Killer Frost

So, I finished up my Killer Frost.  This was completed for the manager of my FLGS, with a view to him paying me a small amount in compensation, the first time anyone has ever paid me to paint anything.  Not sure how I feel about this, as I love painting (however badly) and this gives me the oppportunity to paint something completely different.  So, without further ado, some pictures.

Currently, on the desk either in progress or waiting to be started, in no particular order are
The Lone Swordsman, and two Thunder Archers for Malifaux
Batpod (half assembled, and needing a lot of cleanup and figuring out where the handlebars actually fit) plus Jokers daughter, catwoman, and a wonderland crew
A surprise present for someone who shall remain nameless, and be a bit shocked when they get it (I hope)
The first in what will hopefully be a new project (a modern Infinity/Batman table).  My first scratchbuilt building for a while.

Any comments on the models painted, or what I should do next most welcome.

Finished Green Arrow

So I finished the Green Arrow that I was painting for my local FLGS (LVL UP) manager.  At his request, the base was left undecorated and unpainted so that he can match it to the crew that he already has.  Of interest, it was finished and I am told that he is going to be using it in his game of shifting loyalties tonight.

I'm quite pleased with the way this turned out, and it seems like Marcus was pleased with it as well.  Next up, is finishing the Killer Frost pictured before, and then starting work on a Wonderland Gang.

    I've changed some of how I am working whilst I was using this.  I have taken to using "wet" water (water with a tiny amount of washing up liquid to break up the surface tension) for diluting paints.  I THINK that  this is helping, but how much is the placebo effect, I can't honestly say.

    I have also just got some brush cleaner.  Cheap stuff from Hobbycraft, but its interesting to see already how much colour it gets out of brushes I previously thought were clean.

    The upshot of all of this is, of course, that I now have up to 4 open containers of fluid on my desk at one time (Wet water, water for pre brush cleaner cleaning of brushes, brush cleaner, and water for post brush cleaner rinsing).  This does make me a little nervous, given that my desk sits above my PC.

Tomorrow night is the Vampire:The Masquerade game that I run at the local store.  Hopefully, should be fun, and usually inspires me to do a little more painting when I get home.  Until then, its Mass Effect 2 and finishing Killer Frost.

As ever, comments and suggestions are more than welcome (I should be so lucky)

(Not) Batman

So my painting has been a little bit slowed down by work being busy, early nights, and starting to play through the Mass Effect series of games again.  I've mostly been working on Killer Frost and Green Arrow.

Killer Frost continues my theme of Batman models that appeal to me from an aesthetic point of view.  I don't play the game, and therefore my choices are purely based on what I feel like painting.  

    I started the process by cleaning up the model, assembling it  and undercoating it with Army Painter White Spray.  I don't know whether it is that I have gotten too used to plastics, or the high quality of Wyrd Models, but I am finding that the casting quality on these, in particular misaligned molds and flash to be quite bad.  Once it was cleaned up enough to pass, I then Washed the whole thing with Gulliman Blue, since I have found that these models benefit from a guide coat of paint to help pick out the details from the white undercoat.  The skin was then base coated with Genestealer Purple, in several thin coats, before being washed with Druchi Violet.

The skin was then worked up adding more and more White scar to the mix and blending it in, until I was happy with the result, which looks smoother in person than it does in the photo.  The final step with her so far has been to use Teclis Blue to paint the fabric, which has again been highlighted up, not shown.

The other model that has occupied my time is a first for me.  I have agreed to paint Green Arrow for the manager of my FLGS.  Its the first time I have done this, where I have had no input in which model I am going to paint. So far, it is progressing reasonably well, with the skin and the undersuit done, and the base colour down on the armour.  I've experimented with trying to shade the dark green with red, and it seems to have given the result I am hoping for, and will hopefully give some contrast to the brighter green parts.  Anyway, some photos of the progress to date.

 As always, any thoughts are more than welcome

Harley Quinn

So, today, as well as finishing off my Torakage, I have been working on my Harley Quinn for the Batman Miniature Game.  I should say in advance, that I don't play this, this is purely a painting project.  There are photos of my Poison Ivy for the same game elsewhere on the blog.

  I started off by assembling the miniature, and then the whole thing was given a wash of seraphim sepia for the purposes of allowing me to see detail more easily.

  After that, the skin was worked up from Kislev Flesh with a reikland Flesh wash, and then a couple of highlights layered on.  This was then over painted with a mix of White Scar and Lahmian Medium to provide the face paint.  Eyes and Lips were painted with a mix of the appropriate colour and the white glaze.

Following this, I then started work on the red on her outfit. This was basecoated with Mephiston Red, washed with Carroburg Crimson, and then highlighted using mixes of the following plus Lahmian Medium  to the consistency of almost glazes.  These were worked from Mephiston Red, through Evil Sunz Scarlet, and then with a very final edge using the above plus White Scar added.  In the following photo, this looks quite pink, but in the flesh, the pinkness is less pronounced and it looks an awful lot better.

 Following finishing the red, I have now got to a point where I am starting on the black.  This has been base coated with Army painter Matt Black, my new favourite black paint.  I have to say that this is where I have stopped, knowing that I am both awful at, and hate highlighting black without making it too grey.  To that end, I shall sleep upon it, and then decide how to proceed tomorrow.  Any ideas on the best way to highlight the black up of course are gratefully received.














I should add, that much of my inspiration for actually getting around to painting this has come from reading this blog.  I sincerely hope he doesn't mind me linking to him, and if he does, please let me know and I will take it down.  His amazing paint job led me to finally get up the courage to have a go at this model myself.


Finally, it would be remiss if I didn't include a photo of the other models I finished today.  My Torakage.  I have to confess that I didn't enjoy building these, and I haven't enjoyed painting them.  Still, the progress my campaign to paint all of the available 10 Thunders models for Malifaux.