From RichardH: One Last Hurrah (475 pts)

I missed the last few weeks of posting, just due to being pretty busy with work and never leaving enough time to get a post written up. This last push before the gates close will just be a big old compilation of things, and a mishmash of genres. I've organised things in a way that better fits with the studios map rather than the order they were completed in (works better when I am walking around the map).

First up following on from the general space elf theme from the last couple of posts, I got the pointy ears army all finished up, just a few command units on show this time.

Glad to have these all out of the way now, and ticking off that final gem on the last guy was a lesson (don't paint stupid gems on an entire army).

Points for these are:

Four 28mm foot @ 5pt = 20pts

One 28mm mounted @ 10pt = 10 pts

Sticking with the theme of silly space robot men types, a friend asked if I could do up a few of their favourite space marine chapter. In this case that chapter being Minotaurs, compared to some of the others it is a pretty simple colour scheme with only a few detail points, it was easy enough to get these knocked out in an evening.

Scoring on these is:

Eleven 28mm foot @ 5pt = 55pts

Getting focus now back to the studio map and picking up from the last bonus points of B&W I moved to grab the under construction points. I made a start this week on a small diorama featuring a giant squig, just because I have never painted up a squig before, so it was a cherry that had to be popped.

Points on this are pretty straight forward as it isn't finished so I can only claim bonus points. 20pts

A few folks at the local gaming club have been really getting into Stargrave recently and along with doing up a crew for the game, I also knocked up an iconic piece of scenery (while waiting on layers to dry for the above minotaurs). So this little number is grabbing me the Casting Couch as it basically saved the day for the second film.

A single 28mm foot (granted it is bigger but the scheme is so simple it feels criminal to try and claim it as a vehicle), for 5pt and the bonus of 20pt = 25pts

So keeping with the sci-fi stuff and Stargrave as the focus we have the crew all dolled up and ready for some bug hunting action, sadly Ash isn't quite finished yet so has to sit this one out. All of these and the power loader are from the Humans v Aliens packs of 3D models sculpted by Papiskels, stunning little models that slot right into any game.

Scoring on these is ten 28mm foot @ 5pt = 50pts

Also the first mate of my crew being a woman is hitching us all a ride in a limo for the next stop on the studio tour = 20pts.

Having now ticked off five of the green locations I thought I would bag a blue also. This next one is actually a gift for someone (Feb and Mar are big months for birthdays around here and I tend to lean on the side of making something where ever possible). But given I have another couple of gift entries I wanted this one to bag me at least on blue studio location.

A relative is crazy about fairies and dragons so I figured combining the two has to be on a winner. Plus I had been itching to have a large scale practice of painting a galaxy style layer, and relished the challenge of having it split into sections. The model itself is a 3D sculpt from FotisMint and while great looking and full of character it feels odd sitting on a tiny base from the print, naturally the only option is turn it all into a chunky diorama, add in some drama and story and bang one gift ticked off and I am considered the best for another year. The final piece was put into an acrylic case to keep it free of dust, but it turns out that totally kills any chance for getting pictures.

Points on this one are :

One 28mm foot (giant spider so technically worth 8 feet right?) @ 5pt

One 28mm vehicle (the dragon itself is around the right size for this) @ 20pt

One 6" cube terrain piece @20pt

Bonus studio fantasy @ 20pt

Total 65 pts

So another game by the same designer as SG is Rangers of Shadow Deep, and it is equally great. I've played it off an on for some time, and finally wrangled, bribed, threatened a few others into playing it also. So we are getting things set up for a large campaign run. One thing I never really had made as swanky terrain was some nice big forested tiles and something specific for a scenario which is trees infested with giant spiders. The big forest tiles are currently about 5% through their first half life of drying time, so the only terrain I could squeeze in for this are the trees.

Used my normal method of an armature, glue on some seafoam, then using spray glue and handfuls of flock you cover the thing. This time I just beefed up the trunks, and finally got to play with some spider serum from GSW. You spray it with an airbrush and get instant magic spooky spider webs, the stuff is so much fun.

Points on these are:

One 6" terrain cube @20pt = 20pts

One final thing for me before it is back to the gift giving (damned folks expecting presents and thoughtfulness). The local club decided this was the right time to start a Blood Bowl league (not sure why now, but any excuse to get in games and I am on board).

I originally went looking for some nice dwarven sculpts to print off, but came across something magical. An absolute genius "Chih-Te Yu" on MMF designed an ogre team with a samurai/sumo theme, all the ogres are big bellied sumo types and the gnobblars are all dancing around with scrolls or picking noses, or farting (good healthy gnobblar activities). That was me sold, and decided I was winning no matches this season but would have a team that everyone would still envy. The green boys are still on the bench so just the big chaps for now.

Scoring on these is:

Five 40mm foot @ 7pt = 35pts

Ok so three more entries on this and I am spent, all three involve a trip to the gift shop (two birthdays and one anniversary). First up is a small person gift, they are someone who also likes fairies and the sort, but also loves reading and yet they don't have a night light. Obviously the only right thing to do is rummage in the big greeble box, and break out the pringles cans, some egg cartons, and a few LEDs. One wave of the magic glue stick and you got yourself some odd shaped tower light thingymajig.

The next birthday involved something small for someone with a total devotion to their dog. Rather than go all out on this, I figured keep it small, simple and fast, aiming for something they can put on any desk or shelf they want without fear of it being monstrous in side or delicate. Just a dry brushed mini, some sculpted background, and a quick dab of a resin pour was all that was needed.

The final entry then on this mammoth last post was also the biggest actual model, given to someone nuts about Harry Potter as an anniversary gift. There was a bunch of easy options on this one but at the same time I wanted something to have some practice on. Lately I haven't done a lot of detailed blending to try and simulate light (silly space robot men and their plasma guns don't count). so I jumped on the idea of a big old phoenix bird, I came across an amazing sculpt with a really dynamic pose and figured it was perfect. The print part was nerve wrecking enough as even though it is a multi part model, each part was still pretty big, and the entire thing took about 2 days to print out. To give some sense of scale the base I made up for this was around 160mm wide (anything smaller had zero chance to support the model), at the top of the wings is around 220mm.

Even with that base things just weren't sitting right, knocking up a 3D perch fixed the issue, it allowed the feet to be glued, and also three areas of the tail to glue straight to the base. It also gave the overall snapshot look of a bird coming in to land, which was a happy accident at the time.

Painting really was nothing complex, just lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of hours spent repeating the same patterns on every single feather (it felt like those damned gems again).

 But overall I am happy how it came together, and a little quick and dirty osl of the base helps sell the effect.

Scoring on these is:

Tower Light - two 6" terrain cubes @ 20pt =  40pt / bonus gift 20pt = 60pts

Dog Diorama = One 28mm foot @ 5pt & one 6" terrain cube @ 20pt = 25pt / gift bonus 20pt = 45pts

Phoenix = One 54mm vehicle @ 30pt (wasn't sure if this thing classes as bigger or not due the size) / bonus gift 20pt = 50pts

At the end of play my studio map looks like this:

I had grand ideas of what to do for at least 5 of the other locations, but as always things get in the way. Well they will at least be good projects for the rest of the year.

This leaves me as just over 1000pts total for the challenge and really puts things in perspective about expectations and how fast the points rack up. I'm glad I only started out with a low and realistic first time target (300pts), but now on wards and upwards for next year, thinking to set that target now at at least 1500 pts. It's been a blast.

_________________________________________________

I'm delighted you had a good Challenge Richard. You really pulled out all the stops on this final entry! I especially like the various gifts you did for your friends - those trees (in all their forms) are fabulous (the Pringle can treehouse is truly inspired).

Thanks for joining us this season. I hope you can make it out again for the next edition.

- Curt

From BartekR: That is not dead...and nuke 'em from orbit (Sci-fi) (80 points)

Submissions for the "Studio Challenge", found among the papers of BartekR of Canberra, Australia...

Black and White Studio: WizKids Star-Spawn of Cthulhu

"The Thing cannot be described--there is no language for such abysms of shrieking and immemorial lunacy, such eldritch contradictions of all matter, force, and cosmic order" - H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu

 

I'm a sucker for the Cthulhu Mythos, have been since I discovered them as a 12 year old: the literature, the art, boardgames, RPGs. If the topmost bookshelf above where I sit at the computer failed, I would be crushed by the combined weight of Call of Cthulhu and Delta Green RPG books, or even just the lone Centipede Press A Lovecraft Retrospective artbook tome. I should add - I do draw the line at Cthulhu plush toys and the like however. Cthulhu etc should not be cute. Ever.

Similarly, I'm fascinated by how Cthulhu Mythos uber-gribblies are represented in miniature. For my money, Cthulhu: Death May Die does it best, very much on the back of Adrian Smith's art.

This WizKids "Pathfinder Battles Deep Cuts" mini is a symptom of that interest - quality isn't great, and its in a softish plastic, but bought at a con because...well...its Cthulhu. After at least half a decade of it bouncing around my study it seemed the right subject for my first attempt at greyscale/b&w painting: Cthulhu or its Star-Spawn ilk rising from the waters under the Gibbous Moon. Clearly the Stars were Right. (I was also thinking of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society's B&W film of Call of Cthulhu as part of my thinking).
 

 

Then came the troubled dreams of how to get the right grey tones, nightmares of eldritch rites involving black washes...SAN-loss followed.

Sweet dreams

I joke but this was plagued by a few instances of things going well (eg, good undercoating of black and white sprays for dark and light tones, or managing to pull off green glowing eyes) before I'd do something that screwed the overall effect. Mostly not knowing when to stop - overdoing washes - or ending up with a monotonal grey that didn't work at viewing distance. Thus, on the third attempt I called it quits - end result a slightly abstract, maybe comic book like effect...suitable for a B&W movie.

 

 

Black, white and grey paints (mostly Citadel) aside, I also used grey filters by Ammo and Vallejo transparent water effect (hence the shine). I have found the latter, even when dry, attracts cat fur quite well.

The lightbox helps with the dramatic effect

 

A pure aside, but there are some great images of Cthulhu rising from the water (Sam Lamont's cover to the Call of Cthulhu 7th ed Keeper Rulebook being one) but recommend checking out Darren Tan's 'Operation Starfish' graphic which appeared in the Osprey Adventures (Delta Green-esque) The Cthulhu Wars, written by Kennon Bauman and Ken Hite (of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff podcast, and plethora of RPGs including Trail of Cthulhu and The Fall of Delta Green).

 

Size comparison photo - chap at the front has the right idea

 

Interlude

Oscar and I haven't worked come to an accommodation as to how i can paint with him on my lap - hence his determined look

Sci-Fi: Gale Force Nine xenomorph Queen and Warriors 

 

 

The GF9 Aliens minis were a bit of an impulse buy (because I never make many of those!!!). Originally released for the Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps? boardgame, I picked up the standalone minis boxes for potential use in sessions of Free League's Alien RPG.  

These were another try and try again subject. As far as I can tell from trawling images, the xenomorph is generally black, with a metallic tinge (and some very silver teeth) - also in keeping with H.R. Giger's art style. So...silver undercoat and black washes it was. Which produced a very accurate looking alien. Problem was, it left them too dark and plain.

GF9 box art has some glorious looking minis - dark with soft blended blue (respectful of Ridley Scott's Alien palette). Alas, given I am still over reliant on drybrushing rather than blending, there was no way I was going to achieve that in the time I'd allocated. And, to be honest, it looked too bright. I know, "too dark...too light" - I sound like Goldilocks! But these are ambush from the shadows predators, not genestealers or tyranids. It was enough to prompt me to add a blue wash, and some blue highlighting before toning it down with a thinned black wash (maybe it was Contrast or Speedpaint, further diluted with thinner). End result, better (maybe not 'just right'). Bases are Gunmetal, blash wash, rust wash (comes out a bit too gold or copper in the photos) and Ammo's 'starship filth' filter. 

Running this way and that...

And a lot darker outside the light box

Realised reading over this draft how effectively the light box is at washing out colours - for good or bad (maybe will stop using the max light setting!)

Points

Star Spawn (54mm?) 10 points

B&W Studio bonus 20 points

Alien Queen (54mm?) 10 points

Xeno warrior gang (28mm x 4) 20 points

Sci-fi Studio bonus 20 points

Total: 80 points

In next week's episode: ???

Kissy kiss

THe aliens are great and so is the octopus thingy - don't really get Cthulhu, kinda passed me by. Top work

From BartekR: From the Under Construction Studio comes...Chaos Warriors of Khorne (65 points)

With Director’s Cut warning klaxons and lights in the distance…

...from the desolate wastes of the ‘under construction’ part of my pile of shame come the (Warhammer Fantasy) 8-strong Red Cleaving warband of Kraal the Bronze, Chaos Warrior devotees of the Blood God Khorne. (There is the ninth equivalent of the fifth Beetle in the photos – Bob, the name I gave to the additional figure which became the guinea pig for techniques before I applied them to the rest of the figures.)

Kraal and his killers, the Red Cleaving (with Bob skulking up the back)

The figures should be fairly recognisable – GW’s 28mm Chaos Warriors from 2008(?). An evolutionary step in plastic over their predecessors, the in-step pose is a bit too uniform for chaos warriors. That said, I’m fond of them…the design makes a stunning appearance in the trailer for the 2008 Warhammer PC game Mark of Chaos (viewable here).

The whole 'under construction' crew - before

Backstory: These nine are part of 25 my brother handed off undercoated to paint for one of his WFB armies back in 2012/13. A few initial coats of paint aside (to denote which would be marked for Khorne or for the Plague God Nurgle), the lot have been gathering dust for over a decade - I had to rinse them before painting. [I’ll come back to the Nurgle ones when I revisit the ‘under construction studio’, time allowing]. 

The plan is to come back for the rest

I’m bloody stoked with them (no pun intended) – not the painting etc but the simple fact I have finished not only a figure but a unit for the first time in decades (2012/13 was when I last made steps to get back into painting but made stilted progress). A lot of finding my feet and re-learning the body mechanics of painting but rediscovered the joy (I actually found myself grinning a fair bit of the way), though can't hand paint banners to save myself. Having been MIA from the Challenge the looming Director’s Cut deadline helped to get me moving at a clip.

I discovered I was out of flat varnish - so a bit glossy still

Take aways: Mostly about self-care. With so many years since last painting regularly and for periods of time, I'm being mindful of regular breaks, maintaining posture, pacing myself etc -- this has been the first time I've worn reading glasses to paint (and also used a magnifier) and have periodic lower back issues. Pulling a few long sittings were a reminder about back and eye strain. I’ve also made a mental note – underlined and with exclamation marks – to close paint jars when not using them: I managed to knock not one but two over as I was clumsily finding my way around what was a cluttered bench. Onwards and upwards…

Can't do hand painted banners...so...more blood!

Going forward: given my -technique and doing' (rather than moving projects along) aims for the AHPC, I've realised the Studio challenges is where I’ll be spending my time, with the aim of spiralling my way through the whole lot (cha-boom…see what I did there?).

Points: 

9x 28mm foot = 45pts 

Under Construction Studio = 20 pts

Total = 65 pts. 

On to the silver screen next…

  love these, esp the cloaks - do like a good cloak. Well timed on the entry, now you just have to out score Kyle by about 4000 pts to over take him