A Lass with an Axe to Grind

Greetings once more readers.  I'm afraid I don' t have the best figure to go on hold with, but I promised you something, and this is better than nothing.  I'm about halfway done with her - done with the skin, hair, eye, and hair, and just started on the cloak/armor set (first coat).  Anyways, you all want to see what I've done, right?  Well, here she is!

Still a ways to go, but she is definitely looking good!  Don't forget, I'll be out for a while folks - but when I get back, I'll be finishing her up and painting up the next competition piece - and then, well, let's just say I'll get to work on one of the kickstarters I recently got in.  So, tune in a week from now to hear what's going to go down - it should be quite a battle!

Until next time, folks - paint on!

A True Highlight of the Woodland Scene

Greetings once more, Readers.  My, it's been a bit, hasn't it?  Well, you'll all be happy to know that I've had a very successful weekend of gaming - winning one event, and taking the participation prize in the second - but that also means that I did not get a lot done over the weekend.  But not to fret, readers - I am quite pleased to say that I have finished up another figure today - this time the majestic Spirit of the Forest, from Reaper Miniatures:

Now, isn't that a friendly smile?   I was somewhat inspired by a similar color scheme that a friend did for this same figure not long ago (if I can get his permission, you all may get to see that version for yourselves), with a few twists.  For one thing, teh brilliant crimson vine wrapping the figure's lower body, as well as the color of the fellow's eyes (the same leaf green on the plantlife on him).  I'd say that he came out rather well - particularly as he only took me a bit under the play length of Event Horizon to paint up.

Well, I don't think he much cared for that movie - too much blood, I reckon. Either that, or it was just too scary for him...  Either way, that's all I have for you all tonight.  Be sure to tune in tomorrow to see what I get done - particularly as it'll signal another long patch before I have something new to post up.  But after that?  Things should be back to normal - and after I finish out the next competition piece shortly after getting back, I'm going to get started on the next big project of mine - and shall I say, it should be rather...  super?

Tune in next time, folks - and until then, paint on!

PS: Be glad I decided to steer clear of some of the titles I was thinking of.  Entirely accurate, in a pre-40s style of slang - but the words would not have been deemed particularly appropriate in this day and age.  Besides, I don't know of many farmers who would trade for him.  ;p

A Hero to Save Us

Greetings, folks.  It's time once more to tune in and see what I've gotten done today - and just as promised, I have the finishing touches on the figure from yesterday, as well as another one that I've finished up today!  Let's get started, shall we?

Things have certainly gotten chillier for that dwarf we saw yesterday! The snow effect came out quite well - though I did have to brush most of it off of him when I put it on (it went on a touch too thick to start with), but this certainly gives the whole thing a feel of exceptional chilliness.

Next up we have Reaper's ShadowTalon figure - a piece that I really should have painted well before now.  But he's painted up now, and ready to show his stuff!

Now all I need is a good miniatures or superheroes game to play him in...  I wonder how long until Supersystem 4e comes out?

That's all I've got today, folks.  It'll be a heavy gaming weekend for me, so don't expect to see much for nigh-on a week - but you all know me.  If I can get something whipped up, I'll post it on here.  So stay tuned, and until next time - paint on!

He's dead, Jim

Greetings, all.  It is time once more to see what I've accomplished today.  Nothing spectacular, nothing grand.  Not even anything living (well, OK, nothing representing anything living) - I give you the 90% finished Dead Dwarf from Stonehaven Miniatures:

I say this figure is at 90% because when I finished up with him...  I decided that he would be rather fitting to put on a snowy base.  I've whipped the base up (1" wooden disc with Citadel snow technical paint), and tomorrow - after that dries - I'm going to glue the figure on, lightly wet the figure with a light glue mix (basically 10% adhesive, just enough to get it to stick unevenly), the sprinkle on some Baking Soda to make it look like the fellow died after a deep freeze followed by a light snowfall (which should let the colors show through).  Tune in tomorrow, and you'll see how it turns out.

And that's really pretty much it from me today.  Who knows what tomorrow brings - and until it comes, paint on!

Cap'n Shiny Pants

Greetings once more, readers.  Another day gone, and another figure to show off - this time one of the figures from the Sedition Wars kickstarter - and those of you familiar with Firefly (or looked at the tags for this post) have probably already figured out which  one - Captain Shiny Pants himself, Malcolm Renolds!

What was that?  Oh, right...  This isn't an official tie-in miniature, this is a send off to the series fig.  Forgive me.  I meant we have the illustrious Ian Reins:

Maybe not my best work ever, but he is surely ready to take the field and make sure everything's shiny in the 'verse.

That's all I have for you folks today.  Tune in tomorrow for something else off my painting bench - and I've definitely noticed that my productivity's gone way up since I started this.  Of course, like all true hobbyists, it's still a drop in the bucket compared to what I have yet to paint - but it at least gives me a solid reason to keep painting stuff up every day.

A Lazy Weekend

Greetings once more, readers.  I am obviously back, and I have the updates to show for it.  I haven't gotten much painted since I got back, but today you'll get to see a bit of why.  You see, I just got a bunch of Kickstarter stuff in, and well:

That's a good chunk of Malifaux figures assembled and ready to prime, and yet:

There's still a few more.  This is just the tip for what I've gotten - but that will have to wait for another day - and I think that's going to be my next major project, and boy, will it take a long while.  It should be pretty awesome once it's done, however.

And the last tidbit for tonight, is the finished version of Tobias Winterhorn.  Quite a change from the basic greys we started with, eh?

Well, that's all from me today.  I probably won't have anything tomorrow, but tune in Monday for... well, whatever I end up doing then.  Until then?  Paint on!

A bit late, but still here

Sorry about the late post, all.  Didn't get as much done as I would have liked, but I have something to show for it, now.  Let's start with the first addition to the standard cast of characters that I'm going to be using with Daz3d for my 3d renders and a lot of my custom female characters:  Janet!

I'll work on getting more characters set up to go with her over the next while.  But for now, I have some work on figures that I did get done.  First up is Brother Silence from The Gamers: Dorkness Rising:

Almost finished, just need to get the static grass on his base.  I decided that the black belt and  orange gi would be best for really making him feel like a classic monk - though I can't say that I'm a big fan of how pudgy the figure's face is...  Ah, well.  That's neither here nor there - just something to comment on as we pass it by.

We finish up my progress today with a fine elven druid.  This is Reaper Miniatures Tobias Winterhorn.  Still very early in painting him up - but I like what I'm seeing on him so far!  Tune in tomorrow for the finished product.

That's all I have for today, folks.  Tune in tomorrow to see what else I get done.  Until then?  Paint on!

Wheeeeeeeee....

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....

I'm flying home right now.  Tune in tomorrow for something more productive.

An Exploration of the Third Dimension... Narf.

Poit, egad.  OK, enough silliness to balance out the dry start to the title - sorry folks, they can't all be winners.  It's time once more to...  Wait, it's been a while, hasn't it folks?  Well, as I said before, I'm not at my usual work station, and have only been tinkering and playing with the Daz3D modelling software.  It's rather a nice piece of software to work with - if only I could figure out how to get everything loading up all at once and playing nicely with every other bit...  Ah, well, I'm mostly going to use it to set up for 3d models to print and paint come early next year, so I'm not too bothered by the limitations - and there are some rather nice setups that I can get with it, a couple of which I'm going to share with you all today.

We'll start where I started, a little look at a lovely lass waiting in the park:

Not the greatest looking piece, I'll admit - and there's supposed to be a park backdrop there, but I'm having issues figuring out how that's supposed to work, but there you have it.  It's a start - but there's more to see than this!

Next up, we have an attempt at a bit of a night scene.  I was really trying to line up the shadow from the post there with the figure, but no luck there.  Something else I have to learn.

Now this one is one that I'm happy with.  Though a later render came out looking much better, this is the first of the ones that I think looks actually decent - and one that I'm definitely going to come back to play with.  Lots of room to explore there, I think - and I actually figured out how to get a more dynamic camera angle.  Though...  That helmet really makes her look like Megaman, doesn't it?

And the last piece for today - a bit of unrepentant fanservice for the ladies out there.  Basically, just the Michael 4 model with the muscle morphs pumped way up, but a decent pose and a decent angle, with plenty of light showing off his tone.

That's all I have today, folks.  Flying day tomorrow, so I won't have much to show off - but Friday and Saturday should bring something in for you all - and we're coming up on a pretty significant milestone!  Just 23 more posts until I hit 100!

All agreed, say "Eye"

Greetings once more, readers.  I make no apologies for the punny title - really, if you've made it this far, you really should have come to expect as much by now.  This is likely the last update - at least as far as painting goes - you'll see for the next week.  I am going to try something different come Saturday for the next week - but more on that later.  For now, you want to see what I've done today, right?  So wait no longer - the Eyes have it:

Now, ain't that a winning smile?  Careful though - he's almost all mouth!

And no matter where you are, you can still catch sight of his peepers.

Once again, big expressive eye, so I went all out in painting it.  That wraps up this post...  Wait?  Didn't I say I was going to try something else for the next week?

Well, that's right.  I've been toying around with Daz3D and Facegen, and I'm going to have lots of time to tinker around and see what I can do with the software over the next week - so I'm going to try to post up a new model or render that I've put together each day that I'm away next week.  It may not end up happening - I do have a few other things I need to do at the same time - but it's the best chance I've got to really dig in and work without interruption - so I'm going for it.  But that won't start until the weekend - Saturday at the earliest - so you'll all have to hold fast until then.

For now, though, that's all I have to say.  Until next time, folks - paint on!

The perfect mate for that seaside rendezvous

Greetings once more, readers.  I am glad to say that Cthulhu came along a lot faster than I had expected - though I shouldn't be surprised, as I only used a total of 3 color triads on him...  As big as he is, the work goes fast when you're not swapping between a dozen different color sets:

A rather massive figure, and the post (as well as the sandy floor) does give him something of the look of swimming through water.

I see you!  It's not often I get to work with eyes that are large enough to actually do something with, so I like to put in that little extra bit of detail when I get the chance.  And here, it just adds that little extra bit of creepiness.

And anther full body shot, looking at one of the many boxes of figures that I have yet to paint - they're primed, they're mostly washed, but they're still waiting on the brush to come to them.  Someday, figures, someday.

That's all from me today, folks.  I spent about two hours on this hulk, but I am very glad with the results - not to mention, the pictures came out rather well, despite the lighting (it's just not in a good spot for these pictures).  Tune in tomorrow when I paint...  Well, it'll be something small, since it'll be may last chance to go at something with the brushes for a while.  Until then, folks - paint on!

With something this big, you need a solid foundation

Greetings once more, readers.  The big guy is coming along quite nicely, with the first layer having gone down before having to wait for paint to dry.  Not much to do after that - I'll start building up the highlights come tomorrow - but I do have my progress marked to share with you all:

And there you can tell the sheer scale of this monster.  Went through nearly 2/3 a bottle of that particular shade of green getting the base coat on him - fortunately, the rest of the steps will be much more targeted, meaning less paint used overall.  He's big, he's green - and hopefully, I'll get him on the table once he's all painted up and ready to go.

And that's it for today, folks.  Tune in tomorrow for the highlights and maybe even the first of the other colors.  Until then...  paint on!

And I beheld a pale horse...

Greetings once more, readers.  I hope you forgive me a touch of the dramatic for this post, but I thought it rather fitting for one of the big nasties for the Warhammer Fantasy Vampires - Count Mannfred himself.  To quote the full passage: "When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come." I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth."

 Not really apropos of anything in particular, other than the fact that it provided a touch of inspiration for the paint scheme on this fellow.  If I were to paint him again, I may try for a fully phantasmal mount - along the lines of what you saw in the Banshee previously - but I think the results for this one will stand up quite on their own.

But first, I promised you all something a little special today, didn't I?  Well, after a couple of hours playing and tweaking, I worked up a render of the Sisters from one of the Pathfinder games I'm in - particularly, the one involving the adventures of Argos Magebane - the Four-Armed sisters Coeava and Sorecha:

Yeah, I've still got a ways to go before I'm really pulling off the really good sculpts and sets - but I'm learning, and it certainly looks a lot better than the first one I tried doing (not the Dragon, the other one) - but I've still got a long way to go.  Still, I'm learning - and these will make a great painting reference when I get my 3d printer in!

But I've put it off long enough, wouldn't you say?  You all want to see Count Mannfred - my entry for this month's painting contest:

And from the other side, showing off how all the colors really interact with each other:

And I think he'll be a force to be reckoned with.  Took a while to paint him up - I think I clocked in at just over 3 hours for him - but I'm certainly happy with the results - and can't wait to hear the talk about him once I bring him in.

And, now that this month's competition piece is done, those of you who have been paying attention will know what time it is:

He may be sleeping now - but starting tomorrow, I will be taking on an attempt to paint him up.  It is not an easy task - if nothing else, that's a big old body to cover in paint, but he's far from the biggest project I've tackled.   So tune in tomorrow to see how far I get on him in the evening.

Until then, folks - paint on!

Primed for August

Greetings once more, readers mine.  Thank you for all the views you gave me yesterday - too bad I didn't have the update ready for you all yet...  But let me make up for that now, with some pics of the latest batch of stuff I've primed up and have ready to hit the painting table:


First off, we have a vampiress from Games Workshop... that I've managed to completely forget the name of...  Well, she's one that I stole the hand from for Lady Avery's sculpt, so I decided to replace her dainty little hand and fine sword... with a Warhammer 40K power axe.  Well, I never said that I had good taste, but I do like the image of a woman wielding a weapon near as large as she is:

Next up we have a lovely dwarf lass that...  Well, I guess her axe is pretty sizable as well.  Well, at least she looks stout enough to wield it properly:

The march of ladies continues with something that's a bit less obvious - one of the Warhammer Dryads.  Definitely feminine, if you get a good look at them - but mostly what you see is wood.

Speaking of wood, this druid - Tobias Winterborn - makes a striking figure, with his longspear in one hand and his pose being held up by a rather impressive vine.  He'll be a fun one to paint up - after I finish my next big guy (you all know who I mean):

And finally, we come to our main attraction:  The villainous County Mannfred from Warhammer Fantasy.  He's the next competition piece I have to paint up - and he's a nasty looking fellow.  Here's the picture you would have gotten if I had been on the ball and posted yesterday:

And here's what you're patience gets you: all primed up and waiting the brush to make him glow - though he already has that sort of silent film, black and white feel to him (though I doubt that just taking this in will win me as many votes):

That's all from me today.  Tune in tomorrow to see how the 'good' count develops - and I may have another 3d render for you all - if I can figure out everything for the software...  Until then, folks - paint on!