War on paint

[Aenarion]

Greetings one and all, and welcome too the war on paint or should that be unpainted minituares. I've decided to lump all my 'projects' here in to one thread rather then two or three all over the place. So yes, after many years in the hobby and collecting and painting odd pieces here and there I have finally decided to man up and get some of these armies properly painted as they deserve. Also, this may save me some money if I have something to concentrate on rather then succumb to the foul misstress of 'ohh shiny new!' I recently joined the tale of fantasy painters, to help with my motivation and a general kick up the... I hope for you guys and girls to do the same to me here.

I've never painted an army to a standard points cost as such, don't get me wrong my forces wont break any organisation charts but I do like to pick what I think looks cool or have a theme and run with that. However my love for more then enough troops is somewhat sickening.

Onto the armies then!
For my tale of fantasy painters, I err rather jump shipped and decided to splash out on the army of undead. I enterd the boys league at 100 points a month, but we'll see how that goes and hopefully up it, just depends on work and painting time (No excuses I see) Being a bit somewhat disapointed by the rest of the line (zombies/ghouls) I'm mainly going to be focusing on a skeleton force, led by a Necromancer. I expect a few conversions here (cavalry) I may even attempt a chariot at some point, I am looking more towards the 4th ed here. Still need to find that for some inspiration, oh yes and don't be surprised to see different lines and ranges here in this army as count as'.

Blood Angels, well who could resist not wanting to start an army of them after those Space Hulk termies, how ever I have had a love affair on and off with them for the past 10+ years. With this army, nothing too special exactly though I did want to get too two compaines and supporting units.

As for everything else, I have High Elves knocking around which will get loved eventually, a half finished Dark Angels army with which I'm not to sure what to do with just yet. Ohh yes and another rather ambitous army thats been cycling my thoughts for far too long, though I really should wait and get other bits done; Victrix & Perry Napolenics as an Inqustorial regiment supported by true scale Imperial Fists with nothing but super heavy goodness from forgeworld. (Man can dream right) So I guess that's about the plan right? With this being a random log I'm sure they'll be a few other pieces turn up now and again.

So in reality my main focus will be my Undead force, for the tale but I will be attempting to paint as many BA's as I can inbetween, I'd atleast like to try and nail 5-10 a month, perhaps a little too unrealistic but worth a shot right? Also I have an airbrush now, so I am expecting this to help somewhat.

Speaking of equipment, does any one know where I could buy a decent daylight lamp to help me paint. My painting area is far too dark and the lamp I have now is far to bright casting shadows and also dry's my paint mixes in about 0.5 seconds.

Enough of the jibba jabba indeed, the pictures then:

Undead:
I threw these together a few days ago, and finally got some paint on them today, still WIP. The other four are built.




Blood Angels:
Lots of half built, and half painted bits here


Shocking camera I know, I will have to talk to the gf nicely and see if I can persuade her to let me use the good one. I will post up more of the mess of BA I have at another time.

Thanks all.

[HereBeDragons]

Wow first reply?! Shame about the blury skellies but looking pretty good so far. BA looks promising, liking the look of the Death Company (I think) legs makes it a lot more interesting than just standard bits.

[juicytomatoes]

Cheering you on with ToFP project! How's the progress?

Try to get some better pics. It's a shame that it's a little blur, since the painting actually looks quite neat from what I can make out.

[Aenarion]

Thanks for the comments guys, I'm affraid I'm not going to get any better pics atm, however the gf does move in thursday so access to a decent camera is great. No painting update as of yet, I do however have a few days off soon so I can crack on, I did find a lamp to buy this is going to help me out a ton!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Daylight-Lam...817783&sr=1-25

A little expensive, but worth it I hope.

As for the BA's, I bought a few DC boxes along with my other bits and pieces, I've tried to spread them out as best I could, purely to make it abit more indiviual and more BA unified. I shall try and get pics of the squads I've already made up too.

Cheers.

[juicytomatoes]

oh wow! 65 pounds for the lamp. But yea, lamps are a good investment.

Lookin' forward to seeing more of your work.

[Aenarion]

Thursday, a day from work and a day at the painting table, been quite a productive one today which has been quite the change. I got my 10 skeletons done for the ToFP, I just need to figure how I want to base them and finish the blue on a few of them. I realise, this doesn't meet my 100pts for the tale, but this lot has no command group which would bring it close enough. As yet I'm still waiting on my delivery for the rest of my skeletons which does leave me in a bit of a limbo at the present as I want to crack on with building and painting. Next month will see, the next 10 for this unit and start of a necromancer.

So 10 skeletons, just about finished, I even had some time to slap some paint on my BA scouts. Haven't got too far really, but Fatigues, red armour and flesh is all done.







Better photo's now I have a camera to hand, nothing great but atleast it has stopped the blurring, will look into a lightbox I think. I'm a disapointed it's not really picked out much in the way of highlights, or he wash's on the armour/blades.
Also noticed the close up on the skeleton, you may well be able to see why I'm never going to use an army painter spray again, very grainy texture on the model. These unfortuantly will be sat at the back of the unit.

So just waiting on the postman to deliver me more skeletons and my lamp, in the mean time, I shall get cracking with more BA's or putting them together atleast.

Juiceytomato has also had me salivating at the possibilty of picking up mcfarlane dragon for my army. I found this one which is very suitable http://guidestobuy.com/images/action...1K934AhaKL.jpg just know that getting rid of the fire will be a pain, so I can get a rider on to it.

C&C Welcome as always.
Aenarion

[Daniel36]

Looking good so far! Always been a big fan of the scout models. Gotta love them. They have such a nice old school feel to them, without looking old and out of place.

It'll be interesting to see your Undead army develop. Original colour scheme, would love to see it in a bigger unit.

[juicytomatoes]

If I may make a suggestion about the dragon rider:

Keep the flames on, perhaps repaint it to a more suitable color. Then, for the rider, instead of having him/her riding it, why not have him or her standing on the dragon's shoulder and pointing it in a meaningful direction as if ordering it to attack there. If you can find a model that has the pose, he/she could be putting his other hand on the neck of the dragon in an affectionate way or maybe like for support?

It's okay if you don't want to take up the idea, it's just a thought.

[Aenarion]

I've much preferred the old metal scouts for quite a while now, they fit better scale wise to marines as well and in all honesty they still stand up quite well compared with newer releases. Much better than the plastics IMO.

Glad you've liked the colour scheme, it gives me a break from red too. I've been thinking today that something is missing and I think I finally pinned it down. Heraldry, I thought the shields looks quite empty and was wondering what to put on my banners. I thought of the fleur de lys, but I've seen that done before, I even thought of the Luna wolf symbol, but thought against it. I'm not totally decided but I have thought about a lion head with mane. I know it's very high elfy, but I should be able to bring it across hopefully, I'm now doubting whether I want to do that on the shields as my freehand is poor and I also wanted a simple and quick army. Hey ho!

I had a nice surprise today when this month’s order came in, I beavered away today and I know have the remaining 10 skeletons from the first unit built, 20 spear armed skeletons, 10 grave guard and 8 knights all built.

@Juicy, I may well just have to buy the dragon and give it a look over and play with first, I like the idea, even a necromancer underneath it reading aloft like it's just been raised. I really like the Scavenger one also, I think I'll use that for my Dark Lord though. Yes, see I have even more bits tucked away everywhere, I should add that army up too. I've PM'd you a link.

Thanks for the input all!

[Crube]

Looking good so far...

As to the lamp situation, I was in a similar situation to you until my wife dragged me round Ikea... An anglepoise style lamp for £8. 3 Dayloght bulbs from the Interwebs for £3.50, and I'm good to go. It clamps to a shelf above my painting area, which keeps the heat away from my palette, and I can adjust it for access to different areas of the mini. Sure it's not going to compete with the £100 lamps, but for just over a tenner I love it!

[Crube]

Just been on the Ikea site, and can't find mine any more, but I did find this one...

[Aenarion]

Crube, thanks for the link I shall look into that, I have no idea where the lamp I have ordered is at of yet. I may just cancel it and go for that or a few of them. I'm glad it's online, the thought of going to ikea with the missus makes my heart skip and wallet cringe.

[HereBeDragons]

Nice pics! The skellies are looking really nice, but I see what you mean about the grainy texture - a real shame about that. Still, keep up the good work!

[juicytomatoes]

I went to my local store and I saw that dragon you wanted. It's 'uge! Didn't find the one I fancied so it may well have to be an online order if it comes to that.

[Aenarion]

Hey all, I've been trucking along nicely since my last post, regardless of the washing machine deciding to breakdown and flood the kitchen. My lamp has turned up at long last and my next 10 skellies are apart from a banner pretty much done. So I'm in good stead for ToFP. I may just link too WIP pics as I don't really want to pay for a photobucket account and post completed images on here. I'll get some pics done tomorrow.

I also have a dilema now, for some reason I signed up to the local store campaign. So I now need to paint 500pts of BA's for thursday :/ Aswell as a possible further 200 for any wins. I can see some sleepness nights coming up. So in the short term, the thread looks good for some soonish updates!

I still so want that dragon! I wish there was a shop round here carrying it just so I could have a look at it, seems like thanks to RL and old washing machines, I'm going to have to wait on that one till next month.

[juicytomatoes]

Woah 700 points of marines in a few days? Ouch!

I managed to find out some info about the Fossil Dragon here.

In case the link doesn't work, the poster on that forum said that the dragon was "16 inches tail to nose (although the tail's normally curled round). Height is variable as you can pose the figure. I have one rearing up (10 inches high feet to head crest) and one bending to snatch characters (height 6 inches feet to head crest)".

He also mentioned the wings were hard to attach, but that shouldn't be a problem for you if you're gluing it on.

Hope it helps.

[Aenarion]

Has it really been a month? For shame, I need that whip cracking. To be honest, this is the first time I've had the camera to use. We couldn't find the right charger for it, my girlfriend had left it at her parents. Anyway, I haven't been slouching here's some of the work I've been doing since the last post. Hopefuly I can get back to some regular updates.

First up vampire counts.


(Will be finished probably with catch up unit for ToFP next month)

No banner as of yet as I'm still a little undecided on theme, it may revolve around dragons now. Esp how I have now managed to get some new plastic DP's that I'll be using as vampire blood knights. Drums! Thats what I need, hence why I've left two arms, I don't really see why skeletons would blow trumpets what with having no lungs....

I'm also very tempted to pick up some mantic zombies for this army, finally some decent looking zombies! Can't forget that Dragon either With the new edition, whats the view on GG? Im still unsure how to arm. Two handed or S&S?

On too them pesky Blood Angels, this is where the majority of my time has been spent.


DC

Squad 1

Squad 2


These are full 10 men squads I just couldn't quite fit them in the picture.

[Aenarion]

Continued:

Assualt Squad

Scouts


Alot of these just need a few bits here and there to finish them off including basing, but overal quite a bit done. I think a unit of space hulk termies after these are finished off is on the cards.

C&C always appreciated
Aenarion

[Aenarion]

Just stopping by for an update, I have to say I've been very distracted from everything fangs. Full credit for this must go too LilLoser and his dark elf thread, emense work there if you haven't seen.. http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=275392

Anyway back on track, inspired as such I have decided to get back to my dark elves. At present I'm having some discusions on commissioning some DE's but I will hopefuly be having a bash at converting up some myself. The army will be based on city of beasts Konrad Clar and one of it's dreadlords and retinue.
I was undecided on what colour scheme to go with I still have nightmares about Green from my Darl Angels, Blue was out as my skelies are of the same colour and I think yellow maybe a little hard to pull off on such a dark sinister race, so yet again more red! Oh the joy. Breastplates and the like will be coloured and not metalic, beasts such as cold ones will also be of the same colour to give a unified theme across the board. I'm not sure where I'm going with this just yet, so hold on. I'll be starting with the core troops of the army first before branching out, but if I do some conversion work I'll post some WiP.

Anyway, the test model. It took me one hour, but I'm happy enough. Please C&C, would like to see how I could improve camera skills excluded




Also looks like that heresy dragon will be willing it's way to me soon. The perfect mount for a budding young dreadlord.

[theimp]

Also looks like that heresy dragon will be willing it's way to me soon. The perfect mount for a budding young dreadlord.

If by that you mean it will dwarf everything else on the battlefield and eat GW dragons as a snack, yes it is. Can't wait to see it painted.