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Cheers mate

Back at work. Bit nightmarish, timetable an omnishambles and my work other-half off with stress. Gee, thanks.

Hence radio silence, but such is the way of things.

Nevertheless, work has been done.
More on Raven's cape


Just lots and lots of layers to get a really rich colour.
On the subject of BMG, touched up Bats


Still plugging away at the occasional bit, with the poxmarine:


Ultrapox

And a lot of Dreadball.
Got my Coach Splinter done for my Teratons:




Started test schemes for the Matsudon, Kaiju Rage, and Zees, Cheeky Apez:



Yes, ridiculous mold line

And got my Forge Fathers team, the Breeze Blokkrs, done (apart from base colour codes):
Guards -

Jacks -

Strikers -

Captain, prone and MVP -

And the team as a whole -

Not bad going. Obviously, I'm very much in the Dread-zone, though I can't seem to muster the energy to finish my Marauders (orcs & gobs) team; I've also got human and Koris (weird teleporting aliens) team to build and a cyborg team to paint. I've also started Shazam, finally (no pics worth sharing) and I think I might be about ready to swing back round to BMG generally. Just about taking my time.


And my kids hassled me into some work on the Marauders:




And then they hassled me some more...

Jacks and captain with the fabulous tache


Guards and Keeper (with claw)


Finished team!

It's really just army painting. Not my sort of thing usually but needs must. 2 teams, 2 test models and a coach, 31 more Dreadball models down. 68 so far this month, new record. 269 so far this year.



Later
Graven

Nice looking teams, Bats in stone camo also cool! and that Alice in Wonderland gang for the Mad Hatter, good theme, I saw Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, and the White Rabbit, but the knife wielder??? forget who he is.

Thanks, and thanks
it's not white rabbit it's march harriet! ahem. It IS the White Rabbit model, but she's not part of the Wonderland gang (whereas March Harriet is). And the other guy is painted with a Cheshire Cat mask.
Next WIP, finally getting on with Cleo:

Not done yet, need to file down the sleeved arm a bit more, but she's coming along. Not bad for spare bits and green stuff though, I think.

Well, here we are again. Sorry it's a bit intermittent!
Work saga rumbles on.

In the meantime, poxmarine is done!


Really enjoyed this, from Kitbash to completion
By contrast, not enjoyed these guys:

Not good minis, lumpy plastic, poorly cast. They're done, and playable, but I see why so many folk were dismissive of early Mantic plastics. Still, another 15 done.

Speaking of Dreadball, had a great game on Tues with metropolis using just the starter box teams and deck. Total convert: like me, not a fan of sports or sports games, but once he got his head round the mechanics, he was hooked and promptly handed me my arse good times
I'd been feeling fairly despondent about the fact that I won't get to my usual club on a Tuesday anymore (because kids) but, on reflection and discussion with metropolis, we both kinda feel we've moved on - our gaming group has pretty much fallen apart between friends' divorces, mental health issues and just plain old work, and we'd rather just play in one another's houses. We have all the terrain in the world, we've started investing individually in games (he's all in on SW Legion, for example) so we play with one another's stuff, etc, etc. Life moves on I guess.

What's next on the desk? Well, going to try to get yet more dB built, but rather than teams coaching staff, cheerleaders etc.
. Human and Kalyashi (deldar) skin test. Liking the Kalyashi skin
Got a Rebs team to build and they're pretty cool models, but might do a giant for fun.
Equally, starting to get back in the Bat groove. Not rushing it, as I know that way madness and burnout lie.

And, Raven:


Beautiful model to paint. Really glad I took my time with her. Face could do with a little bit more tidying perhaps.
Still. 86 in August, 285 so far.
Nearly at September! How did that happen? Reckon I'll cyall then,
Graven

gRaven looks wonderful, and would be a great base for an old style Psylocke conversion for marvel.

ultraPestilent Marine is also a nice bash together of bits and the choice of the mace is perfect for him.

Can’t say much about the DB stuff as it never struck a chord with me. The colors are good and painting is great though.

Raven is looking great. And I wouldn't have realized it until Theophony said it, but yeah that would be a great base for a Psylocke conversion. Do you have anymore of that model?

Azarath Metrion Zinthos-ariffic.

Theophony wrote:gRaven looks wonderful, and would be a great base for an old style Psylocke conversion for marvel.

ultraPestilent Marine is also a nice bash together of bits and the choice of the mace is perfect for him.

Can’t say much about the DB stuff as it never struck a chord with me. The colors are good and painting is great though.

I see what you did there. Kitbash was loads of fun to do. Glad you like the Zees, I know I'm in the minority here on dakka with it but I think it's a brilliant game and it's cheap as chips.

Syro_ wrote:Raven is looking great. And I wouldn't have realized it until Theophony said it, but yeah that would be a great base for a Psylocke conversion. Do you have anymore of that model?

I got rid of my spare, alas. I'm not a Marvel boy at all though, I am DC all the way. But I can see what you guys mean.

youwashock wrote:Azarath Metrion Zinthos-ariffic.

I actually get that I had thought about trying to do crackling black electricity out of her eyes. But no idea how to do it well.

Nice work on Raven 'ol son. Looks great!

Nice poxmarine.
Another team done.
Skin is good.
Raven looks great.

Short is sweet.

Gitsplitta wrote:Nice work on Raven 'ol son. Looks great!

Thank you kindly sir!

monkeytroll wrote:Nice poxmarine.
Another team done.
Skin is good.
Raven looks great.

Short is sweet.

That's what I tell my wife yeah, some progress. Trying to get the teams that are at least primed done before I start the next batch...

Decided to start on coaching staff for each of my teams.


And some star players, plus a giant and the mining drill for the dwarves

The dwarves really do get the most ridiculous specials, there's also a power armoured guy with a thunder hammer (essentially) called Ragnarok and a giant that's basically a Dreadnought

Continuing with BMG, also: progress at last on my resculpted Nightwing.

Now I'm happy with the results of the leg sculpt, and the Jim Lee pose. Not sure how to base him though. Suggestions welcome. I'm considering something paired with Batgirl, although her pose is running:

Just lots of yellow glaze so far. Sigh. She's hard work, and weighs a bloody ton.

Still, on we go
Graven

Good work all round.

That poxmarine is giving me RE3: Nemesis flashbacks.

You're getting to be an old hand at painting capes. That's a bat-a-marang? in Batgirl's hand?

A technical question: the alligator clip holding the mini. Do you find that the mini slips and spins as you try to paint it? I have a terrible time using alligator clips to hold minis for painting.

Dr H wrote:Good work all round.

That poxmarine is giving me RE3: Nemesis flashbacks.

hadn't even crossed my mind. Totally see that now though.

Red Harvest wrote:You're getting to be an old hand at painting capes. That's a bat-a-marang? in Batgirl's hand?

A technical question: the alligator clip holding the mini. Do you find that the mini slips and spins as you try to paint it? I have a terrible time using alligator clips to hold minis for painting.

Yeah. It's based on a new 52 cover illustration.
I don't do it often, is the answer. Only when positioning very awkward models. Luckily it has very tight clamps.
Yeah, I feel like I'm getting there with capes. Might even get better at the rest

Graven, I give up trying to catch up with what you do. You churn out more stuff the the ‘eavy metal team held at gunpoint.

Lovely stuff, especially Raven.

Well he could be standing there non-plussed as batgirl runs off....

Or standing on a cheeky spiral motif...

Standing in the shadow of the bat...

Bash the Bosh wrote:Graven, I give up trying to catch up with what you do. You churn out more stuff the the ‘eavy metal team held at gunpoint.

Lovely stuff, especially Raven.

Lol thanks mate I've seen your motor pool though I know how prolific you are.

monkeytroll wrote:Well he could be standing there non-plussed as batgirl runs off....

Or standing on a cheeky spiral motif...

Standing in the shadow of the bat...

Mmm, Spyral? Interesting. I'm now thinking of cutting up a gothic bit of CoD scenery across the two bases.

Alright troops?

So another week, another minimalistic update. Very little midweek progress on anything.

Made this guy, a Queen of Hearts goon for Wonderland:

Quite chuffed with him a bodyguard for Mad Hatter, with a bulletproof vest and the Heart mask adding extra action economy? Sold.

Painted Nightwing, who I'm happy with, and Batgirl, who I'm not.

Went with a Gotham rooftops theme for the bases in the end. Gotta love Cod bits.






So yes, it's 2 more this month. That's 88 in August; 287 overall.

But... feels rushed.

I feel I've lost my mojo a bit. Partly it's I'm in block painting mode, partly it's one of the early old metals, but I'm under no illusions that it's just not the standard that I'm capable of. Ah well. Guess I just have to use it as motivation to get stuck back into the bat!

But I did just get a supply drop, on the other hand: offloaded a pile of mantic bits I had lying around for some Dreadball stuff.

Not much.

Just some star players.

And a giant.

And... five more teams

(But it was really only 3 teams and 2 half-teams to complete ones I was already working on ... )
So now I also have Brokkr (dwarf miners), Zzor (insects), Asterians (eldar), Corporation male (average humans) and female (faster lighter humans).

As if that wasn't enough, I also picked up a copy of 40k Conquest. I wasn't particularly fussed about it tbh, but I was in the supermarket and they had it - £2 for 3 Primaris, 3 paints and a brush? Sure, I'll bite. The Primaris will go with the other corrupt Smurf, and I'll probably pick up at least the next issue for £5 for 3 Deathguard and paint; less fussed about the final 2 retail ones (do I need Reivers or more Poxwalkers for £8, really, when that's not really cheaper than RRP?)

So that's me for August.
Wonder what September will bring?
Graven

I think they both look pretty good, but has a bit of paint rubbed off on Nightwings arm?

I don't mind Batgirl at all. We are always so critical of our own work, though. The leg work on Nightwing worked out just fine.

aku-chan wrote:I think they both look pretty good, but has a bit of paint rubbed off on Nightwings arm?

so it has. Buggeration. I'll be fixing that.

youwashock wrote:I don't mind Batgirl at all. We are always so critical of our own work, though. The leg work on Nightwing worked out just fine.

Cheers mate

Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na Good work Graven'.

We all have models we just don't do our best on, even when they're ones we were excited about - I don't count that as loss of mojo, just the ups and downs of modelling life, and indeed, just life.

Been keeping my eye out for Conquest as it seems a steal - at least for the first two, but no interest in the mag itself.

Ah, nice catch-up, lovely work sir, lots of win going on here.

As a by the by, what is the dimensions of a Dreadball pitch.

Dr H wrote:Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na Good work Graven'.

I see what you did there

monkeytroll wrote:We all have models we just don't do our best on, even when they're ones we were excited about - I don't count that as loss of mojo, just the ups and downs of modelling life, and indeed, just life.

Been keeping my eye out for Conquest as it seems a steal - at least for the first two, but no interest in the mag itself.

Thanks mate, good advice. Yeah, I'm all about the cheap stuff.

Camkierhi wrote:Ah, nice catch-up, lovely work sir, lots of win going on here.

As a by the by, what is the dimensions of a Dreadball pitch.

Thanks mate. Hmmmmmmm 750mm long, not sure how wide, I think 250mm but I'd need to check. This shows the pitch as a whole: http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/dreadball/accessories-staff/product/gruba-tek-vii-coliseum-deluxe-dreadball-pitch.html


BMG still. But something different, and I think about done. A model I've put off doing for ages, the Animated Batman:

Tbh I'm delighted with how he's turned out. I wasn't sure I could capture that cel-shaded look but I'm really pleased.

Wasn't sure if I could pull of the cloak and spot highlights but I think they've really worked. It actually makes me want to go and (a) repair and paint my BTAS Batgirl - she's snapped through the ankles - and (b) get the other BTAS models (Green Arrow, Black Canary, Catwoman, Harley Quinn). Model Count for September: 1!

Next on the desk is Matsudon team for Dreadball. Blocking in the black on their armour, nothing much to see, just a long and tedious process - but once done, the rest of the paintjob will be really quick to do, certainly by the end of this week.
Adios,
graven

Very nice, captured the look well in my opinion

I'm going to have to re-vist TAS - I can't recall seeing Green Arrow, so that's as good a reason as any

Thank you kindly sir. The Green Arrow is from the last series iirc. The mini a punch arrow BTAS is wonderful, and all on Prime. Hurrah for Amazon nostalgia!

Totally convinced by BTASBats. Straight off the screen. Nicely done.

The legs and chest sculpts are hilarious!

Gitsplitta wrote:The legs and chest sculpts are hilarious!

Yip, and I love em

youwashock wrote:Totally convinced by BTASBats. Straight off the screen. Nicely done.

Thanks mate. It's a great fig, totally nails the aesthetic doesn't it?

So bits and bobs, ticking over this week.

Working on The Tailor (a pretty generic bodyguard with a good moniker), aka Queen of Hearts:

The more I think about it, the more logical it seems that The Tailor would be part of Mad Hatter's crew. Very pleased with how his Heart mask has turned out. Suit will be fawn, blue tie, black gloves, maroon shoes - it's his "stock" scheme, which isn't like me at all, but I want to it to be clear which base model is being used - or at least being counts-as, because I'm actually using one of the Grin Twins (Joker cosplay thugs from SS movie) with an identical pose to the actual The Tailor mini.

And settling on my Matsudan team colours:

I think the belts need to be more leather than cotton, and I'm debating some gold accents, possibly on the back poles. Wondering about the Captain's mempo, whether the horns should be... horn or gold also.

Other stuff ticking over. Think I've settled on a scheme for the Nameless, modelled on Yeti crabs. More to follow!

Best to you all,
Graven