Stupid heads!

WOW. Bad move deciding I wanted a lot of bare heads in the army. Pretty much wasted two days trying to get six heads right. Tried about nine different methods and colour combos. In the end the sixth got binned and a replacement helmeted head was painted up. Anyway here are the finished heads. They look pretty damn good at a bit of distance as seen in the group shot. Figured I would also take closeups so you can see what they really look like lol. Oh and I never bother with the eyes, just end up screwing it up.

Hobby Resolutions

This is something I discussed with Paul, however it wasn't his cup of tea.

My thought was to mentally collect some hobby goals together and fine tune them down to say 3 goals for the year.

Over the last week I have been doing just this trying to decide what I want to achieve this year from my gaming. Considering the amount of gaming I do and the amount of models I have I knew these needed to factor in my goals.

Goal One: Gaming

Currently our gaming time in zero. I consider this to be a gaming and modelling hobby and as such I want to get more games in this year. Knowing how busy I will be and how hard it is to find time I want to aim for a simply one game a month. So by the end of year I will have played 11 games of 40k / Fantasy.

Not a lofty goal but one that is important

Goal Two: Paint an Army

I have a number of armies on the go. Simply put I want to complete an army for 40k or Fantasy (1850/2400) by the end of the year

Goal Three: Paint More Models

I also have many models for many armies. I aim to paint a total of 3000 points of models by the end of the year. This goal differs from Goal Two as an army will include wargear / magic items , unit upgrades etc. These points are for base model points alone as written in armybooks. For example I could not paint a wizard and "decide" to upgrade him to level 4 to gobble up some points.


These goals should be met pending on my workload throughout the year, however I know how hard it is to find time with two kids and now a new job so I think these goals are reasonable for someone in my position

Tanks!

Guess what arrived today!  Awesomeness! Also, finished the FoW tank, very cool painting something real military colours!

Off to a flying start this morning!

Got up today and the weather was pretty good and I was motivated! Got my final highlights out of the way on IHs, and went an extra step on the command squad and Contemptor by adding a straight white highlight after the grey. Should hopefully make the paint job stand out even more. I also got out a FoW Russian KV-5 tank I was supposed to paint for a friend and made a start on that. Good times. 

Braaains

How did I get into plastic crack?  Well, I got in on a Reaper Miniatures Kickstarter two years ago.  I mentioned this to the lads and Rob said he had some old Skaven models if I wanted to take them off his hands.  LOL, me, Skaven.

Historically I would take the pretty or evil pretty races, so the thought of painting ratmen was quite funny.  But it did take hold and I took the plunge.  I thought nothing wrong with learning to paint a few rats before my Kickstarter miniatures get here.

And that is that.

I have finally completed some of the miniatures that came with the Kickstarter.  They are just boring four zombies plus shading.  I thought I should post them in all their non glory.  I have not painted muhreens the last few nights because it has been too humid, but I can not really do more damage to a rubbish zombie!

I still cant figure out what those guys are pulling...

More IH progress

OK so finished up the next step by washing with heavily watered down turquoise, and as per the trend went massively overboard.  It is however about where my test model was so no biggy. I have also finished my 60mm Contemptor bases, although one needs some water effects added into the recess which I will do before bed and leave for 24hrs to set. Tomorrow I will do the last airbrush step and then its all washes and brush work!  I have also started assembling another 9 marines and scrubbed my first land raider armoured proteus so that should be ready for assembly sometime this week.

1st batch of IHs underway!

Today once the weather cleared I managed to get the first batch of Iron Hands started. I began with two layers of dulux spraypak flat black spray, followed by the model air medium sea grey airbrush highlights ( once again extremely overboard ). Will start on the next step shortly.

Stuff

This is what 7-8k of GW and Forgeworld stuff looks like - not mine though its my mates from http://www.valhallagames.net/

IH command squad

Well the last couple of days were pretty much a write off. Some kind of stomach bug kept me occupied so there wasn't any more painting done sadly. I did however manage to assemble my command squad to hang out with my Iron Father. I went with 2 bodyguards and the standard bearer. Once I have the rest of the stuff that I am getting from forge world I can make a banner top. I will use a stencil to airbrush an IH symbol on the banner. Fingers crossed this shite weather clears up for tomorrow so I can get some painting done.

Bases all done!

Since I am on a roll I finished all 40 25mm bases I will be using. Extreme motivation!

IH Bases

Ok so I have sorted out the bases now. Gone with a nice light shade to contrast with the darkness of the marine. Just waiting on my transfers from FW to complete the model.

IH scheme test model

Finally got some painting done. Trying to get a "black but not black" scheme for my Iron Hands.

Went with black base coat, followed by grey highlights with the airbrush (went waaaaaaay overboard with this), followed by a watered down wash of turquoise (also way overboard), followed with another grey airbrush highlight then did all metallics silver, slight blue osl under eye slits and grey/white chapter symbol. Once all this was done I washed the shit out of it with black.

I really like it and it is rather easy and straight forward so painting a whole army should be a breeze.

Thousand Sons Heldrake

And so it begins..

The dreaded helturkey painting starts.  Given all the gilding it will have, doing it in pieces is going to be good for my sanity.

Here is a WIP of the neck.  A few more layers of gold, washing and lots of touch ups to go.  But you get the idea.  I really like the red wash on the exposed neck tendons/pipes.

Heldrake neck piece, or a tie, you choose.

Blue can suck it!

WiP & Progress shots of final paint scheme for sons.  As per the headline, blue can suck it.

Five headless horseymens!

Avast there be heads!

The bodies continue to elude the heads.

Midway through metal work.

End of gold.  Camera does not show how different it looks to the above, but it is vast.  Golden Griffon rocks!

Bunny ears located.

Backpack + body =/= happiness.

Rocketman, burning out his fuse up here alone.

After issues with jetpacks, gloss varnish and supreme lack of skill, the Raptor has moved along now to this.

Still some Mithril Silver drybrush highlights on the gold to do, and finish the base.  May as well make this post live now though.

طير جارح (Bird of Prey)

Nearly there..

And done.  I present my first completed unit in my Thousand Sons Pre Heresy Paint Scheme Army.

 

Changed and added after comments.  Painted external parts of teeth, and fixed the soft metal under bolt pistol arm.  I think I got better pictures too.

 

Better start painting my own shiz..

First up is a unit or Warp Talons I got my eldest son for Christmas.  I got my youngest Chaos bikers by request - and both agreed on the nightlords colour scheme after perusing the Chaos Codex.  I was secretlely please because I <3 the Midnight Clad.  Crap photos, all ive done is a base of black, a Coat of kantor Blue , Mephiston red eyes, and edging in Balthazar Gold.  I need to tidy it up, put on some lead belcher, then a nuln oil wash.  Then I will do the face, claws, highlights etc and go over the trim with a brighter gold.

Iron Hands Iron Father

Hey guys. Latest project is pre heresy Iron Hands and I just finished building my Iron Father. Heres the pics!