Sci-Fi Robots (Part 2 : Painting Metal Bits)

Phase II: Let the Painting Commence

In hindsight I found this useful link in putting the robots all together:
Assembly (Pantheon of the Geeks)
Assembly (GMP)

Day 8: Airfix Acrylic Undercoat:

Still my favoured undercoat as (a) I have it to hand and (b) it is less dark than black and I will "wash" over the end result to highlight detail. I even conscripted a young helper to assist in the work (see below):

Day 9: Vallejo Black Wash:

Vallejo Black Wash to darken the figure and pick out the details. Plenty of liquid on the brush and make it "sloshy and sloppy" is my motto (see below)

Day 10: "Dry-Brush" Gun Metal Base Colour:

I usually fall into the trap of being more "wet-brushing" rather than "dry-brushing" but this time I chose a suitably old (knackered) brush and dutifully wiped 90% of the paint off by brushing it against the absorbent side of a cereal box (God bless Blue Peter they were spot on with the usefulness of cereal boxes). I also noticed I had forgotten to attach the "Infiltrator Leader's" antenna (see below):

Note: Inspiration was sought and came from online tutorials
Painting Tutorial (a) (TWG)
Painting Tutorial (b) (GMP)

Day 11: Vallejo "Brown Wash"

The thing that I am 'trying' to get used to with washes is that it is often "two steps forward one step back" as the wash seems to strip out some of the earlier "good" from the previous stage/layer of paint. I come from the 'old school' of three layers (shade, base, highlight), inking and a wash followed by a "ultra highlight". However Games Workshop seem to have promoted a Kaizen approach to factory painting efficiency .. which if truth be told gets results but takes a bit of the 'fun' out of things. Anyway having got my models shiny I proceed to dull them back down again with a "Brown Vallejo Wash" (see below):

Day 12: Highlighting Metal

Back to another dry-brush with Vallejo Gun Metal (see below, spot the difference or just re-work for the sake of rework?):

Close up of Droid Commander (see below):

Next I was going to put on some "brassy colours" ... but ...

Day 13: Confession

"Then I got distracted!" Press PAUSE but I will show you what I got distracted with next!

:)

Sci-Fi Robots (Part 1: Assembly)

Dramatic drum roll ... 30 Day Project announced ... Sci-Fi Robots

[Note: As some of my blog readers are also players in my "Space Crusade" campaign I pondered on keeping progress on this project a secret in a vain attempt to retain the surprise "Oooh shiny" factor come the next game but decided to publish instead.]

Not so 'Secret' Confession: I cannot resist popping into Games Workshop outlets (gasp, shock, horror ... historical wargaming community can ostracize me) just to see the painted figures on display (honest guv, no dice rolling, don't understand the rules anyway), so it takes something "good" [aka sexy] before I make a purchase, despite all the protestations and pleadings of the oppressed Sale Staff. I generally buy "one offs"  rather than commit (sorry should that be addicted?) to a particular honour bound "range" [Xmas present list as per the Codex or you are an unbeliever], but I have to report  ...  I succumbed (again) ... to these strange Martian Robot figures, top marks to Games Workshop design department (see below):

Shiny, shiny, shiny alert! Called" Sicarian Infiltators" (looking very post-apocalyptic circa 1980's apocalypse moveis) and/or "Sicarian Ruststalkers" (aka Star Wars Commando Droids) from the Adeptus Mechanicus Scitarii range (and I have absolutely" no idea what that means). Games Workshop have cunningly slipped two model types into one box just to induce you to buy it twice and it might just work to the weak-willed [unlike me?]. However to foil their cunning marketing plan I decided to do two of each basic type and then make a judgement call as to whether I make the Commander figure or go back to another grunt (50:50 call at the moment).

Note: Not cheap either at £28 a box and £5.60 a figure! I was also expecting the figures to be larger than they actually were, yet intriguingly the purchase still retains its silky allure and they grew in height as I assembled them, very fragile looking though. Lots of fiddly interchangeable parts and spares to play with on five set "body poses". Definitely a "modelling" project than a 'slap-and-snip together' affair! Seemingly as many parts left of the sprues after they had been assembled. If only I was any good with "Green Stuff" I reckon I could make another five figures easily. 

Standard rules of engagement for the Thirty Day Project, one small thing per day (no matter how small) to ensure forward progress is maintained throughout the period.

Day 1:

Open the box. Washed parts in hot water and washing-up liquid and dutifully read the assembly instructions (which were more complicated than I expected, again "fiddly parts").

The unboxed set of 'many parts' (see below): 

The intimidating 'Byzantine' instruction sheet that even if I carefully follow "I get wrong" (see below):

Day 2:

Managed to assemble three out of the four "base figures" [torsos, legs and back pack on base] (see below):

Day 3:
And now there is four, two destined to be Infiltrators with "Dome Heads" and two destined to be Ruststalkers with the "Clone Wars" Commando Droid heads (see below).:

Day 4:
The "Infiltrator pair" definitely post-apocalyptic 1970's/80's Sci-Fi IMHO which I like (see below, both "gunned up" but one with hand-to-hand pointy sword, the other with a long pointy "tazer" thing):

Day 5:
Ooops, I got one wrong! A head swap is required (see below, can you spot the difference? Pipes were supposed to go into the chest not hanging loose like I had them originally [see Day 4]):

Day 6:
The "Ruststalker pair" they seem to hand-to-hand specialists, one wielding double "long sword/katana, the other a ripping claw and short power sword - though I could see these carrying simple guns too. I seem to be coming down on the Ruststalker preference as they have more of an "army trooper" feel to them - even contemplating ripping out their left arms and gunning them up from the Inflitrator kit (see below):

[Note: Despite trying to meticulously follow the instructions I had to try multiple heads before I got it right "in my eyes". The "fiddle-factor" is high with this construction but it produces a 'finely-lined' end figure.]

Day 7:
The Commander figure. I went for the "Infiltrator" option in the end as I was not taken with the hooded head, does a robot need a hood? The "Commander Figure" is typical of Games Workshop nonsense in making distinct model types instead of just painting them slightly different (see below):

Basic built complete, painting next.

To be continued ...