21/100 - Nightwing, the Original Robin

I did not plan to paint anything this week.  I picked up the new Legions of Nagash Battletome and was working my way through it.  I am getting really excited to get more of my Death Alliance done (one of my hobby goals is a 2000pts Age of Sigmar army).  A while back a good friend of mine, Josh, was leaving the country (something about a pile of dead badgers I think) and needed to unload some of his models.  He sent a few boxes of Undead stuff my way.

It really helped my army grow as it was mainly models that I did not already have (Morgasts, Mortarch, Coven Thrown etc).  Have I mentioned how amazing Josh is?  Now if you know Josh he is allergic to everything, including keeping his models in cases.  So I figured that I would take a week off painting and repair some models. I got threw most of them (just Nagash left...). 

I got up early saterday morning  and decided to do a little painting before my wife and baby woke up.  I started to work on the vampire Lord Konrad, who I plan to use as a regular vampire lord on foot. Since I was painting the bats that make up his cloak black, I figured I would paint another model that was sitting on my "to-do" list for a few months that was also predominately black, Nightwing.

I did not plan on finishing either model that day.  However once I finsihed the black I realized that Nightwing was 90% done (it does help when a model is wearing a two colour onesie).


The only problem I had with this model was when I came to do the eyes.  I could not get the eyes even.  I probably painted them about 8 times and every time it looked fine at first, but then way off when I moved the model.  It finally dawned on me that there was a slight flash line going threw his right eye that was throwing it off... So I did the best I could with out having to scrape half his face off.

I also recently picked up an airbrush.  I have tired to use it twice...lets just say there is going to be a steep learning curve.  I had much more success today though.  A big thank you to Chris, Jay and Dai Viet at Lords of War for the troubleshooting.  I am really looking forward to the Airbrush Class with Pat from Artisan's Edge in a few weeks.    

I should be able to finish up the vampire lord early next week and put the finishing touched on my first airbrush models, a unit of Spirit Hosts. 

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

2017 Hobby in Review

Another year has gone by.  It was a very productive year (personally as well as hobby-wise).  I did more painting, gaming and blogging than the previous year.  At the beginning of 2017 I took part in the friendly Lords of War Hobby Challenge.  I made a goal to paint 75 models by the end of the year.  This morning I put the finishing touches on model 80-82.   Here are entries 64-82 of my hobby challenge; 4 units of Warmaster Dire Wolves (Actually wargs from Battle of Five Armies), a unit of Warmaster Skeletons, a Warmaster Necromancer, and three pieces of the old Forge World modular Warmaster castle. 

I painted the necromancer like an evil Gandalf.  It seemed fitting for this to be the last model I painted in 2017 since the Battle of Five Armies Gandalf and Frodo model was my first.

 

While I hit my hobby model count, I did not complete all of the projects that I intended.  2.5 out of 5 is not terrible. Here was the original list:
-New Crew for Batman Miniature Game - Completed 2 - Brave and the Bold and Scarecrow's Militia
-Team for The DC Universe Game (Justice League) - Completed 2 - Justice League 60+ levels and Suicide Squad
-Blood Angel Stormtalon (I have been converting this model for years, time to put some paint on it) - incomplete (in my defense I really don't want to paint red on a model this large without an airbrush!)
-1500pts of Undead for Age of Sigmar - incomplete - I made progress but only got about 750 finished 
-New Gang for Malifaux (Death Marshals or The Latigo Posse) - incomplete - not even attempted  

One of the things I was most proud of was this blog.  I wrote more post this year (40 entries) than any year previously (previous top was 28 in 2015).  The frequency of posts also improved, I made at least one entry every month. 

I started to share posts that featured Batman miniatures on the Arkham City Limits group.  Because of this people from around the world read the blog (Germany, UK, Spain, Australia).  I really like that the BMG community is truly worldwide.

The top three most views posts where:
1) Wayne Financial 
2) Arkham Guard Reporting for Duty
3) the DCU WAR Recap event at Lord of War

Here are a few of my favorite models/events/projects from this year:

 

 

 

 

I am looking forward to continuing this in the new year.  I will be partaking in the Lords of War Hobby Challenge 2018.  Not sure what my goal and projects will be, but I have a day to figure it out!  I hope you all will continue to accompany me through next year's hobby adventures! 

Kevin

I Made a "Grave" Mistake

This title is incorrect.  I made no mistake. Instead I painted 5 graves.  I was gearing up for the second scenario in the Age of Sigmar Skirmish campaign last week.  The mission calls for 5 treasure hordes placed around the table.  The goal of the game is to explore the treasure markers and keep enemies off them.  Since Brad is playing Grand Alliance of Death, I figured grave markers would be very thematic substitute for the treasure markers.

I think I will end up making a small base for the graves.  Have it surrounded by a wooden fence and have the tombstones free floating (like the GW plastic trees).  I have always liked the look of terrain in fantasy games.  However in the previous GW fantasy editions, unless it was a hill, terrain was a pain in the but.

WIP - Ring Toss Game Booth

Age of Sigmar has a very different relationship with terrain.  It can be an intrinsic part of an army or it can be an impartial second opponent.  On the other hand it could just be there to look pretty.  I think I am going to work on some terrain in the near future starting with an new piece for my BMG Carnival table.






Kevin