A Step-by step for Ax Faction

These things always start with a bit of a challenge… this particular bit of fun came from Paul over at Ax Faction and a request for a painted version of the Gilded Saint (the first miniature Ax Faction released).

“It’ll be interesting to see how you do the tattoos” said Paul…

“No problem” says I…

Bugger is she a small miniature! What have I got myself in to…?

This is going to be a tricky project, but in an interesting, ‘flying by the seat of my pants’, way. We then got talking about doing some kind of step-by-step/paint-along, so here we are! Ax Faction are going to release the first stage on their Facebook page this weekend..! So if you want to see how I paint the flesh tones on my barbarians, check it out over the weekend. I will be about to answer questions there too. Ax Faction are also doing a raffle where you can win your very own Dragon Hunter to paint along yourself.

But first things first, the model. This is the artwork for the Gilded Saint which I will be using as a template for my paintjob. Interesting tattoos, and a really tiny miniature… *gulp*

The first thing I did was have a practise run, and I just happened to have a barbarian which had stalled and needed stripping (I wasn’t happy with the way I had painted his face) on my workbench (sorry Hasslefree!), so I thought I’d give it a go and tattoo his back with the rather detailed cross on the chest of the Gilded Saint.

This was my first attempt…

Not too bad, but still too large. I am going to have to get my lines finer before getting to that stage on the girlie.

For some more fine-line practise, you may have seen the bust I did. He is a caricatured Russian prison inmate by Forged Monkey, and was a prime canvas for all sorts of fine-line tattoo-work. I was rather happy with the results:

I hope to see you over on Ax Faction's Facebook page over the weekend!

Ax Faction's Druid's Daughter

Another month and another commission for the guys at Ax Faction, the Druid's Daughter. This model is unlike anything I've seen before - a pin-up girl riding a ma-hoo-ssive hare! So I was really happy to get to paint her for them.

Colour choice was a fun one for this girlie - the only area defined by the brief was that the hare should look like a mountain hare in summer. So that meant I could have a good play with colour. I wanted to give her green and black striped trousers, so that gave me a colour reference point, and to contrast with that I went for a red saddle cloth, and her ginger hair pushed me in the direction of blue for an accent colour. Now, in terms of colour theory, this isn't particularly advanced - I picked opposing colours on a traditional colour wheel, but in terms of me painting saturated colours, I always find myself heading towards a muted desaturated pallet. So this was a bit of a challenge...

My photos appear to have taken a step backwards this time... but now that she is with Ax Faction, they are likely to be the best I can get...

She is up on Putty and Paint: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/4771 and should be up on CMoN soon.

Two new pieces for Studio McVey

I can now show two of the commissions I have been working on for Studio McVey (yay!) as they havenow been previewed on their Facebook Page and website... Gilgamesh the ex-pit fighting Bounty Dog and a new version of the classic Vokker Dargu of the Firebrand Rebellion.

Gilgamesh:

Non-butchered pics can be found on Putty & Paint: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/4483

And Vokker

Who is also up on Putty & Paint: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/4482

I might have made the photos too large... his face looks all grainy... I dont remember him being like that IRL!

Ax faction strike again... Highland Ranger

This time with a sculpt by Gary Morley (of GW fame), and boy can you tell! It oozes old school Wood Elf but with new school technique. She is a Highland Ranger with her Warhound, and as you can see by the trophy under her foot, they hunt orcs.

As is often the case with Ax faction miniatures they come with an art card, and with this miniature I wanted to try and recreate the artwork in 3D, so I followed the colour scheme and also bit the bullet and attempted the spiral warpaint. Here is the image I was using for reference

I took a little artistic license with the orc head (I do love to give them pink noses for a point of interest), but I kept the base rather organic with tufts of scrubby grass, and the odd rock emerging from the ground. I also sculpted a log onto the base of 'Merry' the Warhound.

Blogger has a tendency to butcher my pics at the moment - I am not sure what I am doing to case that, but I have posted images up on Putty and Paint as well, so if you want to see some better pictures, please head across (and vote if you are a member) to: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/4425

I have also added a montage to Cool Mini or Not: http://www.coolminiornot.com/355010

 I love the flavour text that goes with all the Ax Faction minis:

"Armed with two deadly short swords - carried by her trusted sidekick Warhound, they'll hunt down and destroy the hated green-skins just like any skilled Ranger Pathfinder. Her cloak sports a thistle, antlers and a sporran style pouch, while she sets her foot firmly on a dispatched Orc's head! This is a special miniature in the Ax Faction family as the Warhound is based on 'Merry' - the Ax Faction family dog! Woof!"

First mini of 2014 - The Northfjorder by Ax Faction

So, its the end of January already... wow! I am not entirely sure where that went, but I have been busy painting, and back on the Ax Faction wagon with number two in their range of interchangeable hunters and mounts.

This is the Northfjorder, a "russet-bearded, axe-wielding demon of a warrior" riding a huge brown bear.

Sometimes you get models which are an absolute joy to paint, and this was one of those. Even on the tricky bits it seemed to come together relatively quickly which I think helped me really get in to the painting. I also used my airbrush for the first time in anger on an important commission, and I think the effect on the bear's fur has really been enhanced by using it. The NMM, however, was all hand painted using a hairy stick, so all those blends were brush painted.

You can also find him on Putty & Paint if you fancy voting: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/3998

The bear:

The big man himself:

Another commission! Feral Lass for Ax Faction

After the whirlwind of excitement around the GDUK, with it's traditionally lengthy build up and painting frenzy through the summer months, it can often be a bit of an anti-climax when we get to October. Burnt-out and exhausted it is not uncommon for a competition painter to down tools until Christmas...

Not this year baby!

I think a combination of actually winning something and having a couple of lovely commissions lined up for me has meant that I have springboarded straight into a mojo-fuelled paintfest. But what have I been painting? The first one I can show you as it has just been showcased by the manufacturer but the other one is on more of a longer timescale, but is also rather exciting for me (something for a later blogpost)!

So, here she is, my second commission for Ax Faction, the Feral Lass

This girlie is the first in a range of mounted miniatures by Ax Faction which are intended to have completely interchangeable riders and mounts. As such I have also been asked to get some photos of the Lass and the Stag separately. The Lass herself... Extreme Closeup!!:

And the stag on his own:

If you like these pics, and are a member please vote on Putty and Paint here: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/3383

Let me know what you think!

Salamander complete!

I managed to finish the Salamander I've been working on in prime time for entering him into the Golden Demon competition at this years Games Day UK! (accidental?*)

I managed to get a finalist pin for him in what proved to be a really tricky category - it seemed like there were more entries in 40K single Figure as there are at many other painting competitions in total! I must admit, I was pleased with a finalist pin in this category as the quality was also very high.

I wanted to try and create a tiny 40mm vignette with this piece and hope that it tells a story to the viewer like a larger diorama might.

I have posted this guy up on CoolMiniOrNot and Putty & Paint if you are interested in voting :)
http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/2945 (oddly I think these might be better pictures, although I am not sure why... maybe blogger has compressed these ones?)
http://www.coolminiornot.com/342264

On to the pictures...

*Nope!

Bayourk complete!

I have now completed the ArcWorlde Bayourk Chieftain! Here are some photos before I send it to Alex at Warploque HQ:

And here he is on Putty and Paint if anyone wants to vote (with a couple of extra piccies too)! http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/2790

Salamander... the magical disappearing post...

Somehow, this post seems to have reverted to an old draft version with no text or anything on it...!! These were the most recent images of my space marine on his base. I had written some decent blurb and linked to a pic where I had first created the base for other purposes... bah...! 

Here the posts is, re-instated...