Warcasters, Warlocks and Feats; Oh My: Stream Pics

Hopefully, you enjoyed some of the various games that I streamed/posted this weekend. I have yet to post the last game Larry and I played yesterday but I believe we worked out most of the kinks with the set up; the camera angle in the next video is much better.

I started out just using my camera(Logitech c615) on a tripod and the normal lights in the room for the first couple of videos. You will see that by the Vlad2 vs Madrak2 game the lighting and camera angle changed. This is what the set up looked like:

I used the lights from my light box setup and my desk light. I did not directly shine them on the table which reduced the shadows to allow seeing each model a little easier. For the next game, I took out a folding table, put the tripod on it to get a higher point of view for better table coverage and put the lights that were on the chairs on it to get closer to my reflective surface(the white ceiling).

I took a couple stills before the game, here they are:

I love the shading on Larry's jacks and MOW. He used Gnarls Green as the shader to contrast against the red which gave him a phenomenal outcome. I'm hoping to see the finished Behemoth soon(hint, hint, Larry).

In essence the new setup created a giant light box! I hope you enjoy the videos.

Please Don't Feed The Animals: Slag Troll

I finished my slag troll after a couple days of hitting and running on it but I am pleased with the end result. Here are some pics:

The base took me longer to paint than the actually model. I used some Vallejo pigments to do some rust on the wrecked warjack and I think it turned out decent. The gloss varnish I apply to the model first seemed to muddy it a bit which made me sad but I still like the outcome.

I looked up some videos on how to properly apply the pigments which helped a lot. Basically, you dust the areas you want to be rusty, sooty or muddy and then apply rubbing alcohol. I didn't think it was this simple but it is. Like I said the varnish I used as  my first layer of sealing took away the texture the pigment created. I may have to use a spray on varnish over a brush on (I prefer brush on because I feel the coverage is more thorough).

I'm still debating whether I want to add grass or not, but I know I still have to apply my Arc lines before fielding him with Calandra. Anyways, enjoy.


Here is a link to the video I found most helpful:
https://youtu.be/mBU1lqbFCmA

In a Grim Alternate Universe, There is Only Steam: Cygnar 2

MOAR PICS! Here are more of my Cygnar models. Enjoy:

After using the Gun Mages for the first time and realizing how awesome they are, I promptly painted the entire unit including the Dude.

This Centurion's paint scheme was based on the color scheme of the Centurion portrait in the Forces of Warmachine: Cygnar book. This scheme then carried on to my post-Battle Box models. The next pictures are the first Warmachine models I painted; out of uncertainty of changing up the factory scheme I painted them very similar to the samples on the box. I had bought the hunter with my Battle Box; so, he ended up with the stock scheme as well.

 I hope you are enjoying the pictures. It is getting my creative mojo back online and I am ready to start taking on some new projects and wrapping up some old ones (finally finishing the half painted Trollblood Impaler and the rest of my Krielstone Unit). I will have more in a bit.

In a Grim Alternate Universe, There is Only Steam: Cygnar

Ok, as previously mentioned I'm posting more pics of my Cygnar models! Hoorah! Here we go:

I just realized after posting this that I never finished Runewood's base! You can see on the next two pictures of the sword knight leader what it is supposed to look like. I did some building rubble with some smoldering embers. 

I actually made Siege's trench base with coffee stirrers. They have all manner of uses but look great as planks or even splintered boards.

I had said that I was going to repaint them but now I'm not sure. I kind of like the blue and white. Originally the scheme was based off of the Forces of Cygnar portrait of the Centurion. I might just roll with it; hell, I haven't painted anything blue in a long time. Next up will be some jacks. Enjoy.

In a Grim Alternate Universe, There is Only Steam: Kraye

I was doing some more tinkering with the light box and took these pictures with a camera my dad let me borrow. I'm not sure if I like the quality better than the last couple rounds I've taken with the phone but I'll have to play with it some more. I broke out the Cygnar for this one and took shots of my favorite Warcaster and the reason I started playing Cygnar first; Jerimiah Kraye!

I'm going to post all of my Cygnar models up here soon because I intend on dipping them all in Simple Green and redoing the whole color scheme. This one is way too close to the factory scheme for my liking and that does not work for me. I'm thinking grey and red with pale ashen skin to really bring out the "Dirty Swans" and the evil element we all know exists.

RIP Blue Color Scheme.

To Inifinity and Beyond!: Nomads

It's a snow day here and I used the opportunity of being stuck in the house to break out the light booth and take some pictures of models I painted 9 months ago. I have a back log of miniatures to photograph so today is catch up day.

Infinity was another low-cost, buy-in game much like Warmachine but emphasized low model count games which I love. It gets progressively more expensive as you go but I'm willing to suffer for my hobbies. When I was choosing a faction for Infinity, I went purely on how they looked and Nomads, specifically Corregidor, was my favorite. I bought up almost everything with a "cat" in its name because I think they look cool and as it turns out, aren't half bad on the table.

I only painted three models so far but intend to get the other seven in the list I made ready to play. I decided to use Mobile Brigada as my LT over an Intruder, so I made sure I painted her up first.

When I was deciding on the paint scheme, I was trying to figure out how to make the models look far away from the Corvus Belli stock models. The easiest solution was to use the P3 paints I already have! Most likely, the stock models are painted in Reaper or other brand; by simply using another company's colors, you can make models look very unique. I started out with a solid white primer and washed the model with P3 Armor Wash for the grey areas and heavily watered-down P3 Brown Ink for the beige parts. The Corvus Belli models are beautiful; however, the details are extremely fine and can get easily lost to a heavy-handed painter. I suggest trying to use washes as much as possible and save your paint for highlights or broad areas lack of detail lines. A good example is the helmet on this Hellcat:

I used Iosan Green with P3 Green Ink to add some brightness to the models as well as to keep the Anime feel to them. Originally, I made the Hellcat's helmet green but I didn't like the outcome and decided to go black with a green tint. I liked how this turned out much better. Next is an example of my favorite Nomad unit and the bread and butter of my list; the Wildcats:

On the guns, I first painted the whole thing with Bloodtracker Brown. Then I proceeded to paint the "camo" on with Battlefield Brown in uneven thick wavy lines. I probably could have taken a lighter brown and did a couple splotches but I felt that simplicity is bliss. I topped it all off with a wash of watered-down P3 Brown Ink. After looking at these models in the pictures, I can see I have some areas to clean up or even put some highlights on: this explains my love/hate relationship with photographing my minis. :-P

One of the best lessons I learned when it came to art is this: "When in doubt, leave it out." A wise teacher taught me this and I have applied it to all my projects. When you aren't sure how something will turn out, unless purely experimenting, don't do it. There is such thing as over doing something to the point you ruin it. So, paint on!

Please Don't Feed The Animals: Trollbloods

When I took pictures of my Blindwater models, I also used the opportunity to shoot some of my trollbloods. I figured I would make you hold out till today to see them, not that you were waiting anyway. Here you go.