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Good to see you still around! I've just been going through a similar bit of exile from hobbying. The Dragon Knights are looking very nice so far. Well, that one mount is at least!

Thanks guys. Appreciate the encouragement. Hopefully I will be able to get back on the modelling wagon soon. Really want to finish the high elves and Horus off.

Ok folks, I am seeking some advice. I have been battling away with Horus's scenic base and I just can't seem to get it somewhere that I am happy with it. I was looking for a "sandstone" appearance (although that was a pretty loose brief) and the below photos are where I am currently at........









The big eagle head is going to be my marble effect to make it look like it has been blown off a building above and has crashed into the stairs below, so disregard it for this post.

SO, my feeling is that it is too orange. I was wondering if a bone drybrushing could bring it back? Let me know your thoughts please so I can get a decent result.

Thanks for reading.

Welcome back man. I think adding some drybrushed bone would definitely help bring the stone to the color you want. Though I will say you have a very nice textured look for it right now with the myriad of colors overlapping each other.

Bone should be able to bring it back. Do it in successive layers, though - a really heavy drybrush might feth up the different tones you've got going there.

I'm going to be the awkward bastard that says it looks great how it is! The variety of tones is brilliant, and I think with natural surfaces like that, over-highlighting can kill them pretty easily if overdone. If anything, I'd just make the gravel/grit areas a little lighter, that should lift the tone of the whole piece without altering that lovely look it has.

Really appreciate the speedy feedback guys. Think I will definitely be applying it with kid gloves and think Para may be onto something with the gravel and if I don't think that is enough I can move to the rest of the base. It really is fantastic to have a brains trust of talented painters floating around in the internet isn't it?

I think it looks really nice as it is as well, gives off a nice warm feeling.

I think you should finish the eagle and then see how it looks, dont forget you are going to have a big guy in black armour in the centre which will absorb some of the colour.

That's very true GiraffeX. I think you are right and at the very least finish the eagle head as the white may lighten the whole base further.

Time for another update. My Wife is away on the annual end of school term music tour so I have a little peace and quiet which I hope means I can get a fair bit of painting done. Except I spent a couple of hours going on a run with the pup this afternoon so I guess I am still doing my best to avoid the brushes.

But enough waffle. I have taken on board everyone's suggestions (I hope) and ask your opinions on what I hope (fingers crossed) is the base for Horus all finished off.


I decided to go bright and bold with the shoulder pads that are hidden among the rubble as a nice spot of colour to add interest.


I added a wash to darken the carved lettering and make it pop that little bit more.


I did my level best to maintain the various colours and ever so slight texture that I had on the stairs.



[img]https://mycrazyarmyplan.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/img_0787_zpsy3rcbgs5.jpg/img]
With the Salamander (sorry Para I just can't achieve that awesome darker green you do for your Salamanders) shoulder pad on one side I decided Imperial Fist and Blood Angel could be on the other.

So there it is. I am pretty happy with it. I think once the Eagle head was done I didn't need to play with it too much. So if it is done, plus the head and cape that leaves me with the body to go (so still a lot of work). I have been trooping along with the Dragon Princes and only have the Horse bodies to do on the blue Princes and have done a lot of the rider as well. So hope they may be done (apart from basing) by the end of the weekend.

Thanks very much for reading and the advice.

Coming along very nicely!

 Archer wrote:

I added a wash to darken the carved lettering and make it pop that little bit more.

Wow, I am loving the contrast in this photo. You really did a nice job with the different stone and marble colors (as well as the textures!). Great work mate!

Thanks guys. I am pretty happy with it. Although I have decided (read been convinced) to tone the shoulder pads down a notch. So will be attempting a little "weathering". Well as much weathering as I can try to do with my lack of knowledge on the subject. So brown wash to the rescue....

The stairs have come up really nicely, as has the Eagle's head.

That stonework is beautiful. Looks perfectly real.

Appreciate the comments guys. Especially coming from people who produce amazing work in your own blogs. I am slowly getting through Horus and the Dragon Princes. But am looking forlornly at the calendar. Although I do have a very good break over Christmas starting Wednesday next week so hopefully I can really smash out some models.

Plus my brother is coming down from Brisbane for New Years so has said he would be happy to pick his Christmas gift up in person when he arrives so I have a few more days than expected. So may just make it.

Looking great, Archer!

Hey , I love your idea and hope you see it through (and have enough money for it) but got to ask you a question, what about named characters, especially ones that appear in two groups. For instance, do you plan to include Orion? With a Wood Elf army that big, you shld definitely include him but is he extra to each army, or included in the 2000 points of one?

Thanks for stopping by The_Grey_Knight. I really haven't considered named characters at all. I have never been big on including them in my armies but you have an excellent point for the planned big elf armies.

Therefore, I will probably add the named characters as a bit of a centre piece when I am in need of a little painting boost and they will therefore, be additional to the rest of the army. Always wanted to paint an Orion. Wonder how hard it would be to track down an Ariel model.....

Thanks for stopping in EyeamRai. How are the ogres treating you?

 Archer wrote:
Thanks for stopping by The_Grey_Knight. I really haven't considered named characters at all. I have never been big on including them in my armies but you have an excellent point for the planned big elf armies.

Therefore, I will probably add the named characters as a bit of a centre piece when I am in need of a little painting boost and they will therefore, be additional to the rest of the army. Always wanted to paint an Orion. Wonder how hard it would be to track down an Ariel model.....

If you do decide to do this for the elf armies, let me know. I have an old metal Tyrion that would make a great center piece that I can get rid of for a good price

Back on topic, I can't wait to see the finished piece for the primarchs. I'm sure your brother will love it.

Hi all, have been able to get a little bit of progress done so this is likely to be a fairly pick heavy update, so please bear with me. I have one day of work left for the year so hopefully its a pretty casual day and then we are welcoming a new member to our family on Wednesday, another German Short Haired Pointer (our current one is 3 years old all better after her taking on that snake all those posts ago). So I don't know how I will go juggling the two of them and painting and being an attentive husband. But I will try.

But enough about life and more about hobby matters. I have finally made some more progress on the Dragon Princes and managed to knock off the blue ones. So here they are.......


I am pretty happy with the way they have turned out. They so look a little single colour, but I assure you there is enough interest on the models to allow me to carry it off.


I chickened out of a really involved freehand banner on these guys. I promise to attempt something a little more interesting on the next batch. I think the white horses work really well against the blue armour.


I am a little annoyed the movement tray came out so much bigger than the unit. Not sure what happened there, but its done now and shouldn't make too much of an impact in game terms.

So I now have to do just about the exact same thing on the red unit as their armour is already done, its just the little details and white horses to go. So hopefully with work out of the way I will be able to get them done before Christmas.........

However, the far more exciting news (and the hobby thing that has been taking most of my time) is this.......


Yup, I have made some significant progress on one Horus Lupercal. I am pretty damn happy with where he is at the moment.


I have ended up putting a little dark (scaly) green onto his shoulder pads and greaves to add a subtle point of colour difference to all the black.


Which really isn't that obvious when you look at it as a whole.

But this is all a tease as I have managed to get Horus altogether and for the first time here is my take on Horus, just in time for Christmas and I am massively relieved about that.

















So again, like Robute before him I was stretched to my limits and I think I may have burned out in the end with him. I got to a point where I just had to say enough was enough and he is done. But saying that I am pretty happy with the final result. I am really happy with the cape, wolf pelt and base. I feel I needed something on the weapons. But couldn't tell what. Now I just need to figure out how to package them for their long trip north.

Kudos for those who could get through the wall of photos and I look forward to your thoughts.

Thanks for reading.

Good stuff! Really like those Elves in particular, and Horus looks great too.

I agree with Para those Elves are really nice, I really like the blue and the white of the horses goes really well together.

Horus is looking really good as well, very impressed

Thanks guys appreciate the comments. I have been remiss and it snuck up on me (although I made sure to spoil my wife). But Merry Christmas everyone. Hope your festive season is full of excitement and time to reflect and recharge. Hope to get more progress soon.

Merry Christmas bud,

Wow those cavalry units look fab. His self is looking brilliant, nice work.

Great work on Horus, Archer. He looks fantastic. If he's not already headed up North if you're looking for something to do with/to the weapons you might consider a thin wash or two of Corellia(sp?) Green to set them off from the armour and also tie back in to the subtle scaly green on the graves?

I have to say that those Cavalry have turned out brilliant as well. Really impressive work, mate!

So we are soon to see out the year that was and I have managed to scrape in a final update to see out 2015. I have now finished the red Dragon Princes which now leaves me the two dragons to finish off the High Elf army. So here you are, the Red ones......


I think I prefer the blue Dragon Princes, but the process was almost identical. Just different colours.


The White Horses really make the models though as a stark contrast to the red armour.


The two units side by side. In smaller games I would probably combine them together.


I am really happy overall with how they have come together, they look very different from the Silverhelms and will hopefully tie nicely in with the dragons when I get around to it.

I am well placed now to finish off the final two models before I am meant to go back to work. Although the new puppy is taking a toll on everyone, including our poor 3 year old dog whose world has been turned upside down.

But I would like to wish everyone a happy New Year and a heartfelt thanks for stopping by and pushing my projects forward. Here is to a productive and successful 2016.

Thanks for reading and see you in the new year.

Both red and blue armoured Princes are fantastic! Really, really good stuff!

Those Dragon Princes look really nice together, really looking forward to seeing them with their dragons

They look spectacular, impressive display on the field.