A Belated Merry Christmas! :)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and that the new year is a good one for you.

Been busy here, but have managed to get some modelling done. First is a lick of paint on my Hasslefree Hustle. I feel like I have stalled somewhat on this, but can't quite put my finger on why. I am still pleased with the composition, but maybe its the similarity between the rusty metal and the orange coveralls that the Grymn are wearing... I have to decide whether the rust changes or the coveralls...

In the meantime (whilst I procrastinate, and possibly run out of time..!), I have started on what I hope to be my main Crystal Brush entry - a small vignette/duel between a Sedition Wars 'Strain' Revenant  (space zombie type thing) and one of the Studion McVey ltd edition resin girls, Sharro.

I have a few other pieces that I also want to get done, including another Barbarian, some new techniques I want to try (dayglow paints that I got for Christmas - thanks Toosh!), and a new camera (thanks Mum & Dad!) so I may post some new images of older models just to try it out... maybe a retrospective of what I have done in 2011. Although it will be quite short!

A quick update on last month's charity moustache growing - my team at work managed to raise just over £600 for some great causes! Thank you to all who were able to make a donation in these difficult times, it was most appreciated.

a WIP by Hasslefree Miniatures

I seem to have this 'thing' about Kev White sculpts, I just absolutely love what he does and there have been a couple of pieces over on the Forum of Doom recently which have really impressed me. One is a Powered Armoured human:

I think its difficult to top the quality of that sculpt even though Kev feels he needs to "sharpen some details". I'll buy this as soon as its released (and would be really happy if they released him in resin!)

The other is an ED209 style Grymn walker (Grymn are Hasslefree's space dwarves). This one is outrageous:

There is also a version with a detailed interior and pilot on its way:

One thing I'd love to see on this model is some kind of arm option for one (or both) of the shoulder mounts... but maybe that can be something for me to work on personally - it would certainly make it different!

I've got to stop fawning about HF minis... too damn good!

Hasslefree vignette

Well, I am pretty much there with the 'build' stage of the small Grymn Vignette now... hopefully will have it sprayed up tomorrow and start the painting. There have been a few 'cast' changes since the last photos, but I am pretty happy with the three I've ened up with. It was the guy on the left who kept changing...

Movember

Hey guys :)

Its NMovember, and as has become tradition in many places, people are growing moustaches all over the world for the good cause of raising awareness (and hopefully money) about two major men's health issues - testicular and prostate cancer.

I am never one to shy away from facial hair - I am often sporting a bear or sideburns, but never normally just a moustache. This year, with some support from a handful of colleagues (my Mo' Brothers), I have decided to grow a 'tache for charity...

My Movember Page

Any donations will be most welcome... and I won't even object to you laughing at silly pics of me!

Bugle Call

Just a quick heads-up to anyone in the vacinity - its Bugle Call this Sunday (20th Nov). This is one of the best model show's I've been to, with some really spectacular models on show and attended by some of my favourite painters from The Basement and WAMP as well as a lot of great traders.

We'll be there with our stand and doing various demos throughout the day (basically painting soldiers and having fun!)

More info here.

Something up my sleeve... the Hasslefree Hustle

Something big going on over at Platoon Britannica at the moment. We have just launched the first in a themed set of competitions which we are calling the 'Best of British'. What we are hoping to do is spotlight a different independent British mini company over a series of competitions and events with the shameless yet selfless intent to encourage their support in this time of economic downturn.

Our official statement of intent can be found here!

The first event is called Hasslefree Hustle and as you can imagine, supports Hasslefree Miniatures. Full details can be found here. It is a painting competition with pretty simple rules - paint a model or group of models which fit on (up to) a 50mm x 50mm base and you can use models from other UK-based companies as long as Hasslefree pieces remain in the majority. Closing date: 15th January 2012

I have knocked up a quick concept of what I am hoping to enter into the 'staff' part of the comp - a group of Grymn pressing forward into no-man's-land... The intent will be to cram as much detail onto the small 40mm base as humanly possible... but it leaves me with some questions

1. Camo or coloured armour
2. Weapon glow or muted matte armaments
3. NMM or metallics

Gaaaaaah!

What are you going to do?

Avelonian bust

This is the bust as it stands now. He needs a little "je ne sais quoi" so I am going to head over to The Basement and see if any of those talented buggers can point me in the right direction! Obviously he needs a plinth and I really want to do something with the helmet that originally came with the model., maybe present it on the plinth...

Fairy Dust(ed)

Well, its taken much longer than I wanted it too, but my Fairy Wears Boots piece is finally done. Big smiles and big relief.  However......this fairy tale isn't quite over. I managed to break her wings (which are extremely delicate by the way) whilst packing her up for Grey Matter.  A few choice words were muttered and I'm now going to glue them on with a two part epoxy glue rather than the 'super' variety.

Anyway, whilst I get that task done, here are some pictures, complete with wings intact :D

More WIPS - painting one bust and sculpting another!

So, next up are a couple more WIPs - the Avelonian bust is heading rapidly to completion (although I keep looking at it wanting to add some kind of freehand), and a Pirate Orc Bust a 'Jolly Bodger' so to speak...

The Avelonian:

The Pirate Orc has been sculpted in my usual 50:50 mix of Super Sculpey firm and regular and has a ball-bearing eye. I used a different technique to stop the sculpey from separating from the armature this time though, and it made a massive difference - I added a procreate core to the armature and before it had cured I started adding the bulk of the sculpey. Then I left it to dry before continuing the sculpt.

This is it now, after the first bake (as you can see, thos one is more GW in style than the last Bonner-esque one):

Domaru complete for now

I think I have come to the point of completion with the Domaru now - I have made a few subtle tweaks and tidied a few areas, but I think he is now done. I will get a plinth for him sorted out at some point (I have my eye on one from BNS Miniatures) and am still mulling over modifying the rocks on the back, but sometimes you just have to know when to stop...

Avelonian Recruit bust - a new WIP

Made a few changes to the blog recently, most notably the image 'slider' at the top of the home page, and the removal of 'jump breaks' to show the whole post on the home page. I hope you like them, and that there isnt too much 'guff' at the top of the page before you get to the posts! The sliding images will link to the most relevant/important blog posts like recently complete minis or major WIPs.

Model-wise, I have started the Avelonian Recruit bust by Alkemy. Its really nice to try something in a different scale - from the top of his head to the bottom edge of his chest he is almost exactly 40mm tall. A good size for a bust to paint for fun, and this guy seems almost to be painting himself.

I have added some more colour to him tonight, but only some green and a little more leather-work on the strap that is on the left side of his chest (as you look at it). As it stands right now, the green needs darkening, but it makes him look almost like a character from Robin Hood...!

Forgeworld/Warhammer Forge... *drool*

This post is just a general musing, and a bit of a 'hats off' moment to GW's premium resin sister company Forgeworld. Since (re-?)opening their Warhammer doors with their 'Warhammer Forge' range, the releases coming from FW have just gone from strength to strength.

To the point that I almost have to buy some....!!

The models I want to highlight today are the new Verminlord, a skaven lord mounted on a rat-beast and a new style of Space Marine Dreadnought. All superb models which look like a real joy to paint

Forgeworld

Here are some pics of the groovy stuff (all taken from the Forgeworld website)

So, what's next...

The Domaru is now at a stage where it is theoretically complete (just needs a plinth), but I want to put it down for a little while so that I can look at it again with fresh eyes and make sure its been done to the best of my abilities. I want it to be a 'competition standard' mini, and taking that step away from it for a few weeks can make all the difference.

However, I have not been resting on my laurels, but been prepping and working out what to do next. I have a couple of Studio McVey minis that I want to do in a vignette which I have been sketching recently, a handful of Infinity models which I want to paint as a unit, and then something like the Avalonian Recruit bust by Kraken/Figone...

As each piece requires different levels of involvement I am tempted to start them all at once! One is a painting excercise, once is a base building and scene setting and the other is unit painting.

The bust is primed and I have started work on the metals
The McVey minis are cleaned and washed
The ALEPH are waiting patiently whilst I design the scenic base for them

Sketch for the McVey piece

Better pics...

Here are those better pics of the Domaru - no extra weathering, but the photos are a lot better! (and a picture of how my ideas are formed...)

To Infinity and Beyond! (Domaru)

Well, I have done some more tidying to some of the lines on the base and straightened the top edge (which was wonky) and then started to add dirt and grime. You will also notice that I have re-attached the arm.... this time with Dev-Con a 2-part epoxy glue which is bloody strong, and slightly flexible so should hold a whole lot better than the superglue I had used before.

More weathering to come, and some better photos too!

On our way to Euro Militaire

We are now leaving London Kings Cross (after the obligatory sushi fix) and heading down to Folkestone for the show.

Looking forward to seeing lots of shiny new toys and having a good natter with old friends (and maybe a few beers and some good food).

Thoroughly looking forward to it!



- Posted from the high seas

First Post

Peter has been nagging me to get something posted on the blog, so here it is.  I thought I'd kick off with a current project. I first saw the "Fairies wear Boots" model, sculpted by Kev White, on a forum and knew that I wanted to paint her. Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled when I received an email from Tim at Grey Matter asking me if I would like to paint her for them :)

The cast itself is really nice; light grey resin with only a couple of tiny bubbles that were easily dealt with. She also had a very feint mold line on the inside of her arms, but again, once spotted they were sorted out. Her wings (not shown in these pictures) are cast in clear resin. I'm quite looking forward to seeing how they look on the finished piece.

The pictures here are WIPS, but I only have a few things to finish off, together with the final obligatory tidy up. She's sporting a pair of Cherry Red DM's and her dress is the Goth colour of choice - purple. I always imagined her with stripey thigh-high socks, which I think have come out very well.

I have to say that she is a typical Kev sculpt - I am sure he won't mind me saying that!  She is so delicate and very small - he certainly has a keen eye for the ladies ;) I also enjoyed the extensive "research" into Love Hearts - well I had to get them right didn't I?!

I have done some more work since these shots, but I'll probably leave off posting more pictures until she is completed.  In the meantime, I hope you like her :D

Toosh x


"Fairies Wear Boots" by Grey Matter Figures
Sculpted by: Kev White

"Fairies Wear Boots" by Grey Matter Figures
Sculpted by: Kev White

Domaru with added colour

Managed to get some good painting done yesterday and have really progressed with the Domaru Butai. The base is now pretty much complete, apart from some weathering and maybe some freehand Japanese numbers on the outside.

The Ultramarine Veteran on Ebay!

Well, I have finally done it - the Ultramarine Veteran is now up on Ebay

Pop over and have a look, and maybe have a sneaky bid whilst you're at it!

Ultramarine Veteran on Ebay

Background colours

Well, I have started on the base now, and have gone for a blue grey wall with purple shadows to contrast nicely with the warm yellow armour on the miniature. Here is a very quick WIP shot from my phone:

More of my Domaru Butai

I have attached his weapon now and started working on some object source lighting from his eyes, wrist and part of his gun. Still thoroughly enjoying this model - going to have to start on the base soon