Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

 Klaus, not Santa wrote:

 Theophony wrote:
Love the guys painting will you have someone in a sling over the side of the ship scrapping off rust/pounding out dents?

Absolutely!

Perfecti missed that photo, but know I've seen it somewhere, probably in amongst all your pics. I'd hate to be THAT guy, but its the price you pay when the Admirals daughter looks that good.

Just realized he's in front of the fan... Not good, I think his career may be "cut" short soon.

Just everything about this is amazing.
It's the attention to detail that makes good things great.
Keep up the good work!

oh... we knew we had to accept the awesomeness of this once it hits the painting stage... but i couldn´t remember the lil dio´s you had implemented... those painting crews looks very good and with such a hulking ship... a bit of comic relief is helping us mere mortals to keep in the hobby... even if they are too awesomely painted soon... it eases the feeling of envy

I... I want to have it's children...

I have nothing to say... apart from, I LOVE THE ATHENA

Thanks guys!

with the first section more or less complete I thought about if, where and what kind of freehand to add to the ship.
There is already the large "Vade Retro Xenos" window mural in the back and Athena herself on the back of the superstructure wall. Also I was thinking what kind of freehand to add. On the ZEUS I had several different freehand with mixed topic and styles. But I think for the ATHENA I will try to limit the topics to Athene herself.
One obvious spot for a large freehand is the top of the MOROS triple Earthshaker turret.
Most images of Athena one can find on the Internet show her standing gracefully, with her Owl and a spear in her hand. Since I already have a similar image for the rear wall mural, I was looking for a more combat-style image.
I found an image on deviantart.com by Paul Renaud ( http://www.deviantart.com/?q=paul+renaud#/art/Athena-issue-4-cover-141612075?_sid=59b1c335 ) in which her pose seemed just right.
So I drew a quick pencil sketch onto the MOROS roof.


Then I started with Bubonic Brown as base color for the gold


A kind of fiery background and grey as base for her hair. And then I started with the face. Since its framed by the helmet it is hard to get a really good look.


But I think I managed a decent result...


After that I did some cleanup and added another layer of Bubonic for the gold areas


Then I added shadows and highlights to the gold.


And as I needed a slogan as well as I wasn't really happy with the chest area, I added a parchment with the slogan "Imperator misit me!" - The Emperor sent me.
Special thanks to Vintersorg at WIP ( http://z11.invisionfree.com/Work_In_Progress/index.php?showtopic=13822&hl= ) who helped me again with the translation


Since it was still very brightly colored and comic-styled I added a thorough layer of Devlan Mud and some Badab Black


And this is how it looks on the ATHENA


So, what do you think?

Also, if you have some idle moments, help me identify spots that can do with a freehand
Cheers

Klaus

Personally I think it is too colourful still. I would hit it with some thin grey wash to give it a faded aged look that will fit better with the generally grey hull. I love sloshing a bit of grey wash onto things to make them subtle and aged

But you are the boss here. I'm not the one who has built a flying battleship!!

Absolutely gorgeous Klaus, Weety may be right about further weathering, but it still looks amazing to me...

Beautiful job! As weets said, maybe it stands out a bit too much against the rest but otherwise it's awesome.

Great job on the turret top I don't have any ideas for freehand, but maybe a little graffiti on the triple tube launchers, saying something to the extent of "to green skins with love ", or at least a spot on the launchers or gun barrels where the graffiti got painted over.

Klaus, the freehand could do with some chipping... There's no way the enemy avoids hitting that while ruining the rest. It will tie it all more together...

looks gorgeous but I agree with weety that the artful piece needs a bit to look like blended in with the rest of the paintjob...

You faithless Thomas' !!
Did you really think I would't chip and damage the murail?
C'mon you should know me better
Cheers
Klaus
P.S: Since you were so faithless, I won't post Images till Monday

*sulks*...

understood Klaus.... understood...

quite right to punish the faithless but why do the rest of us who believed and kept the faith in silence suffer so?

Hi guys,

time for the ATHENA to continue - and an end to your punishment.

Once I was satisfied with the ATHENA image on the MOROS turret, I added the obligatory scratches and chipped paint - to the image and the rest of the turret and barrels.

See, you unfaithful bunch?!?

Just kiddin'


And then it was finally time to paint the wood on the rear deck.
I gave it a good paint coat with Vallejo Earth, but making sure to leave many of the deep groves dark.


After that I gave it two washes of thinned Vallejo Smoked Ink. To give it a worn look i added some black soot and scratch marks - like leaked oils and hydraulic fluid as well as tire marks.


Then a final wash of the thinned Smoked Ink and complete it was


I'm really pleased with the result. It almost looks like real wood.
And even in daylight, without artificial lighting it looks great.


With the wooden deck out of the way I started painting the steampunk ornaments and the portholes on the port side of the body and after that it was time to start the damage.



Its a lot of work, but the result is worth it


That's it for today's update.
I hope you like it and I look forward to your comments, feedback, criticism, suggestions.
Cheers

Klaus

That wooden deck made me want to strap on my sneakers and go play some basketball, nicely done this keeps getting better and better as all the little ornamental work keeps getting pulled out.

the wood....oh my.... very good looking!

and yeah.... how could we loose faith in ye.....

Very nice work Klaus. The wooden deck is brilliant, very lifelike with the colour and wear and weathering.

Beautiful work as always.

Need to put a shuffle board court on there though.

Fantastic job on the wood planking.

This really needs to OWN a Golden Daemon.

Thanks guys!
@Briancj - thanks, but I don't thinks she's GD level But an eye-catcher for sure

Well the current work is very repetitive - add damage and scratches.
It is slow and a bit boring. Thus not much to update.
But one of the little scenes is at the rear balcony, in front of the stained glass window and between the two NEMESIS CIWS'


Two of the crewmen use the spare time after the campaign and hit some golf balls


On Wednesday I took a little break from painting and cleaned some of my hobby stuff away.
I then realized with the 3 painters on the ATHENA deck ( http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5r3EUlU26c/Ugs_adtAUbI/AAAAAAAARoc/XsQZk9ZuKpo/s1600/IMG_5270.JPG ) I will no longer need/use the old ATHENA bridge.


So I took it apart and tried to see what I can salvage from it.


These items here will definitely be used in an upcoming project. The rest will most likely end up part of some scenery....


I was actually hoping that I could use the little shrine and the "Vade Retro" image on the ATHENA, but both pieces are too big to be of any sensible use ....

oh well...

Thanks to DavidXD and etiennerondeau for pointing out that my front banner slogan makes absolutely no sense.
I went back through my notes and realized I goofed up big time
I mixed some notes from an older project, references I had, AND made a spelling error!
lol, how bad can it get?


So I updated the slogan to "Sine Timore - Invictus Maneo!"

It should now make sense

The starboard side's upper level is now prepared and ready to get the damage paint.


And I prepped the scene for the paint duty scene...


I think this will look nice once completed.

Greetings from Red Dwarf

I hope you like today's update.
Cheers
Klaus

Great as always Klaus, I was wondering what are the Athena's max length and height?

the two golf players remind me strongly of hawkeye and his friend trapper john...tho they then need a glass of martini at least

the paintjob inna paintjob looks stunning as it seems the fella only makes a sloppy droppy job^^...

and it always pains me with what ease you take apart already painted parts...*shudders*

Man I feel sorry or the guy painting. He doesn't have a paint tray or bucket , each time he runs out of paint he has to hoist himself back up to refill the roller. I hope he gets hazard pay, or at least an extra scoop of slop at mess time.

Also the folders are perfect it's also practice time for the gunners as they try to aim the Gatling cannons at he golfballs, like a military version of skeet shooting

Sir, I think you have attained legendary status, or you will have when this is done at least. I absolutely adore your work!

Thanks guys!
sorry for the lack of updates, but I was plagued by a series of strong migraine attacks over the last two weeks. Seems the re-organization at work is stressing me more than I imagined.
Oh well.
But I was working on another small freehand for the ATHENA. This time on the top of the bomb chute.
As mentioned before, I will try to keep the imagery limited to Athena herself. So this time it is a kind of portrait.
I started off with some raw pencil lines.


Then the first basic colors with very limited shading.


Skin color


Then detailing it out a bit more. More shades for the face, shades for the metal of the helmet and a bit of highlighting for the golden parts.


The finished portrait.
I wanted her a bit "cold" maybe even frowning, and I think it worked.
I know she's a bit lopsided, but that's from being left-handed and the wing on the left limiting my workspace.
You can also see that I messed up the helmet on the left, smearing some of the yellow color.


But hey! That's what we have damage and scratches for, right


I like the way she now looks on the bobm chute cover.


There will be a coat of Devlan Mud and later with the rest of the ship there will be more soot and grime.
I hope you like todays update.
Cheers
Klaus

Incredible!!! That is all!

I cry!
Are you really not Santa?
I wish you were, then I could wish some of these for me for Christmas
And at least I wouldn't feel so small looking at you work...