May contain small objects

Quick update with some new pictures. Ross lent me his light kit and Wiggy loaned me his camera (again!) so I could take some better quality shots. They say photography is half of this hobby, and as much as I agree it always frustrates me that I have never managed to master it. I'm not able to produce high quality photography of my models, and thus never manage to put them out for decent critique somewhere like CMON, or Platoon Britannica. I've tried, over the years to get the hang of it. My dad is a decent photographer, and he has tried numbers times to show me the ways of the exposure and macro feature to no avail. One day maybe, till then I try to get the most out of point and click aids and lighting fixtures help immmmmmensley. Space Hulk stuff Brother Valencio Chainfist is at WIP stage, top mini is the finished article. Brother Scipio (WIP) Librarian Cyber Altered Task Unit The Broodlord Land Speeder Storm (WIP) Pre heresy Dark Angels (WIP) Retreat from Moscow War of the Ri...

I took a break this afternoon/night on the space hulk models. Before kickboxing last night I started painting another terminator (pulling at the floor one,) and nearly finished his face, which I think is the most important detail area of a terminator. So anyway, thought I'd concentrate on some of the models for the upcoming tamworth games club 40k tourney. I decided on 2 landspeeder storms. I thought I'd proxy using normal speeders at first, but decided I would at least invest in one. Lovley model. How much of an understatement! This thing is the best multipart vehicle kit since jes goodwin redid the landraider back in the late nineties. So much kit. So many options. So much story to tell! Obviously, I'm going for the vietnam/dropship idea. Thats what it is. afterall. I decided to go for at least one scout rapelling down, after seeing a particulary compelling GD entry last year with a valkyrie similary posed. Bit small for on mass, so just one had to do, and well suited - t...

As promised, picture of the Librarian from the Space Hulk box. If anyones reading, lemme know what you think! couple of pics of Pre heresy stuff I'm working on, excuse the questionable picture quality on these. Bit ad hoc. 1st Legion Terminator Sergeant Standard Bearer Rhino Some marines. Note the lion helm from empire bits, some bretonnian armour plating, beaky melta gun and old bolter. Sergeant for the above, ignoring the unfinished combat shield. Legs were done mixing a normal veteren and a ravenwing biker leg, and sculpting the join together. Sword was reversed so hes gesturing with the hilt as if directing orders, or something. Helmet is from the empire knights box, with plumes removed and two ravenwing icons used as wings. Librarian that grew from nothing. Very pleased so far, plan on adding details like a basic psi hood and wires etc. Why does blogger post some of my pictures sideways? Try as I might I cant sort it out. Anyway, this is my PH terminator heavy weapon brother, ...

Been busy. Space hulk is time consuming! I stopped painting Brother Valencio for a bit and gave myself a break from red. (I'll need it, only 11 more termies to go) Started painting the librarian. As the only marine in the box not stark red, it gives me oppertunities to try other things) Started first building up layers of flat blues on the armour, before adding any shading or highlites. Then started work on the force axe, working in a blended shine point, trying to give the impression the axe was giving off its own light - which I then began to blend into the armour, reflecting that source. I was careful to try and keep those highlites only where the axe's light would hit them, and the effect has worked pretty well in contrast to the "dark side". I've also done the same thing with a differing technique on the Librarian's face. Highlites as usual, but mixed into the final highlite of bleached bone/elf flesh was a touch of ice blue. I did this a couple of times,...

Started Space Hulk almost as soon as I got the box open. Spent a good day (see previous post,) clipping and shaving all models including the dead terminator, relic and C.A.T. unit. Undercoated all the marines in black and got underway. I decided to make these special. I could just paint them as gaming peices, just enough to get by and an acceptable standard, but owing to the special edition nature of the game I've decided to paint them to a high standard including non metallic metals, and to make a sort of display stand for them too - more details on that as the project goes on. This is Brother Valencio, as I'm sticking to the background specified in the books provided. I've painted the red armour pretty much as I would normally, although I started with a dark flesh mix as shown by Anja in this months 'eavy metal masterclass article in white dwarf. I've gone for the non metal metals, which im pleased with - but they dont show up so well in this pic for whatever reas...

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...