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Hey all good. Especially as the materials used are not something expensive. Or rare. I am the same, but can at times hold back and save materials. For instance covering the track sections on a Leman russ with extra armour, I can save 40-50% of the tracks and use them on a nice orky conversion.

I do love this model and as I am guarding up at the moment for a full scale invasion, I think I will have to try and find these plans and start in on one. You are doing a brilliant job.

I've just finished reading the entire thread over lunch and am inspired. Amazing work. I'm considering scratchbuilding a Stormlord now...

Re the expanding filler spray a few pages ago, you probably already know but you can get a polyurethane glue that foams as it sets, which is great for that expanded filler look in miniature as well as gap filling. I got mine at the hardware store but craft stores also sell it.

@Camkierhi: The templates and building guidelines for this one were published in White Dwarf N° 132, at your disposal if you are serious about giving it a try

It was mentioned before, it is smaller than the current version, and the weapon's load-out has changed a bit as well. The plans and guide themselves are not exactly precise nor crystal clear all the time, but it is manageable with some fiddling and trimming.

It also asks for a few true bits as well, which I did not have and replaced fine with styrene and tubing.

I'd love to see your take on it, and given the speed at which you work, you'd probably have a squad rolling before I even finish mine!

@ruprecht: That's high praise, thanks! As said above, I'd love to see other takes on this one, so please do! And thanks for the input, BTW, will check it and give it a try.

Cheers.

The Thing is done (buildingwise, at least)



Views:



Close-ups and details:



C&C are always welcome.

Thanks for stopping by.

You have done it now, I seriously have the bug, found my copy of the plans for this thing, and seriously looking at the variants in the books of today.

Yours looks brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

Brief backtrack to painting guardsmen.

The judging for Bebop's Challenge are in, and -as I said there, to put it lightly - there's a lot of room for improvement for me in that area!

The whole idea of joining he Comp was to do something I don't usually do, and learn from it.

Here they are again (Better framed, though still I do need to work on my pics as much as I do on my painting), for scrutiny and critique, if anyone wants to pick up the glove.



C&C not only welcomed, but clearly needed!

Cheers.

PS: Camkierhi, that's the whole point of posting this, isn't it? Will be waiting to see your take at it!

Primed it now, will see how the Thing looks once it's dry soon enough.

Firstly,

I am no expert, and am in no position to criticise.

However, I am trying to learn myself, and (not wishing to self plug) you could have a look at some of the advice I have had on my other blog.(not orks)

Two pieces of advice I had, which I think will help you, are......

Thin your paints. On bigger models it's not so important, but on a trooper, thin paint.

Get yourself a wet pallet. I have made leaps and bounds (still a bloody long way to go) in "blending" my paints because of a wet pallet.

The only other thing I would say, is accessorize. By that I mean, your granades and bottle are brilliantly painted but don't stand out enough. If you look at the winners there kit is just that bit more obvious.

I personally think your models look brilliant and would be chuffed if I could do that every time, I agree you could benefit from a camera, or light box maybe, but thats only if you are really serious about these comps, the guys who won had absolutely brilliant work, but it was also perfectly presented.

Just my bit, hope I have helped and not done anyhing to upset.

@Camkierhi: Thanks a lot. Seriously, to take the time to comment and help, thanks indeed.

I do have read the advices you got, and find them priceless. And they paid off too, so I hope I can learn from them as well. All your C&C are well taken, and I'll try to put them to use as soon as I get into painting figs again.

Thinning and layering are definitely on the agenda. Better lightning - both for the workbench and photographing - should get there as well.

Cheers

I love the finished Bane Blade Lt. Just a fantastic looking vehicle, congratulations! The original author of that article would have been proud.

As to your figure... very well done as well. I have a couple of comments that Cam didn't mention.
- I think the base color is much too close to the color of the figure. The dark base color just kind of morphs upwards into the dark boots and then the dark camo of the legs. You need something to separate them... either by making the boots a much lighter shade, or making the base lighter.
- Using a flat varnish on the figure first, then perhaps going over the bits you wanted shiny with a thinned gloss coat would have given the fig a more natural look.
- There are bits of white highlighting all over the figures... except there's no blending up to it, just stray bits of white here and there. This looks less like highlighting and more like a figure that's been chewed on. Chipped, but not in the faux way we use for battle damaged armor... but more like the figure itself has been damaged in some way.

All-in-all a very good effort Lt, nothing to be ashamed of. Your work on the face and skin were excellent.

Awesome, haven't stopped by in awhile, but I'm glad to see many of your projects coming to fruition, especially the baneblade! Love the riveting, way to improve upon the original!

@Gitsplitta: Again, thanks for the input. I'm taking thorough notes from these, definitely set to make a worth while learning experience!

The whites are - almost all of them - due to bad lightning. One, on the back armour, is actual chipping, which I hadn't noticed until the pics. Base - absolutely agreed on that one - "eats" the boots, a bad colour call on my part there.

A fine line indeed, it has to look like camo, but if it works too well, it doesn't end up looking well!

@Heliodore: Glad you like it, thanks for stopping by.

Introducing Ferrum Ericci (although it sounds - marginally - better in pidgin Latin, that still stands for Iron Porcupine, so I should probably came up with a better name for it)







And scale shots, along my only two painted guardsmen, and an unfinished (and also scratchbuild) Leman Russ, for which I do not have a scale reference either!



, it´s big.

C&C are always welcome.

Thanks for reading.

That looks glorious now that it's all set for painting. Well done mate.

Dude, that is amazing - I'm so jealous of how quickly you built this and got it to the primer stage... Damn fine job.

Tank looks good all one colour. Good job.

Now to your little chappie...
You've had plenty of good advice so far, so I only need add a couple of points that are more towards the competition rather than painting in general.
The camo' you have done is nice and is effective... however, herein lies the problem: for this scale it's too realistic. Most of the small chips are too dark/similar to the base colour to show up at a distance and this makes the model look a single colour if you don't look closely. Camo' schemes on these models have to be bold (that is, with high contrast between the colours and have a distinct pattern) and give the impression of camouflage without actually camouflaging the model... an odd and difficult thing to do.

So, less is more... in a way. Don't get too carried away with adding more and more complexity to a camo' scheme as it blurs the lines and leads to a model that looks far simpler than all the effort you have put in. So making those chips larger and spaced out more, add some and then sit back a look at the model before adding more (and stop before you add too many...).

Also, highlights. Even on camouflaged models, highlight the ridges as you would with a single colour. Sometimes it will be ok to highlight the base colour and add the camo' flecks later, or even a wash/glaze over the finished camo' may work, but some camo' schemes will require you to highlight each camo' colour individually (a lot of effort, but worth it).

Then, the rest of your scheme is also quite dark. You have dark amour plates, with a dark camo' scheme and dark pouches etc. on top. So, the whole model starts to look all one, dark, colour. You need something to contrast with the dark to give the whole model a nice, finished, look. Also, this will help with photographing the model. As mainly dark (or light) models are difficult to get a good picture of.

Also, on the subject of photos, try a variety of backgrounds with the model and take lots of photos until you find one that works with that model, and each model is individual and may need a different colour/shade/brightness for the background. Don't be tempted to get too close to the model while taking pictures either, that can mess with the focus and the colour balance too.

That is all I have for now. Hope it helps.

@Gitsplitta: Thanks you.

@Ruglud: Don't be, wait first to see how long it takes ME to paint it! Thanks for the compliment too!

@Dr H: It helps. A LOT. As I said before, it's amazing - and awesome - to get such top quality feedback from such talented people, so, at the risk of being repetitive, thanks to you, Dr.

Drawback is, I'll now have to put hands to the brush(es) and try to live up to the advice!

Will do, as soon as I finish with my LoER Comp entry, due by week's end (Working on it, just not much worth showing for today's progress).

Cheers.

 Littletower wrote:
Drawback is, I'll now have to put hands to the brush(es) and try to live up to the advice!

It just takes practice. Everyone, even the best painters, have their early models that aren't up to scratch to their later work.
Try new things with each model, and keep trying them. Eventually they will get easier and better.
Keep pushing yourself to improve, and you will.

Nice! Such a cool tank! Very well done mate

@Dr H: Thanks again. Don't worry, will do. I might even end up learning, who knows!

@Boba Fett: Welcome, and thanks! Glad you like it thus far, I might even paint it sometime...

Still not much to show yet, just a few short whiles now and then touching up my Comp's entry, while musing on what to do next...

Cheers

I'd get the tank painted, you might have to run the next comp yet!

Hope you get your entry to where you want it.

Tank looks amazing, and glad others helped out with the painting. Like has been said, it's practice, and you are pretty good as is. Can't wait to see whats next here, enjoying the ride.

LoER entry is coming - at its own pace - along.

Base work is being called almost done, just space & time left for last minute suggestions.



Supposedly, next time would be the finished piece itself.

C&C are, as always, very much welcome.

Thanks for stopping by.

Very nice base, like the steps. Can't think of anything to add.

Look forward to the finished piece.

Cloaked accomodation....what a great idea


Looks good, will look great with the barracks in place.

Only thing I could think of adding is possibly an oil-drum turned trash can....think you've covered all the bases though

@Dr H: Thanks. Will have it done any time now.

@monkeytroll: !

Thanks for the input, Mrs. LT had just suggested almost the same thing, will have to comply now!

I might have one left over from this:



If I don't, I'd just cannibalize borrow it from there.

Cheers.

Fantastic base... just thinking some bits of debris (garbage)... lying around or trapped against the fence might be appropriate. Nothing over-the-top, just a styrofoam coffee cup, wrapper, something like that to add some realism.

well....LT...I cant really wish you ALL that luck in the competition...as we are opponents ...

but what I have already seen in terrain and now that lovely tank... I herby throw my hat into the ring to suggest you to full membership to the league of extra ordinary riveteers...

if you are already a full member...than excuse my elderly forgetfulness... and...feel a gibbslap for not sporting the leagues banner... but if your accept...then sport it asap...

Congrats Littletower, welcome to the fold, Papa Riveter has bestowed you membership to the greatest bunch of riveters ever assembled, now you don't have to bother with my competition to try and win membership!!!

you think i did that on purpose?...hmmm...thanks... never was that clever....yet...

Thanks to both, I'd be honoured to be counted as part of such a distinguished group of crazy modellers and amazing builders. I humbly accept, vowing to keep plastering rivets to anything that happens to fall upon my workbench.

@Camkierhi: Thanks, but, having come this far, I'll guess I'll just finish it anyway !

@Viktor: It might have not been a machiavelic plan all along, but it certainly succeeded in having me toying around with my sig for long enough to get the banners up properly

Will try to came back later with proper progress pics.

Cheers.

HAHAHAHA...*coughs* see...? that was the plan...every bloody minute counts^^

LOL