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So, after mumble weeks of lurking I’ve decided to make a go of actually posting regularly again. That said, my previous blog had already been resurrected... too many times. Part of the problem was framing device and foolish emphasis on clear-cut, planed results. Therefore I decided throw it out and start over with clear plan for what and how to write new posts.

0) Respond to feedback.
1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M. unless absolutely no progress.
2) One overall goal for the year, otherwise only “hoping to ___ later today” goals.
3) Simple clear record of progress on goal.
4) Finished pics, I’ll need to see about a simple “photobooth” setup.
5) Ramblings, including product opinions, fluff, techniques, and whatever I want to rant about.
6) Graceful, polished, and witty ending.

So, on to the first post:

The original is now archived in a spoiler to make way for the 2020 edition!


*Snip*

5) Ramblings, including product opinions, fluff, techniques, and whatever I want to rant about.

So that was 2019, What does 2020 hold?

New goals!

1) Finish more than I buy.
Carry over from 2019: Karic acolytes 10, cast hull Sherman, Miss Anne Thrope, Alt Misaki, Morats 2, Sci-fi Dino Men 2, Clockwork Dragon, Eldar Wraith Warband 12, Studying Sophie, Alt Killjoy, German Puma, and Alt Molly crew with both additional models 8, for a total of 41 minis and 53 Hotwheels

2) Paint at least 188 minis. (twice 2019's carry over, 15.66666/month)

3) Finish 1 titan from my backlog a quarter.

4) Complete the following:
Nautical Undead

13, counts as 15 minis.

Malifaux Gremlins

24 counts as 30 minis. The Whisky Golem and War Wabbit both have multiple riders and all 3 "Not Bob Ross"-es have a pig "canvas"

Abyssal Army

22 minis, also base 5 heck-puppers and 10 gargoyles

Skeleton Horde

Includes 4 ghosts (shown) and a Necromancer (not pictured). 70 minis.

Wraith Warband

12 minis.

Star Wars, Malifaux Fey and Gaslands vehicles

Along with any more I buy/build. Currently 13 minis.

And finish the 2019 "failures" 12 minis, 9 count.

That's 175 towards the goal of 188 right there!

6) Graceful, polished, and witty ending.
Well, I've got my work cut out for me.

0) Successfully responded to feedback.
1)

First 6 rifle cultists and all the Karist grunts are in holding, and the Imperial Assault “elite” Stormtroopers (minus Captain Terro/cammo print dewbackrider) and both Nexu have their main wash done. Hopefully I can blacken the bases, paint the guns for the Stormies and pinkify the mouths and tails for the nexu tomorrow.
2) Year long goal is doing well and achieved my “I need to go to work now so this is what I’ll do after work” goal.
3) Updated my Spreadsheet with some yellow for WIPs. Now the stuff in the “holding cell” is accounted for!
4) Nothing more done yet. YET.
5) Can’t rant, need to sleep soon.
6) And for an en—

Well, it seems like you're taking an organised approach to this - something I can appreciate, given how many achievements I've set myself for this year

One thing I would suggest is that it may be worth getting some closer shots of some of your WIPs (and, when you get them, your completed models), as currently it isn't massively clear on where you're up to and how things are looking.

Good luck, though!

0)

Dysartes wrote:Well, it seems like you're taking an organised approach to this - something I can appreciate, given how many achievements I've set myself for this year

One thing I would suggest is that it may be worth getting some closer shots of some of your WIPs (and, when you get them, your completed models), as currently it isn't massively clear on where you're up to and how things are looking.

Good luck, though!

Thanks, I find a simple, organized plan designed to handle the inevitable failure upon contact with the enemy (me and my impulsiveness) helps.

I am unfortunately forced to agree with you 100% on doing better WIP shots. My ego thanks you and my laziness would curse you 40,000 times but it’s just to lazy.

So, taking your advice I got off my ... you know, and actually figured out a functional method of taking WIP photos. Now I just need to work out finished photos and scheduling.

1) Now for the results:








2) Scaling back yesterday’s hopes for today’s goal: Stormtrooper guns and the super-secret daily goal I hadn’t felt like mentioning; get at least an hour of painting done.
3&4) N.A.
5) Really need to come up with a squad level transport for my Stormtroopers. I have a paper model I know will work and I have another to test out but as usual, I’m lazy. Also I ain’t blowing $50+ on the tank they’re releasing for SW Legion. Speaking of SW Legion, DARN MY EYES / THINKY BITS! I’m totally going to start getting SW Legion and I need to order 27!! Millimeter diameter by 3mm thick bases. Yes, really. Fantasy Flight did that. The bases they come with are ~5mm thick which is what makes Imperial Assault stuff just a little too short to handle for me.

And as a public service announcement: GO VOTE IT THE DAKKA GALLERY!!! I too need to try and do this a little more often than... once a month or three?

6) Heh, I made a funny waaay back in my third sentence.

0) It’s a new blog, responses will take time...
1)


Not much on the WIP front, Nexu got the first layer of pink on and test build of transport has results.
2) 10 Stormtroopers closer to achieving the goal! Hopefully today the nexu get finished and I get to gaming.
3) Official count: 22 of the goal, 0 extras.
4)


Not pictured 4 more grunts and a longrifle trooper. I really need to figure out a better photo set up.
5) So the paper models I found should work I just need to lengthen and widen the body. Going to build one in card stock with the changes included and then make a decision as to whether or not I’ll do a third build in plastic.
6) “Graceful, polished, and witty ending.”

If you're wanting to improve your pictures, dude, see if there is a version of this lightbox available from your local version of Amazon. Mine cost me about £10, and (now I've figured out the phone settings to use) it is making a big difference to my final photos.

 Dysartes wrote:
If you're wanting to improve your pictures, dude, see if there is a version of this lightbox available from your local version of Amazon. Mine cost me about £10, and (now I've figured out the phone settings to use) it is making a big difference to my final photos.

I was planning on refurbishing one of the 3? Or so options we had in the house but I decided to go ahead and take a look for something like the one you linked. Glad I did, better size and easier to setup than anything we had for a very reasonable price, less than $20 in all. I actually wound up with the exact one you linked just from a US based source.



Still needs some refinement but definitely better.

1) Slow and steady wins the race, right? The last week has been more resource gathering than painting. Picked up some extra shifts at work for $$$, cleaned up a room netting me some aquarium plants for terrain and peace from my parents, and got styrene sheets and rectangular stock for building a light transport for Star Wars. But paint still happened:


2) Nexu done! AT-STs are next for Imperial Assault because sometimes a crazed headlong charge is the best chance you’ve got. But today I’m hoping to get the grey and blue on the current batch of Karists basecoated and another coat of pink on the angels.
3) Current progress: 26 from the grid, 2 extras, 12 in holding.
4) Here kitty kitty kitty;


BAD KITTY! BAD KITTY! AAAAAA!!!!



5) Ramblings: Sometimes throwing money at the problem to make it go away is the right choice.
6) ... I got nothing. Hopefully I’ll have another early morning (for me) update tomorrow.

1) WIP pictures:


Not as bright as I’d planned but I just don’t care enough to bother fixing them.



The dreaded AT-STs, I’m just going to do metallics, wash, and drybrush.



Assassin droids, BT “Boomer” & IG-86 “Acyd” models are Imperial Assault BT-1 & IG-88. Based on what I found on Wookiepedia the IG-86 line was almost visually identical to IG-88 but had more than 4 prototypes produced and there was a whole line of assassin droids that look like astromechs called Blastromechs.



Karist force, wash and detailing still to come.



Cultists.

2) No goals beyond do some painting today.
3) How the grid looks at the moment:


4) Finished pics... maybe tomorrow.
5) The headlong charge is working! Now to mentally squeeze my eyes shut and dive into the next “oh god, sooooo much work to do for this step.”
6) By the squirrels in my head I will conquer this horde!

"By Grabthar's hammer, you shall be avenged!"

Seriously, looking good!

Looks like you're making decent progress, dude - and glad the lightbox seems to have helped.

Excellent progress, keep it up!

Meer_Cat wrote:"By Grabthar's hammer, you shall be avenged!"

Seriously, looking good!

Not the reference I was thinking of, but I like it!

And thanks for looking in, I was starting to worry only Dysartes had seen this blog.

Dysartes wrote:Looks like you're making decent progress, dude - and glad the lightbox seems to have helped.

Thank you, I’ll be the first to admit I paint for the table top. Could I do better? Definitely, but that’s not what I’m interested in doing.

The light box was an excellent suggestion, now if I can just quit puttering about and get the laptop I’ve been saving up for I might actually bother with more than just cropping the pictures.

CommissarKhaine wrote:Excellent progress, keep it up!

That’ll be the trick, I KNOW “slow and steady” works incredibly well but I keep falling into “over caffeinated squirrel or glorified corpse nothing in between.”

0) Done.
1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M. unless absolutely no progress. It’s all primer coats right now soooo... AT-STs! I actually have highlights added and the nose art started since this was taken but I’m to lazy to take another picture right now.

2) Twenty three minis on the grid finished up yesterday and 7 more (5 grid, 2 extras) since my last update
3) 58 done this year. 54 from the grid, 4 extra, nothing in the holding cell, and 15 on the desk at the moment.
4) Finished pics. RELEASE THE DELUGE!













5) Ramblings, including product opinions, fluff, techniques, and whatever I want to rant about. I put 6 brand new items and 3 on sprue minis into the FLGS’s upcoming auction yesterday. Almost all of it for well below MSRP because I logically knew I had NO use for it and I didn’t need any temptation. The only thing I put in close to what it was worth was a mini that has only just hit retail that I’d gotten (as far as I was concerned, free) as part of a Kickstarter.

6) Goodnight! I go bed now.

Some seriously nice work with metallics in these pics!

The dang AT-STs are done.

 Meer_Cat wrote:
Some seriously nice work with metallics in these pics!

0) Thanks, although to be honest they’re all really simple; 1-3 coats straight from the bottle and a wash.

1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M. unless absolutely no progress.
Don’t have one.

2) One overall goal for the year, otherwise only “hoping to ___ later today” goals.
Hoping to get the Basic Stormtrooper Grunts basecoated and a bit more done.

3) Simple clear record of progress on goal.
60 done now. Those AT-STs are done.

4) Finished pics. “Oh Brad” and the General “Dammit Janet” Weiss








5) ... I got nothing right now.
6) Now the airspeeder...

I do wonder if the General thought he strapped enough guns to his AT-ST...

Interesting tone to take from them, as well - I'm getting a bit of a 40k Wraithbone feel.

0) Respond to feedback:

 Dysartes wrote:
I do wonder if the General thought he strapped enough guns to his AT-ST...

I sincerely doubt it. However, to be fair I did add the name side missile rack and swapped the wonky slug thrower barrel with four monster truck shocks laser cannon barrels.

 Dysartes wrote:
Interesting tone to take from them, as well - I'm getting a bit of a 40k Wraithbone feel.

Yeah, they were supposed to match the Stormtrooper armor but washes+big flat surfaces=nope.
Still, I think it works as a bleached sand finish.

1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M. unless absolutely no progress.




All that was done before the dread Blah hit.



And yesterday’s “I actually WANT to paint.” They started at black primer.

2) One overall goal for the year, otherwise only “hoping to ___ later today” goals.
I’ve been bad. See below at #5, first bit.

3) Simple clear record of progress on goal.


4) Finished pics,
Nope.

5) Ramblings, including product opinions, fluff, techniques, and whatever I want to rant about.

So just for fun I maaay have picked up a couple cars for Gaslands-esque shenanigans. And then a couple more. And it snowballed.



At least I now have the rules? Unfortunately it gave me an EXCELLENT excuse to get the semi.

Been just... “blah, I dont wanna” recently. Getting any painting done felt more like a chore that I should be doing and nothing was looking good in the ignore WIPs and do what calls to me department. Thankfully I broke through it yesterday.

(Semi) mature self analysis of blahs root cause. Feel free to ignore.


6) Me stop now before feedback loop / circular gibbering start.

Very much like all the work you've shown here- particularly like the tractors set. I can do "military grubby" weathering- I saw enough of it over 30 years, but I can't do (very well yet) normal, 'civilian' wear and tear. I'm working on chipping and light rust, got some good feedback on my last project- the yellow fleet you have here is really well done.

As for anything else, you know yourself, the painting/modeling comes as it comes. The Dude abides!

Keep up the great work.

 Meer_Cat wrote:
Very much like all the work you've shown here- particularly like the tractors set. I can do "military grubby" weathering- I saw enough of it over 30 years, but I can't do (very well yet) normal, 'civilian' wear and tear. I'm working on chipping and light rust, got some good feedback on my last project- the yellow fleet you have here is really well done.

As for anything else, you know yourself, the painting/modeling comes as it comes. The Dude abides!

Keep up the great work.

Thanks, but I think you’re overestimating the weathering on the tractors. They are juuuuuuust barely above the lowest level of painting. Literally sloppy drybrushing over black.


1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M. unless absolutely no progress.
Just base coating Stormtroopers khaki, so too boring to bother.

2) One overall goal for the year, otherwise only “hoping to ___ later today” goals.
Minimal work on the year goal but tertiary goals are progressing. My goal for St. Patrick’s Day is the Stormtroopers ready for their first wash.

3) Simple clear record of progress on goal.
I’m calling the latest batch +7 minis done. Total for the year is 67

4) Finished pics






5) Ramblings, including product opinions, fluff, techniques, and whatever I want to rant about.
No time.

6) Graceful, polished, and witty ending.
Got to get to work.

Are you gluing those crates together in stacks, or leaving them as individuals so you can set them up as you wish each game?

Aside from some I'm using for basing, that's kinda my problem with all the crates and barrels I have from those sprues.

0) Respond to feedback.

Dysartes wrote:Are you gluing those crates together in stacks, or leaving them as individuals so you can set them up as you wish each game?

Aside from some I'm using for basing, that's kinda my problem with all the crates and barrels I have from those sprues.

I’m leaving them loose for now, if I had more I’d probably go ahead and glue up some stacks. I’m lucky to get one game of Malifaux (steampunk) or The Other Side (more steampunk) a week so I don’t actually plan on using these for play any time soon.

1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M. unless absolutely no progress.



2) One overall goal for the year, otherwise only “hoping to ___ later today” goals.

Back to work on the year goal, misestimated work needed yesterday. On the upside, markings! Maybe by the end of today I’ll have them ready for a wash.

3) Simple clear record of progress on goal.

See above.

4) Finished pics.

Not yet.

5) Ramblings, including product opinions, fluff, techniques, and whatever I want to rant about.

I have a number of Star Wars Lego speeders and similar. I have the Gaslands rules. Said rules have suggestions for changing scale. Insert thinkyness...

6) Graceful, polished, and witty ending.

No.

MWAHAHAHA AHHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
I have a new computer.

1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M. unless absolutely no progress.

Chaos cultist leader/priest/mage types are almost done.


The cultist berzerkers I kitbashed from AoS easy builds, Orlock spare parts, and Reaper mini gribblies. Again almost done.


Starstrider grunts and an Imperial Assault hero, not as done


2) One overall goal for the year, otherwise only “hoping to ___ later today” goals.

No hobby goal today.

3) Simple clear record of progress on goal.

Need to get that on to the new 'puter. total is now at 92 for the year.

4) Finished pics.

Stormtroopers:



Rustpox walkers:


Cultist special weapons:


5) Ramblings, including product opinions, fluff, techniques, and whatever I want to rant about.

I had forgotten how nice a full computer is.

6) Graceful, polished, and witty ending.

Bye.

1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M.



I’ll take better/more focused pics over next 3 days.
Rebel vehicles, Slanesh and tzeentch cultists, METAL Plague Marines, and a bucket of rebels awaiting detailing, wash, and basing.

2) One overall goal for the year

Some progress, some failure, not doing too bad. Haven’t started any new armies beyond Legion (T.B.H., inevitable really and the Rebs won’t be expanding) and minimal growth of existing armies. Army expansion consists of a new unit for my horribly lacking Gibbering Hordes, the Star Wars Imperials from Legion, Karic Acolytes for Tzeentch cultists, Naeve Blacktallon as a Slaneshi champion, and some random one offs.

3) Simple clear record of progress on goal.



Now at 120 total done for the year. 90/173 on the grid, 99/202 for the goal, right around halfway done at just a little under half the year gone.

4) Finished pics.



Again, more over the next 3 days. Completed since last update; Legion Vader, Khorn cultists, Cult leaders, 6 Starstriders, a unit of Gibbering Hordes Yazari for “The Other Side”, and a fey pinup (censored to be safe) from Reaper.


5) Ramblings.

First off, I have been LAZY! I haven’t been as idle as my posting would suggest but I haven’t exactly been maintaining steady progress.
Second, Stoopid Let’s Go Eevee. I picked it up shortly before Easter and it got me back into Pokémon Go. I’ve hardly played Let’s Go since the first week but I’ve been pretty consistently walking 5+ kilometers a day while playing Pokémon Go. I’m still a fat lazy bum but at least now I’m getting a little exercise.
Third and lastly, I should do a photo shoot of at least my Gibbering Hordes if not all my “The Other Side” stuff.
Fourth, I am currently resisting the Eldar and Scion starters, the Ambull, the Ambots, Kastelan robots, Nurgle and CSM ranges, most of the newer GSC stuff, and Looncurse.

6) Graceful, polished, and witty ending.

I don’t wanna be a hoomun! *face plant into bed whumph*

As promised, better pics.

In honor of work today I present Chaos. WIP Plague marines and finished cultists.

All good pieces- rock on! Great to see you back

Those stormtrooper lizard rider guys came out _ACE_

 Meer_Cat wrote:
All good pieces- rock on! Great to see you back

Thanks, we'll see how long before I go back to lurking.

Those stormtrooper lizard rider guys came out _ACE_

[sarcasm] Errr mer gerd! Don't you have encyclopedic knowledge of the only Star Wars film ever made? Those are Banthas, not lizards! Err, wait, I mean Dewbacks. [/sarcasm]

Between the markings on the Dewbacks and the riders shoulder pad they were a lot of fun to do. I actually like 5 (HOTH!), 7 (Poe and our general), 8 (Rose and grumpy old man Luke!), and rouge uno (TPK!), 1-3 had great visuals, too bad about the story, The Clone Wars series had its moments (Domino squad, Rex, Cody, Cad Bane, Obi Sass Wan, and Asoka mostly), 4 and 6 are classics, Solo... is good but at the same time I don't like it showing Solo's backstory, and I haven't seen the remaining TV stuff.

And now, more photo dump;

Yazari from The Other Side


Starstrider grunts


movie inspired Darth Vader


Tasteful, and digitally censored fairy only wearing just enough to claim art.


And the WIPs;

See- I knew Banthas were fuzzy, so these couldn't be Banthas. Dewlaps, that sounds familiar! Next you'll be telling me Han didn't shoot first.....

 Meer_Cat wrote:
See- I knew Banthas were fuzzy, so these couldn't be Banthas. Dewlaps, that sounds familiar! Next you'll be telling me Han didn't shoot first.....

Of course not! Greedo met Han, shot first, and stole his identity! (Links are all to appropriate Darths & Droids pages.)

But enough silliness, Day 3 of promised updating!

Plague marines done. I was having a of a time getting pics without horrible burnout.
... then I remembered that in addition to the black background the light box came with a WHITE background.


And the current WIPs with actual P.

This is banana pants loony head 42-666 reporting in. We are not dead... yet. How are you command?

1) Picture of the painting desk A.T.M.
Holy lousy quality Bat-being! Negavolts, Iron Man, and Blackstone Fortress tripod thingies are on the bench right now baring base dilivery.




2) One overall goal for the year, otherwise only “hoping to ___ later today” goals.
Hehe, funny thing that, Malifaux 3E dropped and, well, finishing everything I own for a faction suddenly became SUUUPER important to my mind. On the upside it was only a... 2ish? week distraction.

3) Simple clear record of progress on goal.
Like, it's happening but lets be honest. Pictures of color coded checkboxes? not that interesting.
Oh, and like 160 to 170ish minis done for the year. Calling it now, achieving all the goals is out of reach but my "The Other Side" stuff and Imperial Assault Stormtroopers are all done, my independent Chaos cultists are down to a couple late addition stragglers, my goal for the next month is the last of Blackstone Fortress (3 CSM, 4 Negavolts, 4 tripods, and the 9 heroes), and completion is in excess of purchacing

4) Finished pics.
40K first, "Pyro Ice" Titanicus Warhound:


Because 2+ full paychecks for one with a single loadout as a daunting mountain of resin when I can get a pair with spare arms in plastic for less than even a week's wages.

'Zeentch cultists:


BeastMen:


On to the Star WAAAGHs! Rebel Bums:

Zeroes:


Defeats:


Bloopers:


Nostril Art:


I show those poor s NO respect.

And now I go back through The Breach to Malifaux! And rather than returning to my Arcane Anarchist cradle I'm going for the Hollywood Asians!

The 100% done "new" recruits. I've had 2/3rds of them for... over a year now? and 1/2 since shortly after I began playing Malifaux.


Yin the Penegalan, one of the very first Wyrd models I got. I picked her up cheap between 1st and 2nd edition because "Eh, I'm not going to play the game but it'd be nice to have a penegalan."
... BWAHAHAHAHA!!! I was SUCH a fool. The sad part is I eventually got the card to use her in 2e but never did and now she's limited to one master I don't own in my chosen faction. Yeah.


And the new recruits awaiting sufficient bases.

Jorogumo, no longer usable with the master I got them for but good for another that I WILL be getting:


Obsidian Oni and Kamatachi (AKA, THE MAGICAL WIND WEASEL!) same boat as the Jorogumo, and Teracotta Wariors who just need them bases:


5) Ramblings, including product opinions, fluff, techniques, and whatever I want to rant about.
I am SOOO bad at this consistent updating thing.

6) Graceful, polished, and witty ending.
Mrow?

Good grief you've been busy- and away too long, welcome back!

A lot of great pieces here, and tremendous variety. I'm really grooving on the Warhound- I have a Reaver that I would love to be able to hit with that Ice pattern- really well done.

 Meer_Cat wrote:
Good grief you've been busy- and away too long, welcome back!

A lot of great pieces here, and tremendous variety. I'm really grooving on the Warhound- I have a Reaver that I would love to be able to hit with that Ice pattern- really well done.

Thanks Meer_Cat! I’ve been around, just very lurk-y.

I don’t recall the paint job on the warhound being that hard to do. I don’t know if the way I did it would scale beyond a standard 40k Knight but it should work for anything in Titanicus.

Now this will all be from several months ago memory for a unique scheme so color names may be wrong but basic methodology should hold. Make sure that you leave plenty of drying time in between to avoid muddying from accidental wet blending.

Basecoat Reaper Ashen Blue (very blue Space Puppy grey sort of color)

Using a fairly stiff and slightly sacrificial flat brush (personality, a Dick Blick size 0-2 Schoolastic line, bright shape, ox hair? brush) loaded like for a heavy dry brushing, stipple on Reaper Ghost White (just barely blue tinted white)

Glaze/wash with Daler Rowney ink, either Rowney Blue, Process Cyan, or a mixture thinned probably 1 ink: 1 Reaper Brush on Clear Coat: 1-2 H2O. (A GW blue wash or contrast paint would probably work perfectly here. This should be done with a “paint” that is NOT opaque and is never intended to be completely opaque, translucency is vital here.)

Wait at least overnight if using Daler Rowney inks

Stipple over the previous squiggles again using Vallejo Gloss White (PURE white) letting the previous stippling peak through.


The Daler Rowney inks are great and you can do a lot with them but there is definitely a learning curve and you kind of have to just develop a “feel” for how they act. I wouldn’t suggest them for beginners but if you’re comfortable mixing up your own washes from regular paint they’re definitely a tool worth taking a look at in my opinion.