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Sorry to divert to non-painting elements of hobby but I'm not sure if I'll get time to try out my paint scheme tonight. I instead realised I hadn't written down my thoughts about my Karist force's fluff. I am no writer, so don't expect prose, but in chatting to Januine I realised that I had been mulling over colour schemes in relation to their fluff which was relevant to the hobby side.

Well, whatever, I babble.

Basically, I haven't read all the novels yet (sorry guys) but have read the short stories and like them very much. My thoughts on my Karists are that they enslave the Angels to use as weapons to spread the word of the Maelstrom, but unlike some elements of the Karists these guys hold these void creatures in awe and wonder. They see their awesome power and utilise it, but they also respect it deeply because they believe the source of the power is sacred and as such the vessel dispensing that power is to be treated as sacred also. It's for this reason that my Karist force will be painted in the exact same scheme as the Angels, echoing their desire to become part of the Maelstrom and to embrace the glory it promises to deliver. So instead of wearing pale armour which many Karist elements may believe is a sign of "purity" they instead see their dark colouring as being the true representation of their pure belief in the Maelstrom. This is because it shows their "understanding" that the only beings that have ever touched their beloved Maelstrom are the Angels. Therefore if they are to be accepted by that divine power they must in turn accept that they must emulate their bestial kin.

So that's my thoughts, a sort of splinter element that see the Angels as more than just beasts of burden. The fact that it also allows me to have a unified force is a convenient side point.

Sorry again for the babbling, writing it down helps me to bolster myself for when I attempt what may be a risky colour scheme.

Awesome, I've been planning something similar for my Karists and going with a dark scheme so that they match the Angels more closely too

 legoburner wrote:
Awesome, I've been planning something similar for my Karists and going with a dark scheme so that they match the Angels more closely too

Great minds

I'm actually pretty chuffed that you, you know, one of the guys who made the game, had the same thought as me I promise I didn't nick it

Looks awesome so far! Nice to see more and more of the Maelstroms Edge models getting on the site-can't wait to see more of yours

Thanks so much @Guardians

We have WIP

First off let me say that these minnows may not be the most stupendous models ever, but they are very well detailed and the moulding is so delicate and delightful to paint. I am so used to armour and weapons that the organic nature of these is so refreshing. I make that feedback with caution - note the only other organic model I made was a GW Balrog (see Gallery if interested) other than the obvious SM heads etc. - therefore the quality of these may be standard for such models. Regardless, this was a very pleasant hobby evening.

However, I have been shying away from this for about 3 days for fear that the colour scheme would be dreadful. I was getting fed up of mulling it over so just decided to get on with it and deal with paint stripping later if necessary. I have started using the PaintMyMinis app and think it's great. I had already planned the paints I would need well in advance (when I was meant to be listening to my wife over coffee, so when I started I went straight to the paint list and grabbed everything I would need - doddle. I would definitely get it. You can share schemes between fellow app users so it's great for community interactions too.

Anyway, here's the WIP:

Note the bottom of the minnow is not yet done, I have done the top to get feedback from everyone and I will finish off after I know I'm on the right track. The central upper bulge will be pure black (the rest is a very very dark purple) and after Matt varnish will be gloss varnished. I will use the same effect on the claws too.

For anyone interested, here are the stages of paint layering to create the graduated transition on the wings:

1) 1:1 Genestealer Purple:Lahmian Medium in the recesses where the wing meets the limb and 1:1 white:Lahmian Medium in the dorsal vent ports, eyes and mouth
2) 1:1 Xereus Purple:Lahmian Medium painted in to wing triangles but stop slight distance away from the recesses. (NB Photos show Druchii violet over the white parts, these were quickly changed to a thinned genestealer purples free this photo
3) Repeat the step of painting slightly further away from recess with 4:3:1 Lahmian Medium:Xereus Purple:Abaddon Black
4) Repeat the step of painting slightly further away from recess with 2:1:1 Lahmian Medium:Xereus Purple:Abaddon Black. Next is a final layer of 3:1:2 Lahmian Medium:Xereus Purple:Abaddon Black (not pictured). This layer should be painted on to the torso and limbs too.
5) Druchii violet on the eyes, vents and mouth. Nuln Oil over everything else

Thoughts gratefully received

That's a nifty effect. It looks quite time-consuming.

That minnow looks really cool. Suitably eerie...


On the bases...

 TP^DC Deputy Manager wrote:
I know you can, but I haven't got anywhere near enough spare to meet the condition that if you do change all similar models must be in the same base type. I may just go and do it down the line. I'll see how I feel later

It's worth noting that they're ultimately just 25mm round bases... If you have any spare GW bases floating around, they would serve just as well with facing lines painted down the edges, or cut in gently with a razor saw/hacksaw/whatever..

JoshInJapan wrote:That's a nifty effect. It looks quite time-consuming.

Lol! I don't want to comment

insaniak wrote:That minnow looks really cool. Suitably eerie...

Wow! Cool! Thanks so much!

Re the bases, yeah, I know you're right. Should have thought of it before really - I'm a bit "conformist" and definitely quite obsessional about some things. It means I feel a need to go with official things, but also the thought of any home made notches not being quite the same as the official bases made me reluctant. I am a mess!!!!

I think it was just quite a strange choice for a company who were taking quite a risk by fully backing this rule element which needed investment of development money into non-standard bases (notches, but also sizes). Everything else had been so meticulous that this stands out quite dramatically.

All being said, I now don't see the base shape, just the snow covered rocks, so I have achieved my goal by going so nuts on them. I'll remember your suggestions should I find it impossible to accept long-term though.

(Sorry about bizarre rambling, it's 05:45 and the children have just woken me up!!!)

Very cool. The purple looks great. The eyes and mouth in the same purple make for a nice eye catching scheme.

EDC

Yeah love the scheme, I have something similar in mind for my babies angels.

 TP^DC Deputy Manager wrote:

I think it was just quite a strange choice for a company who were taking quite a risk by fully backing this rule element which needed investment of development money into non-standard bases (notches, but also sizes). Everything else had been so meticulous that this stands out quite dramatically.

IIRC, it was purely down to tooling for flight bases being one expense too many for the budget. The hex bases were an available option that still allowed for facing determination.

I would expect that, like the bases for the bigger models, flight bases would have been one of the things on the 'Do When Budget Allows' list.

 insaniak wrote:

 TP^DC Deputy Manager wrote:

I think it was just quite a strange choice for a company who were taking quite a risk by fully backing this rule element which needed investment of development money into non-standard bases (notches, but also sizes). Everything else had been so meticulous that this stands out quite dramatically.

IIRC, it was purely down to tooling for flight bases being one expense too many for the budget. The hex bases were an available option that still allowed for facing determination.

I would expect that, like the bases for the bigger models, flight bases would have been one of the things on the 'Do When Budget Allows' list.

Oh don't get me wrong. I completely understand the need to be pragmatic and not go reaching for the stars right from the off. I suppose it's me finding my only irk so far. And in the grand scheme of miniatures I am pretty blown away that this is all I can think of I love this game and it's universe so I can put up with different shaped bases for the fliers.

On a side-slant topic, any idea where to get cheap clear plastic stems for flying bases from? I cut the one down for one minnow but wouldn't mind more variety again in height by going taller. I've never liked just using wire or going to metal and bizarrely don't have any GW ones lying around. Am forming ideas now for the flying Mature Angel and am getting quite excited. I think I'm gonna go with the official artwork with the long tail and wings around the torso. Instead of snake/like in the pic I would have it more like a manta ray, but with the body rising from the ground on a clear stem and the tail coiled around like a corkscrew.

Awesome stuff, the Minnow looks great!

Good job on these. Subbed

Paradigm wrote:Awesome stuff, the Minnow looks great!

carlos13th wrote:Good job on these. Subbed

Cheers guys.

Januine suggested a blue-ish highlight for the face to help it stand out more, so I'll try a candor Sky:Xereus purple:abaddon black mix to subtly bring out the high points on the blacker areas.

Going to try cutting out at least one layer and wet blend instead. Love the look, although it is looking linear in some places. I can't wet blend that many because need to be more efficient. The wet blend will also achieve some of the transition so some of the layers will be unnecessary.

Hopefully more tonight so we'll see how it goes.

Hmmmmm.

Sad news today. Heard through Panic that Pig Iron Productions are closing up shop at the end of March. Have known about them for a while, but never found a project where I wanted to try out any of their stuff. Except that I thought I would use some of their heads to swap in to the Epirian Contractors like Panic did. Their stock will dwindle away, so I need to be careful how long I wait, but don't want to rush and buy the wrong thing. So can I get an opinion from you wonderful people please?

The Epirians as I see them are not an army (established fact) but they are not stupid. If they got told to stop building stuff and start fighting I don't think they would grab a cloth cap and run out screaming "yeah sure! point me at them" they (or at least I) would say "ok, but only because I'm toast if I don't, but you can stick your cap down your throat and give me a helmet please even if it's only my hard hat!!". That is MY Epriians psychology. I'll throw a couple of caps in for homage's sake, but want to try something else. So I am settled on these two:
1 -

2 -


The visored helmet follows the line of the shoulder pads very well and looks like it "belongs" for that reason, but the "near future" army helmet seems less bulky and maybe more natural. Thoughts?

While the second does share some shape cues with the shoulder pads, I actually think the first one looks better. I would go with that one.

Cheers man, it's what I thought but wanted a second opinion

I also like nr. 1.

Thanks Sgt. Have put order in

I think the first looks better.

EDC

Great progress here! Really love the painted basing . For that last large angel with the shorter base, how did you achieve this shape with the cork? Break it by hand, intentionally roughen up the edges, etc?

Thanks RiTides means a lot from you.

That last base is one chink of cork glued to a base with modelling sand on it, so mixture of materials. All of the fine stones are the same on the more obvious cork. Didn't think to go into details of that stage!!! Sorry

My Epirians have head number 1 so I'm a little biased.

But on the plus side, I can show you how they look properly




Apologies for invading your thread, but I thought you might like to see how the heads looked.

@Tibbsy - you are more than welcome to gate crash! Were they on Facebook, because if so I have just now realised why I had a vague sense of déja vu when I had photoshopped the images. Thanks for sharing, it is great to see I made the right choice. Have to apologise though. I found out today that my order for two packs were for the last 2 in stock (so possibly no more ever to be made unless some other company takes on the rights. Sorry

They have indeed been on facebook so that explains the deja vu

And that's no problem, I have enough of the heads left to do any more Epirians I might need. And I can always mix in some of the caps as well, I like the Epirian stock heads I just think that most people getting shot at would pick a helmet if given the option

Tibbsy wrote:
They have indeed been on facebook so that explains the deja vu

And that's no problem, I have enough of the heads left to do any more Epirians I might need. And I can always mix in some of the caps as well, I like the Epirian stock heads I just think that most people getting shot at would pick a helmet if given the option

Tinbsy, please read my post above if you haven't already. We are clearly of the same mind! I'm planning the stock heads as squad leaders and then the helmets for the troops.

So glad someone else is of the same mind!

On another note, WIP on the minnow:

The scheme works. Couldn't wet blend due to how small the wing triangles were so had to return to the five layers. Will need to perfect the blending a little though. I'm sure it's possible, but my skills aren't quite there yet. All that's left is the Matt varnish and then gloss varnish claws and head bulge.

Pleased with how he came out. Will take proper photos when it's closer to the end of the month and I hopefully will have more models to take in a group shot.

I've photoshopped an Angel Handler and I REALLY want to make it, but need to hold off for now, my hobby schedule is set and I want to stick to it.

Looking good!

And I also think that the head with the helmet and chinstrap looks a bit better than the full visor.

Really liking the inner highlighting on the wings - great idea

Looking good! If you're struggling with the layers being too distinct and you're not able to blend them together, just put a wash/glaze of the mid-tone over them, should help get a smooth transition.