging
Unfortunately, more ratlines required. But the build is finished and paint is nearly done, so it looks like I'll have the full ship and ghoulish crew done for the end of the month.
Oh, man, I'm going to have to crank out a whole Great Pumpkin Patch diorama in order to compete...
Ok, fine... Strigoi Schooner with its rotten crew! Ferrywoman and Rotter 1 Leech 1 and Rotter 2 Leech 2 Bit of a reverse shot of the deck. And of the aftcastle plus the ... Guest accommodation Glad I made a steering wheel but it was a faff (not as much as faff as doing the rigging but still) Lot of work, but glad the contest motivated me to tackle it. Happy Hallowe'en, y'all!
Geifer wrote: I managed to get only one bonus zombie into a paintable state. It's pretty late in the month, though. Not sure I'll even have time to put any paint on him, let alone finish him by Halloween. If I have time tomorrow to slap on a basecoat, I might give it a try. If not, he'll have to wait and maybe get joined by some zombuddies in the meantime.
He's based on a spare Wild West Exodus model. They're the right height for my stuff. Turned out to be a little more work than I thought, modernizing his attire and getting the proportions closer to my sculpts. It's a good opportunity to nail down the look of a few things for which I'm not likely to make full sculpts. The three zombies I had in mind for this are a zombified revolutionary (this guy), soldier and corporate security dude.
Cant tell if you can get across without at least a group of 3, but the bridge isn't stong enough to hold more than 40, omg just swarm the bridge
JoshInJapan - Candlejacks
They're all looking like they're doing the hissing kittens thing a bit (•w•^)
Ksksksks shhhh keh
I’ll add your ideas to the list. As long as topics are not fixed to some static event/time/season everything just goes into the bucket and I pull 4 out for the poll.
November will get the same number of days to paint as any other month. Well, 30 days shorter then some. Unless someone asks for more time, then it will get a few extra. How many of those days you will be free to pick up a brush is beyond my control, but I have faith that you could make time for a little something. It is a whole month after all, and minis are small.
My neck is flipping if I go a whole month without the protective effect of painting lol.
Postman brought some ghosties from ebay just in time, going to paint up a couple of the little ones today/tomorrow, don't think I can paint the big guy fast enough.
The above are mainly a test to see if my new camera is 'good enough' to submit images to this competition.
And to show off some interesting colour schemes. So apologies if these aren't 'good enough' for the competition. Do feel free to skip these if they aren't, and *definitely* do say if the camera isn't good enough. That would give me a month to find a better one.
While these aren't as good, they do have the advantage of coming in all 5 M:TG colours. And are based on the actual Phyrexian colour schemes.
Links to references here;
As for myself, my bonus zombie isn't going to happen. So it's just my main entry. That's plenty good, too. Next time I need to build models ahead of time so they're actually ready for a paintjob.
Jadenim wrote: 'Fraid I'm not going to make it this month; good luck everyone!
Would an extra day or two help?
I need someone to ask, but I’ll not deny a request for reasonable extention.
Not this month unfortunately; I’d been struggling to find time, so it was touch and go anyway and I’ve now come down with some stupid head cold. Thanks for the offer though.
Calling this lot done. Been a while since I painted undead; I should do it more. Good deal lurking in the PoS. Pretty basic job, but some fun details on these guys. My original thought for the hair was high gloss raven black, but the way it was whipping around I decided it needed to be white. Seemed better for hopping vampires.
Same here, the old Tyranid Warriors are great and Pariah Press got a cool look out of them with that paintjob.
GW should do a made to order run of these guys. Such an easy way to get my money. Or maybe they shouldn't, for the sake of my bank account. I might just overindulge...
I don't think I'll take more pictures, but I've ended up... Accessorising
I keep fiddling with it and adding things The devil's in the detail, after all.
Little update of the three ghost's I decided on, I have some tidying up to do and going to try out some rust effect's on the metal parts. I also made a quick base from a wooden candle lid, I have base coated this now and hopefully can get it dried and get some paint on by midnight .
Automatically Appended Next Post: Finished entry.
I managed to get these guys finished off while watching The Fog used some cotton wool to hide the indentation from the rubber band that held the candle lid on which doubles up as fog/mist...kinda, also found a use for the tomato vine from my lunch as a crooked tree.
@Kalkyrie: Sorry I missed it before. The comp model limit is 5, but the photo limit is 6. This is so you can have individual shots of everyone plus a group shot. I included the black gaunt in your final entry, as your 5+1 pictures were fine.
The model is downloaded from 
