Back at the pigment mines

After a “business trip” to Key West Florida last week and the resulting head cold thanks to small planes and screaming kids I got back into the pigment mine last night. Granted the break has only been about a week, but right now that is actually feeling like an eternity. So here is an update on a few of my projects

GenCon pieces:
I finally got the spare pieces in from Privateer a little over a week ago so I could start laying out the pieces for King Vinter. I’ve got eCaine’s base, King Vinter, plus a Stormguard helmet and weapon. I did not realize that eCaine’s base was set at an angle previously so I’m working on a way to level that out. I was hoping to get the stormguard weapon and helmet on the base as well, but that will make it too busy. So I’ll only be using the helmet.

Spartans:
Crocodile says that Wargods Olympus will be released this May. I’ll still believe it when I see it but after watching 300 I’m energized to paint up some of my Spartans. So I pulled out my two primed Spartan Models (Captain and Strategos) to start work on. Unfortunately the Strategos is suffering from Fuzzy Primer Syndrome so he got some time spent with a stiff toothbrush and some soap to help knock the fuzziness off. Tonight I’ll be able to tell if I fixed the problem and if he will need to be fully stripped and/or re-primed. The captain got a flesh tone base coat, a little darker than I’m used to working with.

Spring Reaper Mini Exchange Miniature assignment:
Last Friday I stopped by Dream Wizards and picked up a few Reaper sculpts, one for me to practice painting see through fabric on (Jenna female vampire) One to paint for my Wife (Female Necromancer) and my spring assignment the Oriental Dragon. Hopefully these should get primed this week.

What I’ll be working on in the coming weeks
• Still working on Rob’s everblight I’ve got a few more things to finish off for him to close out that painting agreement.
• The bulk of my Skorne has been painted up but I still need to get two more units (Venators and Ceterati) plus finalize the warlocks and some spare beasts.
• Spartans!!!!!!
• Plus of course my art projects and the GenCon submissions.

Initial Thoughts on the Lies behind P3 paints

First, I have to say the paints are nice to use - no real troubles. That being said, I dispute two of their marketing items:

1. You do NOT have to use new painting techniques with these paints. If you layered highlights via thinned paints before, you can do the same thing with these.

2. They do NOT mix with each other quickly - it took me more time to mix one P3 paint with another than the Vallejo ever did (only a small amount of time difference, but still...)


Things I disagree with:

1. Not using dropper bottles. Come on - you want people to paint armies, yet you don't give them the proper tool to replicate color.

2. Not releasing more metals at the outset. I am waiting for their Brass to come out to paint the armor on my Circle models. I am trying (and so far successfully) to use only P3 paints on them to test the range out. So far, so good. But I can't finish the models without the metallics.


Things I like:

1. The liquidity of the paints - they don't require as much thinning as the Vallejos because it is built in. (this also means you effectively don't get as much paint, since they have, in effect, added the thinner in for you).

2. Paint coverage seems to be good - though it seems like it took two coats of my base to cover black, no matter the color (even brown).


Overall, I'm satisfied with the line. I haven't tried mixing them with Vallejos yet, so I don't know if they are an either-or proposition or if they can be used selectively as needed. I am looking forward to their expanded metals so I can finish up these Circle beasts (then I will post pics).

Trollblood Kriel warriors: Day 1

Let's see if I can get a "daily" update on my next painting project. Daily means a day I work on them not days back to back.

So, I have pinned the arms of all the kriel warriors and put the rod into the foot for the base and so I can secure them in the pin so I can paint them. I have left the shields unattached and on the sprue for painting.

In addition, these are the first figures I have actually washed with soap and water since they are the first figures that actually had an oily feeling to them. I will say there does appear to be a different look to them after the bath but I'm not really sure I can put my finger on it yet.

Next update probably over a week away since I am on travel.

Circle painted

So with some work and over estimating my time for painting I have finished off a good chunk of Circle stuff for Rob.

The warlocks, a unit of wolves, 2 warpwolves and 4 argus.

I'll be working on some more of the druids in the future plus some touch ups after a review of the other druids.

Maybe I'll get some pic's up at some point.

Everblight Painting Update and Reaper mini Exchange

Everblight:
So last Monday I switched from Skorne Painting to Everblight painting and made some short term rapid progress, assisted by my absence from work Friday. Middle of last week I finished off the Everblight Forsaken model and on Friday a got another 6 Everlbight swordsmen finished.

Forsaken, The idea of the miniature was much better than it’s execution. Not to say the model is bad, but the sculpting lacked expressive details, particularly in the face. Still a pretty good model and all in all painted up fairly quickly (probably 2 hours total).

Swordsmen, pretty straight forward paint job, similar to the last 6 I accomplished. These were finished thanks to a Friday off, and a few background movies. Somehow it seemed fitting to paint these goth rejects while watching “The Crow”. Luckily the details on these guys is pretty easy to execute a good table top quality paint job. Easily accomplished with base coating and drybrushing OR base coating and a wash. That let me push them through really quick, probably spent 4 hours total on the 6 figures.

Reaper mini Exchange:
Sign ups for the Spring Reaper mini exchange are going on now! Essentially you sign up to partake in the exchange on the Reaper miniature forums, and then you get a painting assignment. You paint a figure for somebody and somebody paints a figure for you. I’m finishing off my assignment for the second mini exchange (photos up later this week) and it works well for me. Forces me to get a high end miniature finished and out the door. But also allows me to stretch out my comfort zone and try something new. And if it fails I don’t have the miniature mocking me when it all done. http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=24869 Link to the sign up page. Follow directions there if interested