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Some progress tonight: detail work on the rifles and optics, a lot of "oops" touch up and most visibly- the hair. The few pictures I could find of Winterguard in color showed them with anime colored hair, so I dug out all my colors for Eldar "one day" and had fun.

Why would elite scout-snipers have brightly colored hair in contrast with their highly effective camouflage colors you ask? "Rivets in the 41st Millenium" I sez.





Hopefully tomorrow night I can complete the grey areas (ears and tails), touch up the cloaks and do the foot wraps in the same color, do the ear pieces/communicators in a nice metallic and get some very controlled washes done. The figure with the yellow hair will need another thin coat to reduce the translucency. Also every one of them is wearing a wristwatch, so I'm debating whether to do a mundane brown or green strap or give every one of them a Swatch in a different color. Depends on how much I get done, I suppose.

I'd like to be basing them on Wednesday and finish up no later than Thursday- got lots more projects I really want to see how come out!

More follows soonest, thank you for looking in.

Funny enough I approve of the silly coloured hair. Looks good.

Now there is a good reason for rivets, it makes replacement much easier for a start. Rivets are a gift from the gods!

Ok maybe I watch a bit too much animal etc. The bright colours are nice though.

Thanks Cam! Frankly, in just about everything I try to paint- vehicle, infantry or animals- I try for one spot of brighter, contrasting color, even when it isn't all that realistic. Even just the lenses on the optics being picked out in neon green or red or orange is enough- something to make the piece 'pop'.

In this case, what self-respecting warrior of any tribe, race or nation is going to admit to the receptionist at whatever passes for Valhalla in the grim future of the 41st Millenium that they got their ticket punched by Kool-Aid haired centerfold Death Pixie?

Love the freehand on the Automated Extraction Facility #4. Was that using an airbrush?

Hi wyomingfox!

I wish I could take credit for that graffitum, but it's actually a water slide transfer/decal from Greenstuff World (I think).

Something that I've only started doing in the last couple of years is using Decal-Fix or similar product to help the water slide 'sink onto' whatever surface its on- it must be a mild solvent that affects the plastic matrix the design is on. Now that I think of it, another product I've heard of for the same purpose is 'Solvaset'.

Another use for the fluid is to mix with powdered pigments and make very thin washes or thin liquid pigment for weathering.

Thanks for looking in!

Ah Decal Fix, that must be a godsend for space marine pauldron decals. I hated applying those back in the days I played space werepuppies. Thanks for the Tip.

I bought the piwders from forgeworld over a decade ago but I can't recall ever useing them.

The paint job is great! I cannot get behind cats with guns though, We now have 6 cats, arming them would mean our death as they are never fed on time.....according to them.

Hi Wyomingfox- yep, DecalFix is a real help- especially on very large or very small waterslides, and especially on a lumpy or curved surface. I believe that the solution can get a livery decal for a railroad/industry to snug right down on the sides of a hopper or gondola car, and no indication that it isn't painted directly to the metal/plastic. Weathering powders I found baffling- if I put them on dry, the look was great, but they fell off with handling or got mixed with dust and the look was ruined. If I overcoated with matte varnish, they disappeared. YouTube has several good videos on using them properly and I'm starting to make a lot of my own blends, specific to the color scheme of the piece I'm working on.

Hey Theo- long time no see! Our cats are the same: never fed on time, intolerable grievances, a plan to conquer mankind and we'll get started on that right after this nap.... Glad you like the Scout-Snipers!

Who are finished, as of tonight. Got the many washes done last night, sanded and primered the bases this morning and got those painted up tonight. Here's final pictures:






Gotta add some filler so this prone sniper-cat isn't doing yoga whilst engaging targets at long range.

















Sorry that many of the close-ups are a bit fuzzy- I just can't get the light and focus right to get close enough to show off the detail on some of these figures. Very frustrating.

The next project is a Winterguard "TomCat"- counts-as Sentinel:



Assembly is almost complete and many of the other parts, weapons and crew are primered already- this thing comes with eight weapons variants (heavy flamer, stubber, lascannon, etc) with molded in depressions for magnets- another really impressive (and highly affordable) kit from this line.

More follows soonest.

The Tom-Cat looks interesting, especially in an Anime sort of way.

I'm having a heck of a time with photos right now too. I haven't taken many over the last year, so I may just be out of practice, but the new workspace also has terrible lighting.

Yeah, I thought I had cracked the code with a lightbox- but I can never get the light level down enough- they come out too harsh. Then I thought I had good luck just plopping the piece(s) on the seat of a chair and swinging my gooseneck stand lamp over top: nice, even illumination and decent results on large items like the SnowCat recently completed.

So far, the best results I get for figures is right on my desk top, it's just there's all the other bits floating around and paint stains, etc. I guess I need to paint up a terrain base for infantry and just use the desk!

A bright light can sometimes be the issue. Try defusing the light with a sheet of paper. Also Macro is your friend. Find the Macro setting. You probably know all this anyway. The best solution I have found over the years is a backdrop. Make a scenic backdrop for you models to be photo'd against.

Well here is my sad, sad setup . Having a solid backdrop seams to help a lot.



I just use my camera on my phone, click on the model and then take the pick. It seems to do a halfway decent job.

I like those scout snipers, nice work Meer

Thanks Syro! I'm going to try to get some better shots on my work desk (I seem to be able to get the best frontal lighting there at the moment) with some smaller terrain pieces to try to give some oomph. I got some results on these that I'm quite pleased with and would like to share and you can't see the good effects in the current pics.

The Tom Cat and crew are started nicely, but too late tonight to get some WIP pictures, will get something up tomorrow. Also have two new products to show- look at me, being all productive and stuff!

Some progress tonight:

The TomCat and crew are almost completely basecoated and I've started picking out the other parts that need dedicated colors (exhausts, lights/lenses, etc):



I got lucky and the walker balances perfectly with any of the weapons attached, although I am prepping a base that it will be permanently mounted to. For everything you get, this kit is extremely well priced.

The kit came with one crew where the 'passenger' is just hanging on to the driver and I purchased an extra where she is looking through binoculars (there is a third option to have a passenger shouldering an anti-tank missile launcher that you can get):



I'll probably use the binocular crew for the TomCat itself, but want to scratchbuild another walker or cycle (jet or motor- don't care) to do something with the other crew.

And here's the weapons load-out that comes standard as part of the kit:



Thy come already cast with magnet recesses, as does the TomCat itself, so you can double magnet.

I used Green Stuff World's new dipping inks on the TomCat and I'm very impressed. I've never used contrast paints of any kind and was skeptical that this stuff would look good on mostly smooth surfaces (the demos on YouTube showed the painter using them on very heavily textured pieces) but you see the results- and it was so fast! I'll hit some spots with ersatz Nuln Oil and Camoshade Green washes and the lower legs are going to get dusted with earthy weathering powders and we'll call it good.

I'm going to try to get some more painting in tonight, as I'm prepping for a new class that I have to teach on Monday and tomorrow, Thursday and Friday may be severely 'time constrained' as everybody freaks out about being ready except me (okay, I'll be freaking too but on the inside, where it doesn't show).

More follows soonest.

Did you actually dip the model or apply the contrast with a brush. With the GW contrasts, I've been happier with the results when the models are heavily textured than when they are more flat.

 wyomingfox wrote:
Did you actually dip the model or apply the contrast with a brush. With the GW contrasts, I've been happier with the results when the models are heavily textured than when they are more flat.

Same here, the texture just helps all around, I think that's why I didn't like contrast on GW vehicles.

I like the binocular pair of riders for the Tom-Cat , Make the second person look important and not just a add on.

Wyomingfox: I brushed the 'dipping ink' on with a pretty heavy hand- which is hard for an obsessive compulsive like me. It pooled on the flat surfaces and gave a decent weathered effect, I think. I'll use the real inks and washes to get the low parts and create a greater sense of contrast- but I don't think I'll need to do any drybrushing- the high points are pretty faded already. My guess is that GSW named them as they did to avoid copyright disputes with a particular other manufacturer. These do flow very well, though, and would do better on things with more texture. And on large, smooth, flat pieces I believe it's only going to give a mottled effect, at best- probably better to use a conventional paint on a surface like that anyway. But anywhere with highs and lows of any kind, or a curve- looks good.

Theo: Agreed- the passenger on the second team needs a job beyond looking cute. When I rig up a vehicle for them I think I'll strap a heavy sniper rifle across her back- that makes her a highly mobile scout-sniper and she'll fall in with the Rangers.

Pics from tonight- got a fair amount of work (about half) on all the weapons and a little bit on the crews:





I had some time to look for more photos of Nyorkin Winterguard Nekkomimi and I found none where they are wearing pants. So even though these guys have fur-collared winter coats, short skirts and bare legs it is.

More follows soonest.

Short Skirts and bare legs because the Tom-Cat runs hot .

You could always add on a bag of grenades onto the side or across her back. Speed through the enemy lines with the Tom-Cat dropping grenades in their wake.

Hey Theo- I found the big boom sticks I had left over from another project and added one to the passenger- but I like the idea of the grenade bag and I'm going to add that too: stick grenades, I think. I'll also add a sling for the boom stick and attach a couple of grenades to her belt.

The TomCat, both crews and all but two of the primary armament are done- just need to finish the plasma cannon and lascannon and will need to watch the videos on how to do plasma glow again before I try those.

But here's the rest of the ensemble, finished:







Heavy Flamer:


Gatling:


Autocannon:


Multi-Melta:


Sniper Transport:


With Infantry Support:




Doom Pixie Clown Car:


Gotta tell ya: I did this last photo as a joke, but looking at the enlarged picture- I bet I could modify the two crews so that all four figures would fit and look pretty darn natural. It's jus tthat the rear pair would have to watch their calves on the hot exhausts on both sides! Tempting, tempting.....

On to the next project. Thank you for looking in and for your constructive feedback.

Very nice, so is the orange flesh one of those Dip colors?

The best fleshtone I've found for awhile now (my little camera doesn't do it justice, although it _is_ a little bit orange) is a based of Model Color Dark Flesh and a wash of GW Reikland Fleshshade.

I'm still trying to improve my technique- I see some really impressive shading on 28mm miniatures here on Dakkadakka, but unfortunately I'm still at the "base paint and the cover everything with wash and hope some collects in the low spots" stage- still very hit or miss with the results.

Thanks for looking in, Wyomingfox!

Didn't have a lot of time tonight, but did some fiddling and made good on the threat to convert the TomCat so that both crews could fit and all four cat girls ride along. I shaved the back of the seat off with an emery cut-off wheel on the Dremel tool, snipped the arms off the driver of the pair that now become the rear passengers, filled the gap with a tiny amount of modelling putty, repositioned them, a dab or paint and bob's your uncle- almost half a squad striding merrily into battle:







I see I have to dust some more resin residue off.

I also got a rifle squad of Winterguard primered- they've been a lot of fun so far and want to get some more done. I still need to review the technique for painting plasma glow on YouTube so I can finish the last two weapons for the TomCat.

Thanks for looking in. More follows soonest.

Well done on expanding the pay load. Looks like it is meant to be.

Now it's definitely the Fun-Vee, Tony Stark approved.

Thanks Wyomingfox and Theo! I'm a little chuffed about the final result- the resin is extremely brittle, and I was very much afraid that more would shatter off than I intended as I was making the adjustments to the walker and the arms of the one driver. I'm sure you've felt the same thing when you have a very nice piece nearly done, and you undertake a major renovation that might ruin an otherwise perfectly acceptable project. I'm glad this one worked out.

For tonight, I finished the last dabs of paint on the final weapons for the TomCat and started bas coloring the first half of a squad of Doom Pixie Riflecats:

Lascannon:



Plasma Cannon:



Doom Pixie Rifles:



You may notice that I remembered to add on the 'knee joint' armor on the TomCat; I'd clamped those onto hemostats to paint and then forgotten them, now they're done.

I did a much more controlled paint job on the plasma glow and it's okay- but I'd still like to get better at object source lighting and get that really good effect. We'll keep plugging at it. I'd be very happy to field these on a gaming table- if for no other reason than to see the purists reaction to them!

Thanks for looking in, more follows soonest.

All looking very cool mate, good luck with the OSL stuff. It's great once you figure it out.

Ah, feel for you regarding the resin. I purchased a set of lovely goblin sculpts only to have a number of them break while handling or dropping them onto the desk due to brittle resin.

Thanks for looking in, Olthannon! My dad taught photography as an elective in high school and he read some famous photographer say once that the secret to taking a great photo is to take a thousand. I figure the same for OSL- just got to practice enough, keep looking at examples and tutorials.

Heya, Wyomingfox! Yup- got lucky with the resin castings this time, no doubt. Sorry to hear about your difficulties with the goblins. A few projects back, I did five motorcycles with hot chick riders to act as counts-as Rough Riders (motorcycles armed with dual GAU-7's, baby!) The riders fit so snugly onto the bikes that I accidently snapped one (resin-cast) leg off and it is still somewhere unknown in my little living room. So I snipped the leg off an old GW white metal skeleton and made a cyborg leg. But man, resin, crazy stuff!

For tonight, all the basecoating is done:



Tomorrow, if I get time to paint, I'll get to work on washes and dry brushing. The sand is more or less glued to their bases, so those are ready for a top coat of matte varnish to make sure everything stays down. Then those can be painted too. It's remarkable how much faster a project goes when you know what the color palette is, and you're not making it up as you go.

More follows soonest.

The first rifle fire team is finished:











The only real difference in paint scheme between the Rifles and the TomCat Cav Scouts is that I washed the Rifles boots (Model Color Khaki) with Agrax Earthshade. I hadn't done that with the Scouts because I was afraid it would make the color too close to the jacket, but I like the look and will retroactively weather the Scouts Ugh boots.

I've the other five to do to fill out the squad and then am not sure what to go on with next- I have heavy and special weapons for the Winterguard, plus a command section or I can change gears and work on something different. We'll see.

Thank you for looking in and more follows soonest.