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Totally agree with WIP photos keeping the motivation and interest up. I tend to let things go quiet for too long and it saps my enthusiasm. The Talos looks spectacular. Keen to see it with some paint.

At the moment, it's standing in a pile of sand. After the PVA dries, I'll spray prime it either brown or black. Then I'll probably rough out the base, then it's on like Donkey Kong!

....looking at the weather, hopefully by Sunday?

I spent a bit of time today on the Talos. Touched up the black primer from last night, then went over it with Vallejo German Red Brown Primer. Next I found I was base coating it, and a bit later I was drybrushing the metallic layers, painting the slate and finally the dirt. So it's (almost) finished.



I mean, I could call it finished. Spray varnish it, and then add some flock or tufts for colour on the base and it'd be quite a decent model.



So now I'm at the point of working out what more to do with/to/for it. And that's where feedback is always welcome - even if I don't use all of it.



Couldn't resist a scale shot - he's a BIG boy.

Now - as someone mentioned in the blog comments when I was looking to work out which models I'd do for December, this figure wasn't a stretch of my skills by any means. The assembly was a bit trying, so I could say I learned a little there on the use of my Dremel, which I was given as a birthday gift from Marouda several years ago but have barely used. But the figure... well, he's just carefully drybrushed in layers. It's a big, rough-cast bronze statue. Drybrushing is the perfect technique. Sure it was careful, and there are spot highlights, but drybrushing is drybrushing. And there's nothing wrong with that. Now, though - I need to work out what to do to properly finish him.

I'm planning on giving him glowing bluish eyes, as I did with the Brass Bull. That much is easy.



The harder question is verdigris. And if so, what type and how much?



I think this is the "official" artwork for the Talos. They've applied the verdigris very sparingly - as almost a light spot wash.



There's the dark (angels?) green wash that GW used to use on everything before they came out with a verdigris paint wash. Not especially realistic, but it looks good.



There's also realistic, but that often doesn't look so good. When it's heavy, you end up with the Statue of Liberty's distinct look. I'm after bright metal underneath, rather than dull.

Thoughts?

Looking good! I definitely think you should add verdigris in some form, more like the first example than the others is my preference. Didn't realise just how massive that model was until I saw the scale shot!

Perhaps including some kind of scale reference on the base would be a nice addition. Just a dead guy or a discarded shield or whatever to show just how huge it is even on its own?

Yeah, I've been leaning that way on both suggestions. A bit of verdigris will help to break up the mass of brass/bronze that the model is - and I've also been thinking that some kind of discarded equipment on the base as well - probably something Greek in the same way that the Bull has - leave it more open than a corpse which is quite specific - discarded gear might have been left by friend or foe. Probably including a Corinthian helmet of some description.

Agreed with Paradigm on both points - the first example of the corrosion looks the best to me, and he definitely wants something to indicate scale on his base.

I think discarded gear is a good idea for scaling, I think a shield would stand out and draw the eye just enough for it to be noticed, without detracting from the colossus itself.

I throw my support into the verdigris (sparingly though perhaps only at points where water would pool and then run down?)

Plus something for scale on the base is an absolutely fantastic idea. How about an arm and a leg sticking out from under a foot if you wanted to keep it really subtle.

Verdigris for me too, he is a bigggg miniature but looking good already Az.

I'd give him a little staining before putting on a bit of verdegris. coelia greenshade is lovely for adding light staining to brass/bronze copper metals

Agreed guys - it needs something to break up the large mass of bronze. And more importantly, Marouda agrees (it's for her, after all!) Good call on the greenshade, Jan - turns out I even own that particular wash. I've been putting a little on and doing the apply, dab off method. Spent all of yesterday playing Destiny, though as I was in a bad mood from work bs, so hopefully I can get back to it and closer to finish it today. There's really not much to do, after all!

Looking forward to seeing the big guy finished.

No worries man. Grand stuff that Coelia eh; using it on the brasswork on my knight at the mo and very happy with the result. Will put a little nik oxide into the deepest parts then afterwards to fnish the effect

The Coelia Greenshade worked really well. The Talos looked great. Later I went over much of it with Nihilakh Oxide to make it look rougher and more weathered. While it does look more "realistic" now, I think I preferred it before the Oxide. Too late now, though without a full repaint.

Okay.

The top half is with the Greenshade only. The legs here have the Oxide added as well.





I was going for something a bit like the Harryhausen Talos - though obviously my braonze has come out more more "gold" than "copper"



And here's the figure with Oxide applied all over, and a final subtle brightening of some of the metal. I think it looks decent still, and a bit more realistic, but I'm not sure whether to do a repaint or stay as it is.





And yes, I've got some base deco that's WIP as well. I'll add those when I'm satisfied with the big guy - one way or the other.

I am torn. Although the first shots with the brighter torso look really nice. The photos with the full oxide treatment look much more realistic. Personally I wouldn't touch him at all.

I think he looks great. I've just started doing the oxide part over the coelia. makes a big difference than just using the nox. The nox does need to be used sparingly though otherwise it really takes over I've found. Talos is looking great now - really make me think of Clash of the Titans and Harryhausen. Lovely work Az

Looks done, and excellently so, to me. I think the weathering looks really close to the inspiration photo and it is not overdone at all.

I think it looks awesome, you really nailed that weathered bronze look!

ok guys, you've sold me. I appreciate it, since I really was in two minds.

It's outside having just been spray varnished. When it dries by tomorrow evening (leaving it for 24 to be safe), I'll have the base deco items finished, so I'll sit with Marouda and work out where the shields, spear, helmet, grass and flowers will go - and work out if we need a kopis or not as well. So hopefully completely finished photos in about 36 hours.

Now back to Be'lakor and the Giant! Though it's going to be insanely hot on the weekend, so I may end up just veging out and playing videogames instead of painting.

Cracking stuff! The Talos looks truly mighty!

That is a beautiful miniature.

That is one fantastic model. I can't wait to see the giant.

great work Az . I love the final outcome of the model, so I think while the first part looked good, the whole completed using the nox looked fantastic.

Agreed with the others- you nailed the look.

Looking forward to the next update.

I think it looks really good, the weathering looks just right.

But you're asking the wrong people, what does Marouda think? that's what counts

Oh yeah, I did. I offered to do a total repaint before I posted it here, but she was saying such things as "it looks alright" and so forth. I think she's happy with it, the thing was that she really liked it when it was green. Finally I posted here, and got her to look at the two photos comparing the two before she said she liked it/both - but I still wanted to see what an "impartial" audience thought.

It looks amazing. Not only does it look like Talos from Jason and the Argonauts, but it looks like it is an actual metal statuette. Bravo.


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Seriously, it looks like one of those statuettes that grandparents like to keep around that you could use to bash someone's head in.

Probably should have waited and called post "Day of the Talos". Ah well. Done now.





Aside from my agonising over how to get the verdigris done, the model was quite an easy and low-stress paintjob. Certainly the painting was much more pleasant than the assembly, which destroyed 2 drill bits.





The colourful shield adds a spot of interest to the base, as do the flowers and the reddish wood of the spear. The freehand dolphin design is based on images of Greek shields, and provided me with something fun to add to the model, since it's the sort of thing I really enjoy doing. I considered adding some damage to the paintwork, but decided against it. Naturally, I didn't notice the errant hair when I took these photos. Luckily, it's not stuck to anything. I'll have to fix the small tide mark on the bronze shield, though.





The discarded helmet, shields and spear were chosen to add a sense of scale to the figure without being too specific in the same way that a crushed orc or Greek would have been. The wargear could have been left by friendlies, opponents or might even be a messy offering to the gods. This model might end up being used as scenery occasionally, what with being a gigantic bronze statue...



Finally, a scale shot. This model is easily the largest miniature I've ever painted. I really need to get more of my impressive centrepiece models done in the coming years. When used in KoW which uses square bases, I found that the giant 100mm round base fits neatly into a movement tray, so I'll just park it in there when I need to.

I think squareness and stuff isn't as important as in WHFB but if it fits into a tray then that's just as well.

Looks great Glad to see some of us still getting painting work done this time of year!

He looks great. You have really captured the look of a weathered statue. The scale shot is impressive, it's huge.

See what I did there?

With the Talos down, I've been doing a bit of work on the Marauder Giant today. My order of bases came in as well from Firestorm, so it's time to work out how to base Be'lakor. A couple of things first - I don't much care about having a square base for this guy. If/when I use him in KoW or any game that requires Square bases, I own spare bases and blu-tac, so that's sorted. His "official" base is 50mm, and so while I do lean slightly that way, again, I'm going for aesthetics over slavishly following GW's official basing scheme.

I've included the 40mm shots just for completeness, since he doesn't actually look that bad on them, though quite cramped. I'm also considering using lipped/WarmaHordes style bases, since they look quite nice, and are especially display-friendly. I'm not going to beat myself up about not all of my bases being 100% consistent. I've got hundreds of painted models, after all.

Oh yeah, Be'lakor is still very WIP at this stage..


40mm Round


40mm Lipped


50mm Round


50mm Lipped


60mm Round
I'm not sure if I own any 60mm lipped rounds, but if I decide to go for the 60mm size, I'll definitely tear this place apart looking for them. Really though, I think the 50mm bases are the top contenders for me, as it's a nice balance between size and Be'lakor filling it out. Still, the 60mm shot was taken for a lark and he does look much better on it than I'd expected.


Depending on how the weather is and how the weekend goes, I might have a similar quest for the Marauder Giant, and I'm currently struggling to work out how to paint his clothing, so I'll probably ask about that as well in the next day or so.