As a spur to get on with the pile of shame(ful ambition), and because I decided to take pictures to work out what I was doing, this documentary of my failures now exists. Maybe somebody might like the stupid things I'm attempting.
As I can't even find what I'd been doing, I'm sticking a master list here of anything that's an actual project and not just a one-off failure or brain fart.
We're back in "... belong to us" territory again, with even more paint! Maybe things went better, maybe they didn't. Who knows as this intro was written before I'd even finished the last lot. Funny how time's non-linear here.
The first thought, well somethingth thought as by the time this is edited the order of things will have fallen out of my brain, was that maybe it would have been a good idea to use bigger bases. More space to work with, get a better feel for paint coverage, maybe more diverse geology? But no, because I like to make things hard for myself, and because I have so many small square bases because Daemons, these felt better to use. I have lots of troops anyway, so smaller would make me think more. Not that troop bases are very small these days.
I mean FFS, that's just a BASIC troop in the middle.
The next thought was what-the-fuck-paint-did-I-use-last-time? Oh, hang on, what's the point of these ramblings? Documenting stuff? Apparently I did for once, so some GW Wraithbone drybrushing on top of whatever I started with.
Anyway, we only got as far as the drybrushing here. Well, more was done, but not dry in time so here we are. What I did learn this time is that the fake Lego plates I have for getting the right drybrush paint amount suck for small brushes. Great for big fluffy ones, but for smaller ones the gaps are too big. Not sure what a solution may be yet...
Er, more "in case of lack of anything, break glass" today. Mainly the weather. Mainly. Other stuff too, but mainly the weather making it very difficult to do things after the day job's done.
At least these ones came with bases, very tacticular rockly bases. Everyone likes tactical rocks, right?
Today: it be rats. Not the cute boggling kind. Or the GW flavour. Nope, Mammoth ones. Apparently they're Rot Priests, but they don't look very decomposed to me. Maybe it's just hidden under the robes.
I'm still not entirely sure why I picked them up, other than maybe something interesting to not paint. Maybe some thought on how to do fur? No clue, stuff like this happens and I just pretend the pile doesn't grow ever larger.
Can't promise normal service next time. Oh wait, shit like this is normal service.
Circling back to basing, aye? Had enough of slow cleanup? Trying to make some progress on something started a little while ago? Throwing something together so there's the illusion of progress?
Yes, yes, fine all of the above. But progress was still made. As were mistakes. Always have to have some mistakes.
So the starting point was the living forest floor, which on reflection might be a bit too chunky to work nicely. That basing stuff seems to be used more sparingly in the example videos I saw, using them more as rocks than solid ground. But fuck it, we'll just try it sans model and see what happens with paint. And what happens with less even sized custom rocks.
Yup, I might be a little well stocked for larger rock chunks. Far from novel, I know, but at least I don't need to worry about getting a tub for a while.
First layer of paint on and we have our first mistake. Actually, no, this was the second mistake. The First mistake was not putting enough glue down on the base at the start. The left to right order of the first picture is intentional, as I realised the glue thing by the final column. Oh well, better luck next time.
So, the second mistake follows on from the first. As soon as the paint started going on I regretted not doing any sealing layer of glue. I know, watered down PVA is like a core thing, but the great Duncan didn't do it in one basing video, so it must have been fine right? Oh, wait, he knows what the fuck he's doing, unlike me.
As I couldn't decide a fourth colour scheme, after generic stone, desert and whatever the hell is close to what I'd previously done with now-dead paints, I throw on said sealing layer. Also tried on one of the druids, as why not.
This week's reasons are sponsored by The Weather. While something themed around other Tzeentch daemons might have been more on point, this much is what I got done, so that's all I have to show. At least there be horns.
To reiterate an oft reiterated point, I have quite a few Pink Horrors, most in the same state for a little while. What with getting some of that sweet blue action going, I've finally started to pick up the remaining dismembered pinkies. I say started as fucking hell just this one took too long. Already clipped, and arms selected, it took longer to clean up than FOUR humans. I have no idea how, or why.
It wasn't even the little bit of sprue goo I was trying to work with, just attachment and line cleanup. I know some other ones will be worse, as clever me in the past decided no banners or musicians. To be fair, one banner arm was magnetised, but that really unbalanced the model and do I really give a shit about having a banner if a game system doesn't make use of it, or at worst being a couple of horrors down? Not like I wouldn't just say fuck it and get more? Can't have too many of some models? Right?
The most annoying thing is that even If I managed to get the remainder together fairly quickly, we're now in fuck-priming season. Or at least check the humidity each day to see if there's an OK early morning or late evening.
There's always a plan behind things. Usually a stupid plan; usually one that will never be started, let alone finished. If it involves actual paint, let's just not even pretend it's a thing.
So, why not get a random sprue of Roman gents as another attempt to force myself to paint skin!
This wasn't the worst random acquisition, that's saved for another day, but I can put this one down to grocery shopping when hungry. Yes, this sort of thing happens. That and needing to be in the vicinity of magazines for reasons. No, not that kind, I doubt they even have those. Not that I've looked recently.
Anyway, these gents were a magazine "freebie" for Blood In The Sand, which was a Kickstarter thing I didn't know about. Still don't know much, as sprue-on-mag and that sprue being from some plastic maker called Wargames Atlantic. I should probably look them up.
I've not even read the article in the accompanying magazine on them yet, so I have no idea what the purpose the first gents serve. I skim through the simple painting guide, Not sure whether I'll try that, or something more direct maybe? Considering there's so much I said is decent for flesh/skin, maybe just dive in. Though there's only a couple of them, so my usual fucking-it-up paralysis is rearing it's ugly head.
As for the bases, because that's a thing now, the not-great resolution images look like they follow the usual Wargames Atlantic puddle pattern of being on a base, so I guess I'll have to dig out more of the dual-use bases. Even though I can't remember if I picked up more after acquiring a couple of bonus Quar sprues. At least I won't be burning through all of the basing supplies, as it's not like there'll be anything else bar sand!
Not letting things go can be quite a negative trait. I don't mean in terms of loss or trauma, I mean sunken cost. Yes it's a fallacy, but combine that with a propensity for only replacing things when they break and you get a combination of "It's still good" and "I can fix it".
This shouldn't extend to consumables. Tools that should last a while with good maintenance, yes, but with consumables it's there in the name: to be consumed. Like paint. Paint's not exactly reusable. Use pot, get more. But miniature paint is expensive. And I don't paint often enough to keep a good supply of lots of shades. So if I have a hardly touched pot that's a little past its best, surely it's worth spending money on multiple tools with a combined chance of success of close to fuck all to try and resurrect it right? Right? Cool, good plan.
Yeah, no, I think some are too far gone even though I didn't think they were that old. Oh, I've not given up on it completely, just need to have a slight adjustment in approach.
Today's tool in question is a simple tattoo ink mixer. I think it's going to be great if the paint's a little try, but when we're talking big solid mass it's doesn't have the torque to have a chance. I could use something with some super oomph, but that's likely to wreck the whole bottle if I slip.
It appears to be turning in to year of the base, now that I'm using stuff finally. And as I have some older stuff, let's try to use that!
Er, or not. Dryer than a dry-sexualised-thing. I'm still convinced I can make it usable again, even though it's probably not on sale any more to replenish if I could use it and finish it. Hmm, I wonder.
Oh, nope, that's not happening. We're in queue world, as 11th pre-order time. Back to Sir Jiggelot and the other tool THAT'S JUST VANISHED FROM THE BUILDING AND I HAVE NO CLUE WHERE IT WENT.
Er, plan B?
So, no need to go rummage for the core basing supplies, as I've not put them away since shitposting. Did I mention I'm messy? But self-awareness is a wonderful thing, so knowing I'm messy means I have a chance to do things to lessen the mess potential if my brain's working. It's working somewhat today, so here's the only little Really Useful Box I have that's not filled up with half-started projects, now filled with some of the basing sand stuff.
In case the usage or scale weren't obvious, and in an effort to show the completely obvious use case once there's some PVA glue on the base. I'm quite impressed I didn't spill any sand when I poured it back into the bag when done, which was probably helped by me only pouring 1/4 of the bag in the first place.
Now I did hit a little snag with the plan. The idea of sticking a non-tactical rock by way of pre-cut cork isn't exactly novel, but these chunks are quite, er, nobbly. It didn't feel like there was enough flat to really get them in place. So, grab the trusty hobby knife and lop it in half. Now a splendid flat surface!
Pretty happy with the initial result. Sadly no time to paint, or throw foliage at it, as by the time I'd reached this stage there wasn't enough time in the hobby window for it to be dry. I'll probably use the 24-hour curing rule, considering I tend to do things in little batches and I might not even touch these for another 3 months.
Well, maybe not that long, as I'm actually fucking enjoying doing the bases. I'm quite stunned, especially considering my general crippling fear of fucking up bits on models, but I'm finally understanding why people say basing is important. I've known it's a thing, just not felt it. So cool, bases happening, maybe I'll actually paint properly?
I'm a messy person. Some people have defining traits as clumsy, loud, or even those freaky people who are neat. I'm not neat. Despite my best efforts, crumbs just *happen*, stains occur, and paint gets everywhere. Woe betide anybody with 5 metres of me with a fountain pen.
I'm not especially dirty, just stuff accumulates. Forcing myself to be as paperless as I can helps, but I tend to put things down mid-way through to pick up later, rather than tidy everything up for a fresh start next time. And I don't do maintenance.
This is really in my head, because for the day job I think a lot more about putting things down in a good state for me or somebody else to pick up. I start the day with no applications open, so I can go through the ritual of starting things with a clean slate, even if I'm picking up from exactly where I left off the previous day. And I think, and do, clean-up on things when I touch them, or do backlog crap just to keep on top of it. But outside of that digital space, the same thinking doesn't happen. Too many random models and paints left out, sometimes to keep things together so I don't forget, other times because I just leave them there.
All of thas for a shitpost about some brush soap. Yeah, one of those days.
Most of these brushes date from my early days in the hobby, so not exactly spring chickens. And they get fucking coated. And shit gets in the ferrule because I don't paint consistently enough to improve my brush control. And because I don't maintain, they'll keep soldiering on until they well and truly die. Because while I don't maintain, I won't replace unless absolutely necessary.
So, the soap. Let's use the damn soap, as there's a lot more life I can get out of these brushes and let's try to do maintenance for something.
Well that took a bit longer than I expected, but it was actually quite therapeutic. Just gently, and occasionally not so gently for the rougher/cheaper brushes, swishing them around in turns in the soap, the water, and the kitchen roll. Turns out the inside of the lid's quite good for working the soap in the for the harder brushes.
Oh and this wasn't a shitpost in the end, as it took all of my allocated hobby time to go through all SIXTEEN of the brushes in various states of defoulment. I mean I didn't use the brushes after that to paint, because that would mean I'd have to clean them again and once is enough for now. Hmm, maybe I should have done the other brushes as well.
So today's reasons are mainly weather related, though if I'm honest I could also throw "I'm ill" in. But that's just an excuse, we don't do that here. We just dredge whatever up we can find that's not just a literal repost or, god forbid, a self-reblog with no additional context!
So this week's pile of potential rummage result was a box of things I really don't know why I picked them up. I'm not very big on greenskins, except for a little dabbling in I can't believe they're not orks, nor am I generally gathering things dor D&D scale. As the box says these are 35mm, though I've had my doubts on this before.
We're back in Mammoth Factory territory again (not for the last time if I need something for an emergency), and as again we have solid 3D printed models sans bases. It's not like I don't have bases, or anything to put on them, I just don't know which ones I'll end up using. I mean they need a little clean-up and priming first, but one can dream. Not like I take a long time to do things...
There's a bit of a mixture of poses and accoutrements, though I did spot a few mirrored models, which is fine and not a problem for me. They're also almost all archers, so that's something? Not sure what I think of painting them yet, as they'll either be super fiddly, or do fine with some speedpaint/contrast and some touch-up. Not sure full on drybrushed slapchop will do them any favours.
We've had the showing off, now time for the scribbly notes to document what I actually did so I don't forget in the future. Which I should have done at the time of painting, as I forget what wash I used.
Seriously, could have been any one of three different ones. And none of them Devlan Mud! (or whatever that now is in the Citadel Warhammer range)
Another bit of a closeup on the other couple of Horrors, just to reiterate the final form and try to catch it in a slightly different light. The recipe will be simple, as most basing should really be at its core, just without the however many years in between texture and finished next time.
I have no idea if the texture paints are any good or not. They're probably usable in some shape or form, but at worst I'm sure I can fudge something with some sparse sand and similar paint colours. Pretty sure I have the right green somewhere.
So, a bit of both of the texture paints, in no particular pattern, then slap some bony Wraithbone with a little dry brush. No makeup brushes, not even the small ones, just a classic stubby little short-bristled thing. Finish it with a wash to even it out a bit, though seriously I don't know if it was Strong Tone or not. Probably was? Didn't note, even in a draft here, because as we know I'm an idiot.
Well, would you look at that, almost like I had a plan for the tufts. Nothing too Daemonworldy, as the original intention was something standard rather than hellscape. Mix and match a couple from each and voilà, I can finally not sure entirely at bases or be scared of doing them!
There's never a limit though, as there's always more Horrors to be had. Well, painted, as there's still a box worth in a tray. Well, constructed, as said tray doesn't have much that's glued together. But there's more! Always more.
So, Pink Horrors are the reason I started with the plastic crack. It wasn't immediate, but the pink gribblies in Relic's masterpiece (though maybe less masterpiecely for the lore…) Dawn Of War. Chaos Marines were cool, because they were just psychologically broken. And Pink Horrors? Just so aligned with my brain. While the first models I painted were something else, it was Horrors that I wanted to paint lots of and made the most progress. They're still what I'm most proud of. Every time I look at them, I smile and thinking "that's what I want to achieve".
And then I look closely. Or at the base. And I feel bad again. Imperfections, bad choices and just WTFery of the ugly bases. But no more! As I let the paint-shit bug bite, I wanted to come back to these gentle, docile little creatures. Also, I have all of this basing material to actually fucking use one day. So I did.
After noticing imperfections last time I looked closely, I thought I'd poke around a little bit with some touch-ups. Gone is the horrible black smudge on the cheek, teeth have been cleaned up and all around they've just had a little polish.
And I just love the end result for the bases too much. Fixing, rather than starting from scratch, as there was at least some texture there. A bit of drybrush, a bit of wash, then the magical grass. A few attempts at sorting out the base rim colour, which is still a tiny bit rough but good enough. Can't really see the progress well though.
Should have thought of this at the same time as doing the other media here, but whatever it's here now. Now I look at them side by side, the original base work makes me shudder a bit. No depth, not much thought, texture crap all along the rim. It'll take a bit of time to sort all of them, but the important thing is that I want to sort them.
Quite politely and effectively, apparently. We're in the world of hypotheticals, missed heartbeats and adrenaline. No, wait, that was the Third Space ad campaign. No, hang on, that was later and had a duck. Ah, Double Life was the ad campaign name, according to the crowdsourced oracle. Ads were clever in those days.
ANYWAY, BASING SHIT. You know me, not one to flaunt some random acquisitions and then do absolutely nothing with them for a short time. Stop giggle at the back.
I mean I still haven't done anything with that box, nor the disturbing collection of bottle corks growing in the drawer. But there's still the intention. And intention's what matters. Especially if there's more interesting stuff to fluff the mental mastications.
So, lazy grass tufts. Yup, that's the pseudo-revelation. I know things have moved on a lot from basic static grass, not that there's anything wrong with that, but the sheer range available rather boggles my mind. And gives me ideas, which is good, or bad depending on the day.
Oh, I even went sideways a bit with the ideas. Rather than just one type, let's have lots so there's a possibility of mixing and matching. Not going to have a monoculture in this fantastical plastic land!
So, maybe this year is the year I finish a model? Maybe even start and finish a model? Maybe more than one? We'll see, but horrors are giving me the actually-paint-shit bug back, and this can only be a good thing. Probably. Yes, it's a good thing.
I may not have multiple boxes, unlike their larger brethren who represent the 4th largest count of Warhammer models in my collection (fuck I have too many Dryads), but just getting through a single box this year might do me some good. We're going for baby steps at the moment, with the usual small and targeted hobby sessions. This time we covered some tongues, nails and teeth. Not much, true, but something that makes a big difference in my eyes.
I'm taking the same approach as with the Pinkies of old: simple base-coat with some built-in shading magic, pick out enamel and ivory with some bone and wash, lovely tongue shade, then do the jewellery lightly. Still half of that to do, but they're at least taking shape. And I want to continue and do more, even if it's bit by bit.
See, even just a little paint on the teeth for these guys makes a huge difference. To be fair they're going to be harder, as I need to work out how to get some variation in their fiery bodies, and there's no jangly accessories on them, but they will get further, somehow.
First was yellow, then some blue, so many colours of Horrors, what next might we do? Red Pink. I know, how original. I'm still not happy with what I've done so far. Maybe one day I'll find the mythical unicorn of a tone. Is today the day?
Well not with this fucking one. The sibling of Dark Red tone. I guess it's a bit richer, but it's still not getting the right kind of pink going. As always, lovely for some kind of pale fleshy skin tone, and probably appropriate for these models, but just urgh. Maybe I just paint one horror with this and see how much I recoil?
The final attempt for now, and the one supposedly closest from various colour matching tables I've found. Salmon. That's what this makes me think of. Again, it's more flesh than skin going on here, but it's at least somewhat pinky?
Hmm, yeah maybe the closest of all of them so far, but still not right. I'm not sure if it's a consistency issue, or the sharper edges on the Reaper than the Horror. Again, maybe it's worth just trying this one on a horror? Or maybe it's back to the comparison tables again. This is the problem with early success: I found a spot on recipe and now can't get the same ingredients any more.
So, some kind of Horror again. This time, medium-sized, either cold or depressed ones. There's fire hands, so maybe not cold. I guess blue, because they used to be all chunky and pink and now they're just half of themselves? Fractured, never to be whole again? Like a broken sausage roll...
Or something else. I dunno, something on the other screen distracted me. Shame it wasn't blue, otherwise I might have hit some sort of conclusion on that thought.
Yeah, no, fuck making any sense in these witterings. Today, the comedic Tzeentchian gribblies that I'm finally doing something with. I mean, not much, but paint! Some paint! Something!
Fairly standard priming yawn for starters. Coverage was good enough, and as we're leaning on speedpaint rather than washes it'll be fine.
Well it fucking would be had I not ballsed up the gap filling again. I'm still not keen on how these were sliced to fit on the sprue, especially as the standard Pink Horrors work nicely with their modular design. Oh well, they're only troops, not exactly centrepieces.
Magic Blue, Magic Blue, never a bad time to be using you. So rich you be, filling my heart with glee. Could any other tone give such delight, with subtle warmth and a touch so light?
Hmm. HMMM. Not sure if it's the photo, or my application was a little less smooth for Highlord Blue, but it looks a little rough. The final colour looks good though. Hmm. Good?
Absolute sacrilegious, heretical thinking here, but the more I look at them the more I prefer Highlord Blue. I think the slightly darker tone itches something in my brain a tiny bit more. Maybe I'll end up doing half-and-half for some variety.
Small and mighty little burny things. Well, maybe not mighty as I don't remember their current stats in either game system, but it's the thought that counts. Also, shouldn't flamers split into these, rather than blue horrors, as neither pink nor blue are actually on fire.
So, yes, priming things again, but as you can see already not just that (for once). As mentioned previously, basing may be amusing. But as I'm super-fast at that, we won't worry about that right now.
Pondering number one: a standardish yellow speed paint, somewhat liberally applied. Interestingly, recesses/blotches are orange rather than a muddier yellow, so it ends up with a slightly weird effect for something mimicking flame. Probably fixable, I guess.
Supposedly orange, but unlike on... wait, do I not have something on the last time I used this paint? Oh, apparently I failed at tagging. There we go. Right, where were we? Ah, last time was slapped on grey underneath the orange, for a bit of a brown result. On white, we're a bit more peach?
I can work with this, somehow, ish. Not sure. I know the idea was to drybrush some red or orange on top, but I might need to rethink it a bit.
