15/100 - A Master Burglar for an Unexpected Journey

Every once in a while you paint a model and everything works smoothly.  The model is clean and simple.  The colours you choose work well.  You may even try out a new technique without a hitch.  Bilbo from the Unexpected Journey box was such a model.

It was a little unnerving how much the model actually resembles Martin Freeman.  It is a simple enough model; the biggest piece of flair on it is the scarf and jacket buttons.  I was worried that I was not going to be able to finish a project this week.  However once I got paint on the model it came together very rapidly. 

When I paint I tend to keep shades and highlights simple.  I paint the raised areas brighter and the deeper areas darker.  I don't usually consider the lighting a character would be under.  The result is models that tend to have a uniformed plastic appearance.  So for Bilbo I tried to keep a fictitious light source in mind when I painted him.  I figured that Bilbo would have the sun above him at Mount Erebor, so I did not highlight the underside of his sleeve much.  I also shaded the stones surrounding Bilbo darker to capture his shadow (which is fairly lost since I dumped snow on it). 

Now Gandalf has his burglar.  Time to start on some of the dwarves.

I also finished painting 3 stands of Ethereal Hosts for my Warmaster Vampire Counts army.  Models tend to paint up fast when it is 95% grey with a wash.
 

I am going to jump back to Batman next week.  I want to try and get a new model painted in time for the Lords of War Birthday event.  Cyborg will be boom tubing in! 

Kevin

11/100: Bring Out Your Dead!

I decided to get a start on two of my hobby goals I set for this year.  First up was some more units for my Grand Alliance of Death for Age of Sigmar.   I have a lot of undead stuff.  I have been collecting the various incursions of the Games Workshop undead for twenty years.  The fist models I ever bought were a box of skeletons. However one of the problems that I had last year was that I did not have a set goal.  I said I wanted to paint a full army, but there was no structure.   So I wrote a 2000 point army list last week to help me focus.  Now this list is not set in stone.  I am sure as I play more games I am going to drop units and add new ones.  But this gives me a start.

I worked on 3 units for AoS this week.  All of them where old models that I was re-basing and touching up.   I made a new large base for a Corpse Cart.  This is one of my favorite GW models.  It already has so much character.  I added a few tomb stones and graves to the base for ambiance. 

I also re-based and added some highlights to a converted wraith.  I made this guy out of a plastic Empire Wizard and some extra skeleton bits.  

The last unit I worked on was two bases of Bat Swarms.  I do not like the really really old plastic bat swarms.  I do however really really like their rule that gives all enemies within 12 inches -1 to hit.  So I dug out my Lord of the Rings Bat Swarms.  These are great models.  I know I have at least one more somewhere but I am hoping I have a second one to double my unit.  

I was also able to complete my first member of Thorin's Company, Gandalf the Grey.  It seemed fitting to paint Gandalf first for two reasons.  One: he organised the excursion to reclaim the lonely mountain. Two: one of the first models that I painted last year was Gandalf from the Battle of Five Army game.  Maybe this is a new tradition, new year = new Gandalf.   I do have Gandalf the Grey on horseback lying around...

                     

I kept thinking that it was going to be an easy model to paint.  Just a bunch of grey, right?  Trying to find different ways to paint various shades of grey became very challenging.  I almost gave up while working on the robes.  I hated the first highlight but the subsequent layers brought me back and I am very happy with the finished product.  The unique feature that I have found with the Lord of the Ring models is that I can see a very clear progression of my painting skill/style over the years.  Because I have painted the same character in different posses from different sets at different times, I can sit them side by side and compare.  Here is my most resent Gandalf with one that I painted at least three years ago (but it could be from longer ago, I am really just guessing here).  

That is all for this week.  Next week I am going to start on Bilbo Baggins and some Ethereal Hosts for my Warmaster Army.  

Kevin

6/100 - Castle Play-Set

If you are going to have a bunch of toy skeletons, you have to have the haunted castle play-set to put them in.  This week I took a break from painting Warmaster infantry to paint Warmaster terrain.  I finished up three more sections of the old Forge World Warmaster Castle.

There is only one more wall to paint but first I must rebuild the battlements, which have already apparently seen combat (the back room at the old GW Bunker must have been a rough place).

Next week I am going to try and finish up the Gandalf that I started.  I will also be working on a few stands of spirit hosts for my Vampire Counts Warmaster army.  I do have to say that working on this Warmaster is really getting me pumped to finish up my Death army for Age of Sigmar... 

Kevin

3/100 - 42 Skeletons Done!

First models for the year are painted.  I went "big" for my first painting project, with 42 skeletons.  Now to be fair, those 42 skeletons are 3 bases of Warmaster skeletons, but there are at least 42 bodies on those three bases.

I am continuing with the Warmaster army that I started at the beginning of December.  I finished up my second unit of skeletons that are in my original 1000 pts army list.

1000 Points Vampire Counts Warmaster
 - 2 units of Skeletons
 - 2 units of Zombies
 - 3 units of Grave Guard
 - 1 unit Black Knights
 - 2 units of Dire Wolves
 - 1 unit Ethereal Hosts
 - 1 Vampire Lord on Abysmal Terror
 - 1 Vampire Count in Black Coach
 - 1 Necromancer


I now have the Necromancer, 2 units of Skeletons, and the 2 units of Dire Wolves painted.  I painted up some extra bases of Dire Wolves because I may drop the Black Coach and just have the Count on foot.  An extra unit of light cavalry might be very useful.

I am making steady progress on this army and I am pleased with the results.  Since I have made some excellent headway in my Warmaster challenge, I think I am going to take next week off from infantry and finish off the rest of the Warmaster castle I have been picking away at.  I also want to start the first model of my Hobbit Challenge; Gandalf the Grey.  

Kevin