Back from Origins 2011

    As the title suggests today I'm finally back to my room in Wisconsin after a week at Origins working for my local hobby shop, the Chimera's, booth. It was interesting in many ways. I met other vendors, painters, gamers, metal heads, trannys, and bums. Well I should point out the bums were some of the crew "helping" us who turned out to be some of the laziest people I've ever experienced. I'm confident that the dog does the cooking at their home. 

Overall I had a great time though. My buddy Kevin the bits pimp and I ritualistically drank 5hour energy shots throughout the day and sold hordes of loot. 

The biggest bit of news I have to share is that Armorcast commissioned me to paint 5 of the figures they produce and they produce many but I've always know them as a company that makes top notch scenery.

http://www.armorcast.com/

As I work on the models I'll post them. The first two I've decided to paint are a couple of dwarfs or Dwarves if you're pc. One musician and one barmaid.

The bases are also made by Armorcast ;) Great stuff and they're running a competiton, which I've entered, right now using their range of cinematic effects so what are you waiting for? Check them out.

I also cleaned house on some top notch Racham mini's that I've been wanting to use as a mordheim warband. The Chimera was selling them for 50% off. That's right 50!

boom.

Before I can get to these guys I have a bit of a list to attend to. Here's my painting list for the July.

-all 5 Armorcast minis

-the Tigurius diorama for Gamseday

-finish the Tribe of the Bear

-start Madrak Iron hide in preparation for Gencon

Hmm, not as many dashes as I'd hoped but their all pretty big projects. I'll leave you with a wip shot of my first order of business, that infamous Tribe of the Bear which I've learned are actually old Citadel miniatures. 

Neat!

A Blast From the Past

The other day I ventured down to the local hobby store for some combat patrol games. I was hoping my friend Adam (http://atomsmashing.wordpress.com/)would come down as I brought a copy of the Mordheim rulebook to tickle his fancy and return an old commission I had borrowed back to photograph and then never photographed.

Adam couldn't make it and I got to looking at the models I had painted for him nearly 2 years ago. Adam is actually the one who got me going on commissions by introducing me to his good friend Eric who commissioned me to paint an entire box of the newest edition of Space Hulk. That's another story but my point is I'm pretty sure this was my second commission.

Hah, not too shabby. 

Tribe of the Bear WIP Part 2

I had an inkling to try out the paint stick method for batch painting so I headed down to the hardware store and picked up just that plus some sticky tac.

Guitar!

After attaching all the models to the sticks I went to work. 

Just mainly on the browns and silver so far. Apologies for the sub par photos. They'll get their moment when the whole project is finished. 

On the paint stick method I'm not a fan after trying it. I could see it working well for say a squad of space marines, these models are too different from each other. There's no uniform to follow so the idea of painting the front and then the back of a model went out the window for fear of missing a spot.

Before I started on these guys I had an appointment to take care of and while I was waiting for my friend to show up I started throwing together another Dreadnought for sale on E-bay. I just started tinkering with a base and before I knew it my friend still wasn't there and I had a really kick ass base.

Time went on and still no friend so I puttied over some gaps and primed the old boy.

Here he is ready for a paint job and a spot in the magical cupboard where he'll come to life...I loved those books.

Well I better get back to work on the Tribe of the bear. I have some deadlines to meet before I join some friends for some games of Warhammer. I'll be trying out my Dark Eldar combat patrol list which I'm excited to do because there is finally a model for the venom and I don't have to use a land speeder as a proxy.

Cheers!

Tribe of the bear WIP part 1

Today I sat down and did a little preliminary work on a commission from my friend Teddy. I've dubbed this band of merry men the tribe of the bear. I'm not sure about it's origins but these are 29 of a 30 man set.

Each model is very unique and in order to unify them Teddy picked up some bear claw shields. I plan on painting them in mainly browns, silver, red, and a purple semi pale skin tone to further the unification. 

To start I laid down some bleached bone.

Next I layered some graveyard earth and scorched brown down. Tomorrow I'll be giving them a big push toward the finish line.

Here they are so far. Look at this motley crew!

Scenery finished!

Just some more scenery for the local store, which by the way is having a tournament this weekend, and I'm hoping to see some of it on display. But enough babble, here are some pictures of the finished product.

Just table top quality bui with Mordheim on the mind I couldn't help but to freehand some extra details. 

The next piece is a nice set of the ruins of Osgiliath. The second I've done for the store and counting the sand craters I painted that should be enough to pull of a themed table at the combat patrol level.(hint hint)

So now I have some credit at the store built up. I think this will go into my Mordheim fund. Adam (http://atomsmashing.wordpress.com/) has found a better revision of the rules. Tonight after photographing the Deathwing I believe I'm going to make a warband roster.

In the mean time if you're interested in Mordheim check out these rules.

http://tzapquiel.byethost10.com/mordheim.html

WIP Uruk hai Shaman take 2

So yesterday after posting I was able to look at the picture of the shaman a realized he was showing up at only half the size I wanted him to. I think this was because of the vertical shape of the group of photos. I don't know why the internet does this to me so I made a different arrangement of the same photos.

Much better.

WIP Uruk Hai Shaman

In order to maintain my sanity while painting Kevin's massive Deathwing commisssion I worked on this guy here and there.

He's at that 90% done range where I know he needs something more but am deliberating on what that could be. I think his eyes and face need more attention to start. Maybe some runes freehanded on his staff or loincloth. 

I'v been digging the medieval setting lately and some friends and I have decided to play mordheim only it's a slightly more balanced fan version called Coreheim. http://www.coreheim.com/ This is just the excuse I need to collect some of the fantasy figures I've been oogling from the many manufacturers out there. My fisrt thought was to go with witch hunters but now I'm leaning towards the cult of the possessed as it will open up more conversion opportunities. Plus my other friends are leaning towards the good guy warbands. I'm already imagining a possessed warband based on an unlucky Duke who's fallen out of money. 

Models like these just ooze pure character. With so many to choose from the only hard part will be to not buy too many of these guys.