May contain small objects

Just thought you might like to see that. I have two gracing my miniature cabinet! This cluttered mass of paint, glue, cut up models and dried green stuff is my "workspace." I thought I'd share it with everyone. I need some background noise when I'm painting, so I often have the computer on playing music, (right,) or the telly (left.) Does anyone else, or is this just me? I've heard of people needing complete silence, but I am more distracted by the lack of noise, wierdly. Above, you can see my daylight lamp. Generously donated by my dear old mum, this lamp has become indispensible in my painting - It also has a magnifying lense, as mum used it for lacemaking, which can be useful. My winning certificates from the weekend there! Going to frame those I think.Got a Forge World Vraks poster there obviously, and some other crap. This is basically my "corner" where I'm allowed to hang posters, pictures or whatever - rest of the house is a diplomatic no fly...

Well, I'm shocked! I entered the painting competition at GW Burton this weekend, as I mentioned in my first post. I've been looking forward to this for a while, I was always fairly hopeful but wow! Both of my entries won the title, 40k single mini for the Comissar and Fantasy single mini for the wharf captain. Furthermore, the Captain won overall best fantasy model too. Not only that, but my wood elves won best fantasy army for the summer of war army painting competition too! If ever I needed a confidence boost, I couldn't have hoped for a better one. I have a couple of tips on how i could improve my peices before GD, and I can turn up at the NEC next month happy with my efforts, I think.

More things I'm currently working on or finished, before I go do some work. Games Day model 2009: Aspiring champion. Like many, I used this model as an oppertunity to follow the wonderful NMM guide in a recent White Dwarf. Probably one of the most useful articles (including the face shading one) I've seen in there in ages. I changed certain parts of the makeup, because I didnt want an identical miniature (not that I could paint it that well anyway,) and..well, it wouldn't be mine would it? It'd be a lesser imitation of Keith's. I went for a white inner cloak, washed with purples and reds, and a blue helmet. Going for a Tzeentch theme. I also decided on a lighter wood for the axe handles, giving me oppertunity to practice wood graining. Not really sure how its going right now, I'm pleased with it but sure I can improve on what I've already done. My wet blending could certainly improve. Overall, I'm using it to test out new methods for me, more high skill,...

For my next trick, something I'm currently working on. Emmanuelle Von Liebwitz is the current Elector Countess for Wissenland, including the former realm of Solland and the City State of Nuln. Whilst Nuln is a city of mass produced machinery, cannons and black powder, Emmanuelle is not an Elector known for "leading from the front". In the novels beasts in velvet, and the Gotrek and Felix series, Emmanuelle is shown as a gracefull, prettied figure that revels in court intrigue, spies and politics. She would be unlikley to lead an army of state troops to war in the way that say, Graf Boris Todbringer or Valmir Von Raukov would. Even so. I've long wanted to make an Emmanuelle gaming peice. I tried to think of a reason for her leading an army, and I think at the Emperor's behest, she might take to the field with a number of trusted lieutenants. Certainly, the Emperors "request" (largley backed up by Ludwig Schwarzhelm's insistance,) has dealt with matter...

Lots of people I know have blogs. It seems to be a thing now to blog. Personally, I've always had a livejournal, (still do,) and a real journal. My journal, bought for me by my better half, is a bound fabric covered wonderful book into which I pour my ramblings, complaints, negativity, ideas, sketches and stories all day every day in the hope of one day seiving it all through and doing something with it. I write things down lest I forget why I thought them up in the first place! This blog is not going to be that kind of blog. Neither is it a project log for a specific ongoing operation, like Pre heresy marines or a tournament army or anything like that, this will just be my ongoing project log of current painting/modelling projects. I will update with sketches and things if I'm looking at something new and planning it though. Right, so. Recently finished work might be a good place to start, as I'm limited in what I can post pictures of right now. Empire Wharf captain. After...