Paintbrush Nirvana and Some Serious Hobby Bling

I never get any hobby in on Monday evenings as I have to get the weekly supermarket shop - this does mean, however, that I get the chance to pop into arts and crafts behemoth Hobbycraft for any odd bits I might need. I've been asking too much of my faithful Pro Arte brushes recently, so I decided to take the plunge and pick up a full set yesterday.

My hobby detritus zone (which generally follows me around the house) is now a good deal classier due to the presence of some fantastic brushes from the Pro Arte Series 107. I truly am in paintbrush nirvana.

With gold handles, no less. Hobby bling.

This is what Pro Arte say about this range: 

Prolene Spotting Brush - Formulated with the model maker and miniaturist primarily in mind. Most of the belly has been incorporated into the ferrules. Little of the brush filament is visible but the tip is very sharp giving great spring and precision in use. Seamless nickel ferrules. Gold polished handles with black tips. Sizes: 0000-000-00-0-1-2-3-4-5-6

This is what I say:

Everyone knows that you need good brushes. It's not rocket science / brain surgery / doing long division (always hated that at school). I spent an hour playing around with these today on the Chapel that I'm rehearsing techniques on and they've proved to be the perfect tools. Most striking is the sharpness of the points - I mostly worked with the Size 4 brush, which would at first appear to be massive, but it's actually incredibly precise and easy to control. Highly recommended and certainly worth a look if, like me, you're a serious 'intermediate-level' painter looking to develop technique. 

Experiments in Colour and Viscosity (With Thanks to Albert Wick Esq.)

A good friend of mine is an artist. He also plays the halfling Albert Wick in WFRP, so for blogging purposes I'm going to call him Albert. Last week I popped round to Albert's studio and while taking a look over his latest works-in-progress (all fabulous, as always) he suggested that I might like to take a few sample supplies with me to help with my miniatures painting. Never one to shy away from a goodie-bag I gratefully walked away with a generous batch of artists' materials.

An alternative colour wheel

So this week I'm putting work on all the monsters on hold to undertake some experiments in colour and viscosity. For my canvas I'm using a Chapel that I base coated about six months ago - it's a good excuse to get it finished and it doesn't really matter if I make some mistakes.  

Winsor & Newton Acrylic Fluid Matt Medium - Review

Today I experimented for the first time with some Winsor & Newton Acrylic Matt Medium. GW have started selling a medium of their own along with the vastly over-priced 'Eavy Metal Brush Set, but if a painter wanted better brushes and a superior medium, W&N are the perfect company.

Fluid Matt Medium

What was interesting for a first time medium user was the way it mixed through the paint without diluting the colour at all - this matt medium doesn't take from the depth of the colour in the way that thinning with water can. It also increased the flow of the paint (and it's sheer volume, obviously) while making it more transparent: an attribute I'm really starting to appreciate in my paints.

I worked up a 50:25:25 mix with Dark Blue (Model Color), Chaos Black and the medium to add shading to roof tiles based in Ultramarines Blue. It worked so well that I'm finding it hard to imagine using regular acrylics without some sort of medium mixed through in the future - but I'll hold off giving too much of a glowing recommendation until the end of the week, when I'll have had the chance to try some other shading/blending approaches.

River Trolls - Stage One WIP

Two very different River Trolls here, illustrating my further experiments in approaches to painting. The first I worked on last night; the second is work undertaken back in December. I made sure that I got some photos of these during the day so that I could get good comparison shots. I absolutely adore these models and I'll be very tempted to get some more in the future.

1. Experimental-Type Brownness Troll

Here, as with all my models now, I primed in white. I find that this gives the best blank canvas for my tastes and allows me to develop the colours in any direction I want.

I didn't really have a plan with this guy other than to start off with some of the Model Color range.

So I based all over in Natural Wood, which is a very subdued yellowish light brown - only slightly watered down as this is a thin paint to begin with.

This was followed by a full coat of Woodgrain, one of the transparent acrylics in the MC range, even though you won't find it with the others on their stands in shops (it's with the other wood/brown shades).  

*A side note - I've taken to using 50mm square bases as temporary stands for WIPs - it's very useful to have them on a proper base so I can think about how I'll eventually base them properly, and it provides a good platform for painting all over*

On the club I used the MC Brown Glaze. I really like the way the glazes work - more control than a wash if you're patient and a very pleasing full tone from the outset. Practice is required but I highly recommend giving them a try.

Over the scales I've started to hint at how the layers will work by applying a thin wash with GW Thraka Green. 

At the moment it all looks far more 'woody' than I'm aiming for. However, the layering will deal with that. Also, it's been very useful to use the wood tones and think about how this might work on - for example - buildings, war machines, or black power weapons. 

Currently pondering what to do next...

2. Standardish Greenskined Troll

A more conventional approach with this one and more in line with how GW presents studio work. Beginning with thinned Orkhide Shade base I applied several layers of Gretchin Green (thinned again), eventually mixing in some Astronomican Grey - all foundation paints, because I find these better to work with than the standard Citadel colours.

I mixed silver (don't remember which) with a little white for picking out the edges of the scales. A Badab Black wash toned the highlights down. If you're wondering about the shoulder pad, then this chap is destined to feature in Blood Bowl as well as WFB.

Fabulous Warhammer Maps

I've just found a great website that has fantastic copies of all the maps of the Warhammer world a GM, WFRP player, WFB campaign organiser, or just a plain old fan could desire. Some people will doubtless be familiar with it, but it's simply an amazing resource - check out Gitzman's Gallery.

The City of Nuln - soon to feature in my current WFRP adventure (as long as the PCs don't get horribly murdered on the way there...)

Treeman - Stage One WIP

A rather more developed stage one work-in-progress this time - I thought I'd hold this fellow back a while until I'd completed the first phase of (seems like two dozen!) coats, washes, glazes, highlights, etc. to get something approaching a satisfactory woodiness. This looks like simple model, but it's rather deceptive. There's actually a great amount of detail to play with here including bones, fungi, creepers, imps and general foliage. This is the old metal version - I picked it up a while ago on eBay. It's a great excuse to play with that boundary between realism (it's a tree) and magic (it's a MAN!) 

He Ent happy...

Plenty of shading still to do around the 'mouth'

Rather difficult to base this one - probably easier in the finecast

Fear On The Delb, Fire On The Reik - WFRP Episode Two

Episode Two

Daemonic Imp

The PCs began at the point episode one ended, rowing Ulrike's small smuggling boat down the river Delb away from Suderburg. As the early morning mist cleared there were no signs of life on the banks of the river - they were alone on the water. After discussing the necessity of finding food as quickly as possible, they sighted a lock keeper's cottage ahead of them. The weir could not be passed (the boat was too large to take safely out of the waters) so the lock needed to be opened. Ulrike and Mordrin set about this task while Gustav and Albert scouted around the building and its walled yard - all the doors and windows were secured with iron grills and the wooden shutters inside were tightly closed.

Once the boat was safely on the other side of the lock, Ulrike and Mordrin joined the others in surveying the dwelling for possible dangers and opportunities. Looking over the wall into the yard Ulrike spotted a smugglers' entrance concealed behind a barrel and some shrubs. Albert scaled the wall with Gustav's help, unbolted the gate, and all the PCs worked to clear the entrance.

Following plenty of cautious assessment the wooden hatch was opened, Albert undertook a quick safety check of the dark cellar beyond the partially collapsed shaft, before he and Mordrin entered to search for supplies. Unfortunately, a mishap during the recovery of some barrels resulted in the full collapse of the shaft, leaving Mordrin trapped alone in the cellar. Stumbling through the dark he found some stone steps and made his way with great care through a wooden hatch in the celling and into the building above. Once he had found the kitchen, Mordrin managed to force open a small window, and began helping the rest of the party through. This task became all the more urgent as an unnatural screeching and beating of leathery wings could be heard approaching from the tree line across the river. Ulrike and Albert made it through, but Gustav was forced to turn and face a Daemon Imp - he vanquished it cooly and with barely breaking a sweat. 

Lovely property with river views (including ottars)

Meanwhile, the adventurers inside the house were confronted by a large, growling hound. Mordrin readied to attack, but Albert managed to calm the beast and befriend it - the two quickly becoming inseparable. A cautious search of all the rooms meant the PCs garnered a number of useful items in addition to several weeks worth of food supplies. The group decided it was wise to be on their way before dusk in case other Imps - or worse - found them.

As yet unnamed hound - about the right
size for Albert to ride though, if he
likes the idea of being
halfling cavalry...

Following a few days of steady progress, down the river where the Delb joined the Reik they were faced with a blockade of military barges from the garrison at Altdorf. The massed army halted their progress and they were turned away curtly by a heavily armed captain, who informed them that  passage to the city was closed to all: their only option was to head upriver. So reluctantly they headed southward toward the Upper Reik, passing numerous refugees along the way.

Eventually, as dusk began to fall and they found themselves alone on the water, they turned a bend in the river and were confronted by a number of burning boats and ships. Ulrike slowly streared a path through the stricken vessels as Mordrin and Gustav used oars to push away any of the floating wreaks that drifted too close. The body of a dwarf was signed in the water and dragged aboard - Mordrin immediately saw that this was a fellow rune bearer, and with his final words this kinsman passed on a warning of a rampaging hoard of forest goblins - along with the parchment bound message that fate (and several arrows) had decided he would not carry to its destination. Mordrin swore to deliver it in his stead... making their next destination... the dwarf hold of Karak Azgal...

An insurance job?

The GM's Perspective

A hugely enjoyable session with plenty of tension, cooperation and conflict within the adventuring party. A good deal of well thought through role playing from all the PCs enhanced the sketched storyline that I had mapped out, and we progressed at a good pace through to the 'narrative device' of the stabbed/drowned/dying rune bearer. The wheels are now set in motion for the progressively grander adventuring to commence!

Cockatrice - Out Of The Box (And Finecast Seems Good Once Again!)

My trip to the Saturday Crèche (e.g. GW) didn't quite go as projected because as last week progressed I gradually lost enthusiasm for the new undead models. So in the true spirit of an evil mastermind amassing beasts for a vile dread host, I took the chance to grab a miniature that's been on my wanted list for some time: the Cockatrice. Roll the Finecast dice once again... *holds breath*

Still frustratingly too young for his own armies

Bravely - and despite a previous promise that I made to myself - I didn't open the box until I got home. This could have meant a march into the city again on Sunday, but luckily, everything was ship-shape with this kit. In fact, it's brilliant - I don't think I could be more pleased with this model. First off, the price is incredibly reasonable - £21.50 here in the UK, and for a monster of this size and detail, that has to be a bargain. All aspects of the model are sharp and well defined.

Contents as I found it

It went together as easily as resin should, with gaps very similar to the old white metal models. The only mystery part was the right leg, which appeared to be partially miscast - see the red arrow - not a major problem at all and something quickly fixed with a little greenstuff. Overall the prep here will be about the same as if it was a metal piece.

Looks like a slow motion crossbow wound 

So here's the foul beast stuck together. The only odd thing about it - and I realise I've not got a photo to illustrate this (will add one with the WIP posts) - is how thin the head and body actually are. Not problematically so, just in a way that isn't captured at all by any of the promo photos. Anyway, I'm chuffed with this one.

Also known as a Basilisk 

Warhammer Giant - Stage Two WIP

Progress for monster January has been (appropriately) lumbering rather than (unbefittingly) swift this week. Unfortunately, painting with multiple thin layers is time consuming and doesn't lend itself to a series of beautiful WIP photographs. But here they are anyway, along with some thoughts on the painting process in general.

I'm very pleased with with how the wood on his club is coming along - I used a Gretchin Green base, followed by a number of brown and red/brown washes, then the Model Color Brown Glaze

Above is the detail that I worked on last night during a quickly grabbed session. There are several greens layered up here so far, beginning with a Thraka Green wash over a Bleached Bone base coat. By the way, I know that it looks like he's got shit by his elbow. This is some new paint that I'm experimenting with from the Vallejo Model Color series called 'Smoke'. With a little water it makes an interesting sort of heavy wash - I've not really got my head around how the pigment works just yet although it's looking promising (if a bit faecal in places...).

Does my bum look big in this?

This rear-end shot really illustrates the unsatisfactory messiness of the thin coat WIP photograph! However, I'm encouraged by some of the early signs of shading that are coming through here and I'm very tempted to spend all of next week working on adding the layers of skin tone. BUT I'm actually going to head back to the Jabberslythe for a while because I fear he's feeling neglected.

New paints make me happy

Finally, here are some of my new products. Unless I get them as gifts or have vouchers to spend, I really won't be getting any miniatures for some time. So I'll be sating my consumerist urges on paint - much cheaper and necessary for wading through the tons (well kilograms) that constitute my sprue mountain. If the Citadel paints do change in the Spring, as has been rumoured, I do hope that they end up a little closer to either the Vallejo or P3 ranges - otherwise I'll just buy those along with the odd replacement wash or foundation (the only consistently good/useful GW paints for my purposes).

This Is A Game For Kids, Right?

Played HeroQuest for the first time in many years last night. I was the barbarian. I died like a sucker in the very first room. Notwithstanding the fact that my fellow adventurers bravely hung back in corridors and corners while I slugged away at the undead, is the game actually supposed to be that difficult? I suppose I must be cut out for more subtle and nuanced questing. It may be time to hang up the loin cloth... 

Surprisingly accurate artist's impression of our regular game nights

On The 40K 6th Edition Rulebook Leak

We are very familiar with leeks here in Wales

On the whole I'd been ignoring all the rumours about the up-coming 6th edition of 40k. Well... all apart from the likely June/July release date, as that gives me some kind of idea when I may start tackling the untouched box of Dark Eldar that occasionally stare at me as I walk past them. However, over the last 24 hours the rumour mills have gone into overdrive as it seems that a playtester copy of the new rules has been 'leaked' as a very basic pdf document. This presents us with a very interesting set of circumstances and it will be fascinating to see how they play out. There are two basic scenarios here:

1. The rule are real. Perhaps they have been intentionally leaked as a marketing ploy? How will this get established?

2. The rules are fake. Someone has taken the time to mash together the old rules with all the rumoured new ones, along with a good dose of their own ideas. Surely if someone was involved in such an detailed hoax they wouldn't be able to resist owning up at some point? 

I've not started playing 40k again yet, so I'm something of a dispassionate bystander and observer. Sociologically, however, it's going to be intriguing to watch what happens over the next few days, weeks, or even months.

****UPDATE*** See a far more insightful and interesting post on this here by Jake Thornton*** 

Nerdamorphosis Enters Comics Phase

It's rather odd that at my age I've discovered comics. Not that I was entirely unfamiliar with them you understand, but everything I've read so far this year has been in the form of a comic or a graphic novel. (Without going into a lengthy semantic discussion, I mean a monthly issue or a collection... I know enough about the politics of this kind of thing to steer clear of claiming anything too boldly... look, I'm just going to stick with calling them all comics, ok?)

I'm finding it very liberating and rather inspiring. Liberating because it's great to have access to a whole medium of literature, replete with numerous sub-genres that I've never tapped into before; inspiring because every page contains studies in light, shading, and (sometimes) colour that can easily be plundered for miniature painting ideas.

The two titles that I'm reading at the moment are The Walking Dead (I've just made it to the current issue) and Uncanny X-Men. I imagine that - given my general sensibilities - in the future I'll probably focus on picking up independent titles, as well as working my way through Alan Moore's back catalogue (I've owned a copy of Watchmen for a while). My transformation into shameless man/child/nerd continues apace... I just need to pick up a natty outfit like this chap for my nerdamorphosis to be complete:

How Do You Know If A Vampire Is Constipated? Because He Can't Pass Water...

Overall, I'm not that fussed about the new Vampire Counts stuff that GW will 'unleash' this coming weekend. January is, however, the first 'month of monsters' on the Marienburg Gazette 2012 calendar, so it seems only right that I splash out the GW vouchers that I got over Winterval on one of the new releases. The choice is a no-brainer really (insert your own zombie joke *here*): it's got to be the Vargheists. These aren't knock out amazing models, like say the River Trolls, but I'm very taken with the dynamic poses on the wings.

I've spent a while today studying the pictures of the alternative build Crypt Horrors that can be made from the kit - the sprue photos on the GW website are also useful. It's always good to get an idea about what the left-overs can be used for. With these chaps I'm thinking that the arms might work for zombie ogres, although it's impossible to tell without the parts actually to hand. We shall see on Saturday...

   

Warhammer Giant - Stage One WIP

A rather early WIP this one, but an interesting one I hope, as it demonstrates the initial stages of painting style I'm going to develop in the coming months. This evening I managed to get most of the base coat colours on my Warhammer Giant. I've been holding off work on this chap for ages and it feels great to see him taking some paint. In my reckoning, until the monstrous arrivals of 2011 this model was the best available in the WFB range - it's bursting with options and character and makes for a great centrepiece (even if it is now dominated by some of the newer, larger creatures).

Here I've primed in white, followed with a base of P3 Ryn Flesh, a quick Ogryn Flesh wash around the skin, then started to build up the basis of the colours using citadel washes (the green and purple), the yellow P3 ink, and transparent red and blue from Model Color.

The Best Laid Pipe Dreams of Monsters and Men, Or, Screw ‘To-Do’ Lists

Every hobbyist seems capable of knocking out a ‘to-do’ list in the beginning of the New Year… sometimes close on the heals of a ‘didn’t-quite-manage-to-do’ list that sums up the almost-happenings and near-completions of the previous twelve months. Knowing my own flirtatious and fanciful nature it seems utterly ridiculous that I would present my own version of such a list - in fact, surely the whole point of a hobby is that one can indulge in diversions, spontaneity, and flights of desire? Every time I’ve set myself a challenge before I’ve always fallen at the first hurdle because it all began to feel a little too much like… work. And I have enough of that to do in my parallel life for it not to infect ‘hobbyland’. 

I don’t need to read the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Hobbyists. 

A year is far too long to commit to something that is supposed to amount to a leisurely distraction: albeit one that amounts to a great pile of hours spent lovingly completing the utterly insignificant. This very post in an act of escapism as I drift away from planning the next few weeks of graft in ‘workland’. 

Don’t get me wrong. I actually admire people who can concoct a list and then work through it to completion, even near-completion. My ire is simply at my own failings of character. But, somewhat reluctantly, I must accept who I am. Through a combination of self-reflection, quasi-personality analysis and the kindly yet unbaiting chastisement supplied by my wife, I realize that I’m hopeless at planning even a few minutes beyond the present. 

I’m bloody annoying (apparently). 

Deadlines and commitments mean that I have to uphold the pretense of being organized in workland, so I’m damned if I’m going to do it in hobbyland too. I’m not going to feel guilty about indulging myself. After all, that’s the entire point of the 95% of time I spend modeling and painting bits of plastic, metal and resin, and the 5% I spend rolling dice as I move them around a table. (I’m aware that this makes me a dream customer for the evil GW marketing people, but hey-ho…). 

Therefore there will be nothing more list-shaped from me than a Monthly Pipe Dream - something I might commit to but in all likelihood will abandon when diverted by fancy. And to inaugurate this non-system of disorganization I hereby announce that the January Pipe Dream is… Monsters!

Bring. It. On.

Jabberslythe WIP

Here are a few shots of the WIP Jabberslythe. I'm building up shades through multiple thin coats over a base of rotting flesh. It's a similar set of colours to those featured on the box, although the style is of course very different.