Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Time to vote on the last challenge of 2016! December’s round was an Open Challenge with no theme or criteria, and as expected, the entrants have put together an amazingly diverse array of entries, spanning many different games, manufacturers, styles and eras!

As always, you can vote for as many entries as you like for whatever reason you see fit, and with the large number of entrants this month, please feel free to use far more votes than you usually would as there are so many deserving entries! Voting will run or 5 days.

Without further ado, the entrants!

Nevelon: Eldar Fire Prism


ZoBo: Boss Santa and Rudolf Da Red Nozed Squig-Hound


Zergsmasher: The Warden, Dreadball Extreme Sponsor


Whittlesey40k: ChristmasCron!


_tombo: Lord Relictor


Guildenstern: Ork Looted Goliath


TheoreticalFish: Ta’Unar Supremacy Suit



JustareinAtTheWall: Space Marine Chaplain


albinoork: Plague Demon


Midget Gems: Santa Klaws’s Grotto



Bottle: Genestealer Cultists


Gundor2: Calas Typon


Modock: Orc Boar Rider


NathanD298: Stormcast Knight-Questor


Kustomer D: Command Rhino


Hawky: Dwarf Adventurer



Paradigm: Blood Bowl Rat Ogre


Snail22: Kharne The Betrayer


Ezra Tyrius: Space Marine Psyker


Farseer Anath'lan: Riflemen


SirOllox: Nurgle Lord


Peregrine: Wrecked Chimera


GulGog TufToof: Bomb Squig



Elbows: Dire Avengers


Moolet: Boris The Bashful


methebest: Emperor’s Children Honour Guard



Verviedi: Grey Knights Librarian


Jadenim: Inquisitorial Crusaders


El-Torminator: Blood Bowl Skaven Team


vejut: Armadillos


feltmonkey: Blood Bowl Orc Players

Good luck everybody, awesome entries this month! It's gonna be hard to vote!!

Sooo many entries this time. Good luck everybody.

I normally keep the votes down, but couldn't get it below 12 this month. Great work everybody!

@ZoBo: obviously I'm loving the festive theme, given my entry. The Rudolf Da Red Nozed Squig-hound is superb
@Midget Gems: This what my Santa Cron aspires to! Your conversions are always excellent. I love all the little details.
@Guildenstern: A great model and paint job. And great work getting onto the GW website!
@Bottle: Your painting is always so sharp and detailed. As good as ever!
@Gundor2: This is as much about the base as the rest of the model! Superb detail and a great 'action' pose.
@Peregrine: The weathering detail on this tank is excellent. It actually looks metal, rather than a plastic kit.

I also voted for albinoork, Kustomer D, SirOllox, Mootlet, El-Torminator, feltmonkey.

Great job everyone, and thanks to @Para for all the work each month!

Soooo many cool entries this month, I couldn't narrow it down to a top 5 or top 3 like I usually do, so voted for 10 instead! XD

In order of apperence:
1. Guildenstern - Everyone loves a good looting and that Goliath looks great!
2. Midget Gems - This is bonkers. I love it! I hope you display it somewhere proud for every Christmas to come!
3. Gundor2 - A nice gritty paint job. Great work (and the Kitchen Towel makes a funky backdrop too )
4. Modock - This is the best entry this month for me. Amazing paint job.
5. NathanD298 - Smooth rich colours all around with great highlights. Looks fantastic.
6. Paradigm - You've managed to make that old (somewhat goofy looking model) modern and sinister. Suits your painting style well!
7. Peregrine - The weathering is top notch on this.
8. Moolet - Soooo smooooooth. I am always impressed by your entries.
9. El-Torminator - This is a great looking team and they are sitting in my inspiration folder while I paint my Skaven for January's comp (already taking adding some pink tails to my models like you have).
10. Felt Monkey - Great as always! A little darker than what we usually see from you and it looks awesome.

Hey Para, Guildenstern's pictures don't seem to be working for me (everyone else's are), do you just want to check the links?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, very impressive entries this month, I voted for more than a few, so won't list them all, but my stand-out for the month was Verviedi. That cloak and the shine on the armour are both amazing!

A lot of entries this month. Voted for six of them, as per usual "click...wow" and I'll vote. Good work all around!

 Whittlesey40k wrote:

@Bottle: Your painting is always so sharp and detailed. As good as ever!

Thanks man! :-D

 Jadenim wrote:
Hey Para, Guildenstern's pictures don't seem to be working for me (everyone else's are), do you just want to check the links?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, very impressive entries this month, I voted for more than a few, so won't list them all, but my stand-out for the month was Verviedi. That cloak and the shine on the armour are both amazing!

Thanks, I appreciate it! I'm doing GK models for a friend, so I'll be posting more like it in the future. The new Nuln Oil Gloss is excellent.

Great work everyone! As usual, I voted for like half the field, so I don't have time to comment on each and every one, but if your pic links directly to the main gallery, I'll try to put in a gallery vote as well. See all you Rogues and Scoundrels next month!

What a wonderful way to start 2017, gawking at all these beautiful models (and I don't mean Kate Upton!). I managed to keep it down to 5 entries, but it was hard, so hard. Ultimately, I picked the following:
TheoreticalFish: You did a Tau'nar in a month. That's worth a vote by itself. And you did it in purple, not a common color for Tau. I love it!
Midget Gems: Nothing like a bunch of Orks to get everyone into a festive mood! That is simply an epic piece!
Bottle: Yet more amazing Genestealer Cult models from you! Is there no limit to your ability to paint those guys?
Peregrine: That wreckage looks great! You got the weathering spot on; it really does look like it's been sitting out in the weather for a long time.
feltmonkey: Of all the Blood Bowl entries this month, I liked yours the best, although all of them were pretty good. A whole team painted like this would be a thing of beauty!

Seriously, all the BB stuff is making me want to pick up the game! Anyhow, like I said, everyone did pretty good in December. I only wish I'd had more time and motivation to get more than one tiny little guy done. Way to end 2016 with a bang, everyone! Special shout out as always to our friend Paradigm for organizing this thing and taking time out of his busy schedule to set up the threads every month! I think I speak for everyone here when I say a big Thank You!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Wow what a month and end to the year, had a really hard time choosing, I voted for 11 in the end.

Thanks for the positive comments Whittlesey40k, Bottle, Zerg. I do like the open Dec challenge because I can go crazy and do Santa Orks

Thanks for any votes that go my way

A few stood out
Whittlesey and Zobo for also doing Christmas themes
Guildenstien - excellent painting and congrats on appearing on the GW site
Bottle - You are quickly becoming one of the best painters in these challenges, great work
Peregine - Fantastic weathering
Feltmonkey - Those guys just work really well and look very cool.

Good work everyone, hope you all had a good xmas and new year and see you in the next challenge

Thanks to everyone who voted for (and complimented) my entry. This was a really helpful contest for actually getting it done, after it spent years on my to-do pile.

I voted for loads of entries as usual. Some of the usual suspects who always turn in stellar work, a few who I think have raised their game, and a few who I don't remember seeing before...

A selection of the ones I picked -

Nevelon - I think you did a really nice job with the fire prism. The paint is smooth and neat, and the clear parts look good.

albinoork - That is one weird-looking creature. Great modelling, and a vivid, appropriately unpleasant paint job. The base is particularly fantastic.

Midget Gems - Again, great modelling. Very erm... festive.

Bottle - Your stuff is always amazing, and this is no exception. You have such a clean, bright style, with those perfectly-placed spots of light.

Gundor2 - Wow! The base! The weathering! You can almost smell the decay. A superb display piece.

NathanD298 - Lovely smooth blends, both on the armour and the cloak.

Paradigm - An unusual take on the usually colourful Blood Bowl, but I like it! The pinkish bits of skin really make the model.

SirOllox - I really like the contrasting textures you've created. Rusty rust, and gooey goo.

Peregrine - This is all about the weathering, and it's incredibly well done. I can't think how it could possibly look more realistic. I'm very jealous of your weathering skills! Did you use the salt-chipping technique?

Moolet - Dem blends. I painted Boris a few months back myself. I followed the card art more than you did, painting him purple. I like your take on him as well. Your blends are as smooth as ever, and I like the realistic effect you've got on the metallic parts.

methebest - I think you've raised your game a bit this month. Actually, I think these are the best thing I've seen from you. It's not easy to shade a white cloak, and you've done a great job on it. Overall a nice clean paint-job.

El-Torminator - That is a very nice Blood Bowl team you've got there. Just a lovely job

Tough competition this month!

The ones that caught my eye.
1.Guildenstern: A great example of orc style and gritty paint job to boot.

2.Midget Gems: Wonderful mini diorama. True Christmas spirit. Bravo!

3.Bottle: Excellent as always. You have really high level of brush control. Very Impressive.

4.Peregrine: One of the top entries this month. Great weathering and dirt effect.

5.Moolet: Very smooth blends and the red tone is done really well.

6.Feltmonkey: Great all around paint job. I like it a lot.


Bottle

Modock - This is the best entry this month for me. Amazing paint job.

Thank you Bottle, it means a lot to me coming from you!

Much like the rest of you, I had to vote for about ten different entries!

Good luck everyone

Great entries all round. Thanks for those who vote for me and those who commented. I really appreciate feedback as most the people I play against think I'm strange as my army isn't grey plastic and wife's comment to anything I paint is 'hmmm... lovely'.

This month I found time to comment and vote on everybody (I don't think I've missed anyone.). Congrats all, some draw-dropping entries in there this month.


Nevelon: great looking fireprism. Simple but striking and effective. Well done.

ZoBo: great use of a runt herd! I really like your ork skin tones. The joy at seeing a Rudolf themed squig hound brings an endless smile to my face.

Zergsmasher: Nice skin tones and metallics. The nightlights look good though could perhaps do with an intermediate layer first. Nice piece.

Whittlesey40k: this was the first Christmas themed model I saw this year. My wife was genuinely a bit scared by it... Nice modelling and good paint job.. i think this necron warrior should get infiltrate/deepstrike against all armies of the imperium and chaos marines (yes chaos marines still celebrate Christmas).

Tombo: I’ve not seen this model before (i don’t really do AOS) but it looks fun to paint. Nice choice of palette and a good neat job. The runes on the parchment look great. The use of a little deeper shading and some highlights would really make him pop more.

Guildenstern: I’m jealous... This looks great, especially the front dozer blade. I bet that was a ton of fun to do. You’ve done very nice work on the weathering and the heat stress on exhaust. I was wondering if i should get one of these to use as a truck, i think you’ve just convinced me. How many times have i forgotten ramshackle...

Theoretical Fish: refreshing to see a new colour scheme on this beast. The purple and grey work well together and the base is especially well done. The paint job is neat but the purple highlights might benefit from an intermediate shade. Congrats on getting such a project finished well done.

JustareinAtTheWall: Unfortunately I can’t see the model too well. I really like his Crozius (spelling?) The red worn down to the bare metal, presumably from whacking xenos with it is nicely done. The bone areas look well done and there seems to be a nice transition going on with the spikes on his back pack. Nice model, but i suspect he isn’t quite finished yet?

Albinoork: Wow, not sure what it is but i don’t want to meet it! The base is exceptionally well done and the highlights on the black and pinks are also very smooth and well executed. Very nice job, well done. Have a vote!

MidgetGems: once again you show us what Christmas is all about. Ignoring our family to produce really cool dioramas! Beautifully built, very well painted with loads of fun things going on. I’m trying to figure out if the prezzie for ghaz is genuinely ork Santa giving a present to him for being ‘good’ or if its all an elaborate assassination plot. Congrats, i can’t not give you a vote for this one.

Bottle: Ah another painter that I always try to find an excuse not to give a vote too. Perhaps I just really like your painting style but your entries are just flawless. No matter what colour you are painting you find a way to make it pop out, even if it’s just highlighting how dull and worn it is. You have an extraordinary eye for it. The moment i find something wrong with one of your paint jobs you’ll lose my vote! But until then.. well done, have a vote, I’m not envious at all ;-)

Gundor2: Another vote winner from me. I think this piece is great. Grimy and dark but not obscuring detail but making all these intricacies jump out is not easy and you’ve done it very well here.

Modock: As i said in the thread, i really like the skin tones you used and the beautiful blends between them. The metals are also very well done, the rusty spear and the bronze on the head of the boar especially. I think another vote is coming your way. =)

NathanD298: Looks like its straight from the ‘eavy metal team, but a much nicer cloak! You ahve done beautiful work on that cloak (especially the inside) and very nice gold highlights, he looks fanastic. Well done.

KustomerD: very nice command rhino. The weathering looks great especially the mudded tracks, i cant believe the boys in blue would allow a command rhino to get in such a state! =) There are lots of nice details picked out.

Hawky: A range of nice metallics well done. The blue tinge to the steel coloured areas is a nice touch and the freehand white on red decoration is too. Especially on such a small model.

Paradigm: great looking model giving a very dark and sinister twist on what can sometimes look like an almost comical model. (at least my mates look very cartoonish) The palette, the highlights and especially the base are all expertly done. Trying on find a reason not to give you a vote again this month ... nope can’t find a reason.

Snail 22: I’m trying to convince my brother to let me paint his Kharn model for him as it looks like a nice sculpt with plenty of details. Such a model really needs basing especially when you’ve painted him so well, I suspect he is unfinished as the barrel of his plasma pistol looks like bare plastic? The bone and the reds look great though and the colour of his skull codpiece with green eyes is very well done.

Ezra Tyrius: A simple palette well executed. The base is really nice and the black highlights are very well done. Perhaps a shade lighter in a just a few of the extreme points/upper edges. Nice models, well done.

Farseer Anath’lan: This is a nice band of riflemen. Although it is difficult to appreciate at first due to the reflection from the lights, the highlights and shades look well done and palette well chosen.

SirOllox: Fantastic base and beautiful corrosion on the axe. Lots of lovely little details and great metallics. I’m left trying to guess why the rock he is standing on is charred and i think that really adds to the feel of the model. Nice entry.

Peregrine: Awesome makeshift bunker from a chimera wreck. The weathering is incredibly well done, especially the wear and tear inside. I love this model, you get a vote from me =)

Gulgog: Once again, great work. I love your entries (as i always say) and this hasn’t disappointed. I may well steal this idea ;-)

Elbows: The blue armour is fantastic, it has a really cool almost glow to it. The gold complements it very well. The colour of the helms I’d have never had chosen myself but I really like it. A great entry and a lot of painting done!

Moolet: Piece of ****. Whilst some of the blends might be considered smooth, the palette is uninspired and predictable. The leather work is lacklustre at best and the only saving grace is the metal doesn’t look as terrible as it could. I would toss you a sympathy vote but I don’t want to encourage this kind of thing.

Methebest: Lovely colour scheme and well executed. The shading on the white is fantastic. Excellent models, well done! Your painting has improved so much. You get a vote from me... you’d get one even if you had just done that cloak. Well done!

Verviedi: great skin tones and shading of his tabard and cloak. Good neat writing in the books and scrolls. Well done... lovely model.

Jadenim: Very good models where you once again show us it isn’t a fluke. You can consistently baffle me with how fine you can do the script on all those seals. Nice grimy feel to the models and they make a great trio.

El-Torminator: Very cool colour scheme I just wish the photos were closer up. The dark green and black of the kit looks very skaven (I’m currently playing vermintide a lot) and gives them a sinister feel which is beautifully counter balanced by the vibrancy of their tails. Great work.. vote for you my friend.

Vejut: These are so cute. Nice detailing on the shields and a great tone to their scales and under belly. I’m not a fan of the bases and I think a contrasting colour will show off their quality paint job much better.

Feltmokey: Awesome bloodbowl orks. This is the team I’d go for if I take the plunge. The skin tone is lovely, the armour is well mangled and the metallics are well executed. The armour looks old, well used but serviceable and the small details such as checks and numbers really pushes these models up to top class paint job. Well worth a vote from me.

 Moolet wrote:
Modock: As i said in the thread, i really like the skin tones you used and the beautiful blends between them. The metals are also very well done, the rusty spear and the bronze on the head of the boar especially. I think another vote is coming your way. =)

Cheers mate! Appreciate it.

Great work commenting on everyone's entries Mootlet, have an exalt.

You have reminder me I needed to vote for everyone's imagines which I have now just done. I'm encouraging people to try and vote for an least 1 image too

 Moolet wrote:

MidgetGems: once again you show us what Christmas is all about. Ignoring our family to produce really cool dioramas! Beautifully built, very well painted with loads of fun things going on. I’m trying to figure out if the prezzie for ghaz is genuinely ork Santa giving a present to him for being ‘good’ or if its all an elaborate assassination plot. Congrats, i can’t not give you a vote for this one.

LOL, I do get told off by the wife in Dec for doing things like this instead of DIY etc

 Moolet wrote:
Zergsmasher: Nice skin tones and metallics. The nightlights look good though could perhaps do with an intermediate layer first. Nice piece.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't sure what color I might have that would have been better as an intermediate step. I went straight from Macragge Blue to Calgar Blue. I agree the difference is too stark, though. I'm glad you think I did okay with the skin, as it's the first time I've ever painted a black person. Maybe if I put some more effort in next time I can get more than one vote.

Good job everyone this time around! Not too bad for my first time entering.

JustareinAtTheWall: Unfortunately I can’t see the model too well. I really like his Crozius (spelling?) The red worn down to the bare metal, presumably from whacking xenos with it is nicely done. The bone areas look well done and there seems to be a nice transition going on with the spikes on his back pack. Nice model, but i suspect he isn’t quite finished yet?

Yeah, a vertical picture would have placed him sideways, something I need to adjust. He's just about battle ready, but the base needs more work than I had time for. Thanks for the comment!

Zergsmasher: I don't think that transition was too bad. Glazing with the calgar blue thinned with blending medium or matte medium might help soften it a bit if it looks too sharp in person. II'd do some more highlighting of the folds on the suit, if you haven't fooled my eye on the breast of the suit. That said I do agree on the skin-very nice.

I'm hoping for a come-from-behind victory...I'm holding steady at 1%. It's only a matter of time now!

ZergSmasher wrote:
Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't sure what color I might have that would have been better as an intermediate step. I went straight from Macragge Blue to Calgar Blue. I agree the difference is too stark, though. I'm glad you think I did okay with the skin, as it's the first time I've ever painted a black person. Maybe if I put some more effort in next time I can get more than one vote.

Its all down to personal preference. Stark contrast can work really well and I've seen it stylized like that to great effect. I'd invest in making yourself a small wet palette. It saves money as you don't need to go out and buy a new intermediate colour. Just mix the macragge and calgar 50:50 and you have the perfect intermediate. You don't even need to use a wet palette if you use flow improver/retarder or working for a short space of time, a normal palette will do.
How did you do the skin tone? I've never tried skin so dark yet.

Elbows wrote:I'm hoping for a come-from-behind victory...I'm holding steady at 1%. It's only a matter of time now!

I try that tactic every month.. I hope it works better for you =)

Midget Gems wrote:
LOL, I do get told off by the wife in Dec for doing things like this instead of DIY etc

Haha, if only it was just December for me...

 Elbows wrote:
I'm hoping for a come-from-behind victory...I'm holding steady at 1%. It's only a matter of time now!

Your Dire Avengers deserve more than that, actually. They look really good.

 Moolet wrote:


Ezra Tyrius: A simple palette well executed. The base is really nice and the black highlights are very well done. Perhaps a shade lighter in a just a few of the extreme points/upper edges. Nice models, well done.

Thanks for the feedback, Moolet! I have a couple more guys to paint in this scheme, I'll see if I can make those highlights even better next time

Also, I totally agree with feltmonkey, those Dire Avengers should have gotten way more votes, they're just so lovely!

 feltmonkey wrote:

 Elbows wrote:
I'm hoping for a come-from-behind victory...I'm holding steady at 1%. It's only a matter of time now!

Your Dire Avengers deserve more than that, actually. They look really good.

Trust me, there's zero hard feelings. I paint for me, and I speed-paint because I like playing games with painted models. I enjoy using these challenges as a simple way to motivate me to finish stuff that's sitting on the desk, nothing less, nothing more!

 Elbows wrote:

 feltmonkey wrote:

 Elbows wrote:
I'm hoping for a come-from-behind victory...I'm holding steady at 1%. It's only a matter of time now!

Your Dire Avengers deserve more than that, actually. They look really good.

Trust me, there's zero hard feelings. I paint for me, and I speed-paint because I like playing games with painted models. I enjoy using these challenges as a simple way to motivate me to finish stuff that's sitting on the desk, nothing less, nothing more!

That's how i'm using them, to get back into posting on my blog!

Thank you Moolet. I guess the tank looks better in real than on the pics. My skills with the camera are really bad, I think.

Voted for a few a few days ago. Good stuff as always

K D

Thanks Moolet for the kind words.